Page 29 of Business Temptations

Chapter 7

“What the hell do you want? And why are you in my office?” Matteo demanded of his father.

Ricardo del Campo spun around, his irritation clear on his face. Matteo wasn’t sure if the irritation was due to the lack of a greeting or the fact that he’d chosen to speak in English instead of their native Spanish.

“You’ve done extremely well for yourself,” Ricardo replied stiffly, pulling himself up to his full height as if to increase his physical presence…or because he was offended. But Matteo was two or three inches taller than his father. Plus, Matteo had muscles and worked out regularly. Ricardo was a lazy aristocrat that considered sweating to be a peasant’s lifestyle.

The man looked soft and…troubled.

“What do you want from me?” Matteo demanded. But he had absolutely no intention of helping his father in any way. He just wanted him out of his office. Plus, he wanted to hurry back to Bailey. Ricardo had sent a message early this morning asking to meet with Matteo.

“I wished to speak with you in private.” He swished his hand through the air, almost as if he were waving a wand so that the world would do his bidding. “I explained this to your secretary several days ago, but obviously, she isn’t particularly good at her job.” He shook his head. “I don’t know how you’ve become so successful with such incompetent help, Matteo.”

Matteo sat down in the chair behind his desk without offering his father a seat. “I don’t have a secretary,” he admonished his father. “My assistant’s name is Matt and he’s extraordinarily good at his job.”

“No!” his father snapped, irritated that his son was being so obtuse. “The other one! The female. Pretty girl. Blond hair and a bright, teasing smile.” Ricardo jerked at his slacks and sat down in one of the chairs. “I wouldn’t mind having someone that lovely in my office as well.”

Matteo’s eyes hardened. “If you are referring to Bailey Larkin, then you’re absolutely wrong. She’s one of the owners in this company. You have been told this before.”

His father looked nonplussed. “Well, that’s rather…adventurous of you. But I understand. You threw her a bit of responsibility.” He nodded patronizingly. “Still, she’s a lovely little thing.”

Matteo was disgusted by Ricardo’s sexist attitudes. “Bailey is a huge part of why this company is so successful. Without her expertise, our company couldn’t operate as smoothly and efficiently. Her marketing skills are exceptional and her ability to read people is extraordinary,” he replied, thinking of how Bailey had pegged Ricardo as an arrogant bastard perfectly on their first meeting. She was the first person, besides himself and his mother, who had seen through the aristocratic façade to see the real man underneath the pretensions.

He waved a dismissive hand. “I didn’t come here to discuss the girls you choose to have in your life.”

“Why are you here then?” He thought again of Bailey and how she was probably just waking up. He would have loved to see her wake up in his arms. To kiss her and watch her get ready for the day. They’d been friends for so long, knew each other so well in some ways. But he didn’t know if she liked really hot showers like he did, or if she preferred warm water. What type of shampoo did she use? And did she look as sexy in the shower as he assumed?

He wanted to know everything about her. Every moment of her day. Not to mention, he didn’t know her body well enough. After last night, his appetite was only whetted. He’d need more, possibly the rest of his life, to get to know every aspect of her body and mind.

And that sounded like an excellent way to spend the rest of his life!

“You’re not paying attention!” Ricardo snapped.

Matteo blinked and looked across the desk at his father. He looked angry. Twenty years ago, that would have caused some concern. The Marquesso owned almost every business in the small village, plus the old man controlled the supply routes in and out of the village. Ricardo adored controlling his little fiefdom and refused any change that would alter that control.

Matteo shrugged, unconcerned with his father’s irritation. “You’re correct. I wasn’t paying attention.”

His father huffed and shifted on his leather chair. “How the hell did you build such an empire if you’re constantly distracted?”

Matteo chuckled, shaking his head. “I don’t insult people that need my help, for starters.”

Ricardo’s chest puffed up. “I don’t need your help!” he snarled.

“Then why are you here?”

“I just told you! It’s time for you to merge your company with mine, so that you and your brother can–”

“No.” Matteo didn’t wait for his father to finish. There was no chance that he would merge this company with his father’s or brother’s holdings.

Obviously, Ricardo was stunned that someone would defy him. His mouth went slack, but he rallied quickly. “No? You’re not going to join the family firm and develop your company into the powerhouse that it could and should be?”

Matteo eyed his father carefully, his instincts screaming that something was seriously wrong with this conversation. Not just the fact that his father wanted to have something to do with him. But there was something odd about his father’s demeanor.

“No, I absolutely don’t want to merge my company with the mess that Antonio has created of your empire. From what the news reports say, Antonio has nearly bankrupted the company. There are other rumors that he’s running illegal drugs through your distribution centers.”

“That’s a lie!” Ricardo bellowed, his face turning red. “Who has told you these lies? That bitch of a secretary?”

Matteo ignored his father’s outburst. “Now you’re just being insulting, which indicates that you are a weak, insecure excuse of a man.” He shook his head. “Very sad. You used to come across as all-powerful and strong. Now, you’re just…” Matteo let his eyes move over his father’s jacket. It looked new and expensive. Ricardo considered it his responsibility to uphold the image of the wealthy aristocrat at all times. “Pathetic,” he finished finally.

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