“We have a lease on a new building. We can’t just move.”
Emilia offered, “Maybe we need to have our attorney review the lease. Or possibly we could sub-lease. But somehow, Berceto has to reduce overhead.”
They continued the conversation for some time. It was the first time that her role in the company was acknowledged and that she was on somewhat equal footing with her uncle and father. But the direness of the situation cast a black cloud over the discussions. Her uncle and father were unwilling to contemplate a re-visioning of the company. They wanted to hold onto long-standing traditions that served the company in the past. But the economy had shifted and without revitalizing the company, it was doomed to fail.
Instead of returning to work, Emilia had her father drop her off at her car and she drove back to her grandfather’s house.
Her grandfather’s house was quiet. Emilia didn’t see any activity on the terrace or by the pool. She let herself into the guest house, and opened up her laptop to check email. She had stood up to her uncle but the situation at Berceto was more precarious that she had thought. She needed to come up with a different solution. She couldn’t allow Alex Armati to take fifty percent of the company.
She remembered her grandfather’s joy when she won a design competition at fourteen years old for a diamond tiara she had crafted. She was the youngest by far in the competition. He had come to her parent’s house on a Saturday afternoon with the letter and exclaimed, “Emilia is my legacy.”
He had been beaming with happiness. Showing the letter to each of them, he insisted that she apprentice in the jewelry shop instead of being sent to boarding school. But her mother was intractable. She had insisted that Emilia finish her education before joining Berceto. Her mother had maintained that having an education would open doors for her in the future. It had been the first and only time an argument ensued between her grandfather and parents.
He lost the argument and she was sent away to school. She remembered using every minute of her summers and vacations to visit the shop and work on designing. Working with her hands had brought her an enormous satisfaction. Her grandfather had encouraged her to keep working on designs even while she was at school. He had an entire workstation sent to her and frequently shipped her precious metals and gems. Asking her to send back her pieces or photographs so he could watch over her progress. By that time, she was making custom designs for her friends and cousins. Her notebooks were full of sketches and she began limiting classes to art and design.
Changing into running shorts and a tank top, Emilia sprinted the few short blocks to Manhattan Beach. She set a punishing pace along the ocean. Running allowed her to let go of the worry and anxiety that clung to her. She needed to find a way to lead the company from the brink of disaster. But would her father and uncle help or hinder her?
What about Alexander Armati? She reminded herself not to trust him. He would take whatever he wanted and then walk away when it no longer held his interest. She had read the press on him and he was insatiable. He demanded the best and in business won the most lucrative contracts. He took enormous risks and businessmen feared him. If he merely mentioned he was interested in acquiring a company, it was often presented to him on a silver platter. Not this time, she would do anything possible to prevent him from acquiring Berceto Designs. It was her legacy and birthright. Alex Armati would use her weaknesses against her if he knew what they were. She would have to be careful to hide them.
Chapter 3
Driving through Los Angeles traffic did nothing to ease the tension building in Emilia’s spine. She had put on a vintage black sleeveless dress for the dinner meeting with Alex, but as she shifted the car through traffic, she began to worry it was too short. Was he expecting her to join him for a formal dinner or a business meeting? She had decided to put her hair up and added a simple marble necklace given to her recently by her cousin, Isabel.
Her mind replayed a recent conversation she had had with Isabel. Her cousin had adored the engagement ring that Emilia had crafted for her fiancé to give to her. She couldn’t quite believe Isabel had met the man of her dreams and was set to be married in a few short months. For some reason, Isabel had sent her the marble orb necklace with a short note that said: This necklace brought me luck, may it do the same for you.
She needed a little luck. Emilia pulled up to a gated Malibu mansion and pushed the button. The gates opened and she parked her SUV in the circular driveway. Forcing herself to step out, she tugged on the material of her ornate black dress and hoped it gave the appearance of quiet elegance. She rarely left her shop in Florida except to run along the beach or every so often attend an art opening or the theatre. She avoided any type of gala or party that required small talk or mingling. UnfortunatleyUnfortunately, having to meet with Alex Armati caused her palms to tingle and a slightly nauseous feeling to erupt in her stomach.
It had been four years since she had been to this mansion. Memories of that fateful night crowded around her, causing her heart to accelerate.
Why had she agreed to meet him here? Emilia had no desire to revisit the past with him. Alexander Armati couldn’t be trusted. He sought her out that night and had made sure that she was at the right angle for a photographer to capture images of her barely dressed but somehow leaving his face out of the frames.
She remembered him offering her a drink and inviting her out into the garden. At first, she had wanted to escape the heat and oppressive quality of the party, but soon she was hanging on his every word.
Alex opened the massive wooden door before she had the chance to ring the doorbell.
“You came.”
“You didn’t leave me much choice.”
“There is always a choice, Emilia.”
She made eye contact and wished she hadn’t. His closeness made her feel unmoored, almost as if she were a boat drifting helplessly out to sea.
He was dressed in a well-fitted suit and his starched dress shirt exposed his tan neck. The intensity of his blue gaze poured into her innermost thoughts.
Stepping past him into the mansion, Emilia could smell a rich, sandalwood scent that had her stepping back in time.“Itime. “I don’t understand why you insisted on seeing me here. I don’t have any interest in revisiting that night.” She needed to escape this situation. The chemistry between them left her feeling anxious and vulnerable.
“The interaction between us was rather satisfying if I remember correctly.”
“What do you want from me?” She stepped further into the house and turned toward him.
“Let’s have a drink on the veranda. My housekeeper is preparing a meal for us that should be served shortly.”
Emilia followed his outstretched hand toward the sunken living room. The space had transformed since she had last visited. It was no longer as modern; the feel now reminded her of understated luxury. She remembered the party as her mind replayed the events from that terrible night. She had been naive to think that Alexander Armati found her alluring or captivating. He was merely leading her down a rocky path. And she had allowed him to orchestrate her downfall. She hadn’t stopped him when he undressed her in a public display of abandonment and lust.
The doors along the far wall were open, letting in a warm ocean breeze. It was six o’clock, but the late afternoon sun warmed the air.
Stepping out onto the terrace, Emilia took in the immaculate gardens with several terraces, fountains, and a pool in the distance. It seemed different in the daylight. The sound of her four-inch heels on the stones made her feel self-conscious about the dress she had chosen to wear. Would he assume that she was trying to spark his interest?
Emilia searched her mind for a topic of conversation, finally asking “How long have you lived here?”
He had an amazing body. He was still lean and athletic. She remembered feeling the tight muscles in his chest and arms the night she had lost herself in his embrace. Her treacherous body was drawn to him but she resisted the pull. She didn’t need
the complications that a relationship would bring. He wanted Berceto and she wanted it to remain a family owned business.
“Five years. I had based myself in New York and Italy before deciding to create a life in California.”
She remembered everything that he had told her four years ago. He had been searching for more meaning in his life.
Emilia touched the marble orb necklace. “What drew you to Los Angeles?” Could it have been the desire to acquire Berceto? Why was he so interested in a jewelry company?
“The city of lights? The energy and pace of life is much different than New York. I decided to try a boom or bust culture rather than a traditional, uptight scene. And if that wasn’t reason enough, I had made a tremendous amount of money and was ready to revamp the Auction House when my parents retired.”
She watched as Alex poured two glasses of chardonnay.
“Do your parents still live in California?” She hadn’t come across any information about them online.
“No, they returned to Italy. They had both come to the United States as teenagers and built a life here. But my mother’s family is from Florence and they decided to return to their roots.”
“So you took on rebuilding the auction house?” she asked him as she took a tentative sip of the chilled wine.
“I had wanted a challenge. I had assumed that it would be agriculture. At the time, I had put in offers on a couple of small vineyards that I had hoped to combine into a larger farm.”
Emilia processed the information. She could see him as the owner of a vineyard. She knew he was a risk-taker who wasn’t afraid of hard work. She remembered unbuttoning his shirt and finding finely sculpted muscles in his arms and chest as if he were some sort of top athlete. Even now he appeared slim and sculpted. She wondered if he was a long distance runner or biker.
She shook her head slightly to clear her sensual thoughts. It would be better to keep her wits about her and not to succumb to some fantasy about him. He had used her innocence to tarnish the reputation of Berceto Designs and now he was ready to purchase the company for a pittance.
Emilia put her wine glass down on the decorative wooden table and crossed her arms.
“Why did you ask me to come?”
He looked so formidable. “We need to clear the air, cara.”
Shaking her head, she said, “We barely know each other.” A memory of him kissing her flooded over her and she knew that she was stretching the truth. She could remember the feel of his body and the taste of his kisses.
“I remember every delectable inch of your body.”
She could feel her heart accelerate. “Yes, and thanks to your camera crew so does most of L.A.”
He took a sip of wine.“Iwine. “I don’t know why you are making such a big deal of a few images. The photographs were stunning.”
How could he possibly say that to her? Those images ruined her life. She was forced to leave her family and hide away in shame.
Turning toward him, she said, “You were not the one who was humiliated. Your life continued on without the smallest inconvenience.”
She had grown up in L.A. and it had been spelled out clearly that you didn’t allow yourself to be made a spectacle of. The city was full of superficial, attention-seeking future celebrities. Her parents had never wanted her to be a part of that culture. Privacy, refinement, and grace were valued in her family. It was the reason why she had been sent to an exclusive boarding school in the Northeast with her two cousins, Isabel and Lauren. Practically the same age, the three of them had become as close as siblings. She was the one who abhorred the limelight and innately knew to be careful about her image.Sheimage. She met his hard gaze and found no softening. He didn’t care that the media raked her over the coals and made to feel cheap and foolish.
“Whose fault was that? Instead of allowing me to step forward and tell everyone the photographs were taken in a private residence without permission, you acted as if I staged the entire incident. Or was I somehow beneath your reputation?”
Emilia’s body trembled. “How dare you say that to me? The images were captured by someone you knew, whether it was a security person or hired photographer, it doesn’t matter. You wanted my reputation to be tarnished so you could step in and take Berceto Designs.”
She watched in fascination as he stepped toward her. “Emilia, that is insane and paranoid. I had no idea that there was a security camera capturing images of us. What happened that night between us got out of hand and we had the misfortune of having it caught on film.”
“I don’t believe in coincidences. You seduced me in the garden and the camera had a clear shot of me and not you. You turned me toward the camera after removing the top of my dress.” She remembered how hot she had been for him. She would have allowed him to do anything he wanted.
Alex stood facing her. “Emilia, thatEmilia that is not how it happened. The party was winding down and I was attracted like mad to you. A few kisses went too far. I didn’t mean for any of it to happen. I should have taken you inside, but I wasn’t thinking straight.”
He ran a hand through his hair. He was standing close to her and she could feel her body begin to heat in response to his nearness. Why did he have such an effect on her?
Emilia didn’t swallow her outrage as she typically would do. Alex was responsible for her humiliation in the media. He knew he had a security team in place and shouldn’t have undressed her, giving them the opportunity to capture it on film. Unless this was his intention all along.
She let all of her outrage flow into her words. “I blame you for what happened. You should have protected me.”
She looked up and met his anguished gaze.
“I agree. I’m sorry it happened.” His words soothed her hurt pride. She still found it difficult to fathom that nude pictures of her were released in the media. She was the most prudish person she knew. She never undressed in public. Even after athletic events, she never showered in the communal area, always waiting for a private shower. She needed to be careful and not allow herself to be taken advantage of again.
“I had absolutely no idea the images had been captured on a security camera. I should have known better. But when they were sold to the tabloids, you refused every call or visit and then left without a word.”
“There was nothing to say.” Emilia remembered her parents’ outrage and humiliation that their only daughter, barely twenty-two, would be photographed in the nude with an unknown man at a gala.
Alex watched as she carelessly shrugged her shoulders. He grasped her arm and tugged her forward. “Emilia, there was plenty to discuss. I could have sued the tabloids for publishing a photograph taken at my house.”
She shook her head and tried to step backward, but he held her captive. “It would have just kept the story relevant and in the news.”
He released her. “The photographs were taken at a private residence without our consent. Fighting it was the right move.”
Her eyes widened. “Your name wasn’t even mentioned in the story.”
He noticed her defiance. Her spine was rigid and her eyes were full of outrage, reminding him she would make the same decision again given the opportunity.
“If you had acknowledged a connection to me, then the media would have come to your rescue. But instead you chose to run as if you were guilty of a crime.”
“So, in your opinion, it would have been better to admit that I undressed in public for a man that I had just met?”
“Cara, we could have spun the story however we wanted. For all people knew, we had known each other for years.”
“That would have been a lie.”
The way her mind worked surprised him. She had no idea how to deal with unwanted speculation or attention from the media. She assumed that keeping a distance would protect her when she should be actively cultivating the image she wanted to present to the world.
“We had met before at your parents’ house.”
“You barely noticed me.�
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He had been captivated by her. The way she gracefully moved throughout the room, her soft laughter and how she engaged with everyone around her.
“You were just finishing college and I was about to turn thirty. Your parents were obviously protective so I didn’t flirt with you. But we both felt the chemistry that sparked between us.”
Why was he explaining himself? It was not something he typically did.
“I don’t know what you want from me.”
He watched Emilia: she fluctuated between defiant and victimized so easily that he didn’t know where she stood.
His housekeeper stepped outside and politely said, “Mr. Armati, dinner is ready to be served.”
“Thank you, Mara, we will be in shortly.”
He ran a hand through his short hair. “You should have told your parents the truth.”
She shook her head. “It would have only complicated the problem.”
He didn’t understand her. Most women would have welcomed his involvement. Why did she want to push him away?
He needed to end the conversation, but somehow he let the words slip out, “You didn’t trust me to help you.”
She was beautiful. Her black dress closely skimmed her body, revealing gorgeous breasts, a flat stomach and perfectly shaped hips. He wanted to explore her curves but held himself in check. They needed to have this conversation so the past could be forgotten.
“I didn’t consider you in the process. You were not identified by the media and I thought it was best to try and contain the damage.”
He stepped toward her and noticed she retreated. “You should have stood up for yourself and fought back.”
“You weren’t the one humiliated and dealing with your family’s issues around negative publicity. My parents were mortified. Escape was a welcome relief at that point.”
Alex watched as color flooded back into her exquisite face. The mixture of her strong-willed defiance, coupled with her fragile exterior that cared about what others thought of her touched his inner core.
The Exiled Jeweler: a contemporary romance novel (The Rosa Legacy Book 2) Page 4