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Daniele sighed. ‘You are an unknown quantity. Perhaps if you had moved to Italy when you finished university and worked at the company as Marcello had hoped, you would not have been seen as an outsider.’
‘I’m not completely clueless. I have a master’s degree in business. However, I realise that I lack the necessary experience to run Morante Group. I’d expected Nonno to be around for years to advise me.’ Paloma’s voice wobbled. ‘Now I find myself responsible for the business that my grandfather started before I was born. He was both chairman and CEO, but I’m thinking of splitting the roles and appointing a CEO who will lead the executive management team.’
‘I suppose that might allay some of the board’s concerns. But there is still the matter of your marriage.’
Paloma flushed. ‘My marriage was a mistake. I don’t understand why it should matter to anyone else, especially as I am now divorced.’
‘I heard it was an expensive mistake because you had not asked your husband to sign a prenuptial agreement before the wedding,’ Daniele said drily. He told himself it was a coincidence that the last time he’d got extremely drunk had been the night he’d learned of Paloma’s surprise marriage. ‘Franco has made the point that if you succeed your grandfather and were to rush into another marriage, your new spouse could be entitled to half of Morante Group’s assets in a divorce settlement.’
Paloma’s long lashes swept down to hide her expression. ‘There is a saying—once bitten, twice shy,’ she said curtly. ‘I have no intention of marrying again.’
‘That’s a pity,’ Daniele drawled, ‘because I strongly advise you to marry me.’
CHAPTER THREE
‘VERYFUNNY,’PALOMAMUTTERED.Inside, she was cringing with embarrassment at Daniele’s mention of her marriage that had lasted barely long enough for the ink to dry on the register. Worse still, it had been Daniele’s rejection that had sent her rushing back to England instead of relocating to Italy as her grandfather had wanted her to do. She’d met Calum soon after her return to London and been flattered by his attention.
Paloma pushed away uncomfortable memories of her ex-husband and forced herself to look at Daniele. ‘This is not the time for jokes.’
‘It wasn’t a joke. I am making a serious proposition.’ He held her gaze, and in the glow of the candlelight, his eyes were the golden colour of amber. Lion’s eyes, Paloma thought. Daniele reminded her of a predatory big cat. He gave the impression of being relaxed as he leaned back in his chair, but there was something intrinsically powerful about him, and his eyes gleaming beneath his thick black lashes were watchful and alert.
He was unfairly gorgeous, in faded jeans and a cream shirt, unbuttoned at the neck to reveal a sprinkling of black chest hairs. His shirtsleeves were rolled up to the elbows, showing his darkly tanned forearms and the glint of a discreetly expensive-looking gold watch on his wrist. Paloma was aware of a melting sensation in the pit of her stomach that only Daniele had ever induced. He must be about thirty-six now, but there were no silver strands in his raven’s-wing dark hair. She fancied that his face was leaner, harder, the sharp cheekbones more defined. His mouth was perfection and offered the same sensual invitation that had led her to behave uncharacteristically recklessly three years ago.
It was a good thing she had got over her juvenile crush on him, Paloma assured herself. ‘Explain yourself, Daniele,’ she demanded. ‘The last time we met, it was obvious you couldn’t bear to touch me. I don’t flatter myself that you actuallywantto marry me.’
He looked startled for a moment before his features became unreadable again. ‘I have racked my brains to find another way that I can protect you and your interests with Morante Group as I promised your grandfather I would do. A temporary marriage until you are twenty-five is the best solution I can come up with.’
‘I don’t need your protection,’ Paloma said stiffly. She understood that Daniele was acting out of the deep loyalty he felt for her grandfather, but her pride was stung by his obvious reluctance to have any sort of involvement with her. ‘Being kidnapped was the most terrifying ordeal I have ever experienced,’ she admitted. ‘But I don’t buy into your conspiracy theory that someone on the board of trustees wants me out of the way.’
‘Setting aside the question of who was behind the kidnap plot, Franco Zambrotta is serious about seizing control of the company. I have heard from a private source that he is gaining support from more board members.’
‘How would it help me if I married you?’ It was out of the question. Nothing would persuade Paloma to agree to Daniele’s astonishing proposition, but she was curious to know the reason behind it.
‘Marcello made me vice president of the board, and I am popular with most of the trustees, with the exception of Franco and one or two of his close cronies. I believe the majority of the board will approve of our marriage for two reasons. Firstly, I have the business experience that you lack, and I can prepare you for when you take control of the company. Secondly, if you are my wife, there will be no chance of you marrying without a prenuptial agreement in place to safeguard Morante Group’s assets.’
‘Are you saying you would be willing to sign a prenup?’
‘Certainly. In fact, I’d insist on it. A legal agreement would be drawn up to protect the entirety of your inheritance and the company’s assets. I already own a highly successful business and I am wealthy. I don’t want your money or your company,cara.’
‘You must want something from me. Everyone always does,’ Paloma said flatly. Ever since she had been old enough to understand that she was an heiress to a vast fortune, she had felt set apart from her peers and wary of people’s motives for wanting to be her friend.
Across the table, Daniele gave her a speculative look. ‘I don’t deny it would be advantageous for me to marry the granddaughter of a marchese. You were born into one of the oldest Italian noble families and your heritage gives you a certain status in society that I, as an entrepreneur who made my fortune through hard work and innovation, can never attain.’
‘And that matters to you?’
‘It matters to my mother,’ Daniele said in a grim voice. ‘Her aristocratic family disapproved of her marriage to my father because he had no title and was, in their opinion, a common soldier. My grandfather threatened to cut my mother out of his will unless she divorced my father and cut all ties with me, which she did.’
Paloma stared at Daniele. Her parents had divorced acrimoniously when she was a child, and her mother had been awarded custody, but she’d seen her father fairly regularly. The break-up had been a painful time. How much worse it must have been for Daniele when his mother had cut him out of her life. ‘How old were you when she went away?’
‘Five. My father brought me up, but he was often sent away on military postings, and I spent a lot of time with my grandmother. When my father was killed, I lived with my grandmother because my mother refused to take me back. She’d remarried and had another son. My half-brother recently became the new Conte Farnesi following my grandfather’s death.’
Paloma took a deep breath. ‘So you would be willing to marry me to impress your mother with an aristocratic bride?’ It was stupid to feel so hurt, she told herself. Daniele was no different from everyone else who valued her for her financial worth or, in his case, her pedigree.
‘The marriage would be advantageous to both of us. I would help you to secure your position as head of Morante Group,’ he reminded her.
Paloma leapt to her feet. She needed to get away from Daniele before her emotions overwhelmed her. ‘If necessary, I’ll sign a statement saying that I will not marry anyone without the approval of the board of trustees.’ It took all her effort to keep her voice steady, but she was damned if she’d let Daniele see how humiliated she felt. ‘I know that my grandfather had the best intentions.’ She blinked away tears as she thought of Nonno, the only person who had truly loved her. ‘But to him I was always a little girl. I’m not. I am an adult, and I don’t need your help or protection.’
She marched across the room and paused in the doorway, turning her head to give Daniele a fulminating glare. ‘You will have to find yourself another aristocratic bride. If we were the last two people on the planet, I still wouldn’t marry you.’
