I frowned. “Why? Is she in town?”
“Nope. She’s here, actually.” Deviousness showed in my grandfather’s dark eyes. “She’s in the library entertaining hervisitors.”
I didn’t like the way my grandfather said the word ‘visitors’ uneasiness creep inside me. “Who were her visitors precisely?”
“Oh, an old friend of hers…” Grandfather replied smoothly. “…with a pretty granddaughter in tow, I might add.”
I knew it.
“I believe there will be an introduction later between you and the pretty granddaughter.” Grandfather added.
I scowled at my grandfather as his snow white hair gleamed in the sunlight. “I am not interested.”
“Tell that to your grandmother.”
Suddenly, I feel uncomfortable with my chair. I sorely regret my decision in coming here. I should have seen it coming.
“Just tell her I’m not interested in her matchmaking,nonno.”
“I will.” My grandfather answered swiftly that made me more nervous than ever. He’s about to bargain something of his own. “But I have my condition of my own.”
I rolled my eyes. “What is your favor?”
Nonnogrinned evilly. Have I somehow let myself to be trap? “I want you to find a bride of your own.”
I sighed heavily, looking at my grandfather exasperatingly. “Are we back to that thing again?”
“We never left this subject,figlio.” My grandfather contradicted, he permitted himself to smile slightly. “We just merely sidetrack.”
“For the last time.” I told mynonnowith annoyance as I stood from my chair preparing to take my leave. “I.Will.Not.Marry.”
I nearly reached the door when my grandfather spoke again. “You have to present your bride-to-be on my ninety-second birthday, Marco…”
“I told you…”
“Hear me out, boy.” The seriousness on my grandfather’s voiced gave me a pause. “If you fail to introduce your bride-to-be by the time of my birthday I will disinherit you. I will make your cousin my heir.”
“Are you crazy?” I asked my grandfather indecorously. “You hated Fabio. You never even want him to set foot in Orsini Industries and you will name him as your sole heir?”
“Call it a drastic measure, then.” My devious grandfather had said. “If I have to use that ultimatum so you will finally take a wife, so be it. And it will stop your grandmother in shoving girls under your nose if you find yourself a wife. She will be delighted if you will give her great-grandchildren to fret.”
It seems that I have been finally cornered by my sly grandfather using my dear grandmother to nudge my conscience. I guess I have to take a wife or I will lose my control over the Orsini Industries and I cannot let it happened.
“Is there a criterion for my intended bride,nonno?” I knew when I was defeated.
Triumph. Satisfaction. Glee. All flashed in my grandfather’s dark eyes before he blinked them away. “Not much.” He said. “Except she must come to a good family with fine elegance.”
“I’ll see what I can do about that.” I breathed deeply, opening the heavy wooden door.
“Where are you going?” My grandfather asked. “Yournonnais expecting you to see her in the library once we finished this discussion.”
I looked back at the man they considered as one of the most powerful men in Italy. I gave him a rakish grinned. “Tell her that my presence needed in Rome immediately. I have to go. I think I knew who can help me to find my bride. Goodbye,nonno.”
I didn’t wait for his reply and walked out on the Orsini mansion. I slide to my Ferrari and sprang the engine to life immediately. My grandmother might see me and forced me to introduce to another girl she thought will be suitable bride for me. If they are desperately wants to see me married like my friend Lucca Cavelli I might as well chose my own bride. There is one person I can think of that could help me with my dilemma.
I don’t know how she will react to my business proposal to her but it was worth the try. I grimed smile slip off my face. It’s been awhile since I saw the ice queen. Since we helped Lucca in rescuing his wife who had been abducted by her ex-fiancé in Las Vegas few weeks ago. I also need some good adrenaline rush after the blackmail grandfather gave me.
When I woke up this morning this was not I’m expecting when I visited my grandparents. Hell! It was the last thing I expected.
After an hour or so, I finally arrived at the building where the ice queen’s office was located. I rode the elevator and punched the number of floor. Once I arrived at her office I strode directly to her office.
“Sir! Sir…” Her loyal secretary blocked my way. “You can’t just barge in Mrs. Marcolini’s office without appointment.”
I just ignored her and continue to walk. My sole purposed was to see the ice queen so I opened her office door and shut it firmly on the secretary’s stunned face.
“What the…” The ice queen started as the door closed rattling the frames on the wall.
“I need you to find me a bride.” I stated without preamble looking directly to her beautiful hazel eyes.
—
Guys follow me on facebook http://www.Facebook.com/meshackshaxee

Chapter 1

Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
-Francis of Assisi
Francesca Marcolini’s POV
I have a very busy morning. I have been reading papers for the coming charity ball next week. I am one of the organizers of the event. My peaceful but hectic day at the office momentarily interrupted when someone barged in my office as if he had every right in doing so.
“What the…” I started but then again good manners were wasted on this man. He strode in my office as if he was the king and I should bow to his feet.
“I need you to find me a bride.” He announced arrogantly. I wouldn’t be more surprised if he asked me to give him the moon.
“Are you drunk?” I asked, looking at him briefly before I settled my gaze back on my papers.
“No.”
“Are you on drugs?”
“No.”
“Are you mad?”
“No.”
“Good.” I told him coldly. “Now get going. You’ve made a mistake. I’m not a matchmaker I’m a teacher. You’ve come to a wrong person to ask for help.”
“Ah, that lovely school teacher’s voice.” Marco Orsini remarked, taking the chair in front of my desk. “It makes me want to be a naughty student.”
“Signore.” I warned, glaring at him openly.
He held up his hands in what it seemed like surrender. “Okay, fine. I just want you to find me a bride, Francesca.”
“I’m not a matchmaker,Signore.” I told him firmly. “I’m a private teacher for etiquette.”
The devil got that look of innocence in his dark eyes. If I didn’t know better him I would believe that he’s genuinely disappointed with my refusal. “Aren’t you going to help your friend on his predicament,Signora?”
“We aren’t friends,Signore.” I replied truthfully. I can never be friend with this womanizing devil who changes women as often he changed his clothes.
“I believed we are.” He contradicted smoothly, flashing his infamous grinned that often makes women swoon. “Remember that we made a deal to call it a ceasefire when we helped our friend, Lucca to rescue his wife from that psycho ex-fiancé of hers in Las Vegas? That makes us friends.”
I frowned. Remembering that day I agree to have a truce with this devil. “Well, that agreement was now null and void.”
“How cold.” He remarked, making himself comfortable in the chair across to my table as if he intend to linger longer here in my office. I should have sent him away as fast as I can. He’s too much for my peace of mind. “You wounded me, Francesca.”
“Are you not busy running the Orsini Empire? Thousands of employees depend on you and here you are slouching in my office as if you have all the time in the world?” I asked in a bored tone as I settled my gazed on his dark cynical eyes.
“If I was another man I would think that you are sending me away,cara.” His lips twitched with a private smile.
I glared at him.
But then he sighed heavily. “But then again I might lose my position in the Orsini Industries if I didn’t find a bride.”

If I thought that he finally surrender I was mistaken. He gave me a rakish smile as happened to glance at his watch and stood from his chair. “Oh, you will.”
“I’m not.”
“I have to go now.” He announced regretfully as he opened the door of my office. “One way or the other, my lovely ice queen. You will find me a bride beforenonno’sbirthday. I will make sure of it. We will be in each other’s pocket until then. This will be thestartof our good friendship. Goodbye for now, Francescamia. I will keep in touch.”
Once he firmly shut the door on my office. I breathe deeply I didn’t realized I was holding. I didn’t know where I’m more scared, the fact that he stubbornly wants me finds him a bride or the fact that he promised that this will be the start of our friendship?
I shivered at the thought.
—-
Follow Me On Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/meshackshaxee