Luca POV
I watched her walk through the revolving door until the glass swallowed her.
Her scent was still in the car.
When she had bent to get in, the ends of her hair had brushed my shoulder and left the smell behind.
I pressed the window down.
Rain slanted in and soaked my cuffs and collar, and the cold air still couldn’t wash the scent away.
I got out a cigarette and put it between my teeth.
The lighter took three tries.
I drew in; nicotine pressed into my lungs and still didn’t steady me.
Five years ago she had smelled like this too, when she told me her name was Amanda.
We were in Malta then, in a seaside villa the Hawthorne family owned, the windows facing the water, the tide breaking on the rocks at night.
She liked to curl up against me.
Back then I thought she was close to me because she liked me.
Until she took that money and disappeared.
After that night five years ago, it took me a long time to accept it.
My father had been furious and had nearly stripped me of my place as heir, but over the years I won his trust back with my own ability.
I told myself she had only been a mistake in my life.
I even thought I had forgotten her.
Until tonight.
I crushed out the cigarette and raised the window.
The following evening I took several executives to a private banquet hosted by the Moretti family.
It looked like an ordinary business gathering, but besides the families and power players we had worked with for years, the major crews sent people too.
My steps slowed when I saw who was waiting by the door.
It was Sienna, not Theo, in a sharply cut black gown, my schedule in her hand, as natural as if she belonged.
I looked at her for two seconds.
“Why you?”
She seemed to have expected it.
“Do you know what kind of occasion this is?”
”I do.”
”You know, and you still came?”
She looked at me, the corner of her mouth lifting.
“You made me your personal assistant. Surely you don’t only need me to order your coffee.”
I raised my eyes to her.
She was the same as always: compliant on the surface, while every sentence left herself room.
By the time I went in, the banquet had started: a bright hall, waiters moving through the crowd with champagne.
People came to greet me as soon as I entered.
I exchanged a few words and swept the room.
No one from the Moretti family had appeared–the hosts, deliberately keeping out of sight.
Before long, Frank DiSanto found me.
New York real estate, an outer partner of the Hawthorne Group for years.
“Frank. It’s been a while.”
”It has been!
Luca, I hear your wedding is close…”
I lifted my glass.
“Your news is as fast as ever.”
Frank laughed.
“If Hawthorne and Moretti formally align, things on this side will settle down a great deal.” He paused.
“One thing I want to warn you about, as someone who’s been through it: the marriage is one matter. Adrian is another.”
”What do you mean?”
”The Moretti ports have always been in Adrian’s hands, and he has his people in the casinos to the south.
He’s Marcus’s stepson.
Getting hold of Moretti’s power won’t be that simple.” Frank sipped his wine.
“If you’re preparing to work with the Morettis formally, you’d better deal with him first.”
I swirled the glass in my hand.
“The territory he holds is only so big. As long as he knows his limits, he can’t stir up much.”
”And if he doesn’t know them?”
”Then I’ll make him know them.”
Frank laughed.
“That’s more like you.”
We discussed a development plan for a piece of property, and people kept coming over, so I had to break off and deal with them.
Sienna stayed a short distance away throughout.
Frank clapped my shoulder, his gaze sliding past me.
“You changed assistants?”
”Theo is sick today.”
”No wonder.” He carried his wine over.
“Luca, you haven’t formally introduced this one, have you?”
”Her name is Sienna Hart.”
Frank raised his glass to her.
“Hello.”
Sienna took a glass from a passing waiter.
“Hello, Mr. DiSanto.”
”Not so formal,” Frank said with a laugh.
“This isn’t the office tonight.”
”Then I’ll call you Frank?”
”That’s better.”
They touched glasses.
After that other people came to greet Frank, and she stepped aside.
When someone spoke to her, she answered politely; when someone handed her a drink, she didn’t refuse.
It wasn’t until close to ten, as people began leaving, that I noticed her cheeks flushed and her steps slowing.
Frank was still deep in conversation, and I was about to end it when Sienna set down her glass and turned toward the lobby.
A few steps out, she swayed and caught the edge of a table.
Someone noticed immediately: Ethan, the marketing director, at tonight’s banquet too.
He went after her.
I put down my glass and took my coat.
By the time I reached the lobby, Ethan had his arm around Sienna’s waist.
She was leaning on him.
“Ethan.”
He turned, the smile on his face vanishing.
“Mr. Hawthorne? Don’t you still have the second half of the evening’s entertaining?”
”Cancelled.” My gaze dropped to his hand.
“Give her to me.”
Ethan didn’t let go at once.
“She’s drunk. I’ll take her. You’ve been drinking too, Mr. Hawthorne, and you have a fiancée. Taking a female assistant home at this hour wouldn’t look good if it got out.” He paused.
“I’m single. It’s more appropriate for me to take her.”
”Have you had too much free time lately?”
His expression stiffened.
“I’m only worried about her.”
”Then take your hand off her.”
Ethan let go.
“She’s my people in the president’s office,” I said, taking Sienna and letting her lean against me.
“If anything happens, I’ll answer for it.”
Ethan said nothing more.
These new hires were an eyesore.
In the past, he wouldn’t still be standing there.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option now.
Ever since I formally took over Hawthorne Group, the elders had reminded me over and over that what I was running was a company, not the world where fists and guns settled everything.
Company matters had to be handled by company rules; however simple the conflict, I couldn’t settle it as we used to.
I walked Sienna out.
The driver had brought the car round, and she had just got in when her body tipped and her head hit the window.
“Ow.”
I got in after her and shut the door.
“How much did you drink?”
”Lost count.”
”Why so much?”
She opened her eyes and looked at me, her voice thick with drink.
“What’s wrong with you? Am I not allowed to be happy today? When did you start caring about me this much?”