Page 31
Story: Empire of Seduction
“I bet. This is a big deal for you and Mikey.” When I didn’t speak, he said, “Sounds like a really great opportunity. You have an investor who will take some of the pressure off you and your brother. Maybe you won’t have to work so hard and you’ll have more time for fun and hanging out.”
“Maybe,” I said vaguely. “But I’m not going anywhere. I’ll still be overseeing the vineyards.” They would pry those plants out of my cold, dead hands.
“I figured.” He smiled down at me. “You could always let me?—”
“Maggie, a word.” Vito now stood next to Adam, inserting himself into the private conversation in the most annoying manner possible.
Looking at Vito, I gestured to Adam. “Not right now, Mr. D’Agostino. I’m busy with one of my employees.”
Vito angled toward Adam and put out his hand. “Salve. I am Signore D’Agostino.”
Adam shook Vito’s hand enthusiastically. “Hi, I’m Adam. A bartender here.”
“Adam, I wish for a moment with Signorina Fiorentino.”
“Sure, of course. See you later, Mags.”
Adam disappeared in the direction of the bar and I glared up at Vito, waiting for him to speak so then he would leave me alone.
He didn’t make me wait long, the lines around his mouth deepening in a frown. “I know you are pissed, but it looks bad that you are hiding back here. You are one of the owners, so in the future you will stand with your brother and me in front of the staff.”
“Aye, aye, captain.” I gave him a sarcastic salute.
I expected him to grow angry, but his expression didn’t change. “Your mouth, bella. It will get you into all kinds of trouble with me.” His tone wasn’t threatening. It was . . . seductive. A sexy promise reminiscent of our night together.
Which was worse.Muchworse. I’d rather he intimidated me. I couldn’t handle anything else, especially with a married man. “Are we done?” I asked. “I need to get back outside.”
“You need to speak with your brother. He has some news and you should forgive him. It’s not healthy to have bad feelings between siblings.”
“That’s none of your?—”
“Family is a bond that cannot be broken. So go and fix yours.”
“Don’t you fight with your brother?”
“Brothers,” he corrected. “I have two—and yes, we fight all the time. But one of us usually shoots the other and then it’s over. We move on.”
I paused in horror before catching the humor lurking behind his blue depths.Oh. Vito made a joke. I hadn’t expected that. Shaking my head, I said, “This is not a little disagreement, Vito. This is my entire life being stripped away from me. Byyou. And it’s my brother’s fault.”
The amusement died from his expression and the angles of his jawline sharpened. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Start making plans for the winery’s future. Give me a list of everything you want, no matter how expensive. Take your anger out on my bank account.”
“You’re trying to buy my compliance.”
“Sì, certo. If only so that we can have a civil conversation once in a while.”
“Why? I will never, ever like you.”
He edged closer and dropped his voice. “Never is a long time, bella.”
A warmth betrayed my vow to hate him into perpetuity. Howdarehe flirt with me? It was wrong for so many reasons, and I couldn’t let him affect me like this. And this was the second time today, for god’s sake! I was really tired of letting this man have the upper hand.
I needed to put him in his place.
Making sure no one was watching, I leaned in and slowly traced the collar of his sweater with one finger, letting my touchlinger on the expensive fabric. I could feel the heat from his skin, see the rise and fall of his chest. I softened my voice to resemble the tone I’d used when he was deep inside me. “Do you want to know what Ireallywant, Vito?”
He swallowed hard, the strong muscles of his throat working. Seconds ticked by before a single word fell out in a raspy hush. “What?”
Pressing up on my toes, I put my lips near his ear and whispered, “The only thing I want is for you to buy a plane ticket back to Toronto.”
“Maybe,” I said vaguely. “But I’m not going anywhere. I’ll still be overseeing the vineyards.” They would pry those plants out of my cold, dead hands.
“I figured.” He smiled down at me. “You could always let me?—”
“Maggie, a word.” Vito now stood next to Adam, inserting himself into the private conversation in the most annoying manner possible.
Looking at Vito, I gestured to Adam. “Not right now, Mr. D’Agostino. I’m busy with one of my employees.”
Vito angled toward Adam and put out his hand. “Salve. I am Signore D’Agostino.”
Adam shook Vito’s hand enthusiastically. “Hi, I’m Adam. A bartender here.”
“Adam, I wish for a moment with Signorina Fiorentino.”
“Sure, of course. See you later, Mags.”
Adam disappeared in the direction of the bar and I glared up at Vito, waiting for him to speak so then he would leave me alone.
He didn’t make me wait long, the lines around his mouth deepening in a frown. “I know you are pissed, but it looks bad that you are hiding back here. You are one of the owners, so in the future you will stand with your brother and me in front of the staff.”
“Aye, aye, captain.” I gave him a sarcastic salute.
I expected him to grow angry, but his expression didn’t change. “Your mouth, bella. It will get you into all kinds of trouble with me.” His tone wasn’t threatening. It was . . . seductive. A sexy promise reminiscent of our night together.
Which was worse.Muchworse. I’d rather he intimidated me. I couldn’t handle anything else, especially with a married man. “Are we done?” I asked. “I need to get back outside.”
“You need to speak with your brother. He has some news and you should forgive him. It’s not healthy to have bad feelings between siblings.”
“That’s none of your?—”
“Family is a bond that cannot be broken. So go and fix yours.”
“Don’t you fight with your brother?”
“Brothers,” he corrected. “I have two—and yes, we fight all the time. But one of us usually shoots the other and then it’s over. We move on.”
I paused in horror before catching the humor lurking behind his blue depths.Oh. Vito made a joke. I hadn’t expected that. Shaking my head, I said, “This is not a little disagreement, Vito. This is my entire life being stripped away from me. Byyou. And it’s my brother’s fault.”
The amusement died from his expression and the angles of his jawline sharpened. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Start making plans for the winery’s future. Give me a list of everything you want, no matter how expensive. Take your anger out on my bank account.”
“You’re trying to buy my compliance.”
“Sì, certo. If only so that we can have a civil conversation once in a while.”
“Why? I will never, ever like you.”
He edged closer and dropped his voice. “Never is a long time, bella.”
A warmth betrayed my vow to hate him into perpetuity. Howdarehe flirt with me? It was wrong for so many reasons, and I couldn’t let him affect me like this. And this was the second time today, for god’s sake! I was really tired of letting this man have the upper hand.
I needed to put him in his place.
Making sure no one was watching, I leaned in and slowly traced the collar of his sweater with one finger, letting my touchlinger on the expensive fabric. I could feel the heat from his skin, see the rise and fall of his chest. I softened my voice to resemble the tone I’d used when he was deep inside me. “Do you want to know what Ireallywant, Vito?”
He swallowed hard, the strong muscles of his throat working. Seconds ticked by before a single word fell out in a raspy hush. “What?”
Pressing up on my toes, I put my lips near his ear and whispered, “The only thing I want is for you to buy a plane ticket back to Toronto.”
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