Chapter 10 Massimo #2
Liana’s silent for a moment, that twinkle quickly disappearing from her eye and being replaced with dark fury.
“I will never marry you,” she grinds out.
“Then I will continue to fuck with Alessia and her boyfriend even more than I already have,” I say, my tone slow, controlled, and dark.
I’ve given Liana years of space. I’m done.
She’s silent again. Her jaw tics with every clench she makes, as if she’s trying to bite back whatever else she wants to say to me.
After several seconds of this silent standoff, Liana finally speaks. “What if I have sex with you? Then will you leave them alone?”
“Sure. But that sex will need to be consistent and come with a ring on your finger.”
“I’m trying to compromise. The least you could do is give me the same courtesy,” she grinds out.
“I refuse to compromise on such a remarkable thing as yourself.”
Her eyes widen, but she doesn’t have a response.
“Let me ask you something. What is keeping you from marrying me?”
“Well, for starters, I don’t really like you.”
“But why is that?”
“Because you’re an asshole who’s trying to force me into marriage.”
“Is that it?”
“I feel like that’s a pretty good reason to not like someone.”
“So if I wasn’t trying to use Alessia and her boyfriend to get you to marry me, you would like me?”
“No.”
“Then why else don’t you like me? Why else wouldn’t you give a guy like me a shot? Why wouldn’t you give me the time of day at CU when I know you felt the chemistry between us that night.”
“Because.”
“Because why?”
“Because of what you do for a living!” she finally spats out. “I don’t know why you’re so adamant about that one night between us. Did we have fun dancing? Sure, you’re not the only guy I’ve had fun dancing with.”
I clench my jaw, not liking the image that pops into my head of her dancing with any other man.
“But you don’t know me. What is with this crazy obsession you’ve developed for me? You don’t know anything about me. Anything.”
“I don’t know anything about you?” I snap. “You sure about that, Liana?”
She throws her hands in the air. “How could you? We’ve never gone on a date, so much as even really talked. You don’t know anything about me, just like I don’t know anything about you.”
“Okay, so I don’t know that you’re an incredibly hard-working and self-driven woman who has built a fashion empire for herself at a young age, and is now a force to be reckoned with in the industry?”
“Anyone can Google that,” she throws back at me, her nostrils flaring.
“And I don’t know that your heart is bigger than anyone else I know? That you’ll put the people you care about before yourself if it truly fucking comes down to it?”
I don’t give her time to respond to that.
“But let me guess, what I really don’t know is how you also felt what we could have after that one night we had six years ago. You felt the connection between the two of us, and the only reason you ran away was because you were scared.”
Liana goes still, so I continue, needing to get this off my chest.
“You might not think I know you, but I’ve spent the last six years studying you in the shadows.
My obsession with you turned into this fucking indescribable need to learn every single thing I could about you …
And I did. When you didn’t think anyone was watching, I was.
I know your favorite color is blue, a light-pastel kind of blue—similar to the color of the pants you’re wearing now.
I know your favorite food—which it’s questionable if we can even call this a food—is gelato, specifically pistachio.
I know you bury yourself in your work so you have an excuse to not get too close to anyone, and I know you don’t want to see yourself getting involved with a guy like me because of everything that’s happened to your family, including your parents, because you’re scared. ”
I close my eyes and clench my teeth, knowing that last part should’ve never escaped my mouth. When I open them, Liana’s staring back at me with a blank expression on her face. It’s as if she’s put on a mask, expelling me from what she’s feeling.
I might’ve fucked up.
“I’m going to say this one more time, Massimo. Don’t act like you know me. You know nothing.” Her tone is calm and steady.
“Liana, I—”
“We’re done here.” She pushes herself up from her seat and turns to leave.
I take a deep breath and get to my feet. “Liana …”
When she gets to my door, she places her hand on the handle and glances over her shoulder. “If you ever thought that was the way to get me to marry you, you have a lot to learn, Massimo … Now, don’t follow me, or the Bonettis will become an enemy of the DiMaggios.”
Words seem to get stuck in my throat as she exits my office. How the hell did I let that escalate so damn quickly? I was supposed to stay calm and fucking cool, but something got to me. I flipped like a damn switch.
Slamming my fist on my desk, I let out a growl while Liana leaves me here to wonder if I just lost my last chance at getting the only woman I’ve ever wanted in life.
My phone rings, and I drag my gaze to the caller ID. Taking a deep breath to steady my racing heart, I answer it. “What’s up, Dad?”
“Just calling to get an update. How’re things progressing?”
“They could be better,” I grumble.
“That doesn’t sound too promising.”
I let out a sigh. “It’ll be fine, Dad. I just need a little more time.”
“I already gave you a deadline. If this woman doesn’t commit to you by then, we’re going off my list.”
“I know. I’ll get her to commit by then. You don’t have to worry.”
My dad’s quiet on the other line, nothing but his breathing being relayed through the phone. “Why is this particular woman so important to you,” he finally asks. “Why is she the one you’re so adamant about marrying? There are several women who would make the perfect bride for you. Why this one?”
“She’s from our world and comes from an influential family. Combining our families would make us one of the most powerful in the country. Between the two of us, we’ll have assets in all the major cities in the US. Isn’t that something you want for us?”
“Of course. Power is never a bad thing, but there are several families who could provide us with such.”
“Trust me, Dad. This family will be the best alliance for us.”
“Alright,” he sighs out. “I hear you. You’ve clearly thought this out, and I’m proud of you for thinking about who would be the best asset for our family.
But I’m still giving you a hard deadline of the end of the month.
If you don’t have a date set and a marriage contract signed, we’re going with someone I choose. Understood?”
“Understood.”
“Great. Next time we chat, let’s hope we’re opening a bottle of champagne to celebrate.”
“You can guarantee it, Dad.”
You can fucking guarantee it.
I know exactly what I need to do.