So, Michelangelo was Rocco’s grandson. I’d seem him around the children before, and he always had a warm look in his eyes when he watched them all, but I did notice the way he fixed the boy’s hair sometimes. There was more affection there.
“Rosaria didn’t fight to keep Michelangelo?” I asked.
She gave me a sad smile. “Rosaria only fought for what Rosaria wanted. She truly didn’t want the son of a woman she despised. But she did wonder, since couples closer to the throne were raising him, whether Michelangelo’s chances of ruling this family were more favorable. That’s where Rosaria felt moved, it seemed—in the loyalty to this family. She never really wanted to raise her own kids, Aunt Lola told me. When Luca was released from prison—another story like the one between Massimo and Chloe, but different—he was the one who had made a complaint about it. He approved of how close Scarlett was to her kids. His mamma had been a warm woman too, though, I’ve heard stories that she had to fight to get Marzio back once when he was taken.”
“That says a lot about her character and backbone,” I said.
She nodded. “You want to know all about this family? Talk to Ava Fausti. She’s originally from New York and was a journalistthere. She was obsessed with this family—her words, not mine—before she ever met her now husband, Nazzareno. He’s the son of Lothario, who was a traitor to the family, and Luca cut his legs off for it.” She must have noticed the look on my face. She smiled, lifted her hands, and shrugged. “Too much information?”
“Not nearly enough,” I breathed out.
“Thought so. I was new here once too.”
“Thank you,” I said, “for being so open with me.”
“It takes a woman with a strong backbone to be a part of this family, not going to sugarcoat that, but…we also don’t need to be all vicious either. Balance is key.”
“Bingo,” I whispered. “That’s what I’ve always said.”
“Yeah, it works in all aspects of life, except for love. The men in this family, it’s like they find an unending well of it inside of us and pull from it. I had no idea I had that much love inside of me.” She sighed wistfully. “Until Matteo. They’re so good at nurturing it too. Part of their unyielding amount of charm.”
I sighed, too, because she was right. It was like Rocco knew exactly where to drill for it inside of me, and when he hit, it exploded.
Before I left, because I was already fashionably late for my meeting with Luca, I asked a question that was on my mind.
“Stella?”
“Yeah?” She set the dishtowel down and looked at me, giving me her undivided attention.
“What’s going to happen to Michelangelo now? Now that Rosaria is out of the picture and Chloe and Massimo have a chance to work things out? I doubt even bars could hold him back, if he decided he wanted out.”
She shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. Even in death Rosaria is haunting Massimo with guilt. She was a raging lunatic in the end, because this family started to tell her no?—”
“Ah,” I breathed. “She’s been removed from the picture, but at what cost? Massimo is probably feeling like he’s to blame,because it was his decision to marry Chloe, but also feeling guilty because he feels relieved his own mamma is gone.”
“You’ll do well here.” She winked at me.
I told her I’d see her later as I left for my date with Luca, hoping he’d feel the same way.
Luca was waiting for me outside of his office, the smell of cigars and fine bourbon drifting out with smoke, circling around him as if it adored to cloak and dagger him—at his beck and call.
He nodded at me, bowing, taking my hand, kissing it. “Aria Amora Bella.”
“Luca.” I returned the nod.
His eyes narrowed against mine, and I found a challenge there. He’d get me to call him something else—father—before this meeting was over, just like I’d get him to consider me what he considered all his son’s wives—a daughter of his heart.
Or, maybe, stalemate.
Or, worse maybe, one of us would lose.
The men were all standing, and instead of them clearing out of the office, he led me away from it. I glanced behind me. Rocco gave some distance between us, but he wasn’t far. Luca grinned, as if he was enjoying the fact that his son had been caught off guard by him leading me away from the office and him following. Luca led me straight outside into the blazing light of day. My eyes instantly went into a squinting position to try and offset the blinding glare.
Rocco removed his glasses from his pocket and slipped them over my eyes. I rested my hands over his wrists. “Grazie mille,” I whispered.
He nodded and kissed my nose, and even though it was me who was holding on to him, it felt like he was commanding me to, so I wouldn’t turn away from him and leave with his father.Donato, who I assumed was one of the head soldiers, had brought a car out.
“Right back to you,” I whispered, squeezing his wrists before I turned to Luca.
