Page 4 of Vicious Temptation
Of course. Because time is always the answer to being forced into marrying a stranger. The entire concept feels ludicrous to me. But I chuckle in response. “Is she averse to marrying anyone at all? Or just this one man?”
Masseo snorts, leaning back as he looks at me appraisingly. “Why, Gabriel? Interested in marrying her yourself?”
I shake my head quickly at that. That’s definitely not a part of my idea. “No, I don’t have any intention of marrying again,” I tell him firmly. “Once was enough for me.”
“Even after all these years?” It’s Masseo’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “Four years, isn’t it, since Delilah passed? Surely your children could use a mother.”
I smile. I can’t help it, even though the mention of my late wife sends a sharp stab of pain directly into my chest, because Masseo has walked directly into the path of the idea I formed, while I watched Bella flee down the hall. “I actually had that exact thought, as I was talking to your daughter.”
Masseo frowns. “I’m afraid I don’t follow. You said you weren’t interested in marriage.”
“Not marriage. But since I don’t plan to marry again, I do need someone to help me with the children. My housekeeper, Agnes, is like family, and she’s been invaluable to me, helping me all this time. I’ve had short-term help, too, from time to time. But what I really need is a live-in nanny. Someone who could take some of the pressure off of Agnes. She’s not getting any younger, and someone like that would provide some much-needed stability for Danilo and Cecelia, too, I think.”
Masseo’s frown deepens. “Are you asking for recommendations? Because I’m afraid I don’t have any. It’s been a long time since I’ve needed any such thing.”
“Not a recommendation. A different solution for your daughter.” I lean forward, slightly. “It’s clear she’s unhappy with the prospect of being married. So rather than pushing her into it, why not allow her to come and work for me? She’d be well provided for.”
His eyebrows rise at that. “You want my daughter to work for you?” There’s a hint of offense in his tone, and I know I need to tread carefully. “I may not have the wealth of others, Esposito, but I still have the D’Amelio name. My daughter does not need to work.”
The switch to my surname puts me on guard. It’s clear that Masseo doesn’t have a high opinion of my idea. “Of course not,” I assure him. “And I know all of this is none of my business?—”
“That’s correct,” Masseo growls, and I give him a conciliatory nod.
“But if your daughter is so clearly distraught over this, wouldn’t it be better to give her time to ease into the idea of it?”
His eyes narrow. “And how would being in your home, as a nanny, ease Bella into the idea of marriage?” There’s a clear note of suspicion in his voice, but I can understand it. I’d think less of him, really, if he weren’t cautious at the idea of allowing his daughter to go and live with a widowed man.
“Being in my home, around my children, will show her how happy she could be in a marriage where she has those things of her own—her own household, her own family to raise. She’ll see that that sort of life isn’t such a terrible thing, and she’ll start to want it for herself. And then she’ll be open to the prospects that you have for her.”
It all slips easily off of my tongue, despite the fact that, as far as I’m concerned, it’s all a load of shit. I doubt being away from her family home and having a taste of independence will make Bella warm to the idea of being trapped in an arranged marriage. But I could be wrong. It’s entirely possible that getting to know my children, and working in a role as caretaker for them, will do exactly that, and make Bella want a home and family of her own.
Either way, if her father agrees, it allows me to help her—at least for a little while. And it helps me out a great deal, as well.
“I’ll pay her a wage, of course,” I add, seeing that Masseo still looks skeptical. At that, his eyes brighten slightly, and he shows a flicker of interest.
“She doesn’t have any need for an income. Especially if her room and board will be provided as a part of the position, as you say. But you can pay it to me directly, and I’ll set it aside in a trust fund.”
I don’t believe for a second that Bella will see that money. But I can also tell that if I push back, Masseo won’t agree.
Why does this matter to me so much? I don’t have an answer for that. There’s no explainable reason why I feel the deep-seated need to help this girl, who I only briefly met, while she ran down a hallway crying. I only know that I do, and that this is the most plausible way I can think of to help her. It solves two problems, really—my desire to do something for her, and my need for someone to help Agnes with my children. Everything that I told Masseo about that is the truth—I have no plans to remarry, but they need someone. And the stability of having someone who lives in my home, not someone who comes and goes, will make a difference.
Masseo lets out a long breath, and I can see the calculating look behind his eyes. I dislike it. I would never have classified us as friends—we’re just business associates. But the clear greed that I can see as he realizes he can make money off of this arrangement with his daughter leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
“I’ll talk to Bella about it tonight,” Masseo starts to say, and I shake my head.
“I’d prefer to talk to her about it myself.”
Masseo chuckles. “Are you inviting yourself to dinner, Gabriel?”
Back to first names, I see. “No, I don’t think so.” I smile tersely. “I’ll take her out to dinner myself, and have the conversation.”
His eyebrow raises. “You want to take her out?”
“Yes.”
Masseo looks startled by the sudden, commanding change in my tone, and that pleases me. I have a sudden desire to see him cowed, and I sit forward, the smile on my face turning pleasant.
“When?” he asks, and I can feel the balance of power in the room shifting. That pleases me, too.