Bartered Bride: Mediterranean Lovers, #1

Chapter 1

––––––––

Manhattan, N.Y.

January.

Diana glanced at her watch. Nearly five o’clock—she had been here since one-thirty. When she phoned for an appointment in a matter of urgency, the receptionist had put her on hold. When she came back on the line, she said that Mr. di Savoia had agreed to see her briefly between meetings...but she might have to wait.

She gazed around her at what seemed to be the private waiting room of Luca di Savoia—sole owner of Savoia International Inc. An impressive room...  Had Luca deliberately picked a time that meant she would have to wait and wait some more? Show her how busy he was and how insignificant she was in his life? As if she didn’t know...  Or did he think the sheer sumptuousness of the waiting room would make her realize she was but a speck of dust in the brilliant life of Luca di Savoia...? She frowned. He had made that quite clear when they’d had their very brief love affair—at least, that was what she had thought they were having. Evidently, it had merely been a forgettable one-night stand to him.

Too proud to check her face in her small hand-mirror, she thought she had withstood the long wait quite well. When she came in from the blustery weather, she had tidied herself in the ladies’ rest room. A quick comb-through of her soft ash-blonde hair had been all she’d had to do. Her spectacular violet-blue eyes never needed more than just a touch of mascara on her long dark lashes—which were her own. Only then had she gone over to the receptionist’s desk.

Her lip gloss might be wearing off a bit by now, but she was not going to put more on, and maybe have the receptionist report to Luca that she had been anxiously repairing her make-up. No way.

She glanced down at her lap. Her skirt suit was a few years old, but of good quality—a marked-down designer suit—its dark wool fabric was a mix of black and deep purple. Her fleece-lined black raincoat was hanging up on the coat rack. Fortunately there was no snow today so she was wearing black court shoes with two-inch heels, suitable for walking.

The telephone on the receptionist’s desk made its discreet sound. Yes, Sir, she heard the receptionist say. Footsteps came clicking toward her and when she glanced up the receptionist stood there, supremely groomed, make-up perfect, not a hair out of place at the end of what must have been a long day.

Mr. di Savoia will see you now, she said, and preceded Diana from the room. At the end of a hallway there was an escalator, guarded by two men in dark suits, with earpieces and small gold ‘Security’ emblems in their buttonholes. They made a gesture for the receptionist to go on up with the visitor. When the two women stepped off the escalator, there were another two security men looking them over, then waving them on.

The receptionist moved into a wide hallway, ending at double doors. She knocked and opened the doors. Diana saw a huge corner suite—Luca standing by one of his windows, which gave a splendid view of Manhattan. He was attended by an obsequious-looking man, whom he waved away with That’s all for now, Mathews.  The man hurried out. Luca turned slowly around.

The receptionist said, voice held down, Sir? Your next appointment, Diana Haworth.

Thank you, Gwyneth. Hold my calls. 

He waited until Gwyneth had left and came towards Diana.

Diana Haworth, he said slowly. I had to think for a moment who you were—it’s been quite a while. What do you want? Quickly, please. I’m running late.

For a brief moment, she allowed herself the luxury of gazing at the sheer beauty of his face—the almost black, long-lashed eyes beneath slim black brows, his finely carved cheekbones, his aristocratic nose, his sensual but disciplined mouth, his stunning athlete’s body...  It seemed incredible to her that he had once lain naked in her arms...  She smiled at the slight Italian accent that made his deep voice sound incredibly sexy. But he was in a hurry, she’d better get with it and tell him why she needed his help.

I’ve come to ask you to please help me help my father.

Help your father? Can you really believe that a forgettable brief encounter some years ago means that you can prevail upon me to give your father a job?

Impatiently, Diana shook her head. It isn’t anything like that, Luca—or do you prefer to be called Mr. di Savoia?  A sudden fear at her using his first name assailed her.

Luca smiled faintly. Luca is fine, he said. Go on with what you were saying.

Diana began again. I’m not here for a job for my father. He is a partner in the Accountants’ firm of Talbot, Haworth and McGillivray. It is much more serious than you seem to think. My mother was diagnosed with inoperable cancer almost two years ago. Her illness ate up just about all the money my father and I had. When she went into a decline, my father tried to buy her a pain-free extension of her life. A new treatment, that would cost ten thousand dollars. Normally that would not have been a problem, but as I said, my father and I had simply run out of money. I had sold my co-op and moved back home, and my father had mortgaged their free and clear house, sold his investments, and so on. When we went to the bank for that final ten thou, they wouldn’t look at us.

She frowned at the remembered humiliation. A friend of my father’s said that he knew somebody who would lend us the money but at a high interest rate. We were desperate, and Dad went for it.

She gazed at Luca. My mother died a month ago, pain-free, and having spent the last three months of her life fairly happily. The trouble is that we can’t pay the borrowed money back as fast as the lender wants, and he sent an enforcer, as the man called himself. A horrible man, who gave his name as Bud Coogan. He said if we didn’t pay on time, they would teach my father a lesson he’d never forget. And I could start paying off the debt by working on their chicken ranch. I told that man I would be no good with livestock, I’m a CPA. He explained that the Chicken Ranch is an...um...uh...

Bordello, he finished calmly. Glancing at Diana, he noticed that she had gone deathly pale. He asked, Why come to me? Asking for help in what is obviously a very serious matter, on the strength of a night, long ago, that I’d forgotten about. If you had been very good, I might have remembered...

Angrily, Diana snapped, I was a virgin. How could I have been any good...

Luca nodded. Ah, the virgin. Now I remember. You left a small souvenir of your visit to my Long Island retreat...

Diana raised a brow. I’m sure I didn’t leave anything behind...

Ah, but you did, Diana. A blood-stain on the sheet. I remember how amazed I was. A virgin in this day and age...  He regarded her closely without seeming to. Are you by any chance here to claim rape?

Deeply shocked, Diana shook her head. Of course not, Luca. How could you think that? What uh...happened between us was between consenting adults.  She frowned worriedly. A blood-stain on the sheet, how embarrassing for you...  What must your housekeeper have thought? Did she comment on it? And the maids...

Luca shrugged indifferently. My staff is paid to do their work, not to speculate about my private life. My housekeeper would not have dared to mention the blood-stain to me. What did you think she would say? ‘I see you got lucky, boss, and a virgin at that!’?  He gave her a brief, joyless smile. I must say I am relieved that you don’t want to claim you were raped. If not that, then why come to me?

Because if I went to the police, they would arrest that horrible Bud Coogan for uttering threats to my father’s life, but he would get out of prison eventually and be even more determined to punish my father. You are the only man I know who is rich and influential enough to help definitively. Believe me, I will follow any payback scheme you care to devise ...

"Any payback scheme? That leaves a pretty broad spectrum for payback."

It may seem so to you, but I’d do anything to save my father from a murderous beating by that horrible man...

Excuse me a moment.  Quickly, Luca took his phone from an inner pocket and pressed a button.

~Yes, boss?~

George, get on to that bastard Rossetti, and get him to call off his gorilla, Bud Coogan. Tell him that Mr. Peter Haworth and his daughter Diana are under my protection. That I will deal with the outstanding debt—but not, of course, with his usury. You let him know what I think of that.

~Yes, boss, immediately. Consider it done.~

Luca put his phone away and turned to Diana. That was my head of security. Your father and you are now safe from the Mafioso. Now, what are you offering in return?  He saw her face clear when she realized that she and her father were out of danger from the enforcer. She gave him a radiant smile.

Thank you, Luca. In return? Whatever you want, as I said. 

"I hope you mean that, for there is something I want. I want an heir for my holdings, a child of my blood. I don’t want to waste time finding a woman to marry—in fact, I most certainly do not want a woman around for the rest of my life. If you are willing to provide me with an heir, I will see to it that your father’s situation is rectified..."

Diana said hastily, Forgive me for interrupting, but I told you that my father is a partner in a well-regarded firm of accountants. He had taken a leave of absence for the last few months of my mother’s life. He is now back at work.

Luca continued smoothly, I meant restoring his financial situation, wipe out the mortgage and the high-interest second mortgage —whatever else needs to be done.  He glanced at her. Excuse me a moment.  He pushed a button on his desk telephone.

As soon as he heard a little squawk, he said, Gwyneth, this discussion is taking longer than I had thought. Ask Mathews to tell the vice-presidents that I am postponing this evening’s meeting until further notice.

~They are all here in your waiting room, Sir.~

Good, then don’t bother Mathews, you can inform them all. Right now I can’t say just when I will hold the meeting, but it will be as soon as I can.

"~Yes, Sir.~  Luca replaced the receiver and smiled at Diana.

Now we will have enough time to discuss this exchange between us.

Diana seemed confused. And you will do all that for an heir? I should point out that an illegitimate son or daughter...

He interrupted impatiently. We will be married, of course. My lawyers will draw up the necessary prenup, spell out what I will do for you and your father in exchange for you carrying my child. What you will be entitled to expect, and what will not be granted to you. As for your father, he will be my father-in-law. For him to be financially embarrassed would be very strange, no?

Past surprising, Diana could only nod.

And I expect you in my bed for as long as I want you there.

"But you said I wasn’t any good...  I