‘A man who destroyed my mother and my sister’s happiness—who changed their lives irrevocably and cruelly. This is Steele’s last and final chance to gain financial security for himself. If he fails to win the Bartlett investment deal, he will lose his business. And I am determined to make that happen to the man...’ He stopped, reluctance and anger warring for supremacy in his features. ‘The man who is my father.’
Shock rippled across her skin and shivered through her body. Michael Steele was Antonio’s father?
Antonio never talked about his family—had always valued his privacy above all else. She’d never once heard him mention his father—whose name he clearly no longer bore. But the darkness in his eyes and tone held so much anger and fury it crashed against her, pulled and pushed her away from Antonio like a tide.
It was unquestionable. And she couldn’t help but wonder just how much his hatred of his father—something she simply couldn’t comprehend—had driven him to this point.
‘I will do anything to secure that investment, Emma. Anything. So if you have a price, name it. I will give it to you on a silver platter should you require it.’
Antonio would find himself a fiancée—whether it was her or someone else. But perhaps she could do something good with his offer. The thought raised hopes in her—some that she had discovered recently and some that she had long forgotten.
‘What I want is for you to get rid of Marcus Greenfeld,’ she practically growled. ‘The man is incompetent and the foundation could be doing so much more. You could be doing so much more.’
‘Is that it?’ he demanded, his sensual mouth forming in a grim line of determination.
‘Well, while we’re at it, you can give each of my parents an all-inclusive holiday to wherever they want.’
‘Done and done,’ Antonio said, discarding her outrageous request as if it were nothing. ‘You should know that as my fiancée you will be coming to Argentina for the Hanley Cup, once my meeting with Bartlett has been arranged.’
A rush of excitement swept across her skin. She’d always wanted to see the world. It was why she’d come to New York eighteen months ago.
‘There will be a need to keep up this façade for a short while after the deal. Six months should be enough. So naturally you will accompany me on my visit to Hong Kong as well.’
As she thought through the future, to the trip to Buenos Aires and the trip to Hong Kong, the reality of what she was agreeing to dawned on her.
‘And what about after Hong Kong? After six months when I’m no longer needed as your...your fake fiancée?’
‘You’ll be taken care of,’ he announced.
She was sure he meant that. There was clearly no way she would be able to continue as his assistant once their ‘engagement’ was broken. She knew that he would provide her with a glowing reference and help secure her a future position, because he was that kind of boss. But she also knew—more than most—that the only person who could take care of her was herself.
No, she had never seen marriage or relationships in her future, but that didn’t matter. Antonio wasn’t offering her either. But there was something that scared her a little about being cut loose from her role as his assistant. And that, Emma realised, was the true price of what he was asking—her job. She had always meant to use this position as a stepping stone to other things. And maybe this was the not so gentle nudge that she needed.
Perhaps she could find work in Hong Kong? For a man she didn’t find so frustratingly attractive. The trip to Argentina would be exciting too, and posing as his fiancée would be a way to help give her parents something too. Marcus Greenfeld would be removed and someone infinitely better, would replace him.
So, yes. Emma was prepared to cut her ties to Antonio once this was done.
‘All I want is an appropriate reference.’
‘Naturally,’ he stated, as if they hadn’t just bartered over the rules of their engagement.
Perhaps as his fiancée she would be able to tick off a few more things from her Living List. But she couldn’t bring herself to ask for anything specifically for herself. After what she had faced, everything was a bonus. She didn’t need anything more. Not really. The only thing she had ever wanted—could ever want—was for her body to feel like hers again. But not even the all-powerful Antonio Arcuri could do that.
‘You have yourself a fiancée, Mr Arcuri.’
* * *
Finally, for the first time since Antonio had discovered that his father was after an investment in Bartlett’s business, he felt the first taste of success on his tongue. Now all he had to do was get Bartlett to agree to a sit-down in Argentina.
His quick mind had already calculated the steps needed to accomplish that. But first he needed to reveal his new fiancée to the world.
He would, he realised, have to find a new PA. And, of course, ensure that Emma would have her pick when it came to choosing her next position. It was a thought that registered merely as an irritation alongside the satisfaction that Emma would be his. No, not his, he hastily affirmed. His pretend fiancée. For a business deal. Nothing more. He wouldn’t risk anything interfering with his ultimate goal.
Another cool breeze brushed past them on the balcony and Emma shivered. He shrugged out of his jacket and placed it around her delicate shoulders. She accepted it without a word, clearly focused on her sudden and surprising ‘promotion’.
Knowing they had to return to the gala, Antonio guided her through the balcony doors to the reception room. Even the dim event lighting was harsh on his eyes as they adjusted from the dark starlit night.
At the end of the room the doors were open and the gala guests were beginning to wander back through to the bar to continue with the night’s agenda, hopefully having lined their stomachs in order to allow them to further enjoy themselves.