Rome for Always (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Collection)

by Angelo, Judy

  Like she could guess what had just happened, as if she understood that he didn’t want to talk, Arie simply nodded and followed him to the car.

  But as they drove away Rome’s mind was in turmoil. Was his family really forcing him to choose between them and Arie?

  If it came down to that, they weren’t going to like his decision, not one bit.

  ***

  Arie couldn’t wait for Rome to leave their hotel suite. When he’d said he needed some air and was going to take a walk she couldn’t get him out of there fast enough. The fact was, she wanted him gone. She needed some time alone to think.

  The evening before, when they’d arrived at the hotel, he’d told her about his quarrel with his parents. That had been bad enough but then he told her of some sort of ultimatum his father threw down. Rome should give her up or else he would no longer be part of the Milano family? Was that what he’d said? Arie couldn’t believe it.

  And she felt terrible. Rome was in conflict with his family and it was all her fault. She was the one who had created this rift and there was nothing she could do about it.

  Or maybe there was. She could forget about her own happiness and do what she knew was right for Rome. She could just leave.

  At the thought, Arie’s heart sank to the pit of her stomach. To have to leave Rome, just when she thought she’d found the man of her dreams, just when she thought she would have the perfect family. How would she bear it?

  Tormented by the possibility, terrified by the likelihood that she could lose him, Arie jerked out of the armchair and went over to the window overlooking the tree-lined street. She was staring out at the scenery but she was seeing nothing. The only thing that loomed before her was a lonely future without Rome.

  “What are you doing?”

  Arie jumped. When she whirled around it was to see Rome standing in the doorway. “I…thought you were going for a walk.” Her words came out quick and breathless, almost like she was the one who’d been walking.

  “I came back to get you,” he said, a slight frown marking his brow. “Are you all right? Were you crying?”

  “No, I wasn’t.” Her answer was quick and sharp and just in case a tear had escaped and was sliding down her cheek she whipped back around to face the window so she could lift a furtive finger and get rid of any evidence of her desolate rumination.

  “Don’t give me that,” Rome said, his voice both stern and gentle at the same time.

  She heard his footsteps as he approached and then his hands were on her shoulders and he was turning her around to face him. “You’ve been thinking too much. I can see it on your face. I don’t want you sitting here, making yourself depressed by what’s happened.” He turned her toward the bathroom. “Go get ready. We’re going out on the city.”

  As much as she wasn’t in the mood for any tours Arie did as she was told and soon she was on the way to her first real view of the city of Rome, the place for which the man by her side had been named. And if he’d thought this day of sightseeing would do her any good he’d hit the nail right on its head because, if even just for those few hours, her trouble ducked its head and shuffled off to the back of her brain where she totally ignored it and focused instead on the beauty and elegance of the historic city.

  To Arie’s delight their first stop was the Sistine Chapel, the exquisitely lovely chapel of the Apostolic Palace where the Pope himself resided. It didn’t matter that, after paying their sixteen euros each, they’d had to jostle with a few thousand people just to get inside. As far as she was concerned it was well worth the wait. Outside, the building was pretty plain but inside it took her breath away.

  On the walls were frescoes by Perugino and Botticelli and more paintings by della Gatta and Rosselli, but most impressive of all – and the one that she’d really come to see – was the ceiling with the world-famous paintings, ‘The Creation of Adam’ and ‘The Last Judgment’ by Michelangelo Buonarroti.

  Her head thrown back, Arie gazed up at the beauty above her. “Awesome,” she said in a reverent whisper, “and I mean that literally.”

  “I’m with you on that one,” Rome whispered back, his face upturned and his eyes glued to the ceiling.

  She spared him a quick glance. “This is your first time, too? You’ve never seen this before?”

  “At least ten times,” he responded, looking like he couldn’t pull his eyes away, “and I’m in awe every single time.”

  After they left the Sistine Chapel Rome took her to see the Colosseum and then the grand Pantheon and by the time they’d fought those crowds it was already late afternoon and they were both exhausted.

  “Had enough of Rome?” he asked with a wide grin as he snaked his arm across her shoulders.

  Feeling tired but more relaxed than she’d felt since arriving in Italy, Arie returned the smile. “For today, yes,” she said as she leaned against him. “For now I’ve had enough of Rome, the city, but Rome, the tour guide…” she turned her face to nuzzle his neck, “…I can never get enough of that one.”

  “Glad to hear it,” he said, then he placed a finger under her chin and raised her face to his and there, in the middle of St. Peter's Square he kissed her soundly, sending all her cares sailing away on the breeze.

  “Let’s go back to the hotel,” he said, his voice suddenly husky. “We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

  She knew exactly what he meant. Since arriving in Italy they’d had issues on their minds, chief of which was the frosty welcome Arie received from the Milanos. Now, though, they were miles away from that bunch and free to do whatever they so desired. And if Arie guessed right, what they both wanted would leave them even more exhausted than they already were…but blissfully so. She could hardly wait.

  But when they got back to the hotel she realized that she had to exercise just a little bit more patience. She didn’t have much of an appetite but Rome was starving so after a quick shower they dressed and went down to The Brunello Restaurant for dinner.

  “I want you,” Rome whispered as they headed for the elevator, “real bad. But for what I want to do to you I have to build up my strength. It’s going to be a long night.”

  Arie laughed. She was all for long nights as long as they included Rome. And tonight, for the first time, she’d be enjoying her Rome in the city of Rome. What could be better?

  After a meal of pumpkin stuffed tortelli, veal with frosted pears, and warm puff pastry with cinnamon cream, Rome relaxed with a cup of coffee while Arie sipped herbal tea. Then, as she took her last sip and laid her cup back down, he reached across the table. “Time to fulfill my promise,” he said as he lifted her hands to his lips and kissed her, softly and seductively, in the middle of her palm.

  Arie smiled. “I’m looking forward to it.”

  Just as the words left her lips, out of the corner of her eyes she saw the maitre d' heading toward their table. They both turned as he approached.

  “Excuse me sir, madam.” The man gave an apologetic bow. “I’m very sorry to disturb you but Mr. and Mrs. Milano are here to see you.”

  Confused, Arie looked at Rome. “You invited your parents to join us?”

  Looking almost as confused as she felt, Rome shook his head. “No way. After what happened last night?” And then, as if remembering the man standing right by their table, he drew his lips back in what was obviously a forced smile. “Let them know we’ll be right out.”

  “Of course, sir.” The man gave Rome a polite nod, turned and did the same to Arie and then he was hurrying away, back to their unexpected visitors.

  As soon as they were alone again Arie grabbed the chance to make her position clear. “You go talk to them. I’m going back to the suite.”

  But Rome was having none of it. “We can’t run away from this, Arie. If they think they’ve got you running scared they’ll think they’ve won. We can’t give them that satisfaction.”

  Arie tightened her lips. He was right. She could just imagine the way they would gloat if Rome
went to them alone while she scurried away like a frightened doe. Vittorio Milano was a master intimidator but he would soon learn that he couldn’t intimidate her.

  She got up and went to stand by Rome’s side. “Let’s go,” she said, her voice so steady that no-one would guess her heart was beating a staccato rhythm against her ribs. “I want this over with fast. You made me a promise and I'm holding you to it. I don’t plan on waiting long, either.”

  That said, she set off, leaving Rome in her wake. The Milanos had not come all this way to see her, of that she was sure, but like it or not she would face them head on. They would never be able to accuse her of being a coward.

  Together, Rome and Arie arrived in the lobby area of the restaurant to see Lily and Vittorio waiting for them, Lily looking anxious and Vittorio looking like Vittorio – solemn and stubborn, with a scowl darkening his brow.

  Rome was the first to speak. “Mama, Papa, to what do we owe this visit?” As he spoke he put an arm around Arie’s shoulders and drew her close, his gesture protective.

  Vittorio gave her a brief nod but then he turned his attention to his son. “Can we speak privately?”

  Rome shook his head. “Anything you have to say to me you can say in front of Arie.”

  “You misunderstand me,” Vittorio said, looking almost impatient. “What I have to say concerns Arie more than it does you.” As he said her name he glanced at her but then his gaze skittered away.

  Arie would not have thought it of Vittorio but he almost seemed embarrassed to be in her presence. So where was Vittorio, the overbearing lord over all?

  Vittorio looked back at Rome. “I simply meant that I don’t wish to discuss private family business while standing at the front of a restaurant. There’s got to be some place we can go to talk.”

  Please don’t invite them to our suite, please don’t invite them to our suite. Arie was so desperate she almost mumbled the words out loud. She bit her tongue just in time and hid her consternation behind a tiny plastic smile.

  “I guess the quickest place would be our suite,” Rome said, his tone so nonchalant that Arie felt like slamming her heel on his toe. How had he not read her mind? Didn’t he know he’d just made her worst nightmare a reality?

  Lily looked doubtful. “We don’t want to intrude-”

  “Yes, let’s go to your suite,” Vittorio said, ignoring his wife’s hesitation. “What we need is privacy and that would be the perfect place.”

  Rome shrugged then, as if reassured that Arie no longer needed protection, he released her and led the way with his father right behind. The two women brought up the rear but although Lily gave Arie a tiny smile they did not speak, not as they walked along the hallway nor as they rode the private elevator to the Ludovisi Suite on the seventh floor.

  It wasn’t until they got to the suite and Rome ushered his parents into the living room that any of them spoke again. Vittorio was the one who broke the near-solid ice. Even though his wife sat, he didn’t. Instead, he stood with his back to the large bay window, his hands clasped behind his back in an almost submissive posture. But Vittorio was anything but submissive.

  “I have something to say to you both,” he began, “but especially to Arie.” He was scowling again, a demeanor which was beginning to seem more like a habit than anything else. After all, what reason did he have to scowl? He was the one leading the discussion. It must be the legacy of all those business negotiations. Being tough and looking tough probably came with the territory.

  “Arie,” Vittorio said, drawing her attention away from her musings and back to him, “I owe you an apology.”

  That got her attention. In fact, her brows flew up and her jaw slackened, she was so surprised. “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me,” he said, almost sounding annoyed. “I’m apologizing to you. You came to my home and instead of showing you courtesy I was rude and disrespectful. My behavior was unacceptable and I’m sorry.”

  Arie’s eyes widened. This was getting so strange it was unreal. After the way Vittorio had slammed her the day before, an apology was the last thing she’d expected.

  “We’re sorry,” Lily corrected him. “We both are. I’m so ashamed of the way we acted. If I could do it all again…” Her voice trailed off. Maybe it was because she saw the look of disbelief on Arie’s face.

  Because, as much as they were saying the words, it was too good to be true. What? They’d slept on it and woken up one hundred and eighty degrees from where they’d been the day before? Whatever they were selling, Arie was not buying.

  “I appreciate the apology,” Rome said and it was ironic when, standing at the other side of the room, he adopted the same stance as his father, hands behind his back. But Rome’s posture was unyielding. Feet wide apart, he stood bold and tall like he was ready to take on both his parents if they thought they could come into his territory and wreak havoc. “It’s long overdue. What you put Arie through, it should never have happened in the first place. Can you imagine how much you hurt her?”

  Vittorio drew in a long breath then let it out slowly. Then he nodded. “Yes, son, I know the things I said were hurtful. I am truly sorry.”

  Vittorio was apologizing and so was Lily but as far as Arie was concerned it was not enough. What she really wanted was to get to the bottom of this change of heart. Or maybe it wasn’t so much a change of heart as a change of words.

  “So why these apologies all of a sudden?” she asked, not bothering to play coy. “I’m still the same Arie I was yesterday. What’s changed?”

  The directness of her questions seemed to throw them off balance because it made Lily’s gaze flash over to Vittorio and he looked back at his wife, for once seeming lost for words. Then his face sagged as he looked at Rome.

  “It was your brothers,” he said, his voice tight, ashamed. “They called Papa and told him what happened. He came over.”

  Rome raised an eyebrow. “They called Nonno?”

  Vittorio nodded. “Yes, and you know what a vicious old man my father can be. He thinks he can intimidate anyone, even me, his own son.”

  Arie almost laughed but she bit down on her lip, holding the amusement in. It seemed that Vittorio had met his match. Grandfather Milano must be worse than he was in the bully department.

  “He really lit into me,” Vittorio continued, “reminding me how Lily’s parents hadn’t liked the idea of us getting married but we went ahead anyway.” Vittorio drew in his breath and then let it out on a sigh. “They thought I was too much of a hothead and too arrogant but Lily and I were in love and there was nothing that could keep us apart.”

  Vittorio looked over at Arie, his face contrite. “I’ve been the worst possible hypocrite. As Papa said, I should mind my own business and let you two young people make your own decisions. I’m very sorry, Arie. Can you ever forgive me?”

  Caught off guard by his question Arie didn’t say anything but then, with all eyes on her as her silence stretched into seconds, she opened her mouth to say something, anything that would take the attention off her. “Why…yes, of course,” she stammered. “I forgive you. Don’t worry about it.” And when his face relaxed into a smile she let out a surreptitious sigh of relief. As much as she wasn’t one hundred percent sure she meant it, her answer seemed to satisfy him.

  It more than satisfied Lily too because, to Arie’s surprise, the woman walked over and drew her into her arms in a fierce hug. “Thank you,” she whispered as she pressed Arie to her. When she stepped back she looked so relieved that Arie knew she’d done the right thing. She didn’t know if she would ever accept them wholeheartedly but despite the hurt she’d made the first step and she was glad.

  Vittorio cleared his throat, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Shows of emotion either made him uneasy or embarrassed, that much was obvious. When he spoke again his voice sounded pseudo-cheerful. “Arie, Rome, to show you we mean what we say we’ve gone ahead and arranged a family dinner for tomorrow. Everyone will be there. You’
ll get a chance to meet the entire family, Arie.”

  She didn’t know if she liked the sound of that. After all she’d been through she would rather just hang out at the hotel with Rome. But, reluctant to dampen Vittorio’s spirit, she gave him a brave smile and nodded. “I’ll come,” she said, “as long as I get to meet your father.”

  Vittorio probably guessed why she’d said that but he didn’t back down. “Deal,” he said, with a broad smile. “We’ll see you both at three.”

  Long after Lily and Vittorio left, Arie sat in the sofa, curled up against Rome’s shoulder. Still in shock, her thoughts raced ahead to the family gathering planned for the next day. His parents had apologized but it had seemed too easy, even too good to be true.

  Would she meet more rejection when she met the rest of Rome’s family or would they give her fake smiles while hating her the whole time? No matter how she tried she could not stop the thoughts from swirling wildly, creating a whirlwind of confusion in her mind.

  Needless to say, the Milanos had messed up yet another of her evenings in Italy. With all the trepidation she was feeling there was no way she would be making love tonight.

  CHAPTER TEN

  "Mama mia, she is bella. Come here and give Nonno a hug.” The tall, stately man had a huge grin on his face as he held his arms wide and there was nothing Arie could do but go to him. He immediately caught her in a bear hug that threatened to snap her in two.

  When he put her away from him he was still smiling broadly, as if he’d found a long lost friend. “So this is the Arie I’ve been hearing about. Pleased to meet you, my dear.”

  “And you, too, sir,” Arie said with a nod and she couldn’t help but respond with a wide smile of her own. It was possible she wasn’t reading him right but he certainly came across as genuine.

  “Sir? Did you call me sir?” He gave her a look of indignation which she knew was fake. “It is Nonno for you, not sir. You are family and don’t you forget that.”