Page 69 of Bottles & Blades

Holding hands with a billionaire.

Or at least Ihad been.

“We’re eating dinner,” I say. “With Chrissy”—a nod—“Jean-Michel’s daughter, and Rory”—another nod—“his adopted one.” It’s an oversimplification, but not by much, and I’m not splitting hairs right now.

Not with Stefan looking like he might explode.

I’ve never seen him as anything but calm and collected andsteady.

This is?—

“And who is he to you?” Stefan asks cooly.

I open my mouth.

And once again Jean-Michel is faster.

“She’s mine.”

Which is pretty much the worst fucking thing he could have said because I watch the slender hold on Stefan’s temper snap and he takes a step forward. “Excuseme?”

Brit puts her hand on his arm, her head swiveling around the room.

I follow her gaze, see that we’ve gathered the attention of a few nearby tables.

“Maybe we should have this conversation elsewhere,” she says. “Where there are fewer prying eyes.”

“I don’t give a fuck about prying eyes,” Stefan snaps.

Jean-Michel tenses.

Her fingers tighten, like she’ll drag him out of there if she needs too, and I watch the rage ratchet up in Stefan’s face.

He wouldn’t hurt Brit.

But he’ll protect me, no matter the scene he creates.

And that’s when I know it’s time for me to step in.

“Stefan,” I say softly, waiting for a long moment before he tears his eyes from Jean-Michel’s and drags them over to mine.

His anger on my behalf is intense and intimidating and…

Touching.

He loves me. He saw me at my worst, drew me into something special with him and Brit, and I can never thank him enough for it. But I need him to be okay with what’s happening with Jean-Michel, to understand it, even as I can barely comprehend it myself.

“Will you both join us for dessert?” I ask, still quiet, still calm.

Stefan is stiff as a statue, anger and protectiveness warring in his eyes.

And he doesn’t answer.

But, somehow, that’s okay because Brit answers for them both.

Her mouth hitches up on one side. “I could go for dessert.”

“Great!” Rory chirps, snagging an empty chair from a nearby table and bringing it over, cramming it between hers and Chrissy’s. Then a second from another table and shoving it between that first chair.

---