“I’m sure once Serena shares her plan company-wide you’ll have all the answers you need.” He gestured at her, and she had to hold herself carefully still lest she give away her surprise.
All of this was an act, but she hadn’t counted on him to act like anything was allherplan, or particularly smart.
“Now, is that all, gentlemen?” Serena asked, making a production out of standing. “I have an afternoon full of meetings. The work of wooing customers back my father lost from his own stubborn refusal to move on with the times awaits. For all of us,” she added pointedly.
“You cannot announce an engagement, a merger, as though you are a dictator,” Riccardo said, overloud and as close to losing his temper in a business meeting as Serena had ever seen.
“Mr. Esposito, please. Calm down.” Luciano clucked his tongue and glanced at Serena. “Surely Valli employees are reprimanded in some way if they should throw a little tantrum?” He phrased it like a question.
The splutter that came from all four men was truly a thing of beauty. Serena might have clapped if it wouldn’t ruin her illusion of cool, controlled leader. “I think that will be all for now, gentlemen. Should you want to discuss this more…calmly…after you’ve read through my plan, which will be sent out once the lawyers are satisfied, we can call another meeting.” She began to move for the door.
Luciano stepped outside the meeting room first, but Riccardo all but leaped in front of the door before Serena could follow.
“You can’t do this.”
“On that, you are wrong. If you recall, that is exactly how my father set up his version of Valli. One fully in control leader. No checks. No balances. Nocannots. I hope to change that eventually, but for now, all decision making goes through me and only me. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
She pushed past him, only to be stopped by Vincenzo Conte. “Serena. Please, reconsider. You know that I’m only looking out for you.”
She had thought that in the beginning. Of the four of them, she had considered Vincenzo something of a mentor. But in the aftermath of her father’s death, she had quickly realized that just because he didn’t argue with her, it didn’t mean hesupportedher. He was more chameleon than businessman. Out to maintain and amass more power, not save Valli.
She did not trust him, but she pretended. So she smiled. “I appreciate the concern, but I have given this as much thought as anything. It is the right pathway forward.”
Vincenzo sighed, clearly meaning to convey concerned disapproval. “What could you possibly see in that man?” he asked her gently.
She looked at Luciano, standing there in the hallway, an amused, satisfied smile on his face. He’d handled the room beautifully. He had a goal, much like she did. They would become enemies again, no doubt, but right now…?
Right now, they were on the same team. And she did see something in him. Something she didn’t particularly care to.
“A kindred spirit,” she muttered, detesting the fact that it wasn’t altogether untrue.
* * *
They went through the next few days like this. He went to Valli. She went to Ascione. They met with lawyers. They drew up papers. They planned a wedding.
Serena suggested they could stand a few days not staying in the same place since the papers were abuzz with engagement news, and since that wasn’t completely wrong, Luciano had agreed.
Taking space here and there would be essential in keeping his guard up. And it allowed him to think, to plan, to reassess.
Most importantly, he was collecting pieces of her soft spots. By watching her every day. In her own territory. In his. And so he began to notice the things that didn’t just irritate her—him, mostly—but the things that offended her. A use of her grandfather’s name against her. Anyone at Valli telling her shecouldn’t. Her easy camaraderie with animals and the way she required concentration to appear easy with people.
The way she appeared at ease and peaceful every day in Ascione, but he could see her gaze taking in everything. Without fail, she went home every night, went through the elaborate process of getting one of her notebooks and fancy pens out and then wrote every last thing down.
Meticulous. Determined. Controlled. A fascinating woman, all in all. He could not say he’d ever known someone quite like her. Underneath all that ice was something far more complicated. And a little odd, truly.
But therewerethose soft spots. All of them noted—mentally because he did not requirenotebooks—to be used later when they would suit him, help him. Whenhewould have to come out on top.
He told himself this, because it was a much more palatable reason for his interest. Self-preservation over…
Over being fascinated by her.
He scowled a bit because as good as he was at denial, he was having a hard time believing his own lies when it came toher.
Theherwho swept into his penthouse early in the afternoon wearing a cheerful summer dress that he wouldn’t have thought suited her at all. She carried a large bouquet of flowers tucked into one arm and a large bag hanging off the other.
But she stopped short, because he was no fool. Flowers had already been taken care of, and the caterer was hard at work in the kitchen, filling the penthouse with delicious smells.
“Oh,” was all she said by way of greeting, frowning at the colorful floral centerpieces that had been delivered that morning.
