Page 71 of Grumpy Boss of the Year

“Hey, is something wrong? Did I do something wrong here?”

“No,” She shrugs, and I think she’s going to look away, but instead, she looks forward. “I mean, I just told you something pretty major about my life, and I thought you would have said something in response that indicated to me that you were excited or happy.”

“What do you want me to be excited about?” I stare at her, slightly flabbergasted. She just told me she’s going to get engaged to a man she’s never met. “Am I supposed to be honored by the fact that you said you want to sleep with me before you lie in another man’s bed? I’m sure that may sound reasonable to you, but it’s ridiculous, Elisabetta.”

“Are you calling me ridiculous?”

“I’m saying that this entire situation is messed up. Do I want to sleep with you? Well, of course, but not because you want to have your last hurrah before you get married off to some man you don't even know. I don’t want to be your last fuck before you get married.”

“Who said you’d be the last?” She glares at me, and I glare back at her.

“Well, that makes me feel special.”

“Are you saying that you need me to make you feel like a Prince Charming?” She rolls her eyes. “Do you need to feel like a white knight before you slide my panties off?”

“I’d rather not have to think about the fact that I’m thrusting into a woman whose pussy is about to be owned by another man.”

“My pussy is owned by me. Period.” She almost snarls at me, her brown eyes edgy and annoyed. “If you don’t want it….”

“I never said that. I’d take you right now if I could. But we both know that's not going to happen. However, what's going to happen is that you are going to marry a strange man because your dad says so. Are you out of your mind?”

“I’m not out of my mind, but there is such a thing as family commitment, and sometimes you have to do what you have to do. This is my family. This is my well-being. This is their lives. They have needs and wants, and I don’t know if they can survive without my father helping them.” She juts her chin out in defiance. “So, if I need to marry a man to save my father’s business and my family, I will. That’s the least I can do.”

“Are you doing this because you can't stand to be poor?” I ask her, and I can tell from the irritated look on her face that this is not the case.

“No, Mr. Money Bags. I don’t give two shits about how much money I have. If I didn’t have any money, I would be okay. I would survive. I don’t need a fancy apartment or fancy clothes, but this isn’t just about me. There are other people in my life who depend on my dad, and this is about them more than anything else, people who have loved me, people who have raised me, people who have given their lives to make sure that I had a childhood, that it was as close to normal as could be.”

“I mean, I don't think it's really normal to grow up with three aunts, do you?”

She stares at me for a couple of seconds. “I wouldn't know any different. I wasn't lucky enough to have a nuclear family. I didn't have a loving mom and dad who were there for me every second of the day. I didn't grow up in an environment that was normal by any means, and you might not be able to understand that, but that's my reality, and in my reality, if someone in your family needs help, they get it. Do you understand what I'm saying?”

“I do. I feel like perhaps I would do the same thing for Daisy and Harriet.”

“You would marry a strange woman for them?” she asks, looking surprised. “Really?”

“I mean, I don't know about strange, but sexy. Yes.” I smirk, and she just rolls her eyes.

“It's not a laughing matter. Liam.”

“I’m not laughing either. We'll discuss this further in a little bit, but I have to go ahead and make this call.”

“Okay, if it's that important, fine. I mean, we've got time before the flight.”

“I know. I'll be right back.” I stand up and head out of the restaurant bar and down the walkway, I pull out my phone and call Lucinda, “Hey, boss, the files are nearly done. I just…”

“It's not about that. Get Franco on the line.”

“What?”

“What? Lucinda, I didn't stutter. Get Franco on the line. Now.”

“You're not gonna ask him about what we found out, are you? The private investigator has not come back with any verification yet, and if you bring it up, you might…

“That's not what I want to speak to him about. Get him on the phone.”

“Yes, sir. One second.” I wait as she places me on hold and listen to the goddamn awful opera music that we have. I'm gonna have to tell her to change it if it annoys me. I can't imagine how much it must annoy our waiting clients.

“Sir, are you still there?”

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