CHAPTER THREE

ALEXANDER

I should have been thinking about the investments meeting the next morning, or that I had just sealed a multimillion-dollar deal that I needed to be concentrating on.

But, no.

Rather, I sat in my own car, in the back seat, with a portfolio on the seat next to me, brooding about a damn woman who had dared to confront me.

Elena Rossi

I should have gotten out of that gallery and never thought about her again. I should have done the intelligent thing, the rational thing. But I found myself, again, strolling through her paintings, examining each one, hoping that somewhere in those strokes I might find the explanation as to why she had gotten inside my head.

She had talent, without question. Her paintings were raw, unafraid, the kind that didn’t ask permission but insisted on being noticed.

Just as the artist herself.

I tapped my fingers on my knee. The last person who had dared to get up to my face with as much attitude had regretted it.

And now, for some moronic reason, I had been giving her a chance that hundreds of artists would kill for.

I grabbed my phone and sent a text.

To Luca:

Find out as much as you possibly can about Elena Rossi immediately.

Within minutes, Luca responded.

Luca: I am working on it. Do I need to know why, though?

Me: No.

I wasn't even sure myself why.

By the time I arrived at my penthouse, the city twinkled with lights, but my mind wasn't even thinking about that view.

I got myself a drink and went over to the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, the glass reflecting my own face back at me. My own face, which rarely wore the look of frustration.

Yet, here I was.

I picked up my phone and, against all reason, drafted the email myself.

Subject: Business Proposal

From: Moretti Enterprises

Miss Rossi

I require a unique set of paintings for my new hotel. You exhibit potential through your work. If you're interested, come to my office at 9 AM sharp.

Do not be late.

Alexander Moretti.

I clicked on 'send' without thinking twice.

She would accept the proposal if she had as much wit as courage.

And supposing she hadn't?

Good

I always enjoyed a challenge as such.

Morning arrived too early.

I arrived at my office a bit earlier than usual, glancing through my schedule with Luca accompanying me.

"Anything off on Rossi?" I inquired

Luca handed the file to me. "Nothing. No scandal. No skeletons. She's annoyingly clean."

That was almost disappointing.

"Her family?" I pressed.

"Parents dead. No sisters or brothers. Seems to have lost touch with whatever extended family she may have had."

I hummed. That seemed interesting.

I was about to ask more when Luca glanced at her watch. "8:58."

She had two minutes

I smiled. She'd come.

But when the clock struck 9:00 on the dot, the office doors stayed shut.

I raised an eyebrow

"She's late," Luca said.

"No," I murmured, leaning back in my seat. "She's making a point."

As though on cue, the doors opened wide.

I didn't even blink.

She entered, her shoulders squared, her head held high, looking maddeningly calm for someone who had kept me waiting.

“You are late,” I said.

“If I remember correctly, you said 9 am sharp,” she retorted.

"Do you usually make mysterious business proposals in the middle of the night, or does this one come with a particular respect for my character?" she asked.

I smiled. "Would you have preferred a phone call?"

"No," she said deadpan. "I would have preferred silence."

I chuckled. She was bold, extremely bold, even reckless. Most people would have been too nervous to breathe the wrong way in this office.

Not her.

She crossed her arms. "Come on, let's get on with it. Why am I here?"

I motioned towards the seat in front of my desk. "Sit."

She remained unmoved.

I sighed. "You have a habit of ignoring simple instructions, Miss Rossi."

She shrugged and answered, "I don't appreciate being bossed."

I smirked. "Well, in that case, this should be fun."

There was a spark in her eyes—anger, interest, or maybe both.

"You're here," I continued, "because I need an artist to work on my new hotel. And despite your… attitude, your work is decent."

She exhaled through her nose like she was trying to calm herself.  "Decent?"

“Yes, exactly what I said,” I replied.

She squinted her eyes at me for a while and sarcastically replied, “I am touched”

"Well, you ought to be."

She parted her lips, as if she wanted to complain, but seemed to change her mind about that.

Instead, she folded her arms. "What's the catch?"

"No catch." I tilted my head to the right. "Just an overly extravagant payment."

She hesitated.

She seemed to be conflicted for the first time.

And that's when I knew that I had her

"You're proposing something that sounds too good to be true," she answered with a calm tone.

I leaned forward. "Do you always run away from good things, Miss Rossi?"

She didn't answer.

But I saw the way her fingers curled slightly, the way her jaw clenched.

She wasn't afraid.

She was contemplating.

And people like her? They overthought things until the chance eluded them.

I wasn't about to let that happen.

"Take the offer," I said to her. "Or don't. But don't waste my time acting like you're not interested."

Her gaze snapped to mine,  fire blazing within them.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, she exhaled sharply.

"Fine," she uttered.

A satisfied smile crept gradually up on my face.

But then,

She pointed her finger at me. "No interference. No bossing my work. And absolutely, no treating me as if I'm some charity case."

I smiled back at her. "Demanding, aren't you?"

She tilted her head. "Only when it is necessary."

“So, what do you want me to paint?” she quickly added.

I slid a folder across the desk. "You can find everything you need in that."

She hesitated for a while before picking it up.

I stood up, holding out my hand. "Deal?"

For the first time, she hesitated before shaking it.

She had warm and soft hands, her grip firm.

The moment our hands met, I realized something.

This woman was a trouble waiting to happen.

Just as she turned to leave, my phone buzzed.

It was Luca.

I answered the call.

"You're not going to like this," she said, her tone dropping below normal.

I frowned. "What?"

A pause.

“I found something on you.”

I froze up.

Luca never sounded like this.

Never hesitated.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice sharper now.

She breathed out slowly. "Someone's been digging into your past. And they're getting close."

A chill crawled down my spine.

I turned just in time to see Elena glance back at me.

And for the first time, I wondered if I had just made a mistake.