Chapter 10

Luca's POV 

Her gaze didn’t waver, not even a bit, but something else flickered: defiance, sharp and unyielding. 

“I think you’ll find I’m not the kind of wife you can leash,” she muttered in a calculating voice.

God, she was infuriating. And addictive.

For a second, I imagined closing the distance, leaning down until that calm shattered under something hotter instead.

“We’ll see about that, Ms. Caruso.”

I pushed off from her desk, taking my time to walk toward the door. My cologne lingered in the air, and I knew she could smell it just as clearly as I could smell her faint, clean perfume. Something about it stayed with me.

This wasn't the girl from 4 years ago, but deep down I feel she was.

And if I had to tear down every wall she’d built just to find out, then I would….

The door clicked shut behind me the moment I stepped out, silencing the guarded walls that lingered in her office. I didn't bother shaking off the feeling since it was already stuck under my skin.

My assistant, Marco, fell into step beside me with a tablet in his hand.

 “The accountants are in the conference room. Board members are waiting. We’ve got that shipping issue with the Marseille docks on the agenda.”

“Good. Let’s get it over with,” I said, slipping into the controlled focus that came as naturally to me.

The boardroom was a wall of glass overlooking the city, sunlight bleeding through the blinds in sharp lines across the long table. The men inside stood as I entered, their conversations cutting off mid-sentence. In here, my word was law, and they all knew it.

“Sit,” I said, taking my place at the head of the table.

Marco placed the first file in front of me with a stack of numbers and reports, each one pointing to the same problem. 

“The shipments were delayed again. Customs flagged them, and I think somebody’s pulling strings.”

I scanned the figures with a clenched jaw. 

“Find out who. I don’t care what it takes. And double security on the next load.”

“Yes, boss.” Marco tapped notes onto his tablet.

We moved through the rest of the agenda with me giving out orders with absolute control.

In between reports and signatures, my mind kept drifting back to the office down the hall.

Back to those steady, cold eyes.

“…And that’s the final item,” one of the older board members said, pulling me back into the present.

I nodded briskly, closing the last folder. “Good. You all know what needs to be done. I expect updates before the week’s end. You

Chairs scraped against the polished floor as they filed out, murmuring to each other in low voices. 

Marco lingered by the door. “You’ve been… distracted today.”

I shot him a glare. “Handle Marseille, Marco.”

He raised his hands in mock surrender and left the boredom  with just me and my thoughts. Marco was more of a brother than a PA since we've been friends since college; the reason he decided to work as my PA still baffles me despite his qualifications.

The boardroom had emptied, but I was still leaning back in my chair, rolling a customized pen between my fingers. My mind wasn’t on Marseille anymore, nor was it on port expansions, dock disputes, or the half-dozen new deals lined up for next quarter.

 It was on her….

Silver Caruso.

That infuriating calm. That unreadable gaze that made me want to peel her apart just to see what she looked like when her walls weren't high up.

I was still thinking about it when Marco stepped back into the room, a leather folder tucked under his arm.

He didn’t look at me when he spoke, something he usually does when he is bringing news I don't like. 

“There’s something from the Caruso side,” he began, setting the folder down in front of me. “Your… future father-in-law’s office reached out. The marriage contracts are ready. They want them signed before the month ends.”

I flipped the folder open, scanning the documents. Crisp white paper, black ink, gold embossed seals. The Carusos didn’t do anything without a show of wealth.

“They’re insisting the signing happens at their residence in Lake Como,” Marco added, hesitating. 

“It’ll be just you and Ms. Caruso. Family only”

A slow smile pulled at my mouth.

Family only. I could already picture the frost in her tone when she found out we’d be stuck, probably under the same room.

“When?” I asked.

“A day after tomorrow, two days. Security detail will be on standby, but they want you to arrive alone.”

I tapped my pen against the folder.

 “Fine. Book the flight; make sure the jet is stocked.”

Marco hesitated. “You’re… fine with this?”

I looked up at him with a flat expression. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because,” he said carefully, “you and Ms. Caruso aren’t exactly…”

“On agreeing terms?” I interrupted him before he could continue.

 “We’ll agree when we have to. Until then, she can keep her distance if she wants to.”

Even as I said it, I knew it was a lie.

I didn’t want her distance. I wanted to close the gap until there was nowhere for her to retreat into.

Marco took the hint and left. I sat there for another minute, fingers resting on the Caruso contract folder.

Marriage. Partnership. Power consolidation.

On paper, it was all business.

But in my head?

It was something else entirely, and funny enough, I couldn't figure out what it was.

My phone ringing jolted me out of my thoughts, and I brought it closer to my ears.

“You found her?” I asked immediately, standing up on my feet.