CHAPTER ONE

      IT WAS RUMORED that Alessandro Di Sione had once fired an employee for bringing his coffee back two minutes later than commanded and five degrees cooler than ordered. It was rumored that he had once released a long-term mistress with a wave of his hand and an order to collect a parting gift from his assistant in the following weeks.

      There were also rumors that he breathed fire, slept in a dungeon and derived sustenance from the souls of the damned.

      So, when his shiny new temporary assistant scurried into the room, with red cheeks and an apologetic expression, on the heels of his grandfather—who appeared neither red-cheeked nor sorry for anything—it was no surprise that she looked as though she was headed for the gallows.

      Of course, no one denied Giovanni Di Sione entry to any place he wished to inhabit. No personal assistant, no matter how formidable, would have been able to keep his grandfather out. Age and severely reduced health notwithstanding.

      But as his typical assistant was on maternity leave and her replacement had only been here for a couple of weeks, she didn’t know that. She was, of course, afraid that Giovanni was an intruder and that she would be punished for the breach of security.

      He saw no point in disabusing her of that notion. It was entirely possible she would spend the rest of the day deconstructing the meaning to his every glance in her direction. Likely, in the retelling, she would talk about the blackness of his eyes being a reflection of his soul, or some other such nonsense. And so, his reputation would darken even more, without him lifting a finger.

      “I’m very sorry, Mr. Di Sione,” she said, clearly out of breath, one palm pressed tightly over her rather unimpressive breasts.

      He made a low, disapproving sound and raised one dark brow.

      She was trembling now. Like a very small dog. “Should I go back to work, sir?” she asked, nervous eyes darting toward the door.

      He waved his hand and she scurried back out much the same as she had scurried in.

      “I see you’re up and moving around,” Alex said, not descending into sentimentality because his relationship with Giovanni didn’t allow for that. With each returned Lost Mistress, Giovanni’s health had recovered bit by bit.

      “It’s been a while since my last treatment, so I’m feeling better.”

      “Good to hear it.”

      “The way you acted toward your assistant was not overly kind, Alessandro,” his grandfather said, taking the seat in front of Alex’s desk somewhat shakily.

      “You say that as though you believe I have a concern about being perceived as kind. We both know I do not.”

      “Yes, but I also know you’re not as terrible as you pretend to be.” Giovanni leaned back in his chair, both hands planted on his knees. He was getting on in years and, after seventeen years in remission, his leukemia had returned. At ninety-eight, Giovanni likely didn’t have many years left on the earth regardless of his health, but it had certainly added a bit of urgency to the timeline.

      The goal being to recover each and every one of Giovanni’s Lost Mistresses. Stories of these treasures were woven into Alex’s consciousness. His grandfather had been spinning tales about them from the time Alessandro was a boy. And now, he had tasked each of his grandchildren with finding one of those lost treasures.

      Except for Alex.

      He had been expecting this. Waiting for quite some time to hear about what part he might play in this quest.

      “Maybe not,” Alex said, leaning back in his chair, unconsciously mimicking his grandfather’s position.

      “At least you do not dare to behave terribly in my presence.”

      “What can I say, Nonno? You are perhaps the only man on earth more formidable than I.”

      Giovanni waved his hand as if dismissing Alex’s words. “Flattery is not the way with me, Alessandro, as you well know.”

      He did know. His grandfather was a man of business. A man who had built a life out of nothing upon his arrival to America, a man who understood commerce. He had instilled that in Alex. It was how they connected. Where their minds met.

      “Don’t tell me you’re feeling bored and you wanted to get your hands back into the shipping business?”

      “Not at all. But I do have a job for you.”

      Alex nodded slowly. “Is it my time to take a mistress?”

      “I have saved the last one for you, Alessandro. The painting.”

      “Painting?” Alex lifted a paperweight from his desk and moved it, tapping the glass with his index finger. “Don’t tell me you were a great collector of clowns on velvet or some such.”

      Giovanni chuckled. “No. Nothing of the kind. I’m looking for The Lost Love.”

      Alex frowned. “My art history is a little bit faint at my advanced age, but the name does sound familiar.”

      “It should. What do you know about the disgraced royal family of Isolo D’Oro?”

      “Had I known there would be a test, I would have studied before your arrival.”

      “You were given a very expensive education at a very high-end boarding school. I would hate to think my money was wasted.”

      Alex shifted, his hands still curled around the paperweight. “A school filled with teenage boys halfway across the world from their parents and very near a school filled entirely with teenage girls in the same situation. What is it you think we were studying?”

      “This subject would have been related to your particular field of study. The Lost Love is a very scandalous piece of royal history.