Blame it on the Champagne (Blame it on the Alcohol #1) - Fiona Cole Page 0,102

fucking thief? Your mother raised you better. How dare you.”

Verana stepped out from behind me, the shock of the moment wearing off, and standing on her own again. She took an aggressive stance matching her father’s and lost the mousy voice from moments ago.

She was fierce and passionate and beautiful and fire.

I loved her.

And I stood there, unable to stop that I’d lose her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t give him my shares. And it’s not your company. It was Mama’s.”

“Exactly. The last damn thing I had left of her,” he said, his voice almost breaking over the words. “And now, it’s not even hers. This fucking prick stole it from her—from me.”

Vera’s brow furrowed, struggling to process his accusations.

“Lorenzo, this is not the place to have this discussion,” I interjected, trying to diffuse the situation. I needed a second to gather myself, formulate a new plan beyond where I took Vera upstairs, told her I loved her and that I was giving her the company. I just needed a second.

“Fuck you,” he spat. “The time would have been in a boardroom where you face me like a man. Not some coward letting his lawyer do his dirty work while he gallivants around Europe fucking my daughter.”

“Papa,” Vera gasped.

“Don’t act all good now, Verana. You go against our family and plot with our enemy. He has taken everything, and it’s all because you couldn’t follow the goddamn rules.”

“Nico isn’t our enemy. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I watched her chest rise, her nerves cracking her façade of strength. Her eyes flicked side to side to see if anyone was watching, but it was just us—just me, waiting for the impending doom.

“Lorenzo,” I tried again.

“Don’t.” He turned his ire to me. “Don’t think I don’t know who you are. I may not have at first, but your lawyer made sure to say thanks for the company on behalf of K. Rush Shipping—Knightly-Rush Shipping.”

Every time I imagined facing Lorenzo Mariano after I stole his company, I imagined the victory. I’d close my eyes and picture the shock and ire on his face when he realized who I was. I imagined smiling the same way he had when my grandfather begged him to not dismantle the majority of the company.

I tried to find that rush of adrenaline I’d had hints of each time. I tried to find the words he used. It’s just business. But they were nowhere to be found. Incinerated by the fire, Vera started inside me months ago. My love for her burned through my revenge and left me with a panic I’d lose her right as I was finally getting her.

“What are you talking about?” Vera asked. She dug her hands into her hair and pinched her eyes closed, shaking her head like she could knock something loose and make sense of it all. “I married Nico so I wouldn’t have to marry Camden. I married Nico because I wanted to make my own choices and because I wanted to be valued beyond what I could provide to some man.”

Lorenzo barked an unhinged laugh. “They always say to sleep with the devil you know, Verana. And this is why. This is why we followed those traditions and arranged a marriage. We did it to protect our company. And you ruined it by breaking the rules and fucking it all up.”

They stared at each other. Him waiting for her to admit what she’d done and her waiting for it to make sense. When she stayed silent, realization dawned on Lorenzo, and he laughed.

“You dumb girl.”

“That’s enough,” I growled.

But it was like he didn’t even hear me. His laugh turned to a manic cackle echoing off the tile floors and glass walls. “You don’t know. You don’t even know that you’re being used. Looks like I’m not the only one he stole the company from.”

“Goddammit,” Vera growled. “Will someone tell me what the fuck is going on.”

“Verana, if we can go upstairs, I can explain.”

“What?” Lorenzo asked. “More lies? I don’t think so.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about. And I will not stand here and allow you to talk to my wife like that.”

“Your wife? Or the pawn you acquired to win?”

“She is not a pawn,” I growled, reaching my own limits of control. Vera was a queen, and I was about to lose her.

He smirked when he saw the panic flash across my face before I could mask it. As if in slow motion,