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I lost myself inside her, jetting in fast, exhaustive spurts that left me breathless.
God yes, this was heaven, I realized.
In another life, sweetheart, you were mine—and I was yours.
But not in this one.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Alessandra
I WALKED INTO the office the following morning, my step light, a smile on my lips until I saw Como and realized with a sinking heart that Dante was right. I had so hoped Como would come to his senses and stop this nonsense before our working relationship suffered, but my hopes were quickly dying. “Good morning,” I said, trying to start the conversation off nicely. He ignored my attempt with a stare of distaste.
Prior to arriving at the office, I’d stopped at a local café in the hopes of bridging the gap between us with a peace offering. The unfriendly scowl stamped on Como’s face didn’t bode well.
Ignoring his frosty expression, I set down his coffee with a “Can we talk?” delving straight into the discomforting topic. “I feel we need to clear the air.”
But Como wasn’t in the mood to be civil. “You’re fucking him, aren’t you?”
His blunt question shocked me into stunned silence. I struggled to keep my composure at his breach into my personal business. “How dare you talk to me of business that has nothing to do with you? Our friendship does not include such privileges, Como.” I shook my head, fuming. “You are my employee. I do not answer to you.”
I didn’t want to lose Como as a friend nor as a trusted business associate but I was vibrating with righteous anger. Not only was his question inappropriate but it put me on the defensive when I had no reason to suffer the weight of his judgment.
I met Como’s hot glare with one filled with disdain. “I am an adult and I don’t have to justify what I do in my private time. Whom I’m spending my time with outside of this office has nothing to do with you. Perhaps you should spend less time worrying about things that do not concern you and focus more on your own personal life. If you didn’t have your head so far up my ass, you might see what’s right in front of you.”
Como blinked in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“You’ve wasted your time pining after me when a good woman has eyes only for you. Though now, I realize she deserves better. You’re not the man I thought you were.”
Como sensed the tables turning and must’ve realized the pit he’d fallen into, and that the freefall was going to kill him. “Alessandra, I only say these things because I care,” he said stiffly, but I was finished listening.
“My mistake was tolerating your outbursts out of deference to our friendship and long working relationship, but you’ve killed whatever respect I had for you. Whom I see or what I do on my private time is my business. I don’t need your approval—or anyone’s approval for that matter.”
“Not even your father?”
“What is that supposed to mean?” I cast him a sharp look. “Are you threatening me with something?”
“I’m just saying it’s possible your father might not appreciate that his daughter is letting her personal life cloud her judgment with his wine business.”
His wine business? “Watch your tongue,” I warned. Como seemed bent on destruction. I fought to keep from slapping the attitude from his fool head. My fingers curled into fists. “You’re out of line.”
Como didn’t back down. “Well?”
“Well what?” I returned with ice in my tone.
“How would your father feel about you fucking the man who came sniffing around only a few weeks ago to buy this winery out from beneath you?” he countered with a sneer. “I’ve never seen you act so foolish. For all you know, this man could be using you to get information about Uva Persa. This is why women are poor businesspeople. They let emotion rule their head.” He shook his head as if he had the right to be disappointed. “You’re making a huge mistake.”
“The only person in this room making a huge mistake is you.” I didn’t want to prove his theory correct by ripping his head off for spouting such offensive shit, but my heart was thundering in my ears at my attempt to remain calm. “Dante has zero interest in Uva Persa. He doesn’t even know about the new wine.” I narrowed my gaze, adding, “All we do is have sex, we don’t discuss personal things.”
My vicious jab hit the mark. Como’s face reddened and his breathing became short, looking as if he were ready to explode with rage. “He’s a Donato. They are ruthless. He would say or do anything to deliver this winery to his father. He’s hungry for a win. Can’t you see that? You’re just a prize to be won and this winery is simply the spoils of victory. A victory you’re practically handing to him on a silver platter! Sergio deserves to know that his only daughter has doomed this place with her foolishness!”
“What do you know about the Donatos?” I hissed. “You speak as if you have some kind of firsthand knowledge of bad behavior.”
“Perhaps not firsthand but I did some digging on my own. They are savage Americans and they will destroy your family’s legacy,” he insisted.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, seeing red. If I didn’t get Como out of my sight I’d bury a wine bottle in his face. “Get out, Como. Get out and don’t come back. You’re done here. I don’t want anyone working for me who thinks so little of my abilities. I have spent years building up this company on my own and to have you tear me down simply because you’re jealous... I won’t tolerate another minute of your presence. Get the fuck out!”
“Alessandra—” Realizing he’d screwed up, Como tried to backtrack.
“No! You’ve said your piece, now get out. I’ll have accounting cut you your last check and mail it to you. Don’t step foot on the grounds ever again.”
Como’s mouth thinned to a fine line as rage and hurt warred in his eyes. “Fuck you, Alessandra,” he spat, sweeping his arm across his desk and sending everything flying, including the espresso, which splashed against the wall. He smirked at the mess, saying as he walked out, “Have fun cleaning up the ruin that is to come.”
I shook as I tried to regain my composure. Would Como run to my father and tell him of Uva Persa before I had the chance? I cursed my cowardice. If I hadn’t avoided telling my father about my investment, Como’s threats would’ve meant nothing. But my avoidance had created a ticking time bomb and Como was holding the detonator. My father should hear about Uva Persa from me, not out of the spiteful mouth of a scorned man.
There was a chance he’d seek another form of retribution. Would he try to leak the launch of Uva Persa to the media or sabotage the event in some other way? There was little I could do to stop him, but I was prepared to take legal action if necessary, and I’d make sure security was tight on launch night. I hated thinking that way about Como, but after his threats, I had to do whatever was necessary.
I fought tears. Como had been my friend and my trusted ally. Would he betray me in such a way? Part of me refused to believe he could. Giant tears rolled down my face as I tried to make sense of what had gone so terribly wrong so quickly.
Dante’s words rang in my head, the warning about mixing business with pleasure, and all I wanted to do was bury my head against his chest. Dante had been right. I never should’ve allowed anything to happen between Como and me all those years ago. What had been convenient for me had turned into something far more for Como and I’d missed all the signs.
The whole time I’d seen him as a work ally, he’d been working toward what he’d thought was a future together.
I could never love Como the way he’d hoped. I would never look at Como the way I did Dante.
Oh God, Dante. Was I falling in love with him? I didn’t want to love Dante. I didn’t want to acknowledge the deep sense of rightness that fit perfectly between us when were locked eye to eye, skin to skin.
This was the most awful thing in the w
orld.
Falling in love was supposed to feel amazing, wonderful and magical.
But I felt none of those things. I felt scared, apprehensive, off-kilter.
What the hell kind of joke was this?
Dante didn’t love me. He was enjoying a vacation fling and I’d been fine with that up until this moment.
What happened now?
Nothing.
My family’s legacy was on the line. I didn’t have the luxury of playing out whatever was happening between Dante and myself. My gaze drifted to the launch plans for Uva Persa. With Como gone, I would need help.
There was only one person I trusted more than anyone else in the world.
I grabbed my cell phone and called Sophia, my hands shaking as I held the phone to my ear.
