Rome for Always (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Collection) (12 page)

“We felt we had to do something. You were acting on
impulse. We had to stop you from making a mistake.” It was Vittorio who was
speaking now and his tone was totally unapologetic. “From what you told us, you
met this woman and in less than two months you had asked her to marry you. A
virtual stranger and not even an Italian.”

“So which was worse?” Rome shot back. “Her being what
you call a virtual stranger or her not being Italian? Which was the worse sin?”

“Now you’re being unreasonable,” his father growled back.
“You didn’t expect us to welcome her with open arms, did you? Take her into our
family just like that without checking her out? Without testing her?”

“Check her out? She’s my choice, not yours. What makes you
think you have the right?” Despite his efforts, Rome’s voice rose in
exasperation.

But Vittorio didn’t back down. Milano that he was, he
faced his son head on. “You’re forgetting something, my boy. You are heir to
the family business. All of this rests in your hands. For the sake of the
business, the family and the future we have to ensure that you make the best
decision.” His lips tightened and he shook his head. “Daniela was the best
choice, for the family and for you, but you let her slip through your fingers.”

Rome stared at his father then he was the one shaking
his head. “You don’t get it, do you? This is not about what’s best for the
business. This is my life. It’s about what’s best for me.” He looked across at
his mother and he could see the remorse,  plain and stark on her face. “Daniela
made a choice,” he said, “the choice that was best for her. Now leave me alone
and let me make the choice that’s best for me.”

“You’re making a big mistake, son. If you continue with
this foolishness I may have to take drastic action.”

The heated words made Rome swing back toward his father.
“Is that right?” he asked, his voice cold as steel. “Are you threatening to
disinherit me like you threatened when I was sixteen? Well, guess what? I’m not
a kid anymore. I’m a goddamn man who doesn’t give a hoot if you decide to do
that. I’ve made my life and I've made my choice, and damn if I’m going to
change it because of your threats.” With that he turned and marched toward the
door.

“Rome, wait. Please. Don’t leave like this.”

It was his mother who was pleading with him but Rome was
past listening. His father had pissed him off in the worst way and he didn’t
know if he would ever forgive him.

After he stalked out of the library room Rome didn’t
know what else was said and he really didn’t care. He had more important things
to worry about, like the woman his family had hurt so badly, a woman who didn’t
deserve any of that.

When he got back to the green room Arie was sitting
exactly where he’d left her, waiting for him. He went over and took her hand. “Come
on,” he said gently as she looked up at him, her eyes searching his face. “Time
for us to get out of here.”

Like she could guess what had just happened, as if she
understood that he didn’t want to talk, Arie simply nodded and followed him to
the car.

But as they drove away Rome’s mind was in turmoil. Was
his family really forcing him to choose between them and Arie?

If it came down to that, they weren’t going to like his
decision, not one bit.

***

Arie couldn’t wait for Rome to leave their hotel suite. When
he’d said he needed some air and was going to take a walk she couldn’t get him
out of there fast enough.  The fact was, she wanted him gone. She needed some time
alone to think.

The evening before, when they’d arrived at the hotel,
he’d told her about his quarrel with his parents. That had been bad enough but
then he told her of some sort of ultimatum his father threw down. Rome should
give her up or else he would no longer be part of the Milano family? Was that
what he’d said? Arie couldn’t believe it.

And she felt terrible. Rome was in conflict with his
family and it was all her fault. She was the one who had created this rift and
there was nothing she could do about it.

Or maybe there was. She could forget about her own
happiness and do what she knew was right for Rome. She could just leave.

At the thought, Arie’s heart sank to the pit of her
stomach. To have to leave Rome, just when she thought she’d found the man of
her dreams, just when she thought she would have the perfect family. How would
she bear it?

Tormented by the possibility, terrified by the
likelihood that she could lose him, Arie jerked out of the armchair and went
over to the window overlooking the tree-lined street. She was staring out at
the scenery but she was seeing nothing. The only thing that loomed before her
was a lonely future without Rome.

“What are you doing?”

Arie jumped. When she whirled around it was to see Rome
standing in the doorway. “I…thought you were going for a walk.” Her words came
out quick and breathless, almost like she was the one who’d been walking.

“I came back to get you,” he said, a slight frown
marking his brow. “Are you all right? Were you crying?”

“No, I wasn’t.” Her answer was quick and sharp and just
in case a tear had escaped and was sliding down her cheek she whipped back
around to face the window so she could lift a furtive finger and get rid of any
evidence of her desolate rumination.

“Don’t give me that,” Rome said, his voice both stern
and gentle at the same time.

She heard his footsteps as he approached and then his
hands were on her shoulders and he was turning her around to face him. “You’ve
been thinking too much. I can see it on your face. I don’t want you sitting
here, making yourself depressed by what’s happened.” He turned her toward the
bathroom. “Go get ready. We’re going out on the city.”

As much as she wasn’t in the mood for any tours Arie did
as she was told and soon she was on the way to her first real view of the city
of Rome, the place for which the man by her side had been named. And if he’d
thought this day of sightseeing would do her any good he’d hit the nail right
on its head because, if even just for those few hours, her trouble ducked its
head and shuffled off to the back of her brain where she totally ignored it and
focused instead on the beauty and elegance of the historic city.

To Arie’s delight their first stop was the Sistine
Chapel, the exquisitely lovely chapel of the Apostolic Palace where the Pope
himself resided. It didn’t matter that, after paying their sixteen euros each,
they’d had to jostle with a few thousand people just to get inside. As far as
she was concerned it was well worth the wait. Outside, the building was pretty
plain but inside it took her breath away.

On the walls were frescoes by Perugino and Botticelli
and more paintings by della Gatta and Rosselli, but most impressive of all –
and the one that she’d really come to see – was the ceiling with the
world-famous paintings, ‘The Creation of Adam’ and ‘The Last Judgment’ by
Michelangelo Buonarroti.

Her head thrown back, Arie gazed up at the beauty above
her. “Awesome,” she said in a reverent whisper, “and I mean that literally.”

“I’m with you on that one,” Rome whispered back, his
face upturned and his eyes glued to the ceiling.

She spared him a quick glance. “This is your first time,
too? You’ve never seen this before?”

“At least ten times,” he responded, looking like he
couldn’t pull his eyes away, “and I’m in awe every single time.”

After they left the Sistine Chapel Rome took her to see
the Colosseum and then the grand Pantheon and by the time they’d fought those
crowds it was already late afternoon and they were both exhausted.

“Had enough of Rome?” he asked with a wide grin as he
snaked his arm across her shoulders.

Feeling tired but more relaxed than she’d felt since
arriving in Italy, Arie returned the smile. “For today, yes,” she said as she
leaned against him. “For now I’ve had enough of Rome, the city, but Rome, the
tour guide…” she turned her face to nuzzle his neck, “…I can never get enough
of that one.”

“Glad to hear it,” he said, then he placed a finger
under her chin and raised her face to his and there, in the middle of St.
Peter's Square he kissed her soundly, sending all her cares sailing away on the
breeze.

“Let’s go back to the hotel,” he said, his voice
suddenly husky. “We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

She knew exactly what he meant. Since arriving in Italy
they’d had issues on their minds, chief of which was the frosty welcome Arie
received from the Milanos. Now, though, they were miles away from that bunch
and free to do whatever they so desired. And if Arie guessed right, what they
both wanted would leave them even more exhausted than they already were…but
blissfully so. She could hardly wait.

But when they got back to the hotel she realized that
she had to exercise just a little bit more patience. She didn’t have much of an
appetite but Rome was starving so after a quick shower they dressed and went
down to The Brunello Restaurant for dinner.

“I want you,” Rome whispered as they headed for the
elevator, “real bad. But for what I want to do to you I have to build up my
strength. It’s going to be a long night.”

Arie laughed. She was all for long nights as long as
they included Rome. And tonight, for the first time, she’d be enjoying her Rome
in the city of Rome. What could be better?

After a meal of pumpkin stuffed tortelli, veal with
frosted pears, and warm puff pastry with cinnamon cream, Rome relaxed with a
cup of coffee while Arie sipped herbal tea. Then, as she took her last sip and
laid her cup back down, he reached across the table. “Time to fulfill my
promise,” he said as he lifted her hands to his lips and kissed her, softly and
seductively, in the middle of her palm.

Arie smiled. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Just as the words left her lips, out of the corner of
her eyes she saw the maitre d' heading toward their table. They both turned as
he approached.

“Excuse me sir, madam.” The man gave an apologetic bow. “I’m
very sorry to disturb you but Mr. and Mrs. Milano are here to see you.”

Confused, Arie looked at Rome. “You invited your parents
to join us?”

Looking almost as confused as she felt, Rome shook his
head. “No way. After what happened last night?” And then, as if remembering the
man standing right by their table, he drew his lips back in what was obviously
a forced smile. “Let them know we’ll be right out.”

“Of course, sir.” The man gave Rome a polite nod, turned
and did the same to Arie and then he was hurrying away, back to their
unexpected visitors.

As soon as they were alone again Arie grabbed the chance
to make her position clear. “You go talk to them. I’m going back to the suite.”

But Rome was having none of it. “We can’t run away from
this, Arie. If they think they’ve got you running scared they’ll think they’ve
won. We can’t give them that satisfaction.”

Arie tightened her lips. He was right. She could just
imagine the way they would gloat if Rome went to them alone while she scurried
away like a frightened doe. Vittorio Milano was a master intimidator but he
would soon learn that he couldn’t intimidate her.

She got up and went to stand by Rome’s side. “Let’s go,”
she said, her voice so steady that no-one would guess her heart was beating a
staccato rhythm against her ribs. “I want this over with fast. You made me a promise
and I'm holding you to it. I don’t plan on waiting long, either.”

That said, she set off, leaving Rome in her wake. The
Milanos had not come all this way to see her, of that she was sure, but like it
or not she would face them head on. They would never be able to accuse her of
being a coward.

Together, Rome and Arie arrived in the lobby area of the
restaurant to see Lily and Vittorio waiting for them, Lily looking anxious and
Vittorio looking like Vittorio – solemn and stubborn, with a scowl darkening
his brow.

Rome was the first to speak. “Mama, Papa, to what do we
owe this visit?” As he spoke he put an arm around Arie’s shoulders and drew her
close, his gesture protective.

Vittorio gave her a brief nod but then he turned his
attention to his son. “Can we speak privately?”

Rome shook his head. “Anything you have to say to me you
can say in front of Arie.”

“You misunderstand me,” Vittorio said, looking almost
impatient. “What I have to say concerns Arie more than it does you.” As he said
her name he glanced at her but then his gaze skittered away.

Arie would not have thought it of Vittorio but he almost
seemed embarrassed to be in her presence. So where was Vittorio, the
overbearing lord over all?

Vittorio looked back at Rome. “I simply meant that I don’t
wish to discuss private family business while standing at the front of a
restaurant. There’s got to be some place we can go to talk.”

Please don’t invite them to our suite, please don’t
invite them to our suite
. Arie was so desperate she
almost mumbled the words out loud. She bit her tongue just in time and hid her
consternation behind a tiny plastic smile.

“I guess the quickest place would be our suite,” Rome
said, his tone so nonchalant that Arie felt like slamming her heel on his toe. How
had he not read her mind? Didn’t he know he’d just made her worst nightmare a
reality?

Lily looked doubtful. “We don’t want to intrude-”

“Yes, let’s go to your suite,” Vittorio said, ignoring
his wife’s hesitation. “What we need is privacy and that would be the perfect
place.”

Rome shrugged then, as if reassured that Arie no longer
needed protection, he released her and led the way with his father right behind.
The two women brought up the rear but although Lily gave Arie a tiny smile they
did not speak, not as they walked along the hallway nor as they rode the private
elevator to the Ludovisi Suite on the seventh floor.

It wasn’t until they got to the suite and Rome ushered
his parents into the living room that any of them spoke again. Vittorio was the
one who broke the near-solid ice. Even though his wife sat, he didn’t. Instead,
he stood with his back to the large bay window, his hands clasped behind his
back in an almost submissive posture. But Vittorio was anything but submissive.

“I have something to say to you both,” he began, “but
especially to Arie.” He was scowling again, a demeanor which was beginning to
seem more like a habit than anything else. After all, what reason did he have
to scowl? He was the one leading the discussion. It must be the legacy of all
those business negotiations. Being tough and looking tough probably came with
the territory.

“Arie,” Vittorio said, drawing her attention away from
her musings and back to him, “I owe you an apology.”

That got her attention. In fact, her brows flew up and
her jaw slackened, she was so surprised. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” he said, almost sounding annoyed. “I’m
apologizing to you. You came to my home and instead of showing you courtesy I
was rude and disrespectful. My behavior was unacceptable and I’m sorry.”

Arie’s eyes widened. This was getting so strange it was
unreal. After the way Vittorio had slammed her the day before, an apology was
the last thing she’d expected.

“We’re sorry,” Lily corrected him. “We both are. I’m so
ashamed of the way we acted. If I could do it all again…” Her voice trailed off.
Maybe it was because she saw the look of disbelief on Arie’s face.

Because, as much as they were saying the words, it was
too good to be true. What? They’d slept on it and woken up one hundred and
eighty degrees from where they’d been the day before? Whatever they were
selling, Arie was not buying.

“I appreciate the apology,” Rome said and it was ironic
when, standing at the other side of the room, he adopted the same stance as his
father, hands behind his back. But Rome’s posture was unyielding. Feet wide
apart, he stood bold and tall like he was ready to take on both his parents if
they thought they could come into his territory and wreak havoc. “It’s long
overdue. What you put Arie through, it should never have happened in the first
place. Can you imagine how much you hurt her?”

Vittorio drew in a long breath then let it out slowly. Then
he nodded. “Yes, son, I know the things I said were hurtful. I am truly sorry.”

Vittorio was apologizing and so was Lily but as far as
Arie was concerned it was not enough. What she really wanted was to get to the
bottom of this change of heart. Or maybe it wasn’t so much a change of heart as
a change of words.

“So why these apologies all of a sudden?” she asked, not
bothering to play coy. “I’m still the same Arie I was yesterday. What’s
changed?”

The directness of her questions seemed to throw them off
balance because it made Lily’s gaze flash over to Vittorio and he looked back
at his wife, for once seeming lost for words. Then his face sagged as he looked
at Rome.

“It was your brothers,” he said, his voice tight,
ashamed. “They called Papa and told him what happened. He came over.”

Rome raised an eyebrow. “They called
Nonno
?”

Vittorio nodded. “Yes, and you know what a vicious old
man my father can be. He thinks he can intimidate anyone, even me, his own
son.”

Arie almost laughed but she bit down on her lip, holding
the amusement in. It seemed that Vittorio had met his match. Grandfather Milano
must be worse than he was in the bully department.

“He really lit into me,” Vittorio continued, “reminding
me how Lily’s parents hadn’t liked the idea of us getting married but we went
ahead anyway.” Vittorio drew in his breath and then let it out on a sigh. “They
thought I was too much of a hothead and too arrogant but Lily and I were in
love and there was nothing that could keep us apart.”

Vittorio looked over at Arie, his face contrite. “I’ve
been the worst possible hypocrite. As Papa said, I should mind my own business
and let you two young people make your own decisions. I’m very sorry, Arie. Can
you ever forgive me?”

Caught off guard by his question Arie didn’t say
anything but then, with all eyes on her as her silence stretched into seconds,
she opened her mouth to say something, anything that would take the attention
off her. “Why…yes, of course,” she stammered. “I forgive you. Don’t worry about
it.” And when his face relaxed into a smile she let out a surreptitious sigh of
relief. As much as she wasn’t one hundred percent sure she meant it, her answer
seemed to satisfy him.

It more than satisfied Lily too because, to Arie’s
surprise, the woman walked over and drew her into her arms in a fierce hug. “Thank
you,” she whispered as she pressed Arie to her. When she stepped back she looked
so relieved that Arie knew she’d done the right thing. She didn’t know if she
would ever accept them wholeheartedly but despite the hurt she’d made the first
step and she was glad.