CHAPTER ONE
Eight years later
Marini Estate in Florence Italy
T he documents were still in my bag, out of my sight. I didn’t want to know anymore, yet I couldn’t rest. Hours bled into more hours, all alone in the bed. My longing for answers grew into an aching knot in my stomach that I couldn’t untie.
“Fairbanks Mortgage, Bank of the West, Civil Bank all sold to L. M. Holdings…Luca Marini.”
Luca bought my father’s debt, my grandfather paid them off, and every payment chipped away at their wealth. But could there be an explanation? Maybe. However, nothing explained the photo of them together. The image burned into my brain of my father burning a pipe over foil with a man standing over him. That man was undeniably Luca Marini, the impeccably dressed, proud, and commanding man with an empire. It was him, but not the man I’d come to know.
Memories of the eight years I’d known Luca played out in my head, and I searched for any sign of malice from him. But searching was like sifting through loose sand with nothing to grasp, because, in truth, we shared no bad memories. He’d earned my trust and became one of my closest confidants, my dearest friend, and someone I deeply cared for. I loved him as a grandfather figure and believed he’d felt the same for me in return, but had it all been a lie?
It felt like the ground beneath me had shifted, leaving me in a world that no longer made sense. It doesn’t make sense because it’s not true. The Luca I know would have left an explanation. He took great pride in mentoring me and celebrated every educational milestone I achieved. More than that, he often behaved like a doting parent. Every time I rushed down that path to our beach, Luca waited with praise….
His soft blue eyes glimmer, and a warm smile spreads across his face.
“Mi dolce Adelina. You aced all your exams. I’m so proud of you.”
I wrap my arms around him.
He’s one of the few I’d ever take a hug from.
In my heart he’s my father.
The one I needed.
The one I always longed for….
I pressed a hand to my chest and swiped my sore eyes with the other. There was no way he left those papers. He didn’t have a cruel bone in his body. He’d never help Judge Colby, especially if he knew he hurt Mama, Jacob, and me . Yet, someone took those photos of them together. And in them, Luca didn’t look disgusted watching my father take those drugs.His expression was…indifferent.
I couldn’t deny it. Judge Colby and Luca knew each other. My pulse raced in panic and dread. Memories clouded my vision, transporting me back to those final days in the hotel with Judge Colby….
His dirt-embedded nails dig into my arm, pulling me closer.
“Don’t move, Adelina.”
I recoil from the smell of his putrid sweat….
My hands quickly clamped over my mouth as I fought back the bile rising in my throat. No, no, no …I frantically pinched my wrist. Focus on the present. I’m not there . Pushing back the covers , I sat up and took deep breaths to regain control of my thoughts. The p a pers are inconceivable. Someone’s trying to tarnish Luca’s good name. Yet, my conscience brought a nagging thought to the surface. We had dinner at his home here in Florence. Why did Luca ask me for forgiveness? I reached for my phone to call him and closed my eyes, my heart heavy.
Luca Marini couldn’t give me answers anymore. He was gone.
So, why can’t I let it go? Because Luca had arranged for me to marry his grandson, Rocco. I’d be marrying into a family that helped destroy my own. Did Rocco know anything about it?
Rocco. A pang went through my heart at the thought of Rocco lying to me. Over the past few weeks, we had grown into what I thought were close friends and new lovers. I tried hard not to feel more, but deep down inside, it was there—that feeling for him. He’d been charming and affectionate. Maybe all that attention, all that care, was just a way to ease his own guilt. And I’d fallen for it. Because deep down, just as Mr. Marini had somehow known all those years ago on the beach… I wanted to matter. I wanted to be special.
I shoved the thoughts away and forced myself to focus. Even with everything I knew…had anything changed? The answer was a resounding no.
My family still needed the money, and I would have to marry. What I needed was to find out more, but even then—what would I do if it was all true?
Buzz. My phone vibrated. I checked the time on the screensaver. 12:17 a.m.? Mr. Belfiore? Shock quickly switched to annoyance, and my tone went curt. “Hello.”
“Hello, Adelina. I’m sorry to call at this time. Did I wake you?”
“Yes, you did,” I lied, my tone rough. Mr. Belfiore had been rude and downright dismissive when I called him about my father being out of jail.
“I apologize, but I wouldn’t have called if it wasn’t important.”
I huffed down the line but didn’t answer.
“We heard about Mr. Marini’s passing…Have the Marinis made plans?”
“We’re flying back to New York tomorrow morning.”
“That’s good. I’ll pick you up at the airport.”
I grimaced. “What?”
“You’re coming back to Westchester to stay with us.”
“Why? I’m sure I can stay with Rocco—”
“No, you can’t. The Marinis postponed the wedding. It wouldn’t be proper for you to stay with him unmarried. We’ll discuss it further when you’re here. Understood?”
I clenched my jaw, and the line fell silent. He was waiting—waiting for me to fall in line like I always had. For the last eight years, I did whatever he or my grandmother asked. His word was enough before, because I firmly believed he was honest . Not anymore.
“From your silence, I assume you’re still upset about your father.”
I pressed my lips together.
“You’ll come to learn no one has power over everything. Some things are simply beyond our control. Constance and I did everything we could to keep you, your brother, and your mother safe.”
Mr. Belfiore never failed to mention how he helped us when it benefited him. But he also lied . He let me believe he’d done more to keep my father behind bars but hadn’t. On the other hand, staying angry wouldn’t get me anywhere. We still needed each other. “Fine. I’ll go back to Westchester.”
He exhaled down the line. “Then it’s settled. You’ll stay here.”
My shoulders dropped as relief washed over me. I didn’t want to stay with my grandparents, but I knew I couldn’t pretend everything was fine with the Marinis either. “All right. Talk to you tomorrow—”
“Wait, Adelina. One more thing…Uh, picking you up at the airport is delicate . I’d rather you not discuss it with Rocco. Not because it’s a problem, but he has a lot on his plate.”
I smirked at the phone. My grandfather obviously wanted to hide my going back to their house from Rocco. Why? Staying with my grandparents wasn’t a big deal, but not telling him felt like deceit. “Rocco won’t see it that way. I need to tell him—”
“No, you don’t, just leave it to me. I’ll explain to him that since he called off the wedding—”
“He postponed it because of his grandfather’s funeral—”
“Yes, well. In the end, it’s the same thing. You’re not married, and I never agreed for you to become his live-in girlfriend. He has a funeral and lots of work to do. You’ll just be in the way.” Charming. Thank you, Grandfather, for always making me feel wanted.
Rocco wasn’t alone. His whole family was around him, and they’d need him to focus on them. Would he miss me if I was gone? At the root of it, though, was fear of being without him. How had I become so attached to him so soon? Rocco did this to me . He seized every waking moment of my life since he took me away, bonding in such a way that I craved him. Truly, it wasn’t safe to be so vulnerable when everything in my life was uncertain. The only way to protect myself was to leave—before I fell for him completely, before I let myself believe he truly cared. Besides, he canceled our wedding without hesitation . I winced at my thought. Even to my ears, it sounded like a lame excuse and copout, but my grandfather gave me a way to blame everything on him. And I’m the coward that’ll let him do it.
“Fine, I’ll leave it for you to tell him.”
“Good. Glad you understand the need for censure. As I said, it’s a challenging time for Rocco. He’ll more than likely become Luca’s successor. Many changes will come with that, and some of them could affect our agreement. We must be prudent.”
A trickle of fear bloomed in my chest. Would Rocco still marry me? Maybe. But what would be my fate if he didn’t? Would I have to marry Percy Sterling? My grandmother mentioned him as my only option should Rocco back out of our arranged marriage. Was that why my grandfather wanted me to stay at their home? I had to know.
I touched my churning stomach. “Is something else going on?”
“No. Just me picking you up. Uh, nothing else.” He coughed.
I didn’t trust my grandfather, but staying with him would give me time to figure out why Mr. Marini, or whoever it was, left the papers for me to find. “All right.”
“Where’s Rocco now?”
I glanced over at the closed door. “He’s with his mother.”
“Good…good. Then it’s settled. I’ll see you tomorrow evening.”
We ended the call. I went to the bathroom and took a couple of aspirin to fight the pounding in my temples. However, there was nothing for my conscience. Was keeping this from Rocco the same as lying?I didn’t know what to do. But I returned to bed, and even with all my worries, I drifted….
Warm hands touched my stomach, and I shivered. Am I dreaming?
My eyes shot open, and Rocco was behind me in bed, pulling up my nightshirt.
This. I’ll miss this.