She flinched and he swore again, coming to crouch beside her. “I would have helped you, Allegra. Marriage or not, I would have helped you.”
“I know. You would have given me all the money, but I needed this to be a genuine payment, not a hand out. Not another bad decision.”
“I would have helped you by getting him out of your life, not by making the payment.”
Her eyes flared. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. These are bad people, Luca,” her voice was a whisper. “The last thing I want is to put you in danger.”
He laughed, though, a sound of dark anger. “You think I have not met and dealt with bad people in my life? I would have fixed this for you.”
She closed her eyes and her heart stammered.
“I will fix this. You do not need to worry.”
And he swept from the room, leaving her sitting there, staring at the wall, her heart in her throat, and a sense that maybe he was right. Maybe he could fix this, after all.
All his life,he had believed he broke things. He had broken his father’s marriage, with his very existence, his brother’s heart, his best friend. He broke things. And somewhere along the way, it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Knowing what he was meant he was free to keep being that. He acquired companies ruthlessly, destroying businesses and lives along the way. He broke things.
But now, he was fixing something, something important, something vital, and the sense that this was all he wanted to do, for the rest of his life, sat inside of him like a gloriously glowing sunrise, all golden beams and warmth.
Oh, there was anger, too. Anger at the man who’d tried to extort Allegra into his bed. Who’d seen a beautiful young woman and sought to possess her, using money as a lever.
First, he dispensed with the police. It was easy enough. A simple explanation that his lawyer would be in touch had them scurrying out of the door. Next, a few phone calls: to his investigator, his lawyer, and then a twenty minute wait before information started to pour in. Within the hour, he had a clear picture of the situation.
He thought about wiring the rest of the money across, but that was unlikely to put an end to the matter. Bastards like this were bullies, and clearly they thought they held enough leverage over Allegra to bend her to their will. When she left the safety of this marriage, Luca needed to know she would not be harmed. And so instead, he became a bully himself, making the call to the man who had threatened his wife, and threatening right back.Only these were no idle threats. He was forewarning the man of what was to come.
Could he have let the police simply arrive and arrest him? Of course. But Luca wanted to hear his voice. To hear the fear in it, to know that the other man understood: this was retribution. His world would crumble because he had dared wrong Allegra.
It took ninety minutes before Luca was satisfied that the matter was fully resolved, and he went in search of his wife, to discuss it.
When he opened the door to his office, she was pacing from one side to the other.
“I’ve thought it through,” she said, stopping and turning to face him. “I don’t have the loan documents but I think the man who connected us, who I know from high school, would probably provide a statement explaining the nature of the deal. I think I can mount a defence, Luca. I can fight this.”
His heart went from sunrise to full blown sun. She had been shell-shocked before, totally knocked over by the unexpected arrival of her past. But now, she had had time to think, to consider, and she was coming out swinging.
“It’s dealt with.”
She frowned. “What does that mean?”
“That he should have known better than to threaten you.”
She lifted her eyes heavenwards. “I was not Mrs Luca Di Santis when he threatened me.”
“You would have fought him. I know you would have.”
“I would sure as hell never have accepted that ‘deal’,” she spat, and the sun almost went supernova.
“I hate to ask it of you, but I think if I were to pay him the full amount, and then start building a case?—,”
Luca moved to her then, putting his hands on her hips. “I’ve dealt with it.”
She shook her head. “But how?”
“He was a B-grade crook, Allegra. He was sloppy. He left evidence everywhere of his criminal ‘empire’. My investigator was able to uncover links in no time. He’s been arrested.”
Her lips parted. “But—are you sure?”
“Oh, yes.”
