He let her in first, and as he turned to close the door after her, Willem asked in a puzzled tone, “What isthis—-”
Slender arms suddenly locked around his waist, and he stilled.
Ah.
It should no longer surprise him how well Serenity knew him, but it still did. Even at fourteen, she had been the only one to get past his walls and see the real him. And after all these years, it was only her he’d bare his soul to.
“How did it go?” Serenity whispered. Willem had told her from the start about Marcus’ involvement in DKE’s latest acquisition, and that it had been at the Italian billionaire’s instigation.
William breathed hard. “I’m worried.”
The harshly voiced admission had Serenity tightening her arms around Willem.
“I’m taking a huge risk, and I don’t think I can forgive myself if—-”
She pulled back. “Willem.” He automatically turned around, and her heart lurched as their eyes met. She loved this man so much, looked up to him so much that even now, she still felt more than a little awed he could trust her with his innermost secrets, his weaknesses – things he didn’t even dare show to his entire family.
Laying her hand on one bronze cheek, she said softly, “You did this because you love her. You did this because you believe they love each other.” And love always found a way to make things right.
Three
Marcus was in the middleof a stockholders’ meeting when a knock sounded on the door. He frowned, not liking the interruption, which his PA should have known better not to cause. He gestured for the younger man to come in, and Alberto stuttered, “I apologize for the disturbance,signor, but there is an important call for you.”
“Chi è?” Who is it?
“Your, err, wife,signor.” An inscrutable expression fell over his employer’s strikingly handsome features, and Alberto became even more nervous. Like everyone in the company, he knew that things were not so good between Marcus Ravelli and his Dutch heiress wife. Had he done the right thing to interrupt the meeting for—-
The assistant’s thoughts came to an abrupt halt as their CEO came to his feet, causing him to tower over everyone at a great height.
“Apologies, but I have to take this.” Marcus nodded at his VP, who immediately stood up to take over.
And then he was leaving the boardroom, walking swiftly back to his office as his heart picked up its pace.
Finalmente.
The last year had been hell, even worse than the year before it, which was saying a lot. Realizing he had so horribly misjudged things between them had literally given him nightmares, and the days he would wake up in a cold sweat, sick to his stomach, had returned with a vengeance.