Taming the Big Bad Billionaire Read online

  She looked up and all the hopes and dreams of the world seemed to be shining from her eyes. For an infinitesimal second, the intensity of that scared Vincenzo. Just for a second.

  A wide smile turned her face into breathtaking beauty. “It is enough. Yes, V. Let’s do this. Let’s get hitched.”

  Any lingering doubts Vincenzo had about whether what he was doing was right or wrong got swallowed up by Alessandra’s kiss. By the sweet taste of her lips, by the honest urgency of her desire as she pressed up against him, as she whispered she wanted him right then and there.

  Vincenzo devoured her mouth, his hands reaching for her hips and buttocks. Within seconds, he’d pushed aside her bikini bottom and was inside of her, and that sense of belonging once again filled every inch of his limbs. A feeling of peace that he had never known enveloped him as she took his mouth in a sweet kiss.

  And for a man who’d never shared his life with anyone, who’d already spent too many years on a certain strategic path, it felt like a benediction. An invitation to a future he hadn’t known he could have.

  * * *

  The loud and persistent chirp-chirp of a cell phone somewhere woke Alex out of a dreamless sleep. She stretched her body and found the sweet soreness invade her limbs as a result of the passionate night before.

  With a smile, she buried her face in the pillow next to hers. The empty pillow.

  Of course, the man she’d married was a workaholic.

  The sound came again. With a sigh, Alex got out of the bed and looked around. After several tries, she located the sleek cell phone in a drawer under a laptop.

  And frowned. This wasn’t V’s usual cell phone.

  The number on the screen amplified her confusion.

  She knew that number. It was Massimo’s.

  Why was Massimo Brunetti calling Vincenzo? How would he even know him?

  * * *

  Ever since Greta Brunetti, the matriarch of the Brunetti dynasty, had welcomed Alex with open arms almost thirteen years ago as a teenager—after discovering her much-younger second husband had an illegitimate daughter from a previous fling—the Brunettis had become her adopted family, including Greta’s grandsons, sired by the son from her first marriage. Despite being no blood relation to Alex, Leonardo and Massimo Brunetti had nevertheless embraced her, generously sharing their home and hearts with her.

  But of course, Massimo was worried about her. They all were. Guilt assailed Alex as she thought of the last few weeks. She’d never planned to stay away from Milan for so long. She’d only meant to spend some time in Bali after her latest photoshoot getting her head on straight about her career, about where she wanted her life to go. She’d even turned her phone off, wanting a complete break from social media and endless phone calls.

  Instead of focusing on her future, she’d met Vincenzo. And married him in secret.

  And had postponed telling the Brunettis, because Massimo and Leo, and especially Greta, deserved better than to be told her momentous news in a voice message or via an impulsive text.

  But now... Somehow, the technical genius that was Massimo had discovered that she was holed up with Vincenzo. How was that even possible? Why hadn’t Vincenzo mentioned that he knew the Brunettis?

  Alex finally hit Answer on the screen and scrunched her face. “Hey, Massimo.”

  “Alex, cara, is that you? What are you doing with Vincenzo Cavalli’s phone?”

  Alex bit her lip. Massimo sounded different. Something was wrong here. “Why are you calling his number, Massimo? How do you know him?”

  A sense of urgency filled Massimo’s voice. “Cara, listen to me. Vincenzo is...he’s the one responsible for all the trouble we’ve been facing at Brunetti Finances. He’s the one who launched the hacker attack on the cyber arm. He’s the one who’s been goading board members into getting rid of Leo. He’s a...a very dangerous man, bella. He’s been hitting us from all sides for almost a year now. Concerted attacks on all of us—me, Leo, Greta. He’s even achieved ownership of Father’s stock somehow.”

  All of us... Massimo, Leo, Greta.

  And her? Was she some kind of target too?

  Alex felt as if the ground was being stolen from under her. She sank to the bed, her knees shaking, her belly swooping in a series of never-ending somersaults. “Massimo, I don’t understand. But why...how...”

  “Leo’s been trying to reach you for some time, bella, but you seem to have been incommunicado. We learned that this Cavalli was also in Bali, and we wanted to make sure you stayed clear of him. Finally, Natalie, who used to work for him, had the idea to call his old number to try and talk to him. We were running out of other options.”

  Alex was numb with shock and betrayal.

  “Cristo, Alex! What are you doing with him? Why—?”

  “I...if I organize a taxi out to the airport, can you get me out of here, Massimo?” Alex cut him off. God, she needed to get out of here. Now. Before Vincenzo came back. Before he charmed her again with his sweet words and addictive lovemaking.

  “Of course. I’ll... Alex, is everything okay?”

  “Just...please, get me out of here. Now.”

  “Okay, bella. Just sit tight. Give me a few minutes to organize you a flight. Alex, whatever it is, Leo and I will fix it. We’re here for you.”

  Alex ended the call before she started bawling on the phone. Before...

  What had she done?

  Why hadn’t Vincenzo even mentioned the Brunettis? Why was he attacking them like this? There was no chance it could be a mistake. Massimo and Leo had been having troubles at the company for more than a year now. Even Alex had been peripherally aware of it.

  And now the man she’d fallen for so hard, the man she’d married so quickly, far from being the romantic prince she’d thought him, was in truth the enemy.

  But even hours later, as she flew home to Milan, without having even breathed a word to Vincenzo, Alex couldn’t help wishing it was all a mistake.

  That Vincenzo was not the man who had been wreaking destruction on her adopted family.

  That he was not the man who remained a serious threat to Leonardo’s CEO position on the BFI board.

  That he was not the man who had been unerringly finding weak spots in one of the most powerful families in Milan and hitting them where it hurt the most.

  Copyright © 2020 by Tara Pammi

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  ISBN: 9781488059599

  Taming the Big Bad Billionaire

  Copyright © 2020 by Pippa Roscoe

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

  For questions and comments about the quality of this book, please contact us at [email protected].

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