A Moment on the Lips - By Kate Hardy Page 0,59

and it was going to have to stop right now.

As she walked into his office Mancuso looked up. ‘I wasn’t expecting to see you at this time of night.’

No, she’d just bet he wasn’t. But she wasn’t going to rise to the bait and protest that she worked longer hours than he did. It wasn’t relevant. ‘We need to talk.’

There was a mocking glint in his eye. ‘Ah, so you realise now that you can’t manage the business?’

‘No,’ she said. ‘I can manage, all right. But there’s a problem that needs sorting.’

‘And you’re expecting me to sort it?’

‘Actually,’ she said quietly, ‘you are the problem. I know what you’ve been doing. You’ve been creaming off money through the supplier.’

‘What are you talking about?’

Oh, he was good. A few weeks ago, that wide-eyed look of shock might have fooled her. But she knew how to read figures and spot trends, thanks to Dante’s help. ‘I have proof.’

He sneered at her. ‘You know nothing.’

‘Actually, I do.’ She outlined exactly how he’d done it. ‘And I have the paperwork to prove it.’

Mancuso folded his arms. ‘You’re bluffing, or you would’ve called the police.’

‘I’m not bluffing.’ She took the papers from the box file. ‘It’s all here. Plus the information they helpfully faxed over to me.’ She stared at him unflinchingly. ‘You deserve to be in jail for ripping off someone who trusted you, for putting the jobs of all your colleagues at risk just because of your own greed. But I don’t want Nonno knowing how you betrayed his trust. So here’s the deal. You go now—and you tell Nonno it’s because you want to set up on your own—or I take the files to the police and let them deal with you.’

‘And how do I know you’re going to keep your word on that?’

‘Because Nonno always has, and I’m his granddaughter. And a Tonielli’s word means something.’ She spread her hands. ‘Your choice. Go now, without a fuss, or talk to the police.’

‘You spoiled little bitch.’ He stood up. ‘Who the hell do you think you are, to talk to me like that?’

Dante walked in just as Mancuso’s fists were clenching. ‘Good evening,’ he said coldly.

Both Carenza and Mancuso looked shocked to see him.

‘What are you doing here?’ Carenza asked.

‘I got your message. And, as you didn’t answer your phone, I thought you could do with some back-up.’

‘I’m dealing with this,’ Carenza said stiffly.

‘I know.’ He leaned against the doorframe. ‘As I said, I’m just back-up.’ He gave the older man a warning glance.

‘Thank you.’ She turned to Mancuso. ‘And, to answer your question, who am I? Gino’s granddaughter. His heir. The person who runs this business.’

Mancuso’s lip curled. ‘You weren’t bothered about the business ten years ago.’

‘I was little more than a child, then,’ Carenza defended herself.

‘Or five years ago, when Gino was ill,’ Mancuso said accusingly.

‘If I’d known he was ill,’ she said quietly, ‘I would’ve come straight back, and you know it.’

‘He’s leaned on me for years and years. Even before he was ill. I was there for him when Pietro died and he fell apart—I was the one who kept everything going. Me.’ He stabbed his finger at his chest. ‘I was there for him when he kept insisting that you were going to come home and take over, and it was obvious to everyone else you were too busy having a good time in London. I was there.’ Again he stabbed his finger at his chest. ‘And then you walked in and took over.’

‘Don’t blame me for this. It’s been going on for years. You’ve been creaming off the profits.’

‘Because I worked for them,’ Emilio snarled. ‘I earned them.’

‘No. You stole from someone who trusted you. And that’s wrong.’ She lifted her chin and looked him straight in the eye. ‘Purely because you were there to support my grandfather, and I owe you for that, I’m not going straight to the police. As I said, I’m giving you the chance to leave now, without a fuss. And I suggest you take it.’

‘Leave now?’ He looked shocked.

‘Take your personal things,’ she said. ‘And give me your keys. All of them.’

His fists bunched, and Dante thought he was going to take a swing at Carenza. ‘I wouldn’t do that, if I were you,’ he advised coldly.

‘And you’re going to stop me?’ Mancuso said.

It would be so, so easy for Dante to hit Mancuso, knock out the older man before he could touch Carenza. But that was who he was