An Invitation to Sin(14)
The director let out a stream of profanities and raised the palms of his hands. ‘I can’t work with this. If you want me on this project, I demand another actress.’
Santo stood in silence, a frown on his brow.
Taylor felt sick. So that was it. It was all over. She was just about to slide back into her car and hide her humiliation behind tinted glass when Santo spoke.
‘Taylor stays on this project.’
The director’s eyes narrowed. ‘If she stays, I go.’
‘Then go.’ With a total absence of sympathy, Santo nodded his head at Taylor. ‘We’ll talk to the press and then get on with the job we’re here to do.’
‘You just fired the director.’ Stunned by his unexpected support, Taylor could hardly speak. ‘And yesterday you told me to be discreet and not say anything to the press.’
‘That was when I thought you were likely to stir up a scandal. Taylor Carmichael engaged to Luca Corretti isn’t scandal, it’s news. It will stop the media focusing on your past and it will shift attention away from my family’s wedding fiasco. Don’t look so shocked—’ he placed the flat of his hand on her bag and guided her towards the press pack ‘—you’ve finally done something right. Relax, you still have a job.’
There were only two thoughts in her head. The first was that when Santo found out the truth, he’d fire her anyway, and the second was that Luca Corretti was going to kill her.
CHAPTER THREE
‘I’VE BEEN CALLED before the board, no doubt to answer for my sins. This promises to be a gripping meeting, Jeannie, the general tone of which will be that I’m a very bad boy who can’t possibly be trusted with the company even though my brother has just very inconveniently gone AWOL and another of my disgruntled cousins is trying to take over our flagship hotel.’ Hiding his bitterness beneath layers of boredom, Luca leaned back and put his feet on his desk, earning himself a reproving look from his long-suffering PA.
‘You could try not to be so shocking all the time.’
‘Where would be the fun in that?’
‘I’m just saying it might help if you were more…’ She hesitated and he lifted an eyebrow to prompt her.
‘More?’
‘More conventional.’
‘Conventional?’ Just saying the word made Luca shudder. ‘In the fashion business that word is death. And talking of death, whose idea was it to put lilies in my office? Get rid of them. They remind me of funerals.’
She put a strong cup of coffee in front of him and glanced at the extravagant display of fresh flowers that dominated the centre of the table he used for internal meetings. ‘I’ll have them changed. Gianni is having a meltdown. He wants to know if you’ve approved the location for the fashion shoot? The agency is driving him mad. He wanted me to remind you the theme is nautical, using unexpected twists on classic elements.’
Luca rolled his eyes. ‘Roughly translated from designer-speak to normal language, that means the sea, yes?’
‘The agency wants to use your yacht but Gianni wants something more edgy.’
‘I don’t want them on my yacht. It’s my bolt hole from press madness.’
‘Talking of press madness, they’ve been calling all morning about your latest—’ she cleared her throat ‘—indiscretion. Is there anything you want me to say to them?’
‘Yes. You can tell them to mind their own business.’ Irritated, Luca swung his legs off the desk. ‘Don’t look so shocked about it. You’ve worked for me for ten years. I know nothing shocks you.’
‘I just get upset when I read bad things about you.’ Jeannie’s voice was fierce and Luca frowned slightly.
‘Don’t let it bother you. I don’t.’
‘That’s why I let it bother me. One of us has to care, and it doesn’t seem to be you. I could strangle that Portia woman with my bare hands. How dare she tell those terrible lies.’
‘Ah, yes, Portia. I underestimated her.’ He wondered how Taylor was coping with the publicity and then shrugged it off. If anyone was capable of dealing with a media feeding frenzy, it was Taylor Carmichael. Her past was almost as messy as his. ‘The lawyers are dealing with it. I’m not worried.’
‘I’m worried enough for both of us. Between you and your brother, you keep the media going—’