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Annabelle nodded and then slowly told him what Albert said.
By the time she finished, Dante’s face held a thunderous expression. “He’s not getting away with that.” He started toward the door.
“Dante, wait!” She grabbed his forearm. “Don’t. I’ve dealt with Albert before.”
“He’s harassed you before, and you didn’t tell me?” he demanded in an elevated voice.
“Before we had our agreement, and I can handle him.”
A muscle in his jaw worked. “I’m sure you can,querida, but you will soon be my wife.HandlingAlbert is no longer your responsibility.” His gaze dropped to her arm and the faint bruise forming there. His eyebrows drew together. “Did he do that?” he asked in a deceptively soft voice.
“I’m asking you not to get involved. Very soon, what Albert did and said won’t matter. My father will talk to the board on my behalf. I’m sure of it.”
“He could still merge the company with Strong Technology, Inc.”
“He won’t. Because you’re here now.”
Something indecipherable flashed in his eyes. “Correct, I am here now.”
Dante walked out the door without another word.
As Annabelle watched him leave, two words echoed in her head.My wife.
He said the words in a very possessive way. He said the words like he meant them.
12
The moment in Annabelle’s office had caused Dante to forget the reason he went there in the first place. He was in the area and stopped by to tell her that his sister, who had originally thought she wouldn’t be able to attend the wedding with the rest of his family, had changed her plans and was now able to come.
He would pass on the information later. Right now, he needed to teach Albert Strong a very important lesson. He couldn’t rid his mind of the image of Annabelle shaking. Knowing his proud, independent, strong wife—fiancée, rather—had been bullied by that man infuriated him.
She should never have had to handle him on her own, but now that Dante knew Albert had been harassing her, he would put a stop to it.
He took long, purposeful strides into Strong Technology, Inc. and stopped at the receptionist desk. “Is Albert Strong in?”
The woman at the desk looked up with a practiced smile, which widened with interest when she saw Dante. “Yes, he is. Do you have an appointment, Mr…?”
“No, I don’t.”
He took off down the hall toward Albert’s office. Though he had never visited the building before, he had done his homework on the way over and knew exactly where Albert’s office was located.
The audacity of that man to put his hands on Annabelle.Hisfucking fiancée. Did Albert not know who he was? He was Dante Fucking Escarra. He was weeks away from making vows to protect her and took his role very seriously. No woman of his would have to deal with the likes of Albert while he was fully capable of shielding her from harm.
“Sir, wait!” the young woman called out.
Dante didn’t slow down.
An older woman, clearly Albert’s executive assistant, tried to intercept him as he neared Albert’s office.
“Sir, if you tell me what you need?—”
He bulldozed past her and shoved open the door.
“You can’t go in there!” she yelled.
Albert was in the middle of pacing, holding a sheet of paper in his hand as if practicing a speech. At the interruption, he stopped his stride across the floor, and a frown creased his forehead. “Dante, what are you?—”
Dante grabbed him by the neck and slammed his cheek onto the desk. Behind him, the woman gasped, and Albert expelled a sharp cry as the paper fell from his hand onto the carpet. Dante dragged the older man’s left arm behind his back and tightened his fingers around the back of his neck.
