Page 94 of Brassy Bigwig

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

DIMITRIOS

Itried to get Chloe to leave after the package arrived earlier, but she said she was fine. I think she is, for the most part. But I also know she’s trying to be strong for the people around her. She wanted to wait and tell Shelby about the videos in person, so she invited her and Reed over for dinner tonight.

“Almost ready to go?” We’re finally leaving for the evening, and I can’t wait to get her home.

“God, yes. Shutting down now. I’m going to text Shelby and tell her to come over.”

“Okay, I’ll be right out.”

I have my own text message to send.

Pulling Emilia up in my contacts, I start a new message.

Me: Tomorrow 8 P.M. Meet me at Angelo’s Coffee House.

Emilia: I said dinner, Dimitri.

Me: You want to talk, this is where we’re doing it.

Emilia: Pick me up at 8:30 at The St. Regis Hotel.

Emilia: Don’t be late.

I shove my phone in my pocket without responding.

Whatever.

I’ll just do what she wants and get it over and done with. The quicker I can get her out of our lives the better.

“What do you feel like doing for dinner?” I ask Chloe once I reenter the lobby.

“I’m not very hungry, so whatever you’re in the mood for is fine by me.”

The elevator doors close as she speaks, and I get a flashback of her laying on the dining room table the other day.

“That’s a dangerous statement, théa.”

A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth as I watch her blush.

“As wonderful as that sounds, honestly, I’m completely worn out. I can’t remember the last time I was this tired.”

I wrap my arm around her, and she rests her head on my shoulder.

“We’ll go to bed early tonight. Maybe we can work from home tomorrow.”

“Sounds wonderful,” she responds. “You know, I would bet money people have figured out there is something going on between us by now.”

“I’m sure you’re right, but I can’t bring myself to care about what they think.”

“I know. I don’t, either. I just don’t want it to look bad on you, that’s all.”

I know it bothers her. She’s very proud, as she should be. She’s great at what she does, and she puts her heart in to her work. I don’t want people thinking poorly of her any more than she wants them thinking poorly of me. But there will always be assholes out there who are jealous and won’t see it that way.

Kissing her on the top of her head, we ride the rest of the way to the ground floor in silence.

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