Wed on His Terms: Million-Dollar Marriage Merger
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âLooked to me like Dad deliberately undersold cabernet and merlot to the retailers to drive Purple Fields out of business. We make five kinds of wine, but he chose the two Purple Fields are famous for to undercut them. From what Iâve found, he sold for a slight loss for at least ten years. He knew he could sustain those losses without a problem, while Purple Fields couldnât compete.â
Tony winced, hearing the truth aloud. âIâd asked Dad to leave Purple Fields alone. To let them make a living. But Iâm betting he did it to spite me.â
Joeâs brows rose. âYou think he singled them out because you chose a different career?â
âHeâd never approved of my choices. He didnât want me to succeed. He wanted to dictate the course of my life, and it pissed him off that I wouldnât listen to him. I chose racing over him.â
âYeah, Dad was angry when you took off. He wanted to hand down his business to his firstborn son. Hell, he wasnât too fond of me not sticking around either. Iâve got a head for business, not grape growing.â
Tonyâs lips curved halfway up. âYouâre a computer geek, Joe.â
âAnd proud of it,â Joe added, then focused his attention back on the subject at hand. âDad was an all-around brute. I bet he used the same tactics on half a dozen other small wineries to drive them out of business.â
âDoesnât make it right. Hell, he made millions. He didnât need to shut down his competition.â
âApparently, he didnât see it that way.â
Tony let go a frustrated sigh. âAt least thereâs something I can do about it. Iâm going to renegotiate those contracts. Weâll sell our wine at a fair price, but we wonât undercut anyone, especially Purple Fields.â
Joe nodded and leaned back in his chair. âThat should make Rena happy.â
âYeah, but it wonât make up for all the past pain this family put her through.â
âYouâre not just talking about Dad now, are you?â
Tony took a steadying breath and shook his head. âNo. But I plan to make it up to Rena. Whether she likes it or not.â
âThose sound like fighting words, Tone.â
Tony rose from his seat. âThey are.â
âOh, before I forget, someone called for you today.â Joe shifted through a pile of notes, coming up with one. âSomething about your racing contracts. Theyâve been calling the house and couldnât reach you.â
He handed Tony the note, and when he glanced at the name, he cursed under his breath. He didnât need this right now. âOkay,â he said, stuffing the note in his pocket. âThanks. Iâll take care of it.â
Now he had three things to deal with, the note he tucked away being the least of his worries. At least he knew now how to save Purple Fields, but after reading Vine by Vine, Tony wasnât sure how he could repair the damage heâd done to Rena.
The promise he made to David far from his mind, Tony wanted to save his hasty marriage for more selfish reasons. He couldnât deny that reliving the past in these last few hours made him realize how much Rena had once meant to him.
He got in his car and drove off, speeding out of town, needing the rush of adrenaline to ward off his emotions and plaguing thoughts that he was falling in love with Rena again.
Tony entered the house, and a pleasing aroma led him straight to the kitchen. He found Rena standing at the stove top stirring the meal, her hair beautifully messy and her face pink from puffs of steam rising up. She didnât acknowledge his presence initially until he wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her against him. He kissed her throat, breathing in her citrus scent. âLooking good.â
âItâs just stew.â
âI meant you,â Tony said, stealing another quick kiss. Coming home to this domestic scene, something grabbed his insides and twisted when he saw her. âYouâre beautiful behind the stove. I want to come home to you every night.â
She frowned and moved slightly away. âDonât say those things.â
âWhy?â he asked softly. âBecause Iâve said them before and now you donât believe me?â
Rena kept stirring the stew. âYouâre astute.â
âAnd youâre being stubborn.â
She shrugged, moving away from the stove to grab two plates from the cabinet. Tony took out cutlery from a drawer and set two glasses on the table.
So now they were resorting to name-calling? This certainly wasnât the scene Tony pictured in his mind when he first entered the house.
âDid you find out anything from Joe?â Rena asked.
âYeah, I did. But letâs eat first.â
âWhenever someone says that to me, I know the news is not good.â
âThereâs bad news and thereâs good news. I think we should eat first before discussing it.â
Rena brought the dishes to the stove top and filled their plates, adding two biscuits to Tonyâs plate. She served him and sat down to eat. Her long hair fell forward as she nibbled on her food. She wore jeans and a soft baby-blue knit blouse that brought out the vivid color of her eyes. She hardly looked pregnant, except for a hint of added roundness to her belly.
Sweeping emotions stirred in his gut. He wanted to protect Rena. He wanted to possess her. He wanted to make love to her until all the pain and anger disappeared from her life. So much had happened to her in her short thirty-one years from losing her mother and father, to losing David, but it had all started with him. And Tony determined it would all end with him as well.
After the meal, Rena started cleaning up. Tony rose and then took her hand. âLeave this. Weâll take care of it later. We need to talk.â
She nodded and followed him into the living room. Oak beams, a stone fireplace stacked with logs and two comfortable sofas lent to the warmth of the room. Tony waited for her to sit, then took a place next to her.
They sat in silence for a minute, then Tony began. âWhat I have to say isnât easy. Joe and I went through the records and have proof now of how my father manipulated sales in the region.â
âYou mean, my father was right? Santo set out to destroy us?â
Tony winced and drew a breath. âI canât sugarcoat it, Rena. My father undercut Purple Fields, even at a loss to his own company to drive you out of business. Joeâs guess is that it wasnât personal. Heâd been doing the same to other small businesses for years.â
Rena closed her eyes, absorbing the information. âMy father knew. He didnât have proof. His customers wouldnât talk about it, except to say that theyâd found better deals elsewhere. Theyâd praised our wine over and over but wouldnât buy it.â
âMy father probably strong-armed them into silence,â Tony said.
Rena opened her eyes and stared at him. He couldnât tell what was going on in her head, but he suspected it wasnât good.
She rose from her seat and paced the floor. âMy mother was worried and anxious all the time. She loved Purple Fields. She and my father poured everything they had into the winery. They worked hard to make ends meet. She held most of it in, putting up a brave front, but I could tell she wasnât the same. My father noticed it, too. Heâd stare at her with concern in his eyes. And that all started around the time when we broke up and you left town.â
Tony stood to face her. He owed Rena the full truth or at least the truth as he saw it. His voice broke when he made the confession, âI think he targeted Purple Fields after I left.â
She stiffened and her mouth twisted. âMy God,â she whispered, closing her eyes in agony. âDonât you see? The stress might have triggered my motherâs illness.â
Tony approached her. âRena, no.â
She began nodding her head. âOh, yes. Yes. My mother was healthy. There was no history of that disease in our family. Mom was fine. Fine, until the winery started going downhill. She worried herself sick. The doctors even suggested that stress could be a factor.â
Renaâs face reddened as her pain turned to anger. She announced with a rasp in her voice, âI need some air.â
Tony watched her walk out of the house, slamming the door behind her. He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration rising. âDamn it. Damn it.â
Heâd never hated being a Carlino more than now. He could see it in Renaâs eyesâthe blame, the hatred and the injury. When sheâd looked at him that way, he understood all of her resentment. He knew sheâd react to the truth with some degree of anger, but heâd never considered that sheâd blame his family for her motherâs illness.
Could it be true?
Tony couldnât change the past. All he could do now was to convince her heâd make things right. He gave her a few minutes of solitude before exiting the house. He had to find his wife and comfort her.
Even though in her eyes, he was the enemy.
Nine
Rena ran into the fields. The setting sun cast golden hues onto the vines, helping to light her way. She ran until her heart raced too fast and her breaths surged too heavy. Yet she couldnât outrace the burning ache in her belly or the plaguing thoughts in her mind. She stopped abruptly in the middle of the cabernet vines, fully winded, unable to run another step. Putting her head in her hands, tears spilled down her cheeks. Grief struck her anew. It was as if she was losing her mother all over again. Pretty, vivacious Belinda Fairfield had died before her time. Her sweet, brave mother hadnât deserved to suffer so. She hadnât deserved to relinquish her life in small increments until she was too weak to get out of bed.
Renaâs sobs were absorbed in the vines, her cries swallowed up by the solitude surrounding her. Her body shook, the release of anguish exhausting her.
Two strong arms wrapped around her, supporting her sagging body. âShh, Rena,â Tony said gently. âDonât cry, sweetheart. Let me make it right. Iâll make it all right.â
âYou ⦠canât,â she whispered between sobs. Yet Tonyâs strength gave her immeasurable comfort.
âI can. I will. Weâll do it together.â
Before Rena could formulate a response, Tony lifted her up, one arm bracing her legs and the other supporting her shoulders. âHold on to me,â he said softly, âand try to calm down.â
Rena circled one arm around his neck and closed her eyes, stifling her sobs, every ounce of her strength spent.
Tony walked through the vineyard, holding her carefully. In the still of the night all that she heard was the occasional crunch of shriveled leaves under Tonyâs feet as he moved along.
When he pushed through the door to her house, her eyes snapped open. He strode with purpose to the bedroom and lay her down with care, then came down next to her, cradling her into his arms once again. âIâm going to stay with you until you fall asleep.â
Rena stared into his eyes and whispered softly, âI hate you, Tony.â
He brushed strands of hair from her forehead with tenderness then kissed her brow. âI know.â
The sweetness of his kiss sliced through her, denting her well-honed defenses.
He took off her shoes and then his own. Next he undressed her, removing her knit top over her head and unzipping her jeans. She helped pull them off with a little tug, ready to give up her mind and body to sleep.
Tony covered them both with a quilted throw and tucked her in close. She reveled in his warmth and breathed in his musky scent despite herself. âJust for the record, sweetheart,â he began, âIâm not here just because of the promise I made to David. It goes much deeper than that. And I think you know it.â
Rena flinched inwardly, confusion marring her good judgment. She should pull away from Tony, refusing his warmth and comfort. She couldnât deal with his pronouncement. She couldnât wrap her mind around what heâd just implied. Yet at the same time, she needed his arms around her. She needed to be held and cradled and reassured.
Was she that weak?
Or just human?
âGood night, Rena.â Tony kissed her lips lightly, putting finality to the night. âSleep well.â
Rena slept soundly for the better part of the night but roused at 3:00 a.m. to find Tony gone from bed. Curious, she slipped on her robe and padded down the hallway. She found him sprawled out on the living room sofa with his eyes closed. He made an enticing sight, his chest bare, his long lean, incredible body and handsome face more than any woman could ever hope to have in a mate.
Rena shivered from the coolness in the room. She grabbed an afghan from the chair and gently covered Tony, making sure not to wake him. She lingered for just one moment then turned to leave.
âDonât go,â he whispered.
Surprised, Rena spun around to meet Tonyâs penetrating gaze. âI thought you were asleep.â
âI wasâon and off.â Tony sat up, planting his feet on the ground and leaning forward to spread his fingers through his hair.
âSorry if I disturbed your sleep.â
Tony chuckled without humor. âYou did. You do.â
Stunned by his blunt honesty, Rena blinked.
âSleeping next to you isnât easy, Rena.â Tony shook his head as if shaking out cobwebs. âSorry, I wish I could be more honorable, but youâre a handful of temptation.â
Renaâs mouth formed an âoh.â
Tony stared at her. âYou shouldnât find it shocking that I want to sleep with you. You remember how we were together.â
Renaâs spine stiffened. âMaybe you should sleep in another room.â
âI have a better idea.â He took her wrist and tugged her down. She landed on his lap. Immediately, he stretched out on the sofa, taking her with him. âMaybe I should make love to my wife.â
A gasp escaped from her due to his sudden move. âOh.â
He untied the belt on her robe, his tone dead serious. âI want you.â
His hands came up to push the robe off her shoulders, revealing the bra and panties sheâd slept in. His appreciative gaze heated the blood in her veins. âYou canât blame me for that.â
âNo. But for so many other things,â she said quietly.
âI get it, sweetheart. I understand.â Tony pulled the robe free, exposing her fully.
Positioned provocatively, feeling his hard length pressing against her, excitement zipped through her system. Her breathing rough, she barely managed to utter the question. âDo you?â
âYes, I do. And I want to make it up to you. Let me do that,â Tony said, cupping his hand around her head and bringing her mouth to his. He kissed her softly. âLet me wipe away the pain.â Again his lips met hers. âLet me help you heal, sweet Rena. Youâve been through so much.â
His sincerity, his tone, the breathtaking way he looked at her softened the hardness around her heart. She wanted to heal, to release her defenses, to feel whole again.
âTony,â she breathed out, unsure of her next move.
âItâs your call, sweetheart,â he said, stroking her back in a loving way that created tingles along her spine. Another notch of her defenses fell.
Images flashed of the good times sheâd had with Tony. The fun, the laughter and the earth-shattering lovemaking theyâd shared. As much as she wanted to forget, the good memories came back every time he touched her. âI want the pain to go away,â she whispered with honesty. Even if it was only for a short time tonight.
âThen let me take you there.â
She closed her eyes, nodding in relief, surrendering herself to the moment. âYes.â
Rena touched his chest, her fingers probing, searching, tantalizing and teasing. He felt incredibly good. Strong. Powerful. She itched to touch him all over.
Bringing her head down to his, she claimed his mouth in a lingering kiss. She took it slow, pushing aside her misgivings. His body seemed in tune with hers. Every little action she took brought his sexy reaction. Every moan she uttered, he answered with a groan. She liked being in control. It was the first time sheâd ever taken the reins so fully, and Tony seemed to understand what she needed. He encouraged her with a gleam in his eyes and a willing body.
âIâm all yours,â he whispered.
Her breath caught. She knew he meant it sexually, but Rena seized on the reality of that statement. He was all hers. But what she didnât know was, could she ever be all his?
âYouâre thinking again,â Tony scolded with a smile.
âGuilty as charged.â Rena reached around to unhook her bra, freeing her breasts. Letting her bra drop, she freed her mind as well, pushing all thoughts away but the immediate here and now.
Tony reached for her then, his touch an exquisite caress of tenderness and caring. He kissed her lovingly, cherishing every morsel of her body with his lips and hands until his unexpected compassion seeped into her soul.
Their lovemaking was sedate and measured, careful and unflappable one moment, then crazy and wild, fierce and fiery the next. They moved in ups and downs, from highs to lows, they learned and taught, giving joy and pleasure to one another. The night knew no bounds. And when it came time to release their pent-up tension, Rena rose above Tony, straddling his legs. He held on to her hips and guided her. Taking him in felt natural, familiar and so right. She enjoyed every ounce of pleasure derived from their joining. She moved with restless yearning, her body flaming, all rational thought discarded.
Tony watched her, his eyes never wavering, his body meeting her every demand. He was the man sheâd always wanted, the man sheâd been destined to love. Heâd pushed his way back into her life, but Rena couldnât trust in him, not fully, not yet. But each time they came together, her resolve slipped just a little, and her heartache slowly ebbed.
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