Ryan glanced at her as they all turned a corner, then headed to the main staircase that led down into the lobby. “There are plenty of reasons to hate Giorgio,” he said.
There wasn’t time to explain more. Giorgio was there, admiring one of the old vases that some former Countess of Felcourt had collected centuries ago and which now sat on a small plinth in one of the windows. He was dressed impeccably,of course, and the way the sunlight caught his silver hair made it shine and almost look like a halo.
Giorgio Esposito was anything but angelic, though.
“Giorgio, what are you doing here?” Ryan asked bluntly, still filled with the confidence Graeme and Art gave him just by being there, a few steps behind him as he stopped several feet away from Giorgio. Let the bastard come to him instead of making him walk all the way over to pay homage to him.
Giorgio glanced up from admiring the vase with a benign smile that almost but not quite made up for the malice in his eyes. “Ryan. So good to see you. What a magnificent home you have.”
“It’s my family’s home,” Ryan said crossing his arms and staring daggers at his former boss. “I don’t recall you being invited.”
“He wasn’t invited,” his mum added, giving the man the evil eye.
Giorgio chuckled and stepped away from the vase, taking his time as he approached. He glanced at both Graeme and Art, who had moved into position on either side of Ryan, like they were guards flanking him. It was almost comical. Actually, Art had crossed his arms and was frowning exactly like Ryan, but with just a hint of humor in his eyes, like he was standing that way on purpose.
That tiny detail made Ryan relax a bit more, of all things. Maybe he didn’t have to take the situation with Giorgio as seriously as he assumed he did. Maybe the things that he truly wanted in life were standing right behind him.
“I was in London, talking with some of our colleagues, and they told me I simply must make a trip to Hawthorne House to see what has become of the place,” Giorgio said, stopping a few feet away from Ryan and his posse.
It was impossible to tell from Giorgio’s voice and manner if he thought good things had been done to Hawthorne House or bad. The man had a spectacular mansion on Lake Cuomo, not to mention a penthouse flat in Milan. The chaotic, community feeling of Hawthorne House might have felt too pedestrian to him.
Ryan didn’t care what the man thought. He wasn’t there to see the house anyhow.
“Did you have a successful meeting with Gloria the other day?” he asked, raising one eyebrow, like he knew whatever he’d been at Gloria’s place for was underhanded.
“It was quite productive,” Giorgio said, sliding his hands into his pockets and looking like he was perfectly at ease. Ryan could tell he was far from comfortable, though.
“Gloria is a good friend and has been for a while,” Ryan said. “Her team is working on my collection as we speak.” Although they should have been working on much more, if only his ideas would flow.
“I am certain she will finish everything you put into her hands with professionalism and precision,” Giorgio said, his smile predatory. If Ryan didn’t know any better, he would say the man was up to something. Indeed, he continued with, “I wonder if I could speak to you alone.”
“I’ll put together tea for you,” Janice said, sounding like she might poison it, too. “Shall I bring it up to your flat?”
“No,” Ryan said, thinking fast. “We’ll sit down in the break room. And you don’t have to make tea for us, Mum. Just make sure we aren’t disturbed.”
“Very well,” Janice said. She was excited, Ryan could tell. His mum loved a good bit of intrigue.
Ryan stayed focused on Giorgio, gesturing toward the office. “After you,” he said.
Giorgio smiled, but he didn’t look as certain as he had moments before. Ryan turned toward the office and fell into step with him.
Behind them, Art said, “Erm, should we come or go away?”
He needed his men there with him. They knew most of the story of him and Giorgio. If there was one thing the craziness around them had taught him, it was that he was stronger with Art and Graeme by his side.
“Come and join us,” he said, gesturing for them.
A minute later, the four of them were in the break room with the door closed. Graeme had gone straight to the counter to make tea, and Art had flopped into one of the larger chairs and spread, as if he were the one who had called the meeting and would be in charge of it.
“Have a seat.” Ryan gestured to the other big chair, offering it to Giorgio. “And tell me whatever underhanded reason you have for coming here today to disturb my peace.”
Giorgio sat easily, then instantly tensed at Ryan’s words. He looked furious for a moment, sending a frown Graeme’s way, then put on his usual charming smile as he focused on Ryan again.
“Tesoro,” Giorgio said, trying to be overfamiliar, like he’d always been in Milan. “What is all this anger for? I am here to offer an olive branch and to give you an opportunity to achieve your dreams.”
Ryan’s eyes widened. “You’ve got to be kidding,” he said. But he had to admit he was curious.
Graeme came over with a mug of tea for Giorgio and murmured, “I don’t know if you like milk or sugar, so I just put a little bit of each in.”
