Page 63 of Hidden Heir, Italian Wife

And now she’d lost her job.

She knew Jax would find something for her in the Naples office, but that wasn’t the point. The point was to prove she didn’t need him. That she would be fine without him.

Finewas a sliding scale. She was devastated at the way things were falling apart, but she wouldn’t pine. No, she would build her life back to what it had been before. Better.

Or, at the very least, learn to live with this Jackson-sized chasm inside her.

The recruiter was someone who’d helped negotiate her contract with Eve’s team. It had felt silly at the time. A needless expense, really, but she was glad now that she’d had a savvy eye on her contract because she had a comfortable severance package to look forward to.

The woman happened to be in the neighborhood when Bree texted her, so Bree met her for a quick chat over a glass of wine to let her know she was open to offers and to keep her in mind for anything that might be coming up.

On the way home, Bree stopped to collect takeout from Sofia’s favorite noodle house. When she entered the apartment, Jax was there, standing in the middle of the living room with an air around him like a simmering volcano threatening to blow.

Her heart leaped with her usual reaction to his fiercely sharp good looks, but for once he wasn’t turned out perfectly. His shirt was wrinkled and his eyes were ringed by circles of sleeplessness. His hair was disheveled in a way that suggested agitated fingers had been combing it.

A twinge of guilt accosted her. He had been under a lot of stress with Tucker. Maybe another tantrum on her part hadn’t been the right move.

But she’d been sohurt.

“Sofia?” she asked.

“I had the nanny take her to Eve’s. Astrid and Jevaun are bringing their children over. Sofia was excited to see them again. I said we would come get her as soon as we could.”

Her nerves tingled as she realized they were alone, but she steeled herself against letting him know he was affecting her.

“You made good time from Mom’s.” She set the bag on the counter in the kitchen and removed the boxes. “Did you take a helicopter from Teterboro?”

“I’m not here to talk about my unnecessary commute to and from Virginia, Bree.”

“You sound angry.”

“I left anger back in Norfolk.”

“Maybe you’re hungry.” She began plating the food.

“No, that’s not it,” he said in a dangerous tone.

She brought the plates to the table anyway. “What did you expect me to do, Jax? Sit in Mom’s condo like a good little girl until you remembered that I exist? I chose to take your advice and tell the people who treat me badly to go to hell.”

“That’s not what you’re doing, Bree.” He came closer and leaned his hands on the far side of the table. “You probably don’t remember what you said the first time Sofia had a nuclear meltdown with me, do you? The first one where you were out of the house. It was just her and me. I called you, I was so surprised by it.”

“Are you suggesting I’m behaving like a child?” She crossed her arms.

“You told me it was a good sign that she lost her temper with me. You said she never kicks up for other people, only you and your mother. You said it meant she trusted me enough to push me away, knowing I’d come back. You said I should take it as a compliment.”

She swallowed the embarrassed heat climbing in her throat, unable to hold his gaze.

“I can’t tell you how flattered I am right now.”

“Prepare to be charmed to death by divorce papers, then.”

“Prepare for me to return the compliment,amore mio.” He splayed his hands as he leaned even closer. “Because I am ready to break every piece of furniture in this room.”

“Don’t call me that. Don’t you dare.” She took a half step back, chin up with challenge, but that only left her throat feeling exposed. It left her fluttering heart feeling naked and open to another mortal wound.

“I dare,carissima. I dare to pull you closer when I’m furious with you because I love you.”

“No, youdon’t,” she cried.

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