Hi guys! before diving into this book i'd like to remind everyone of the fact that we live on earth; a place where everyone is free to be themselves, write what they want and say what they want.

no one deserves to be insulted or humiliated just because their race or height or hair colour is different from yours. the characters in this book are all unique and i would appreciate it if no one insults or judges them just because they said or did something they didn't like.

it is physically impossible to please everyone so the people that in fact love and would like to share or comment on this book should carry on and the people that wouldn't; there are other books and sites for you to read on.

have a blessed day everyone!

Also, if you want an earlier complete version of this book; you can find it on wattpad. My username over ther is stella_nde also.

Prologue

Flavio Del Grassi let his honey coloured eyes scan the unusually crowded ball room. He was currently burdened with an unwelcome feeling of confusion. He always held a ball every year for his business associates which ages where either 40- something or 70- something it was highly rare to find a 30- something in the crowd but he was unpleasantly surprised with the out come this year.

Mostly it was partners, stock holders, stock brokerage, interns and personal assistants. It was so crowded that he could barely hear is own thoughts. He stretched his hand out and grabbed a flute from a passing tray and just as expected, he took a large gulp before looking at the nearly finished glass.

Flavio wasn’t much of a socialist. He was an internationally known entrepreneur and so he had to throw and or attend events on a regular basis. Retracting his hand from his pocket, he flicked his wrist and darted his vision to his rolex. A deep sigh escaped his lips before he briskly turned around and collided with a surface he barely felt.

“Shit!”

He stared at the now champagne stained dress belonging to a woman whose face was covered by her thick waves of long chocolate coloured hair. She was practically frozen with her arms farther away from her dress and for the first time in a long while; Flavio didn’t know what to do. He had never been in such a situation before.

All the guests where conversing and dancing; all oblivious to the little accident and Flavio couldn’t be any more grateful for the turn out for the first time that night. She finally raised her head and that’s when he felt like someone had sucker punched him in the gut.

She was breathtakingly beautiful.

Electric blue eyes and full red lips that was currently in a tight scowl as she assessed him with an undeniably irritation filled glance.

“You fool! Could you make use of your damn eyes since you have them!” She exclaimed, grabbing a handful of tissues from a maid and vigorously dabbing the very noticeable wet patch on her dress.

She was angrily mumbling curse words as she stomped away from him and that was when Santiago had realised he hadn’t said a single word. For the first time in over fifteen years, he was tongue tied, Fuck.

*

Katalynna Alcazar was a stunning woman. She had it all; beauty, brains and a rich daddy. Upon every perfection and flaw she had, she was extremely confident.

When an invitation was hand delivered to her office in Florence by her assistant, she had flicked her wrist; disposing it in the nearest bin. She wasn’t interested in some boring party filled with old perverted geezers and their plastic surgery wives and or mistresses. She had kindly asked her assistant to RSVP a 'no' to the invitation and leave it at that.

In a days time, she got a phone call from her largest investor in her newly inherited company; her father Mr Julius Alcazar.

“What is this I’m hearing Lynna? You aren’t attending the Del Grassi annual business ball? I handed my company to you in full confidence that you'd take it to another level but also continue the legacy, you’re going and that’s final.”

She hadn’t even had the chance to say hi before he hung up and now just like always, he was treating her like a ten year old; making her do what she absolutely didn’t want to.

Katalynna was a stuck up woman but one thing she never passed up on was shopping. She grabbed her bag and her assistant and was out the door in under five minutes.

After hours and hours of shopping, she settled on a burgundy satin dress with a low neck line and a slit that stopped by her upper thigh.

She was currently looking at her reflection in the mirror, her nose flared and her eyes where as icy as freaking Alaska.

She looked down at the stain on her dress and groaned out loud once again. Making Menna; her assistant cringe.

Menna was attentive and extremely sharp. She was excellent at her job and when she was shoved in a corner, unable to fix a problem; she cringed almost every two minutes. She fiddled her thumbs and adjusted her large glasses. “Miss Alcazar-”

“I told you to call me Lynna.” Katalynna practically growled.

“I- I’m sorry. Lynna, how about I grab your coat and we leave?”

Katalynna nodded and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear before biting at her artificial nails. As soon as Menna left, she returned with her faux fur coat and her purse. Mumbling a small 'thanks' Katalynna shrugged on her clothes and walked out of the bathroom and soon after, she was at her limousine.

The atmosphere in the vehicle was ice cold and as usual, Menna cracked it with business. “Miss Alcazar, um every follower of Alcazar enterprises knew you were attending a ball tonight and your experience is needed for the speech board.”

With a careless shrug, Katalynna said the first thing that came to mind. “Why not just inform every follower how terrible my night went and be sure to add the fact that I definitely wont be attending any Del Grassi ball ever again, that’s a mistake I wont be making a second time.”

Menna stared at her employer; her eyes as wide as sausage rolls before adjusting her glasses to the very base of her nose. “Are you sure about that Miss- Lynna? I mean, this will remain here practically forever.”

Lynna looked down at her stained dress before darting a death glare at her. “Do I look like I’m ever unsure of any decisions I make?”

Shaking her head furiously, the Petit woman quickly wrote down what was expected and before the universe could intervene, she posted the message.

CHAPTER ONE

Katalynna watched intently as the old, obese and balding man tried masking his fear by tapping his chubby fingers on her clear glass table. A knowing smirk hugged her lips before she tucked her thick brown hair behind an ear; her signature sign of victory.

“Now Mr Mathews, you don’t think I’m some dumb girl put in this seat by her daddy do you? Because I can assure you that I’m more than what meets the eye. You cannot blackmail and or fool me into paying more than 70 percent of my hard earned money for a company that barely makes a sale every month. I know all your sales over the past year and I’m sad to say its quite awful how you lost what? 7 investors within three hours last month, come on if I was actually as heartless as everyone claims I am, I would have bombarded you with legal officers after legal officers and not only would I have taken you company for free; you'd also owe me a little over 2.3 million pounds now do I have to make that call or are you willing to sign the damn contract.” She finished with nothing but a smile on her full red lips.

Octavio Mathews looked like he was slapped across the face with a shovel right before his shaky hands signed the contract laid before him and rising to his feet.

“Everyone was right, you’re ruthless.”

“If you actually believe that to be an insult that I’m sorry to inform you that you are much more daft than you seem.” She shot back; her defence wall instantly growing taller.

Rising to his feet, the poor man pathetically scurried out of her office.

Lynna grabbed the contract before smiling to herself; just her second year as CEO of Alcazar shipping Inc. and she had scored another multimillion pound company and all that was left was the transformation process.

She rose from her seat whilst grabbing her bag and her cell phone before dialling her most used number.

“Menna, get a reservation for seven tonight, I’m meeting a potential client and a rival buyer for dinner.”

“What restaurant miss Alcazar?”

Katalynna rolled her eyes, after two years Menna still called her Miss Alcazar sometimes and she had decided to ignore it.

“Marinara’s.” She said before ending the call.

One thing she loved absolutely more than making easy money was making it right in front of someone who intended to make the same amount of money. She couldn’t remember how many times she had done it and oh it felt like that feeling you get when the ice cream man sells you the last popsicle bar right in front of so many more customers.

With one last look at her schedule, she headed out of her office building and into her limo.

“Home.” She ordered before the driver started the car and drove her to her destination.

*

Flavio washed his face for what seemed like the millionth time but in actual reality it was just the third time. His determined expression stared back at him as if pepping him for the night he had planned.

He sighed before grabbing a crisp white towel from a table top and wiping his face dry. The unmistakeable sound of heels clicking not only gave him advanced warning of a female presence but also confirmed his suspicions that one of the new help he hired believed anything a stranger would utter to get into his home.

“I thought I'd find you here.”

He looked up to find one of the most familiar faces he had ever bedded standing by his door. “Izadora.” He said before plastering a well practised smirk on his lips, showing her he was clearly not intimidated by her presence.

Izadora Valverde was a tall and beautiful auburn haired journalist. They had met when she was appointed to write an exposé on the Del Grassi family. Not only did she do a great job on it but she also did an amazing job in his bed.

It was like a drug he was addicted to for three long months, when he travelled; they'd have long agonising phone calls, when he was mere minutes away; they'd practically run to each other before ripping off their clothes and getting down to business but then her office decided to move her all the way to the united states.

No matter how much the sex is good, Flavio Del Grassi never gave up business for a woman.

He stuck his hands into his pockets before raising a brow; silently asking her to speak. With a confidence filled shrug; Izadora placed her hands on her full hips before grinning. “I actually expected to be screaming your name at the top of my lungs by now.”

Chuckling, he shook his head and poured himself a glass of bourbon. “How long as it been? 2 years? 4? Come on you do know I was twenty seven then right?”

“Age is nothing but a number Flavio, everything we did and felt was real and you know it.”

“Of course I’m not an imbecile Izadora, we had sex about a thousand times in about a hundred different locations and ways. We had our share of fun and carnal pleasures but you're not special, I’ve had multiple partners before and after you and many of them satisfied me.”

“I see you're still the egoistical non committal man I’ve ever met.”

“Egoistical; yes, non committal; no. I’m not afraid of commitment I just haven’t found the right woman to make me find my business as my perfect companion.”

“Ouch, straight to the feels.” She teased, walking further into his bedroom and closer to him.

“You didn’t come here so catch up on our 'emotional positions' Izadora so why are you here?”

“You were the first to know when I got transferred and I figured it'd only be nice if you were also the first to find out when I got transferred back here.” She said smiling.

With an absent minded nod, Flavio's eyes darted toward the clock. “Look Izadora if I don’t leave now, I’m certainly going to be late and you know how much I hate being tardy so why don’t I walk you out and we can catch up over coffee during the weekend in about two weeks?” He said raking his brain to figure out when he'd be free enough to endure her unforgettable sexual innuendos and untameable libido.

Izadora plastered a fake smile on her face before nodding. “Yeah, I’m busy too anyway.”

*

Katalynna reapplied her coat of red lipstick before adjusting her figure hugging dress and stepping into the restaurant. Emilio Montalvo sat alone at a secluded part of the restaurant awaiting his companions for the night.

Her heels clicked against the finely tiled floors as her curled hair bounced loosely. She placed her manicured hand on his shoulder before speaking. “Emilio.”

The unmistakeable business tycoon raked his eyes down her voluptuous body, not bothering to hide the fact that he found her extremely attractive.

“Katalynna Alcazar; we finally have the pleasure of meeting face to face.” He said placing a kiss on both her cheeks.

“You look absolutely ravishing.”

She smirked before taking a seat beside him. “And you look absolutely handsome.”

Emilio grinned as he let go of her small hand and settled into his seat. “I don’t mean to be prudish but may I ask who the second buyer is?”

Before he could answer her question, heavy footsteps drew closer to their table and a velvety voice pulled her attention.

“I apologise for my tardiness.”

She looked up to find a six foot three glass of tanned, dark haired goodness that she instantly recognised.

His eyes darted toward her too before his brows furrowed and as if planned, they both spoke in sync. “You!”