CHAPTER TEN
SERENA LED LUCIANOto the meeting room. She didn’t feel nervous. Even if Luciano was his obnoxious self, she knew how to handle these men.
And, at the end of the day, they had no power over her. They’d try to find some. They’d try to stop her. But they hadn’t been able to yet. And, much as she hated to admit it, in a war like this, Luciano would no doubt be an asset. She tended to focus too much on theshould beand not enough on the underhanded ways people could behave when their power was threatened.
She hadn’t threatened this group’s power, except by the fact she was a woman and younger. She couldn’t help but wonder how different this would all be if she’d been her father’s onlyson.
But that was neither here nor there.
She could fire them all, but she knew that would lead to revenge plots. That too she could handle, but she didn’t want to. Not yet. So she kept them on. Pretended to listen to their manly tutting. Then did however she pleased.
“Serena.” Riccardo Esposito was her least favorite of this group. He always talked to her as if she was perennially twelve. The only reason she hadn’t fired him was because she was afraid the other three would get so worked up about it, they’d cause problems she couldn’t yet afford.
Someday. Someday, they’d all be gone in one fell swoop. But for today, she had to deal with them as she always had. Endlessly polite. Carefully cool. Unbothered by their complaints and criticisms.
And sure of what she was doing.
“This is a business meeting,” Riccardo said, as if this was news.
Serena settled herself at the head of the meeting table, and Luciano gracefully slid into the seat Riccardo had no doubt been about to sit in. Serena had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at the mottled red of Riccardo’s cheeks.
“Itisa business meeting. On company time and everything,” Serena agreed as the rest of the men took seats. “So, let’s move this along.”
“Heis not part of our business.”
“I’m afraid that won’t be the case for much longer.” Serena smiled placidly. “The lawyers are already working on a Valli-Ascione merger. We’re still working out the details, but all your jobs will be safe, of course.”
“For a period of time anyway,” Luciano murmured.
Serena supposed she should have found his input irritating, but it hit just the right note. A bad cop, good cop kind of approach.
She met disdainful and disapproving gazes of the four men who’d been her father’s top advisors. Serena had let them maintain their positions, and she listened to their suggestions still, out of respect for what they’d done for Valli previously.
But she rarely listened to their outdated and insipid ideas. Her father had hired and trustedyes men, not brilliant minds.
Since Riccardo had never found a seat, he stood there vibrating. “A merger would violate everything your father stood for.”
“My father apparently valued drinking, driving and killing himself. So, this is not quite the censure I think it was meant to be.”
“Your grandfather—”
“You did not work for my grandfather,” Serena cut off coolly. She did not let the simmering anger that they woulddaremention her grandfather to her permeate her tone or her expression. “You did not know my grandfather. You will not invoke his name if you wish to remain employed, and let me take it a step further.” She met Riccardo’s furious gaze, cool as a cucumber. “I am in control. Full control. If Valli fails, that will be on my shoulders. Not yours. So I will make the decisions. And this decision? It saves us.”
“Serena.” It was Mattia Adamo’s turn to try to reason with her. She could tell from the way he said her name. “This is a huge decision and an incredibly large undertaking. You cannot expect us to approve simply because you…” His gaze slid to Luciano. Disdain hardened his gaze. “Because you have found yourself personally involved with ourrival.” His gaze returned to her, a paternal and patronizing smile on his face. “You must give this time.”
All generous understanding, with the undercurrent of condescension that was close enough to remind her of her mother’s disapproval.
Funny, that never bothered her here. It never had. Her mother still had a knack for twisting a knife Serena fully didn’t understand, but these men were…nothing to her. They were forever simply obstacles in her way, and she appreciated that role for them. You could not stay sharp if you were not continually tested.
But if they got too far into her way now, they would have to be cut. And she would deal with the fallout, even if she didn’t want to just yet.
“My dear boys,” Luciano said, and the way he drawled out the wordboysset every single man in this room’s teeth on edge.
Serena relished it.
“Rivalis such an antiquated word in this current landscape.” Luciano gave every impression of the relaxed, borderline bored, playboy. But his words were absolutely true. “The American company has swooped in and hurt us both. Because they can offerbothglobal and local services. Because they can throw a few minnows our way and have us fighting for the scraps of it all like starving sharks. Let us not be desperate. Let us be smart.”
“And merging companies would be smart because…?” Riccardo asked this with malice, and yet, Serena could not help but note he waited for an answer. He mighthateLuciano, but he did not try to treat him like a child speaking out of turn.
