The Italian Billionaire’s Nubian Queen

It didn’t matter how many times she told herself that she’d done the right thing. She felt as if she’d said no to the best part of what life had offered her, and now her life had no color in it. It had no joy in it.

Time, she told herself, as she finally managed to get to her feet and walk to the window. The rain had cleared, and the sun was rising. She watched as light came into the world again, a little miracle that happened every single day. One that she appreciated every day because she appreciated all the little things in life.

But she felt no joy in it. She felt no joy at all.

When she finally felt again, all she felt was pain—and regret. It was so fierce that it made her double over, hugging herself, trying to breathe.

“No. God, no, not like this. Not like this,” she whimpered as she held on to herself and told herself that it wasn’t real. None of it had been real. She hadn’t lost anything real. It had just been a fantasy. It had all been a fantasy.

But the pain was real, and she knew that what she’d lost had been real, too. She knew that she would never find it again.

She loved him.

It didn’t matter if she couldn’t explain it. She’d fallen in love with him, at first sight. She still loved him.

So she would survive without him. She would live without him.

Because what choice did she have? She turned away and tried to reconcile herself to it—the knowledge that she would live the rest of her life without Matteo.

***

Matteo had never been so angry in his life.

She’d accused him of lying to her.

When had they had the time to tell each other the truth? He couldn’t have at the vineyard, because she’d run away from him there. He couldn’t have after that, over dinner, because she’d refused to have dinner with him. He couldn’t have now because she’d made up her mind about all the terrible things he’d done and asked him to leave.

No, demanded that he leave. There had been no room for conversation because Alyssa had made up her mind.

His brother.

His brother was behind it. He knew it, of course. He didn’t need to find proof to know it. Besides, what could he do with proof? There was no court of justice that could give him Alyssa’s love and her trust. He was no longer so certain he wanted it, either.

It had been madness. It was good to get a reminder of who he was and the life he was meant to lead. He’d had a pipe dream and now it was over. There wasn’t much more to it than that.

But his brother had crossed a line. He’d crossed many times, and he was going to pay for it. He’d indulged Gabriel and his games for far too long. This time, he had gone too far. This time, he had interfered too much.

Matteo got to the hotel, checked in, and made the calls he needed to make. His dear brother was going to be in for a bit of a surprise. He was going to find out that his responsibilities were catching up with him.

The anger carried him through most of the night, until he finally made the arrangements he needed to make. He would be going home.

He would be going home to Sicily. He would forget about Alyssa and he would move on with his plans.

But he would not forget about Gabriel and what he had done.

Matteo was good at transferring rage to productive ends. He made the transition from being a happy man planning a life with the woman he’d accepted was meant for him, to one who was intent on making his brother pay for what he’d done. He didn’t consider how it might affect Alyssa. He didn’t even think of Brianna. He’d found his focus, and he’d made his choice, because Alyssa had made her own.

Matteo got to work.

It meant getting every executive he needed out of bed and on call, and he didn’t care about the inconvenience it caused. He didn’t care about anybody’s inconvenience, not that night.

Did Gabriel think that he could do this and get away with it? Did he really think that the affection that Matteo had always had for his little brother would tolerate this? Had he learned nothing?

Perhaps not. Perhaps he’d indulged him far too much.

It was about to stop.

Mid-call, Claudia paused.

“Mr. Colombo, are you sure you want to do this?”

“Are you doubting my judgment, Claudia?”

“Of course not. Of course not, I just want to confirm that this really is what you wish to do.”

“Yes.”

That was all Claudia asked.

“Then I will get the paperwork ready. When will Mr. Gabriel be here to sign his part of it?”

“Soon. Within a day or two. I need to go through all of it. Contact his lawyers, as well, as soon as I’ve checked it. His lawyers can see it before he does. They can approve it and then he can sign it.”

“Mr. Colombo, have you considered that he might not sign?”

“He will sign, Claudia. He will sign because I will be fulfilling my end of the contract.”

“The contract? Your father’s will?”

“Yes.”

“I… Do you require me to get the paperwork for that ready, as well?”

“I will let you know when that’s necessary. But I’m currently fulfilling all those conditions, as I was informed a few minutes ago. I will go on fulfilling them. Get this done, Claudia.”

He hung up, and sat back to consider the move he’d just made.

Yes, part of it was to punish Gabriel. Matteo had no problem admitting that. He was not a nice person. Nice people didn’t usually become rich and powerful. Nice didn’t get things done, not on the scale he did things.

No, he was ruthless, and he did things his way, to get what he wanted.

Alyssa had been right about that. He made the decisions, because he could. He had chosen, every step of the way, to make sure that he was in control. So he would stay in control, and he would walk the path he’d chosen.

He would walk it without Alyssa by his side.

This had been the wakeup call he’d needed. He knew now that romantic fantasies of happy endings were not for him. His happy ending would be the one he made.

So Matteo got to work, making it. His own version of a happy ending.