Page 118 of A Diamond Deal
‘I mean, it’s enormous, Massimiliano.’
His gaze returned to her face. ‘It’s necessary.’
She was about to ask himwhy, when he swiftly changed the subject. ‘When we get to Rome, you’ll be taken to the hotel where you’ll be staying for the next week.’
Her insides twisted. She’d spent the whole morning being prodded and primped at his command, and now here he was, laying down yet more orders for her? Where was her free will? Where was her input into this plan?
‘Funny, I don’t remember us discussing a hotel.’
His eyes narrowed imperceptibly. ‘Do you have a better suggestion?’
She realised, too late, that the only alternative was to stay with him. And for all she’d negotiated a wedding night into their marriage, the idea of spending a week rattling around in whatever luxurious palace he called home had her nerves stretching to breaking point.
‘No,’ she said, meekly.
He nodded once, moving on. ‘Your grandparents are eager to see you. We will have dinner with them, tonight—’
‘Wait a second.’ The air rushed out of her lungs. ‘You’vetoldthem about this?’
He stared back at her for a beat. ‘You know the reason for this marriage, yes?’
She could hardly hear him over the rushing of her blood. She’d signed a contract hours earlier, with six suited lawyers in the room overseeing matters. Sheknewthis was going to happen. But somehow, the involvement of her mother’s parents made it all feel so unbearably real.
‘So, tonight, we dine with your grandparents. Tomorrow night, my grandfather.’
Her heart turned over in her chest at the way his voice deepened slightly.
‘And the wedding?’
‘Will take place in a week.’
Her jaw dropped.
‘The licence is in the process of being procured. The ceremony will be intimate—just us, your grandparents and my grandfather, unless there’s anyone else you’d like to invite?’
She shook her head. Even if she’d had close friends, she wouldn’t want to involve them in this farce. ‘I thought you needed the whole world to know you were marrying me?’
‘They will know. I have a PR team engaged to manage that side of things.’
She blinked across at him, with a growing sense that this was ballooning so far out of her comfort zone. ‘What exactly will that involve?’
‘They’ll drop a press release, field enquiries from the media, arrange events for us to attend as necessary, organise interviews.’ His eyes glittered with a determination that struck her as utterly unrelenting. He looked as though there was nothing and no one who would ever stand in his way. ‘By this time next week, the entire world will know that Contessina Rossi has returned to Italy, and that she has married a Moretti.’
Amelia blinked away, but the twisting in her stomach lasted all the way to Rome.
At this point, she really shouldn’t have been surprised by the ease with which Massimiliano could organise incredible grandeur and luxury. Yet she still couldn’t quite fathom the way he’d secured such a suite for her accommodation, and had it stocked with all of the clothes, accessories and make-up she’d had selected for her that morning. Was it really only that morning? Her mind whirled at that, to think she’d woken up in her tiny shared flat, contemplating the fork in the road she found herself at, and now she was here. So far down one of those forks there was no turning back.
Amelia had rejected her Italian heritage a long time ago, and yet, almost as soon as she entered her suite and glimpsed the world-famous skyline of Rome, the mix of old and ancient, her heart was humming and buzzing with a need to be out there, rather than in here. To walk the streets that her mother, grandparents, and all her forebears, had trod. To breathe the same air and see if it felt like home, in the same way it did when she was running to catch a Tube or walking along the Thames.
For while the penthouse was stunningly beautiful, it was also very untouchable and intimidating. Whereas this city was a living, breathing part of history, a city that existed beyond just buildings and roads, but that had its own soul. She could feel it, even up here, wrapped in luxury, and what she wanted, more than anything, was to be down amongst it.
She changed quickly, slipping into a pair of tailored trousers and a silk blouse. There were a dozen new pairs of shoes—more than she remembered having seen, much less agreed to—and most of them were heels. But thankfully, the shopper had included a pair of leather loafers, which she opted for. They were supple, soft and incredibly comfortable. Her lips pulled to the side as she reflected on how different her life was from Massimiliano’s—and that of anyone of his wealth. Her last pair of shoes had been bought well over a year ago and they were vinyl, not leather. She’d practically worn the sole right through but, until they actually fell apart, they were what she’d had to put up with.
Until today.
Pushing thoughts of her marriage agreement, fiancé and grandparents from her mind, she grabbed her new designer handbag and crossed it over her body, setting off from the hotel to explore this wonderful city while she had a chance to do so.
Massimiliano couldn’t fault a single part of the operation. Everything had fallen into place, just as he’d planned. Just as his plans always did.
