Page 23 of The Billionaire's Pact

“I know my public life might be hard for you, but I’ll try to take time away.” His eyes had glossed over and the corners of his mouth were turned down. I hadn’t thought that maybe things would not be as easy for him as well. It reminded me of Cassidy’s comment before our graduation.

“It looks like he has a type though,” I murmured.

“A type? Yes, sophisticated women who will blend into his well-traveled, decadent life. That’s his type,” Cassidy answered.

No doubt I would be cramping Rocco’s free-willed life. My hand hesitated on the seat, wanting to reach out and give him the same comfort he gave me on the flight, but I held back. Unsure. I was not his type. I wasn’t really bringing anything to this deal. That was very clear. And what would Cassidy think when she found out?

The car stopped and his demeanor changed. He was once again the confident man, ready for the world stage. The car door opened, and Rocco helped me climb out, keeping a hold of my hand as we walked to the building front. I’d seen photos of him doing this, so I knew it was simply something he did.

He was a fascination wherever he went, and all eyes followed him. From what I’d read, he had recently began modeling, and I imagined people always gravitated to his beauty. This became evident when people on the street stopped to stare at him. He kept at an even pace, with his head high, unaffected. Then again, he’d been a celebrity-heir for most of his life.

His eyes were on me whenever I took a glimpse at him. The intensity of his gaze was bold, electric, intimidating. It made me feel naked. And I hadn’t had enough experience to play it cool. So, I quickly shifted my focus to the sign outside the restaurant. The flash of cameras temporarily blinded me, and Rocco quickly moved us through the door. Paparazzi at a restaurant? Why?

It didn’t take long to find out the answer. The tables were full of celebrities and socialites I’d only seen on television or film. Rocco gave a few hellos in passing as we followed the hostess down a brick hallway to a private, white-linen-dressed table in the back. It had a muted ambiance with rich, dark toned wood and soft lighting that made me feel relaxed.

“They have delicious baked clams, and I love their linguine alla vongole. It’s almost as good as mine,” Rocco said.

My mouth dropped open. “You cook?”

“You don’t?” He sounded disappointed even as he grinned at me.

“I make a great packaged ramen,” I half-joked. “But to be honest, I lived in the dorms, so I was on a meal plan.” I tensed, waiting for a sympathetic look at my lifestyle, so vastly different from his.

But then he chuckled and said, “College cuisine. Not to worry, I’m a mood cook. We’ll have chefs.”

I kept my cool, but I was excited and nervous at the same time. Here we were, getting to know each other, after we’d already signed our marriage licenses today. Soon, I’d live with this man as his wife, and he, a celebrity who existed in a world I’d only seen from afar, would be my husband.

The hostess left with our orders and brought over a bottle of wine.

I tensed. “I don’t drink alcohol…”

“No problem.” He signaled for a change, and I ordered sparkling water.

I’d assumed Rocco’s lawyers had probably done more investigation than the Ashfords. Which brought me again to the biggest issue, and I had to know. “Why did you choose me? I mean, were you always planning for this?”

He tilted his head and smiled. “You prefer being direct; I like that. Marriages have always been arranged in my family, just like yours. My grandfather chooses his successor, and their wife. If we marry, I’ll receive the bulk of my inheritance. I’m rich, but Grandfather’s money will make me wealthy. I can do a lot of good with it. I’ve considered a run for higher office, but film is my passion. I’m producing, but what I really want is to build a Marini movie studio. That’s not exactly what Grandpa wants, but if I do what he wants, I get what I want.”

It was black and white. His inheritance was tied to me because of Grandpa Marini. “He kept in touch with me for a reason….”

He nodded. “I believe so. It’s not just you, but my grandfather had a personal connection with your family. We have a history.” His tone wasn’t exactly delighted.

My lips parted. “We do?”

His brows knitted, but he waited until the host served our appetizers before he replied. “Your family didn’t tell you?”

I shook my head. “I didn’t even know I was going to Manhattan,” I told him.

He smirked. “I bet that was Reginald’s idea. I’ll give you the short version. You Belfiore’s maintained a class hierarchy among the rich in New York. We came up against your family a few times. There’s other stuff, but the bottom line is, your family blames mine for taking what they had to sell to cover debts. We bought their properties and loans; it’s business. This marriage will tie up the loose ends. But please don’t let that bother you.” He stared off in a way that made me uneasy. He was either summarizing or being purposely vague. Surely, there was more to it than that. It was obvious my grandparents didn’t like Luca Marini, and he’d never shared with me the reason either. Maybe Rocco just wanted to move forward? Still, it had to be something serious that I didn’t think should be ignored.

I frowned. “But…but if we’re rivals, then you shouldn’t marry me. Why not just wait until your father is head of the family?” The words were out of my mouth before I could think about them. What am I doing? We need the Marinis money. My stomach knotted, but I couldn’t take the words back.

Rocco smiled and shook his head. “My mother is my grandfather’s daughter. The wealth passes to her male heir; it’ll never go to my father. He even had to take her last name, changing it from Rossi to Marini. If I wait, Grandpa could become senile or ill, or choose another elder son in our family. I’d never risk losing my birthright. Both of our families are willing to put our past behind us for a better future.”

The food came and we ate. Rocco was right, it was delicious. After what he shared, I realized he had a lot more at stake than I’d originally thought. And this was all because his grandfather chose me. It was hard to hear because I had grown so fond of him. The Marinis had all the money and power in the world, but it seemed that wasn’t enough. They wanted the Belfiores, too.

“Have you considered where you’d like to honeymoon?” Rocco asked, breaking into my thoughts.

“Honeymoon?” I repeated. “Uh, I…I never thought about us having a honeymoon.”

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