and Automobiles Montand
.
The race is going to become an annual, highly anticipated event, mark my words. Bit of a shame for Vanni, though,” Niki said, casting a hooded glance across the room to where Vanni stood at a table, flanked by two men in tuxes. “He actually hates high-profile events and being the center of attention, despite understanding the need for publicity owning the type of businesses he does.”
Emma recalled what he’d said that first time she’d officially met him about the “vampires” at press events. “Yes. Has he always been so reserved?”
Niki turned his highball glass distractedly. “No. He was a hotheaded teenager. It wasn’t that he wanted to be the center of attention or anything, but it was like he couldn’t stop it from happening . . . a little like expecting a raging inferno to be dim,” Niki said with a rueful sideways glance. Emma nodded in understanding.
“What happened to change him?” Emma asked quietly.
“Life. Death. Then . . . Meredith,” Niki said simply. He met Emma’s stare, and she could tell he was curious as to whether she knew who Meredith was. She didn’t, technically, but she made a guess.
“His wife?” she asked.
Niki nodded, looking a little relieved that she knew. “He was only twenty-two when she died. First he lost his mother young to leukemia, then—”
“Adrian,” Emma finished soberly.
Niki blinked. She had a feeling Niki Dellis didn’t look surprised often.
“Vanni told you about Adrian?” he asked, shock ringing in his quiet voice. Emma nodded. Niki’s gaze sharpened on her as if he’d truly seen her for the first time. “Well,” he said after a moment, looking away. “I knew you were having
some
kind of unprecedented effect on him, but I didn’t guess . . .” He seemed to come to himself and sat up straighter in his chair, taking a deep breath. “It was Adrian’s death that hit him the hardest, being as young as they were and the tragic circumstances,” Niki said grimly. He took another idle sip of his bourbon. “His mother’s and Adrian’s death turned him into a blaze of trouble. Nothing mattered to him. Nothing
meant
anything. As a teenager, he was on a one-way road to hell, and anyone who got in his way on the journey was going to get burned. Unfortunately, I was a hotheaded teenager myself and on a similar clueless path. Fire can’t burn fire,” Niki said, all remnants of the mischievous charmer vanished. “So I was no help. I was too stupid to realize where that trip was going to take him. Us. Then, while Van was in college, a miracle happened.”
“He met Meredith?” Emma asked through a tight throat.
Niki shrugged. “I never really knew if it was Meredith who did it, or if Vanni was just ready to stop grieving and get on with his life.” He shrugged. “Whatever the reason, he seemed to find a purpose . . . a focus, even before she came along. When his dad protested against the marriage, it only firmed his resolve. It was during those months before he met Meredith and after they were married, when Michael Senior and Cristina had cut him out—both from their lives and financially—that Van designed the revolutionary intake manifold and carburetor for racecars that made him his personal fortune. Those inventions became the linchpin for his own company, Montand Motorworks. Everything seemed like it was falling into place for him. He seemed content for the first time in his life. Then . . .” He faded off, shaking his head.
“What did Meredith die of?” Emma asked in a hushed tone.
“Thyroid cancer. It spread very fast, once she was diagnosed.”
Emma found herself staring at Vanni’s tall, striking form across the room, her heart heavy.
“After Meredith passed, he seemed to completely shut down emotionally. He turned cold and methodical—ideal for eventually being the head of two separate multibillion-dollar companies, but not so much for anything else. He eventually built that
.
The race is going to become an annual, highly anticipated event, mark my words. Bit of a shame for Vanni, though,” Niki said, casting a hooded glance across the room to where Vanni stood at a table, flanked by two men in tuxes. “He actually hates high-profile events and being the center of attention, despite understanding the need for publicity owning the type of businesses he does.”
Emma recalled what he’d said that first time she’d officially met him about the “vampires” at press events. “Yes. Has he always been so reserved?”
Niki turned his highball glass distractedly. “No. He was a hotheaded teenager. It wasn’t that he wanted to be the center of attention or anything, but it was like he couldn’t stop it from happening . . . a little like expecting a raging inferno to be dim,” Niki said with a rueful sideways glance. Emma nodded in understanding.
“What happened to change him?” Emma asked quietly.
“Life. Death. Then . . . Meredith,” Niki said simply. He met Emma’s stare, and she could tell he was curious as to whether she knew who Meredith was. She didn’t, technically, but she made a guess.
“His wife?” she asked.
Niki nodded, looking a little relieved that she knew. “He was only twenty-two when she died. First he lost his mother young to leukemia, then—”
“Adrian,” Emma finished soberly.
Niki blinked. She had a feeling Niki Dellis didn’t look surprised often.
“Vanni told you about Adrian?” he asked, shock ringing in his quiet voice. Emma nodded. Niki’s gaze sharpened on her as if he’d truly seen her for the first time. “Well,” he said after a moment, looking away. “I knew you were having
some
kind of unprecedented effect on him, but I didn’t guess . . .” He seemed to come to himself and sat up straighter in his chair, taking a deep breath. “It was Adrian’s death that hit him the hardest, being as young as they were and the tragic circumstances,” Niki said grimly. He took another idle sip of his bourbon. “His mother’s and Adrian’s death turned him into a blaze of trouble. Nothing mattered to him. Nothing
meant
anything. As a teenager, he was on a one-way road to hell, and anyone who got in his way on the journey was going to get burned. Unfortunately, I was a hotheaded teenager myself and on a similar clueless path. Fire can’t burn fire,” Niki said, all remnants of the mischievous charmer vanished. “So I was no help. I was too stupid to realize where that trip was going to take him. Us. Then, while Van was in college, a miracle happened.”
“He met Meredith?” Emma asked through a tight throat.
Niki shrugged. “I never really knew if it was Meredith who did it, or if Vanni was just ready to stop grieving and get on with his life.” He shrugged. “Whatever the reason, he seemed to find a purpose . . . a focus, even before she came along. When his dad protested against the marriage, it only firmed his resolve. It was during those months before he met Meredith and after they were married, when Michael Senior and Cristina had cut him out—both from their lives and financially—that Van designed the revolutionary intake manifold and carburetor for racecars that made him his personal fortune. Those inventions became the linchpin for his own company, Montand Motorworks. Everything seemed like it was falling into place for him. He seemed content for the first time in his life. Then . . .” He faded off, shaking his head.
“What did Meredith die of?” Emma asked in a hushed tone.
“Thyroid cancer. It spread very fast, once she was diagnosed.”
Emma found herself staring at Vanni’s tall, striking form across the room, her heart heavy.
“After Meredith passed, he seemed to completely shut down emotionally. He turned cold and methodical—ideal for eventually being the head of two separate multibillion-dollar companies, but not so much for anything else. He eventually built that
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