Page 51 of The Sicilian’s Deal For 'I Do'

Luca felt something like pity roll through him. The older man’s desperation was hard to miss, and in that moment he saw Gianni Marini as Mia did. Imperfect, but not all bad. Just misguided. But his mistakes had been formed out of love—for Mia, and a company that was part of a rich family legacy.

Even good people make bad decisions.

‘But I do.’

‘What?’

‘I have a full business proposal to discuss with you, but now isn’t the time.’

‘You know what the company’s worth. If you wait a month, you can get it in a fire sale. I’m going to declare bankruptcy.’

Luca stiffened.

‘What?’

‘The di Angelo merger is off.’

Luca’s brain was pulsing so hard he felt that his head might explode. His next question was heavy with the weight of all his hopes. ‘And the marriage?’

‘Another failure. It was a failure from the start. What did I do to deserve this?’

Luca thrust his hands onto his hips, hearing the older man’s question and disregarding it. Didn’t he realise that this was turning into one of the best days of Luca’s life? It was imperative now that he find Mia. He needed to speak to her, immediately. If there was any chance this was because of him...

But of course it wasn’t.

Far more likely, Gianni had come to his senses and pulled out of the merger, and, as a result, the wedding had been called off.

‘What happened?’

Gianni’s eyes met Luca’s, then shifted away. ‘Mia happened.’

Luca’s heart thudded. ‘Explain it to me, carefully.’

And the older man did. He told Luca that Mia had come to him, even before she knew about the state of the company’s finances, to tell him she couldn’t go through with the marriage. ‘I don’t love him.’

Luca dropped his head forward. ‘When?’

‘A long time ago. Weeks.’

Before she’d come to Luca that night, so furious. ‘And you told her about the business’s dire situation?’

Gianni paled. ‘I wanted to change her mind. It was selfish of me. So selfish.’

Desperate people do desperate things.

Luca had reflected on that himself, when in a more compassionate mood.

So even that night, she’d known she wouldn’t marry di Angelo, and that her father’s business would crumble, and still she hadn’t thought twice about accepting his offer. Because she loved him too much? Was it possible that Max was right? She would have sooner seen her father go bankrupt than agree to Luca’s terms.

Luca felt as though he were drowning and the only way he knew how to grab a life raft was to focus on his purpose for coming here today. ‘I’m taking over Marini Enterprises,’ he said with a determined nod. ‘And when I ask you this next question, you’re going to understand why it makes crystal-clear sense for me to do so.’ After all, it was a family business, and Luca had every intention of becoming just that: a family, with Mia.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

ITHADALWAYSbeen difficult for Mia to choose which flavour of gelato she preferred. Sometimes, it was strawberry, other times hazelnut, and then there were afternoons when only the richest, most sinfully indulgent chocolate would do. But this was an afternoon for the trifecta, the holy grail of sensations, rich and comforting at the same time.

She dug her spoon into the combination of three heavenly flavours, savouring it as she weaved through the crowded Palermo streets, head bent to avoid meeting the eyes of anyone she might know, or that her parents might know.

Another broken engagement behind her, the news had been announced by the di Angelo family and spread like wildfire.

---