Navy Seal's Innocent Italian
Read Navy Seal's Innocent Italian Online
Authors: Leslie North
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Genre Fiction, #Coming of Age, #Romance, #Contemporary, #Military
Thank you for downloading ‘Navy Seal’s Innocent Italian’
Join my mailing list and receive
updates on new releases, free books, and giveaways.
I dedicate this book to you, my loyal readers. Thank you for all the lovely e-mails, reviews and support. Without you, this wouldn't be possible.
Contents
Rome, Italy…
Marco Bresi stepped off his private plane and headed
for the limousine that stood waiting for him. Greeting the driver, he settled into the backseat, his mind still trying to come to terms with his actions before he’d left Colorado.
Revenge was supposed to feel good. Right?
Serena.
Just thinking about his actions, had him recalling his beautiful daughter. She’d taken the fashion industry by storm at the tender age of sixteen. By the time she’d turned twenty-one, she’d travelled the world, and could have wiggled her pinky finger, and a room full of men would have come running to her side.
But she hadn’t attracted just any man; she
’d caught the attention of American business tycoon, Trent Coldwell. Then she had gone and fallen for him. Hard. She and Trent had quickly become a couple and Marco had finally been able to relax where his daughter was concerned. Or so he’d thought.
Marco sighed at what might have been. Trent had been a leveling force for his headstrong
daughter; one he had hoped would become a permanent part of her life. She and Trent had been
the
relationship the tabloids wrote about, the couple the paparazzi hounded, and they hadn’t cared. When Serena had landed the contract in Milan, he’d worried that her wild ways would surface, and he’d been right.
Why couldn’t Trent have just taken her back to the states with him? Marco had heard the rumors about his daughter’s illicit affairs, and the parties she attended while away from Trent.
Milan wasn’t that far from his home in Verona, and bad news loved to travel! She’d been on a rollercoaster to disaster, with no end in sight. He’d tried to contact her himself, but she’d been too busy to return his many phone calls. Evidently, Trent hadn’t been willing to stick around and deal with things either.
Marco’s mouth thinned as he thought about the object of his hatred for the last three years. His bitterness had been horrible company, and now that he’d accomplished his act of revenge, he found it leaving much to be desired.
His mind recalled the phone conversation he’d had with Brianna while on his way to the airport. She’d been devastated.
“I haven’t even held my daughter!”
Her words, said amidst uncontrollable crying, echoed in his heart and mind and he found himself wondering if he’d taken things a step too far.
You liked Brianna! How could you be so heartless!
Shutting off the voice in his head, he mentally reminded his conscience that he’d given her a chance and she’d chosen Trent. Trent Coldwell.
Yes, he blamed Trent for his daughter’s suicide. He blamed him for the death of his unborn grandchild. Trent’s defection had devastated Serena to the point she had taken her own life. The letter she had left for her father had very clearly stated her reasons.
He glanced out the window as the limousine came to a stop outside a luxurious office building, the construction having been designed
in such a way, that the architecture fit in with the historic buildings surrounding it. Pushing thoughts of Trent and Serena from his mind, he exited the car and headed inside.
Petro Scalinni
, the man he left in charge of his vast business holdings while he was out of Italy, was waiting for him in the foyer, “
Buon giorno!
I trust you had a pleasant trip?”
Marco returned the greeting, but chose not to answer his question verbally. He hadn’t had a pleasant trip; his conscience had been in overdrive, refusing to let him enjoy his act of revenge for more than a few moments.
“Are the people from Daramark here yet?” Marco inquired as he and Petro headed for the bank of elevators. He’d been in negotiations to purchase Daramark for several months, and the deal was supposed to have closed this week while he was still in America. Petro had notified him not twenty-four hours ago that the deal had hit a snag that only he, Marco Bresi, could untangle. In person. Hence, his mad rush across the Atlantic Ocean.
Petro nodded, “Yes, they arrived over an hour ago.”
Petro Scalinni was like a son to Marco, having started working for Diamante Global right out of university, and at the age of 48, he had spent the majority of his adulthood working under Marco’s guidance.
“Good. Any major problems come up yet?” Marco asked, straightening his tie and buttoning his suit jacket. As the CEO and owner of Diamante Global, he knew that appearances were very important. Especially when dealing with the
old world owner of a company he’d been trying to purchase for the last eight months.
Daramark was a small, family-owned business that had done very well in the shipping industry. Specializing in both imports and exports, the business should have been expanding exponentially in today’s market. However,
lack of leadership and direction, coupled with the failing health of the owner, Roberto Moretti, had stalled the business’s progress.
When rumor
s had surfaced that the company was only months from succumbing to the competition, unless new management was found, Marco had become very interested in acquiring it as his own. Unlike other businesses he went after, this one simply needed a few adjustments to turn the tide and a nice profit. He had the money and the resources necessary to see that happen. All they needed now was a signed deal! That, and a good manager at the helm.
Marco had met with Roberto personally on several occasions, feeling sympathy for the
ailing man whose only child didn’t seem interested in taking over the company. While having never met Alex Moretti, Marco had wondered several times during the meetings why the father hadn’t pushed his son more towards the business. He’d asked several times, and each time Roberto had smiled and said that Alex was more interested in musical pursuits than becoming the next CEO of Daramark.
“Things seem to be going smooth
er since hearing that you were personally coming back for the final negotiations. Roberto has a few changes he wishes to make, and seems to think that speaking with you directly is to his benefit.”
Marco shook his head, “I thought we’d already dealt with
all the changes? Any idea where this is going?” When Petro shook his head, he sighed before asking, “So, tell me who’s waiting upstairs. I assume Roberto is here. Did he happen to bring any of his board of directors with him? Or maybe his son, Alex?”
Alex Moretti was Roberto’s son?
Petro gave his boss a quick glance only to find Marco wasn’t making a joke. He swallowed loudly and shook his head, “Uhm...well, about his son…Did you ever see a picture of his son, or meet him personally?”
Marco caught the hint of something in Petro’s voice and looked at him questioningly, “
No. Why do I feel like I’m missing something?”
Before Petro could answer, the elevator door
s opened and Marco stepped out, looking towards the conference room with its frosted glass walls. He saw the shadows of two people sitting inside, but no one else. Turning back to Petro, his raised his eyebrows, still waiting for an answer to his question.
“Roberto is here, and he brought Alex with him.
” Petro paused and then said, “She’s a lovely young woman…”
2
Petro’s voice died off at the look of incredulity on Marco’s face. “You really didn’t know that Roberto’s heir was female?”
Marco shook his head and turned back towards the conference room,
“No. I had no idea. The way the man talked about Alex, I just assumed he was talking about his son.”
Petro hid his smile at the look of confusion upon his boss
’s face. It wasn’t often that someone managed to surprise Marco Bresi, and Petro filed this moment away for later contemplation. At the age of sixty-two, Marco Bresi was a shrewd businessman and excellent judge of people. How the gender of Roberto’s only child had slipped by him, he couldn’t imagine.
“Well, I assure you Alex Moretti is most definitely a female. I should probably warn you that she claims to have known Serena.”
Marco stopped and let that thought resonate for a moment.
Roberto Moretti’s heir was female, and had known his daughter?
Feeling like he had missed something important, he squared his shoulders and pushed through the doors of the conference room.
When he spied the young woman sitting next to Roberto, his heart stalled and his breath stuck in his throat.
Alex Moretti was absolutely gorgeous!
She reminded him so much of his daughter he felt tears prick the back of his eyes.
Alex Moretti looked up as the older gentleman entered the room
with Petro, smiling warmly at the man who was so much like her own father. Classic Italian looks, dark brown eyes, and dark hair, just starting to grey at the temples.
“Roberto, I hope you had a pleasant trip?” Marco inquired, still watching father and daughter as he walked further into the room.
“
Si
, a very nice trip indeed.” Roberto pushed himself slowly to his feet, “Marco, I’d like you to meet my daughter, Alexandra Moretti.”
Marco stepped forward to shake the hand she held out, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Alexandra.”
She smiled at him, “Please, call me Alex. Everyone else does.”
“Very well. I understand you knew my daughter?” Marco inquired, gesturing for everyone to take their seats again.
“
Si.
I met Serena about three months before her accident while in Milan. I’m so sorry for your loss.”
Marco acknowledged her sentiments and then
stated, “Serena’s death was a senseless tragedy. May I inquire in what context you and she met each other?”
Alex smiled, “Sure. I was p
laying keyboards with an up-and-coming band back then, and she met our bass player at a fashion dinner. They seemed to hit it off and were pretty inseparable during that time.”
“Bass player?” Marco asked, alarmed that his daughter’s indiscretions had been played so out in the open.
Serena, what had you been thinking? Had Trent gotten wind of her actions and called it quits because of them?
“Yes. They only dated for a few months
before we left Milan for a small tour. We’d only been gone from Milan for about six weeks when I read about her accident. I was really surprised when I first met her. According to the tabloids, she was still seeing Trent Coldwell, but the tabloids rarely get things correct. Right?”
Marco nodded his head, “Unfortunately, they do seem to survive on untruths.” Not wishing to discuss the topic further, in case he
inadvertently said something that would indicate Serena had killed herself, rather than having succumbed to a tragic accident, he looked to Roberto. “I understand from Petro that you wish to make a few changes to our negotiations?”
Roberto sighed and then nodded his head, “
Si.
Alex and I have spoken, and she has zero interest in ever running Daramark.” He looked at his daughter fondly before continuing, “She wants to continue exploring her music and working with children. It is not what I would have wished, but I also cannot condemn her to a life of drudgery either.
“
But recent events have changed her focus, and she now feels her future is in America.”
“Recent events?” Marco inquired, looking between father and daughter and making note of the sadness that was evident on Alex’s face.
Roberto sighed, “Alex was betrothed as a young child to the son of a neighboring wine maker. Unfortunately, that young man has proven himself unworthy of her hand and the contract has been cancelled. Alex is ready for a change of scenery, and I find it is high time she quits humoring this old man and seeks the fulfillment of her dreams.
“To that end, I will agree to everything we have already discussed concerning Daramark, but I want you to take Alex to America and help her
get settled. My health prevents me from making the trip myself, and I don’t trust anyone else to look after her properly.”
Marco was trying to follow Roberto’s line of thinking when it suddenly hit him what he was being asked to do. He opened his mouth to protest, but Roberto just kept talking.
“You had a daughter about her age, so I know that you will ensure Alex is treated fairly, and no harm comes to her. The doctor’s tell me I should not take on such a lengthy trip at this time, and I agree with them. You’ve spent time in America, enough to understand their culture. I will rest easy knowing that you are helping her get settled over there. I know that you will care for her as if she were your own flesh and blood.”
Marco was shocked!
Roberto wanted him to take Alex under his protection and get her settled in America?
Looking to Alex, he saw only resignation on her face, “Alexandra, are you on board with your father’s wishes in this matter?”
Alex slowly nodded her head, “
I am. I need a change of location. As long as I can pursue my music, I’ll be happy. The ending between my betrothed and myself was not a pleasant experience and I wish to start in a new place.” There was a hint of sadness in her voice and Marco briefly wondered just how bad her fiancé had been, but was prevented from asking when she suddenly smiled broadly and added, “Oh, and it might be nice if I met a handsome American while I was there. Some of them are very good looking,” she added with a wink and a grin.
Marco grinned back, wishing he’d had this kind of relationship with Serena. She had always been very demanding and more concerned with appearances and such. Alex Moretti seemed more down to earth and easier to get along with.
Looking at Roberto, he asked, “So, if I agree to take Alex to America and help her get settled, there are no more negotiations to be done on this deal?”
Robert nodded, “
Si.
I’m sorry to have pulled you away from your travels, but I wanted to make this request in person. I’m sure you understand.”
Marco nodded. He certainly understood, and would have done the same thing for his own daughter. “So, how soon can you be ready to travel?” he asked Alex.
“A few days?” Alex offered, biting her lip at the thought of leaving her father while his health was failing. “Papa, I don’t like leaving you…”
“Nonsense. I expect to
hear from you often and who knows, maybe you will find your heart’s desire across the ocean. I am still waiting for you to give me my first grandchild. Don’t you worry about me. Go find your future. Be happy!”
Alex leaned over and kissed her father on his weathered cheek, forcing the tears that threatened back.
She had seen the recent decline in her father’s health, and she knew she would only have a few more years with him. There would be plenty of time to grieve her father’s passing, after he was gone. Now, she was headed out to find her future and put a smile upon his face.
Marco heard his personal cell phone ring and glanced at the number.
Bruno! I hope everything’s all right back in Colorado.
Seeing Roberto and Alex watching him, he silenced his phone and gave them his attention. Whatever was happening back in the states could wait for another few minutes. Bruno and Mrs. Panturo were more than capable of handling anything that came up. He was sure of it.