Stolen Chances (The Meikle Billionaire Triplets Book Two) Read online

  Staring at me as if he could kill me, Rolf clenched and unclenched his jaw. He was as miserable as I was. I was happy knowing that I wasn’t the only one feeling that way, but still, it didn’t help the fact that I had to always be around him.

  Running my eyes over him, I took in his tense form and saw how messy his white shirt was; especially his shirt collar. It was crushed on one side, and he was carrying the scent of sweet cherry that wasn’t his, nor my own.

  I could have only guessed that he had been with Elizabeth. I knew that she lived in New York, but I had thought that she was out of town this week for work. Not that it mattered, or that I particularly cared. They were together for so long; I hadn’t expected Rolf to just cut her loose.

  Again, not that it mattered to me. What he did and who he did was not my concern. Our marriage would be in name alone. I was no longer engaged to Rolf’s older brother, so keeping a husband happy was no longer a priority for me.

  I had urgent matters to attend to like everyone else. Despite what everyone thought of me, I had more in my life than just sitting around and waiting for Daddy to give me what I wanted.

  “Gianna!” Rolf shouted to get my attention.

  “What?!” I shouted back.

  “Tell me, do you intentionally do this to get a rise out of me?”

  I smirked. “If I wanted a rise out of you, you would know it. Trust me.” I looked away from him, aggravated further by him.

  “You need to start answering when I talk to you. Ignoring me isn’t going to work. I need to know you’re listening and that you understand what I want from you.”

  Slowly I turned my head back to him and raised my perfectly waxed eyebrows at him. “Last I checked my name wasn’t, Angelica or Elizabeth. I don’t have to start answering you when you speak, and I don’t have to listen to you or do anything you want me to do. Get this straight right now, you knock off clone, I am Gianna Mancini!” I started to poke my polished red nails in his arm. “Gianna Mancini does not jump, skip or bark for any master. And if anything, you will be doing all three for me should I want you to. No matter what this marriage is, I will demand your respect, and you will see me as your equal, or so help me, Rolf, I’ll bring you to your knees. And I’ll start with this interview right now if you test me.”

  Silence filled the car quickly, once I was finished with my speech, all I could hear was the sound of the other cars honking and the soft piano music playing from the radio in the background. Rolf’s eyes were still locked to my own, and I kept my eyes softly narrowed, as I mentally refused to back down from my threat and cave to his demands.

  If I was going to survive, Rolf J. Meikle, I had to start acting like a Mancini. I had to show my husband to be that I wasn’t one of his ‘girls’. I couldn’t just be told what to do and how to do it, and I most certainly wasn’t going to take care of him the way Angelica or Elizabeth did.

  I wasn’t his employee, his lovesick lover, or a child. No. I was a Mancini. The only female Mancini in the bloodline and I demanded respect and fear, like the rest of my family.

  Push us hard, and we’ll push back even harder. Threaten us, and we deliver on our own threats. That was the Mancini way, and that was what I had built my bitchiness on. Meikles knew better than to mess with us. Everyone did! And it was about time I let my husband‒ to‒be know that he could expect the same from me.

  “Do you want to test me?” I challenged in a snarky tone.

  Undoing his fist, Rolf sucked in air and slowly let it go, before answering.

  “Careful Gianna, you may be a Mancini, but I fear none of you. Wife or not, I don’t care what you do or how much damage you think you can cause in this interview …” His lips curled into a warm smile and it threw me off guard. “You say or do anything that I don’t like, and it won’t be your father you’ll answer to tonight. And I am more than prepared for any fight your family brings my way, just for teaching you a good lesson on who your future husband is.”

  Reaching out and taking my hand in his, Rolf captured my chin between his thumb and forefinger and forced my head to stay still, as he continued. “In three days, you’ll be going from a Mancini to a Meikle. If you still want to destroy my company and me right now, ask yourself this first, which side are you safer with? Your husband, who cares less about what you do but will keep you safe? Or a family that was willing to sell you off to any of the Meikle brothers knowing fully well you were sleeping with the eldest?” He paused to give me time for that to sink in.

  “To them, you’re a prized mare. To me, you’re a wife I gained unwillingly. But no matter how you came to me and who you have been with, it’s my duty to protect my name and all who share it. That goes even for you Gianna. So, decide now who you are safer with.”

  Eyes still locked, I tried to pull my hand from out of his, but he kept a tight grip on me. Trying to move my head from his touch, he also kept my head still, as he killed me with his dangerously dark brown eyes. It was a look I had never seen before, and for a moment, it gave me the chills.

  Was I brave enough to defy him? Did I want to go into that interview and put Rolf to the test, and have us see just who was the superior one between us? All my life, this was how it was with my brothers. This was how it was with my father. I could only voice my option for a second, before a decision was made for me, despite what I had to say.

  Now here it was again. Only, I was given the option to do what I threatened to do but know I would suffer the consequences of my actions if I did.

  What do you plan to do Gianna? The man is waiting for his answer.

  Blinking, I lowered my eyes to our hands. What was that last part about? Who I thought I would be safer with …?

  My father and brothers ruled my life and at times said hurtful comments, but they had always seen to my safety. Even when they were annoyed with me, and I gave them a reason to be. Our family protected each other, even though my father and brothers had a funny way of showing it, at times.

  Raising my eyes to meet Rolf’s again, I blinked.

  Did he know something? Had he heard something or was he fishing, when he said that last part?

  Slowly parting my lips, I smiled at him. Daring Rolf head on, I answered slowly. “I guess we will see what I decide once we get there.”

  For a few minutes, Rolf stared at me, as he kept on holding my chin and hand. His straight bearded face held no signs of animosity towards me. Instead, Rolf looked amused by me, more than anything.

  Removing his fingers from my chin, but still holding onto my hand, he smiled back at me.

  “Be careful Gianna.” He muttered, and his thumb gently stroked the back of my hand.

  Pulling my hand free, I frowned at him and turned away.

  “Excuse me, boss, but we have arrived,” Jake said, breaking the sudden uncomfortable silence in the car.

  Rolf turned and looked out his window to see Angelica waiting out on the sidewalk in the snow, with her phone in hand along with some papers. He groaned miserably. “Of course, we have and there is the woman I hired to drive me crazy.”

  Jake chuckled as he pulled the car, alongside one of the many towering buildings in New York.

  “I’ll park in the garage and meet you upstairs sir.”

  “Thank you, Jake. And cut out the ‘boss’ and ‘sir’, it’s just Rolf.” He told him patting the guy’s shoulder as he opened his door and got out.

  Still sitting in the car, I looked at Jake, who suddenly turned and looked at me from his seat.

  “Anything else you’ll need Miss Mancini?” he asked with a pleasant smile.

  He was young. Younger than myself and it was apparent he was a new hire for Rolf. Jake had kept himself professional and had silently witnessed our argument and threats to each other the entire ride, and now he was looking at me as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

  Shaking my head, the short blonde haired boy, gave me a sharp nod and turned back around in his seat, as my door opened.

  “Time to see how brave
you are, Mancini,” Rolf held out his gloved hand for me to hold.

  Knowing it was for show, I placed mine in his, and gently he guided me out of the car and onto the sidewalk, with him and Angelica.

  “Aren’t you cold?” Rolf asked Angelica, and she gave him a dagger look.

  Dressed in a simple mustard colored shift dress, with a black and white striped cardigan sweater, Angelica had added a lovely silver and black, collar necklace to match. Her long, athletic legs were exposed to the freezing air and her open-toed nude GA designer heels gave her outfit a perfect touch.

  The tough-looking woman had her short brunette hair curled, and her face had been done with a very light touch of makeup. Her overall appearance said calm and peaceful, but her attitude said she was pissed off and ready for a fight. This was the all round personality of Angelica Paxton.

  Personal assistant to Rolf, who ran his life with an iron fist. Which was expected, given that she was an ex combat medic in the army for five years. She was tough physically, and I could only guess mentally as well, as she was able to put up with a man like Rolf. Bossing him around and telling him what he needed to do when he didn’t want to do it.

  Slapping the papers in her hands, against Rolf’s chest, she spoke. “The head of your public relations office is on vacation, and the second in command has the flu. You wouldn’t answer your damn phone, so Evelyn had the fashion department dress me, in case you didn’t make it in time for the interview.” Glancing at me for a minute, Angelica ran her eyes over me. “Gianna, it’s always good to see you. Enjoying New York?”

  Not waiting for my answer, she snapped her fingers at Rolf and pointed to the building doors.

  “So, you could have done the interview. Why drag me all the way here?” he asked, pulling me along, as he fell into step alongside his bossy assistant. “And what are these papers for?”

  “Questions the interviewer will be asking.” She pushed the door open and walked in ahead of us. “Evelyn made them so that they don’t go too deep into Gianna’s family history as to save face and ease their ties to us. The questions are tailored not to touch anything too political. Most of them are on our stocks and our next business quarter.”

  The Meikle Media building was as extravagant as the Meikle Towers in Chicago. A true legacy of Maja J. Meikle. Over thirty floors up, Maja had built her media empire’s headquarters to house not just the corporate offices, but her broadcasting news channel studio was also here. Along with her online news website, her teen’s news sector and now her up and coming magazine newsgroup; which was still in the works and not yet public.

  In front of me was a large white receptionist desk with the company’s logo hanging across the desk in bold gold letters. Four receptionists were seated behind the desk, along with two security guards at both ends. There was a small waiting area to my right, with a hanging television playing the company’s news channel.

  Behind the receptionist desk was a visible glass wall with only two large glass doors, that as you walked through, instantly scanned for weapons or anything else that wasn’t allowed into the building; with two more guards on the other side of the wall by the doors.

  Seeing the guard on the outside flip a switch under the desk, Rolf pulled me along with him, as we passed the door. Then the guard quickly flipped the switch back on. With that being done, I knew that Rolf had his gun and the scanner was turned off so it wouldn’t set off the alarm.

  Once on the inside, I pulled my hand from out of Rolf’s, and he stopped instantly and looked back at me. “We don’t have time for this.” he voiced, thinking I was going to argue again.

  “You’re moving too fast, my legs aren’t as long as yours. Your steps are wider than mine, and I’m in heels.” I pointed to my own black leather platform GA pumps.

  Angelica stopped a few feet from us and shook her head. Rolf glanced at my shoes and back at me. “Take them off.”

  “What?” I almost stuttered.

  “Take them off or have me carry you.” He repeated and closed the space between us. “We are in a hurry here.”

  “Well I am not taking them off, and you are not going –” Ignoring me, Rolf bent and picked me up in his arms and I screamed lightly, shocked by the action. “Put me down! Put me down!”

  Walking with me, Angelica resumed to take the lead, as Rolf looked at me in his arms. “Keep shouting, and you’ll draw more attention to us.”

  Looking around, I saw that he was right. People were already watching us. Some laughing and others whispering. It was embarrassing. I had never had anyone pick me up and carry me in public before.

  Wanting to disappear, I begrudgingly wrapped my arms around Rolf’s muscular neck and sank myself in his arms and tried my best to hide behind his massive build as he walked us across the lobby to the elevators.

  In the middle of the lobby, there was a large water fountain and straight above it, at the far top, was a sunroof that allowed natural light into the building. The lobby was peaceful and plain. Maja had tasteful steel benches placed in the right areas for guests and workers to sit. A small coffee booth was on the far end of the lobby, along with an all-natural juice booth, and Maja had even had a standing office map installed so that everyone could know what floor they wanted.

  It was my first time seeing and being in Maja’s building. Seeing the legacy, she would give her future child was intimidating. Not to mention how she had started it all at age sixteen from school, while I was busy lusting over her brother.

  Thinking about it made me depressed. Maja had always had a good head on her shoulders when it came to the real world. Boys and parties came last for her.

  Now here I was, witnessing the third Meikle legacy, which was as enormous as their wealth. It made me curious as to what Rolf’s building was like and the factories he owned around the world.

  “Gianna …”

  Rolf’s soft voice broke through my thoughts, and I gazed up to his face. His beard was growing so big that I wish he would shave it off. I hated seeing it. I hated it so much that when Christoff and I had been together, I had insisted that he kept his face fresh.

  “Gianna, you can let go now.”

  I blinked at his words and looked around me. We were in the elevator, and I was standing. Standing with my arms still wrapped around Rolf’s neck. Quickly as I realized it, I unwrapped my arms and took a few steps back, stopping when I felt the wall to my back.

  Watching both him and Angelica stare at me as if I were strange, I gave them an offended look, and I started to fix my coat. “I could have just met you two on whatever floor you wanted. You didn’t have to carry me across the lobby like that!” I snapped at Rolf, and he and Angelica shook their heads.

  All was right in the world again for them. Me complaining was a world they knew. Me being quiet and lost in my thoughts was a sign the world may end.

  “Now that this little show is over, Gianna, you need to make sure that should any off-script questions be asked about your family, you make it as crystal clear to the world that all rumors, past trials and future complications has nothing to do with your husband’s business.” Angelica addressed me.

  Nodding I rolled my eyes and narrowed them at Rolf, with a smirk on my face. “Just call me ‘damage control’.”

  The elevator doors opened, and Maja’s own personal assistant Evelyn Ryan met us with a smile as if she had known we were the only ones in the elevator. “G’ day Rolf, Gianna.” Her Australian accent was strong.

  Evelyn wasn’t someone I saw often or even knew too well. Not like Milo Coppola, who was Christoff’s assistant or even Angelica. In fact, I knew nothing about the classy, champagne blonde woman.

  “You both have hair and makeup now, which gives you fifteen minutes to read through the papers, Rolf.” Evelyn turned on her heels and we all exited the elevator and followed her. “Gianna, I’m sure Angelica has already informed you of your role here today. So, please choose your words carefully, and if you hesitate, then Rolf will help and lead the
way. Make this as natural as possible, and the interview will be over in no time.”

  “Is Maja here, Evelyn?” Rolf asked as we were led into the makeup room, with a man and woman waiting inside.

  Evelyn nodded. “She’s in a meeting currently but should be free once the interview is over. Angelica and I will be watching the live feed from the back room, and no, we can’t interrupt should one of you make a mistake.” Her quick answer was given when Rolf raised his hand slightly, ready to ask a question.

  “It’s not as if you haven’t done interviews before. Just make sure you stick to Evelyn’s answers on those papers Rolf.” Angelica added. Arms folded in front of her. “Our shareholders, investors and the Board will be watching.”

  “No pressure Angelica. Thank you.” His cheerful sarcasm had her cross the room and punch him in the arm. “Angelica –”

  “Mess this up, and you just may go broke! Be the first Meikle to do so today, and I will personally kill you. Neither you nor this company is going down while I’m here.”

  “You didn’t have to punch me!”

  Evelyn smiled, which turned into soft laughter. “With you two, I wonder who’s really the boss.” Her comment made Angelica turn and look at her.

  “Well we are more than just assistants.” The ex-army female muttered and walked past Evelyn and me, as she folded her arms again and left the room.

  Evelyn shook her head in amusement and chuckled. “Good luck you two.”

  “Gianna, people want to know if your family’s business benefits with your upcoming nuptials. It’s just too much of a coincidence that you are suddenly engaged to a weapons manufacturer.” The interviewer looked at Rolf and back to me. “This is the third time this month, Rolf’s factories have been forced to close because as you can see, the people believe your family will get their hands on legal weapons to resell illegally.”

  The interview had been a blatant attack on me and my family. The man that had interviewed us had gone completely off script and only asked Rolf a few questions regarding the stocks and his next quarterly balance.