Page 30 of Plunge into Obsession

“How is she?” he asked.

I grunted.

He didn’t say anything.

Just watched me.

I fired up my computer, trying hard to ignore the fucker’s eyes boring into me.

Fucking impossible.

I let out a tired sigh. “What?”

“Do you think you can stay away from her?”

“Yes,” I answered because there was no other option. I needed to stay as far away from Bianca Hansley as possible.

Not for my sake—forhers.

“You know, there are worse things in life than marrying a woman you are wildly attracted to. Someone you’re obsessed with.”

I nodded. “Yes, there is. Like being forced to marry a monster.”

“I’ve known you a long time, brother, and I don’t think being married to you would be the worst thing in the world for her. You are not your father. Or your brother.”

“No, I’m not. I’m much more ruthless than they were.”El Despiadadowas right. “I’ve made more enemies than they ever had. Everyone will be gunning for her to get to me.”

“Or you could think of it simply as you’re able to protect her better than anyone else could.”

I turned to him. “So you’re for this now? You think I should just marry this girl? What about your whole bid on marrying for connections?”

He shrugged. “It’s not like we need them. Besides, that was before I saw the way you looked at her tonight.”

“And how did I look at her?”

He smiled a little and stood. I resisted the urge to punch the smile off his face. “Like she’s already yours.”

And with that, he left the room.

I stayed where I was, sitting at my desk, and eventually, I leaned back in my chair.

Fuck.

5

BIANCA

Corey was fired.

Kaia and I shared a smile when Piama told us the news.

I still couldn’t believe Gabriel had fired Corey because of what he’d done to me.

It was one of the best bits of news I had received in a while. And it was made better when we met the new manager, Julianne Gomez, a woman in her late thirties with a no-nonsense attitude and who was professional in every sense of the word.

And Gabriel might have said something to her, because she was nice to Kaia and me.

I was grateful to him.

---