The Marriage Merger (8 page)

He threw his hands up. “Sorry. Still getting used to it.”

Sawyer turned on his heel and left the boy alone. Shit, talking to him was like crossing a viper pit. one wrong step and you lost a fucking leg. He must have been crazy to think he could make some sort of difference. even worse, he’d had a big enough ego to drag the kid from New york all the way to Italy to show him the business. They shared no blood. Didn’t owe him a thing. And the kid—Wolfe, as of now—had stolen from him, then spit in his face when he threatened his ass with jail time.

The legal court records stated his name was Vincent Soldano. Three months ago, the boy told him he would no longer answer to the name and requested to be called Wolfe.

The significance of his appeal burned deep and stirred bad memories that Sawyer still battled. Hell, he’d done the same exact thing. remade himself and taken a new name in an attempt to start fresh. Creating a new identity helped him let the old crap go. Still, he occasionally slipped and the old name Vincent escaped. He needed to try harder to remember.

A half smile tugged at his lips. But damn Wolfe had fire in the pit of his belly. Sawyer realized immediately fire like that took a person one of two ways: toward a life of crime where a sharp brain and some decent skills could score money to deaden enough of the pain. or to the high road.

Which usually sucked, wasn’t as profitable, and hurt a hell of a lot more.

He offered the high road. The kid took it. The rest was fucking history. And a dirty home.

His cell phone buzzed and cut off his thoughts. He didn’t recognize the number but punched the button anyway.

The familiar voice drifted across the line, and Sawyer froze. Memories shot past: a tangle of good, bad, and a turning point that he’d never forget. He switched to Italian and exchanged a few words of greeting. She spoke for a while and he listened until she fell silent, awaiting his answer. He closed his eyes and dragged in a breath. Tension squeezed the sides of his head, but he refused to take a stroll into the past, which reminded him of a jacked-up Tim Burton movie rather than Disney.

“yes. Thank you for the invitation. I’ll be there.”

He hung up the phone and went to change.

…

Julietta walked up the cobblestone pathway and began to truly relax for the first time in the past week. The muscles in her neck and shoulders eased with each tap of her heel, and the warmth of her family home embraced her in a comforting hug of familiarity.

The three-tiered terra-cotta villa held simple lines and soaring archways. Michael had urged Mama to leave so he could buy her a castle befitting the empire she built, but she laughed and announced she’d die in the home that Papa had lived in. Julietta didn’t blame her.

More than five acres of land sprawled in every direction and allowed an onlooker to gaze upon the sweeping beauty of the Alps. Bergamo was the perfect place for her family to grow up in, a combination of old and new world split into two tiers—Citta Bassa and Citta Alta—the lower and upper cities. This home boasted wrought-iron balco-nies, cooly shaded patios, and endless gardens of lemon and olive trees. Julietta opened the door and made her way toward the kitchen.

Heavily carved pine tables and chairs dominated the space that called for long family dinners and endless courses, and stood as a witness of time gone by. Hand-sewn rugs accessorized the wooden floors. The warm Tuscan colors of red, gold, and green swirled before her and tantalized all of her senses. The sharp tang of citrus and salty olives, sweet basil and rich red tomato. An endless length of granite countertop slashed down the right side of the kitchen and held various jars and baskets of fresh fruit. Steam wafted from pots of boiling water; platters contained rolled-up meats; and slices of Italian bread crowded the table. A smile curved her lips, and peace settled over her.

She was home.

“Mama?”

Mama Conte turned from her station in front of the stove. “oh, my goodness, I didn’t even hear you. Damn ears.

I used to catch the click of the window from miles away when your sister tried to sneak out to meet Dominick. Now I can’t even hear when my front door slams.”

Julietta laughed and gave her a hug. After birthing four children, launching a successful bakery empire, and burying her husband, her mother still possessed a driving force built into her core. Her long gray hair was always twisted back in a bun, and her arthritis was serious enough to warrant a cane to help her walk. She’d had a few scares with her heart problems, but she’d held strong the past few years.

She wore her favorite apron—taken out each Sunday— marked with various stains from years gone by but always freshly laundered. The logo of La Dolce Famiglia was im-printed on it, and it had been given to her as a gift from Papa after their first bakery launched. For a little while, wrapped up in her childhood home with her mama at the stove, Julietta was happy. Safe.

She stowed her bag away, grabbed her apron, and settled herself at the table to chop tomatoes and peppers. “Is Uncle Brian coming over for dinner?” she asked, expertly dicing the vegetables.

“No, he’s taking the kids somewhere after church.”

“Is all this food just for me?” she teased. “Stop trying to fatten me up, Mama. I’ll have to buy a new wardrobe.”

Her mother paused, as if thinking about her next words.

“We shall have one guest for dinner.”

“Who?”

“you will see. For now, tell me what is going on at work.

Did you close the deal with The Palazzo as you had hoped?

I know you’ve been working on it for months.”

Julietta tried to fight off the disappointment of failure and squared her shoulders. “No, they made their decision a few weeks ago. I lost the deal.”

“I’m sorry, sweet girl. I know that meant a lot to you, but it is not needed. everything happens for a reason. A better deal will be presented.”

The truth of her mother’s words struck home. An image of Sawyer sprang before her eyes: those sculpted, devilish lips quirking in amusement, as if he knew she’d eventually end up in his bed. At least he had backed off and hadn’t tried to push. Still, she needed to be on guard at all times. She didn’t trust him to play by any rules. Julietta cleared her throat.

“Umm, actually, I’m signing a pretty big contract, Mama.

For a new hotel chain called Purity. We’ll be exclusive to the hotels, and the first one launches in Milan within the year.”

Pride etched out the lines of her mother’s face. “Well done. Why don’t we celebrate with some Moscato? I have a bottle chilling in the refrigerator, and we’ll open it at dinner.

Perhaps, now that this big deal has been signed, you will finally ease up the workload?”

Julietta’s confidence slipped a notch and she avoided her mother’s gaze. of course. Business was never enough when compared to marriage and love and babies. She swallowed back the ridiculous sting of tears, wondering if she was getting her period. What was up with her lately? She was so emotional and . . . girly. “Actually, I’ll need to work harder,” she said lightly. “But I enjoy every moment. I’m doing exactly what I always dreamed.”

Mama Conte sliced off a piece of fresh mozzarella and handed it to her with bread. The rich, creamy texture sank into the warm dough, and Julietta swallowed in pleasure. “I know you enjoy your career. Without you, I don’t know if La Dolce Famiglia would have succeeded, even with Michael at the helm. you have a gift. I just want you to share it with someone special.”

She lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. Typical motherly dream. Still, the comment bit hard, as if what Julietta had done with her life wasn’t enough. It wasn’t as if she could confess to her mother something was wrong with her, and she couldn’t connect with a man. She pushed the depression to the back of her mind and tried to concentrate on enjoy-ing her visit. “Perhaps one day,” she said brightly.

“
Si.
one day.”

A knock at the door saved her from further inquiry.

She wiped her hands on the towel and grinned. “Ah, our mysterious visitor. I bet it’s Father richard; he’s always happy to eat your cooking.” She moved to the front door and opened it.

Her mouth fell open.

Sawyer Wells stood in the entrance. His business suit had been replaced by a pair of comfortable khakis, a thick cableknit cream sweater, and Versace leather croc boots.

His hair swung free and touched his shoulders in a delicious mess of golden waves. He held a bouquet of freshly picked flowers and a bottle of red wine. “Hey.”

She stared.

He cocked his head and seemed to fight amusement.

“Umm, can I come in?”

She recovered her voice and lowered it to a hiss. “What are you doing here?”

one brow shot up. “I guess you didn’t realize I was invited to dinner.”

She blinked. “Huh?”

“real wordsmith out of the office, aren’t you? your mother invited me to dinner.”

Julietta jerked back. “Impossible.”

A voice from the hallway drifted to the open door.

“Julietta, stop torturing the man and let him in. He is correct.”

Sawyer grinned. “Told ya.”

He stepped around her and waltzed past. Her fingers clenched around the door in an effort to keep standing.

After a few deep breaths, she followed him in. “How beautiful,” Mama Conte crooned, inhaling the scent of roses and lilies. “Julietta, can you put these in the vase from the living room? Sawyer, can you open the bottle of Moscato? It’s in the refrigerator. I was just told Julietta closed a big deal, and we’re celebrating.”

Sawyer rocked on his heels, obviously amused at the whole scenario. “Big deal, huh? of course.”

“Mama, what’s going on? I didn’t know you and Sawyer were . . . close?”

Her mother’s head snapped around. “He is a friend of Max’s, and it is Sunday. of course, I would invite him to dine with us. My home is open to all, especially one known to my family. I am sure you agree with me, correct?”

Julietta licked her dry lips. ouch. Her mama’s anger was something to be reckoned with, and nothing pissed her off more than the idea of people not being welcome in her home.
Mio Dio,
why was this happening to her today? She only wanted some peace and quiet, and now the symbol of her distress would be breaking bread in her family home.

She forced the words out. “of course. Let me get the vase.”

She busied herself with the flowers as Sawyer uncorked the champagne and poured. Small talk fluttered back and forth between them, but her skin burned under the scorch-ing heat of his gaze. How did the man manage to shrink the room? He carried himself with a powerful dignity that stole all the air around her. Vulnerability shot through her. She wished suddenly for her business suit and high heels. Her current Sunday outfit consisted of jeans, a purple T-shirt under a zippered sweater, and black suede flats. Her hair was loose and a bit tangled from the breeze, and she rarely wore makeup when hanging with her mother. She pressed her lips together and swore not to let him make her feel uncomfortable. He was the outsider—not her.

“Both of you sit and relax. I have everything under control. Have some antipasto.” The tray of prosciutto, crackers, cheese, and pepperoni looked inviting. There was something intimate about eating in her mama’s kitchen. The heavy pine table was large, but the space evoked a cozy at-mosphere. The huge arched window over the sink allowed light to pour through and showed off the view of the rolling golden hills. The rich colors of burnt orange, scarlet, and gold shimmered in welcome from the pine floors to the colorful pasta bowls and trays hand painted in bright tones.

Hand-stitched linens and mats made a presentation for every plate served. The scents of gravy, steamed garlic, and lemon hung heavily in the air and wrapped them in warmth.

Julietta knew her mother wouldn’t let her help when there were guests here, so she filled her plate to bursting, sipped her champagne, and tossed her business partner a glare.

He didn’t seem intimidated. More like fascinated by her outfit, greedy appetite, and surliness.

“I’m so honored you invited me to dinner, Mama Conte.

I assume Julietta shared the good news about our deal?”

“No, we didn’t get to the details yet. My goodness, you mean you’re both working together?”

Sawyer grinned. “yes. I’m building a new chain of hotels called Purity, and La Dolce Famiglia will be my exclusive supplier. of course, Max will take care of the U.S. hotels but the big launch is Milan. Julietta will be key to helping make this a success.”

She tried hard not to make a face at him, which was extremely juvenile and beneath her. How dare he steal her thunder? As if he bestowed his contract as a gift without her having a say in the matter. Screw him. She jumped in.

“of course, negotiation was involved before I’d sign the contracts. Some of the clauses were unacceptable.”

“of course.” His ready agreement only pissed her off more. Why did he continuously annoy her?

“She makes this family proud. And you’ve done well for yourself, Sawyer. Tell me about this hotel chain.”

As he talked about Purity, she caught the glow of pleasure on his face. odd, she understood him in some basic ways. The need to succeed and prove oneself. The fierce satisfaction of building something of your own in a world where nothing was permanent. She rarely analyzed where the drive came from. She was too afraid to know the truth.

It had been a full week since the kiss. As if he had sensed she needed to retreat, he had allowed her the distance and stuck to a few phone calls and a short visit that focused entirely on business.

But the damage had been done.

She thought about the kiss all the time. The texture of his lips, the scent of his skin, and the promise of his mouth, open and hungry on hers. She had tossed and turned at night and had cursed him. How could such an innocent peck affect her so deeply? If she didn’t know her body, she would’ve thrown away her reserve and her principles and dragged him into bed.

Unfortunately, she knew what would happen. The burst of flame and lust. The promise of satisfaction. And eventually, the withering of heat as her body pruned up and chilled under a man’s hand. Sawyer would be no different, and she didn’t intend to have him figure out her secret.