Reclaiming His Heart

Chapter 1

Chapter One

How do you deal with coming face-to-face with the one person who has the ability to end you? The one person who you’d let put a knife through your heart, and you’d do it with a smile on your face. Because the love you have for that person knows no bounds.

I was raised to be ruthless, to be calculated in my every move. And I am. Until it comes to her. Daniella De Bellis. The one who got away.

I haven’t laid eyes on her for a few years. Well, not in person anyway. She might live on the other side of the world, but that hasn’t stopped me from keeping tabs on her.

Daniella hasn’t stepped foot in Vegas since the night I offered her my heart, my soul, only to have her cut me deeper than any knife could with her rejection. She left town. I let her go. Because I am Carlo Bianchi Junior. I don’t chase. I don’t beg. And I sure as fuck don’t forget.

I knew she was coming to town before the gossip mill, otherwise known as my family, informed me.

I might have hacked into her emails a while back.

But desperate times and all. I needed to be prepared for seeing her in person, so I wouldn’t do something stupid like walk up to her, throw her over my shoulder, and take her someplace she can’t escape me.

I doubt I’d make it far if I tried that.

I’d have a bullet in my head before I made it to the door, either from her father or her brother.

Both of whom are also currently in this ballroom.

Then again, if I caused a scene at my Aunt Charlotte’s charity gala, I’d probably be facing a bullet from my uncle Louie as well.

He’s not about to let anyone mess up his wife’s event.

Luckily for me, and everyone in this room, I happen to have great fucking self-control. Which is why my feet are firmly planted on the ground, my back leaning against the bar as I nurse a glass of whiskey. Fucking De Bellis Cinque, which only serves to remind me of her more.

My eyes travel from her feet to the top of her head. The woman is fucking beautiful. How can someone so damn cruel also be so damn beautiful? She’s like the apple Eve couldn’t resist. I know it’s going to hurt like hell to look at her, but I do it anyway.

The moment her eyes connect with mine, I’m taken back to that night years ago when I pleaded with her to stay. To fight for us. I gave her the piece of me she owns, my heart, but she didn’t want it.

“Why? Give me one good reason why you can’t stay?” I ask her.

“You know why, CJ. This, us, it’s not good. We are not good together. And there’s the fact that I live on the other side of the world,” she says.

“I’ll buy you any fucking house you want, right here, Daniella. Just stay. Give us the chance we both deserve.” I’m fucking begging, but I can’t lose her.

Daniella shakes her head. “I’m sorry. I can’t…”

“I knew you could be cruel, Dani, but I didn’t expect to have your coldness turned on me. If you leave now, I’m done. I’m not chasing you around the world anymore. If you can’t choose me, I’m done choosing you.”

Great, now I’m threatening her with things I probably can’t carry through on.

“Good. That’s what you need to do. Stop trying to turn this into something it’s never been. It was fun. We had fun, but that’s all it was.”

I scoff at her words. “You and I both know it was more than just fun.”

A flicker of pain crosses her face. It’s gone just as quick as it came. She really is good at hiding her emotions, better than most made men I’ve ever dealt with. “Goodbye, CJ,” she whispers before turning around and walking out of the hotel room we’ve been occupying all week.

“CJ, whatever it is you’re thinking of doing, do the opposite.” My brother Aiden’s voice snaps me out of the memory. I turn my glare from Daniella to him.

“What the fuck is it you think I’m going to do?” I grunt as I bring my glass to my lips.

“I don’t know, but I bet it has something to do with a hot little blonde from down under.” Aiden chuckles. “And it’s a bad idea.”

I make a point of looking around the room. “Huh, I don’t see any hot blondes in this room,” I comment nonchalantly. “Besides, I prefer redheads.”

“Sure you do.” Aiden laughs.

“Why are you late?” I ask him.

“Not late, making an entrance. I came with Hudson.”

“You know, one of these days, Hudson is going to get the both of you killed.”

“Probably, but if you can’t die for family, what’s the point of living?” Aiden tells me.

“Don’t die for Hudson. I mean it,” I growl at my little brother before placing my now-empty glass on the bar.

I spot Daniella talking to my sister, and I find myself making my way towards them before I can think better of it.

Stopping in front of Jazzy, I hold out my hand to her, ignoring the fact she was mid-conversation with Daniella. “I want to dance, and you are the only woman in this ballroom worth dancing with.”

My sister smiles at me. Jazzy is everything good in this world. She literally has a heart of gold and always tries to make everyone happy. Even if they don’t deserve it. “Oh, come on, CJ. There are plenty of women in this room I’m sure would kill for a chance to dance with you.”

“Probably, but none that I want to dance with. Come on.” I take hold of Jazzy’s hand and pull her closer to me.

“I’m sorry,” she tells Daniella as I drag her away and into the center of the dance floor. My sister’s arms wrap around my neck and she stares up at me with a look that tells me she’s disappointed. “That was rude.”

“What was? Wanting to dance with my only sister?” I ask her.

“No, pretending Daniella wasn’t standing right there.”

“Who?” I raise a brow in question.

“Don’t be an ass, CJ. It really doesn’t suit you.”

“Come on, Jazzy. We both know I’m an asshole. You just like to have a much higher opinion of me than I deserve.”

“You’re not an asshole. Usually,” she says. “Are you really going to ignore her all night?”

“Yes,” I grunt.

“Why?”

“Because I can.”

“But why not just talk to her?”

“And say what? Do you still have the heart you tore from my chest because I’d like it fucking back? There’s nothing to say to her, Jazzy. Not everyone gets the fairy tale.”

“I did.” My sister smiles.

“I would hardly call your husband Prince Charming.” My face scrunches up. “You could have done better.”

“There is nothing wrong with Jake.” Jazzy huffs. “And you know it.”

“Can I cut in?” Speak of the devil and he appears. My sister’s husband stands beside us.

“No,” I tell him.

“Yes.” Jazzy pushes at my chest. “Just talk to her, CJ. You will feel better once you do.”

“I’d rather have every inch of my skin peeled from my body while I was conscious than talk to her. Thanks for the dance, sis.” I walk away, bypassing everyone else I know in this ballroom before I find the closest exit and push my way through the door.

I need to get out of here. I need to get away from her. I make it three steps out the door when my name is being called behind me.

“CJ, you going somewhere?”

“Yeah, I got something to do.” I turn and face my father, who is now closing the door behind him, leaving us in the hallway alone.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

“I didn’t think you were someone who ran from their problems,” he says with a raised brow.

“Who says I’m running?” I ask, knowing damn well that’s exactly what I’m doing.

“The fact you’re sliding out a side exit, just so you don’t have to face a certain person you don’t want to deal with in that ballroom.”

I keep my face neutral, not giving a damn emotion away. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I tell him. “You should get back in there, though. I’m pretty sure I just saw your daughter dancing with a man.”

“Yeah, her husband, dipshit. Come back inside.”

“I really would rather be anywhere else,” I tell him honestly.

“I know, but you’re a Bianchi, and we don’t let anyone run us out of a room,” he reminds me.

“You’re right. If anyone should be leaving, it’s her. What the fuck is she even doing here?” I grunt.

“You’re also not chasing her out. You’re going to man the fuck up and either sort out whatever it is that happened between the two of you, or ignore it and deal with being around her.”

“It’s not that simple,” I say.

“It never is, son.” My dad claps a hand on my shoulder and guides me back into the ballroom. “Also, Louie would have your balls if you left your Aunt Charlotte’s event before the auction. He expects all of us to be high-bidders for whatever shit they got donated.”

“Of course he does.” I roll my eyes.

My Uncle Louie could just bid on everything himself. He doesn’t need us to do it for him. Although, when I spot my Tío E, I know I’m not going to have to put anything up, because that particular uncle is competitive as shit and does not let anyone outbid him. Ever.