Page 74 of Grumpy Boss of the Year

“Have you ever thought that maybe you already have,” I say cruelly and coldly. “I will personally email you a contract tonight. I will have my attorney work on it.” I hang up and stand there, feeling cold and impassive. I’m about to cross a line I can’t come back from. I’m about to make a decision that will change many lives. And I don’t know if I’m doing it for money or to help Elisabetta. My head pounds as I think about the secret I have to keep from her. Can I really be with this woman, knowing something so powerful? I don’t know. The lines are becoming too gray and blurred. Everything about this situation is blowing up in my face. It was meant to be an easy task. It seemed like serendipity when Franco realized his daughter’s best friend worked for the lawyers who handled all my business. He said she would step up if she thought Skye was being mistreated, and if she didn’t, I was to infiltrate their lives. Which would have been quite easy, now that the friend group was dating all the partners. I wasn’t meant to get personally or physically involved. I was just meant to be a jackass and get Elisabetta running to Italy.

Only she is not her father’s daughter. She is something much more special than that. However, I don’t know if she is more special than four hundred million dollars.

I call the law firm and ask for Remington Parker.

“Liam, I heard you and Elisabetta were going on a trip. What’s going on?”

“I need your help with something,” I say somberly.

“Oh?”

“And you can’t tell anyone.” My voice is firm. “Not Juniper, not Max, not Kingston. For now, this stays between us.”

“Liam, what’s going on?”

“You need to contact Brody Everett in Los Angeles. He’s a guy I know…a good guy. I’m going to call him when we get off the phone. He owes me a big favor, and he’s going to pay it back.”

“What are you talking about? You’re talking in riddles.”

“You’ll understand when I email you later. All the information I send you, I need it written up in an official contract by tonight. Do you understand?”

“Liam, I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

“I’m trying to save a major deal…and be a Prince Charming in the process. You’ll understand later. I have to go.” I hang up and squeeze my phone in my hand. I’m likely making a decision I will later regret, but I don’t have time to overanalyze anything right now.

Chapter Seventeen

Elisabetta

The plane ride is pretty silent. There are only ten of us on the flight, and I'm curious about where we're going. I peek over at Liam and watch as he reads his book. It's some crime thriller by an author I've never heard of.

"Everything okay?" he says, looking up, catching me unawares.

"Yeah, I was just wondering who that author is," I say, nodding toward the book. "I've never heard of him before, and you seem so engrossed."

He smiles at me. "Is that really what you were wondering?"

"Uh, yeah. Why would you?—"

"Or were you wondering if I'd like to join the mile-high club?"

He folds the corner of a page down, closes the books, and tucks it into the seat pocket in front of him. He turns toward me and gives me a wicked grin. "Because if you're interested in joining, I would be very happy to initiate you."

"Who says I'm not already a member?" I say, staring back at him, my heart racing.

"I don't know. Are you a member?" He leans forward. His blue eyes are questioning, and I shake my head quickly.

"I'm not, but it's not because I haven't had the opportunity."

"I know." He grins. "I'm pretty sure that many men would love to have the opportunity to take your in-the-air cherry."

"My what?" I burst out laughing. "Are you kidding me?"

"I'm not. I'm really not," he says, "but now that I think about what I just said, it does sound absolutely ridiculous, so my apologies."

"You're so British," I say, shaking my head.

"What does that mean?"

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