Read Online Rome for Always (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Collection) by Judy Angelo - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Judy Angelo
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everything before we get to Italy. I don’t want your family giving me the
third degree and not be able to handle it.”
Rome looked at her like she was making a mountain out of
a molehill. “What else is there to know? The real question is, what’s there
about me that you don’t know.”
“A lot,” she said without hesitation. “I mean, I know a
lot about you as an adult. Who you are now, your business and all that stuff. But
what about when you were a kid? You haven’t told me much about that.”
“You want to know about my childhood?” Rome shook his
head then put a hand over his mouth and gave an exaggerated yawn. “Double
boring.”
“I doubt it,” Arie said drily. “You, the son of a
mega-wealthy Italian family? Boring, your childhood was not. I’ll bet money on
that.”
“Don’t be so quick to bet on it, kid. I’ve got
witnesses.”
“Oh, come on, Rome. Talk to me. Give me all the juicy
tidbits about what made you tick.”
“All right,” he conceded with a hint of frustration,
“but when you start snoring I’m going to kiss you awake, flight attendant or no
flight attendant.”
Arie laughed. “Deal. Now start talking.”
And that was how she found out what a troublemaker the
man she loved used to be. Thank goodness she’d met him after he’d passed
through that phase. As a boy he’d been the devil incarnate, teasing his sisters
nearly to death and bossing his brothers till they had to gang up on him. His
father tried to curb him but he’d rebelled and that was when they’d shipped him
off to finish high school in the United States. While the other children had
remained behind in Italy with their mother he’d gone with his father to their
new offices in America.
“But didn’t you miss your family?” Arie couldn’t help
asking.
“Sure I did and I went home to Italy every chance I got.
But I was a rambunctious teenager and I needed curbing. Having my father focus
all his attention on me straightened me out real fast, I can tell you that.” He
was shaking his head as he spoke then he gave a soft chuckle. “At first I did
everything I could to frustrate the old man, make him send me home, but it was
no use. He was determined to bring me in line and he’s a tough old goat.” He
gave a snort. “You don’t want to get on the wrong side of that one.”
The words made Rome laugh but instead of amusement what
Arie felt was a frisson of fear. Was this premonition? A warning of what was to
come? If she’d been scared of Rome’s family before, now she was one step closer
to terrified.
“Uhm, is he still like that?” she dared to ask. It made
sense for her to be prepared.
“Worse.” Rome leaned over to give her a soft peck on the
cheek. “But don’t worry. He’s going to fall in love with you just like I did.”
“I wish,” was Arie’s answer, and it was laced with all
the doubt she was feeling just then. But it was only a whisper and she knew he
didn't hear her..
Which was a good thing because she had no idea how she
would explain the nagging dread that his family would not like her, not one
bit.
CHAPTER SIX
“Do we have to go now?” Arie took another sip of her orange
juice then began to toy with her spoon.
She and Rome had arrived way past bedtime Italian time
so instead of heading straight to his family home he’d booked a suite at Regina
Hotel Baglioni so Arie could get some rest. She’d been more than relieved at that
plan but now it was time to face the music.
Rome had already finished breakfast. He reached over and
took the fork from her. “Yes, we have to go now. We didn’t fly all the way to
Italy to spend our days in a hotel.”
“Well, it’s a pretty nice hotel,” she said as she
reluctantly took his hand and got up to go.
“Agreed,” he said with a chuckle, “and we’ll come back
and enjoy it some other time. Right now, though, we have places to go and
people to see.”
Arie knew if she dragged her feet any more it would
begin
third degree and not be able to handle it.”
Rome looked at her like she was making a mountain out of
a molehill. “What else is there to know? The real question is, what’s there
about me that you don’t know.”
“A lot,” she said without hesitation. “I mean, I know a
lot about you as an adult. Who you are now, your business and all that stuff. But
what about when you were a kid? You haven’t told me much about that.”
“You want to know about my childhood?” Rome shook his
head then put a hand over his mouth and gave an exaggerated yawn. “Double
boring.”
“I doubt it,” Arie said drily. “You, the son of a
mega-wealthy Italian family? Boring, your childhood was not. I’ll bet money on
that.”
“Don’t be so quick to bet on it, kid. I’ve got
witnesses.”
“Oh, come on, Rome. Talk to me. Give me all the juicy
tidbits about what made you tick.”
“All right,” he conceded with a hint of frustration,
“but when you start snoring I’m going to kiss you awake, flight attendant or no
flight attendant.”
Arie laughed. “Deal. Now start talking.”
And that was how she found out what a troublemaker the
man she loved used to be. Thank goodness she’d met him after he’d passed
through that phase. As a boy he’d been the devil incarnate, teasing his sisters
nearly to death and bossing his brothers till they had to gang up on him. His
father tried to curb him but he’d rebelled and that was when they’d shipped him
off to finish high school in the United States. While the other children had
remained behind in Italy with their mother he’d gone with his father to their
new offices in America.
“But didn’t you miss your family?” Arie couldn’t help
asking.
“Sure I did and I went home to Italy every chance I got.
But I was a rambunctious teenager and I needed curbing. Having my father focus
all his attention on me straightened me out real fast, I can tell you that.” He
was shaking his head as he spoke then he gave a soft chuckle. “At first I did
everything I could to frustrate the old man, make him send me home, but it was
no use. He was determined to bring me in line and he’s a tough old goat.” He
gave a snort. “You don’t want to get on the wrong side of that one.”
The words made Rome laugh but instead of amusement what
Arie felt was a frisson of fear. Was this premonition? A warning of what was to
come? If she’d been scared of Rome’s family before, now she was one step closer
to terrified.
“Uhm, is he still like that?” she dared to ask. It made
sense for her to be prepared.
“Worse.” Rome leaned over to give her a soft peck on the
cheek. “But don’t worry. He’s going to fall in love with you just like I did.”
“I wish,” was Arie’s answer, and it was laced with all
the doubt she was feeling just then. But it was only a whisper and she knew he
didn't hear her..
Which was a good thing because she had no idea how she
would explain the nagging dread that his family would not like her, not one
bit.
CHAPTER SIX
“Do we have to go now?” Arie took another sip of her orange
juice then began to toy with her spoon.
She and Rome had arrived way past bedtime Italian time
so instead of heading straight to his family home he’d booked a suite at Regina
Hotel Baglioni so Arie could get some rest. She’d been more than relieved at that
plan but now it was time to face the music.
Rome had already finished breakfast. He reached over and
took the fork from her. “Yes, we have to go now. We didn’t fly all the way to
Italy to spend our days in a hotel.”
“Well, it’s a pretty nice hotel,” she said as she
reluctantly took his hand and got up to go.
“Agreed,” he said with a chuckle, “and we’ll come back
and enjoy it some other time. Right now, though, we have places to go and
people to see.”
Arie knew if she dragged her feet any more it would
begin
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