Page 12 of Empire of Seduction

“Yousmoke?” I hadn’t smelled any smoke on him the night we were together. There hadn’t been any cigarettes around, either.

“Not in the casino, obviously.” He opened the pack and fished out a cigarette.

The shock wore off and I snapped, “Donotsmoke around my vines.”

His eyebrows lowered. “Why not? We’re outside.”

“It can taint the plants. Jesus!”

He sighed and put the cigarettes away. “Maggie, think. You yourself said the winery wasn’t profitable. Consider me an investor. I want to upgrade things here and make us all a lot of money.”

He made it sound so easy, so tempting. “Are you telling me this money comes without strings?”

“What strings?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking.”

Gloved fingers rubbed across his jaw. “I haven’t given it much thought.”

I didn’t care for the way he rubbed his face, like he was contemplating delivering bad news. “Really? Because you seem the type who would definitely give it thought.”

He stared at the ground, but I could see his lips twitch. Was he fighting a smile? “Dai, you are right,” he said. “I plan to rename the winery after my family?—”

“Absolutely not. No fucking way.”

When he met my gaze there was no yield, no warmth in his deep blue irises. The sexy playful man from our night together was nowhere to be found. He regarded me like a nuisance, not a woman he’d made come seven times. “You have no choice. It has already been put into the contract.”

My stomach twisted painfully. This couldn’t be true. Too furious and hurt, I hadn’t stopped to read the contract, just scribbled my name and escaped outside. “You can’t change the name. We’ve spent more than sixty years building up the Fiorentino brand.”

“A brand that you said yourself is failing.”

“It doesn’t matter. People know our name and recognize our wines.”

“They will come to recognize my name, as well. It just takes time.”

“Why are you doing this?” I lifted my arms and let them fall to my sides, helpless. “I don’t get it. Racketeering and blackmailing not paying well enough up north?”

Something twitched in his expression, a tiny crack in his exterior, but was gone as he stepped closer. I couldn’t retreat without trampling the vines, so I remained perfectly still. The edges of his open overcoat brushed my thighs as he leaned in. “Those things pay very well, actually. But this is not all I do up north. Would you like a comprehensive list?”

I didn’t need it. I could guess, based on what I knew of Luca Benetti. Drugs, fraud. Probably murder.

I swallowed. “You’re going to use my winery to launder money, aren’t you?”

A gloved finger slid across my jaw and his voice turned seductive. More like the man from the casino. “I don’t know, bella. Am I?”

A shiver went through me, one that I blamed on the cold temperatures. “Go back to Toronto, Vito. Leave the winery alone.”

He hummed deep in his chest as his finger gently traced the side of my throat. “You know, I think I will stick around awhile. Ensure my investment is used wisely.”

I shoved his hand away. “And what will yourwifethink of all this? Isn’t she wondering where you are by now?”

“You think all wives are attached to their husbands?” His hand fell and he put distance between us. “See you around, Maggie.”

I watched him walk away, his broad shoulders filling out the sleek overcoat, designer shoes crunching on the cold ground. I felt so powerless, so furious. This man was ruining my life.

Without thinking, I picked up a frozen clod of leaves and dirt. Then I drew back my arm and threw the clump as hard as I could. The dirt ball hit him right between the shoulder blades and brown dust exploded on his precious coat.

He paused, then peered over his shoulder. “Did you throw dirt at me?”

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