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I have Annie and the kids to think about. I can’t be analyzing the fallout of my decision. Yet, here I am, spending day and night doing just that, while Gio has been skillfully avoiding me.
Fatima taps her long nails on the line, and I scribble my name on each copy.
“Well, I guess congratulations are in order. All the best.” She stands up and walks to the door.
Done. I signed, and now I’m dismissed. Efficient. Gio would love that.
“I didn’t see this coming. I don’t judge you, Mila. Good for you. Just… usually I’m an excellent judge of situations, and I really thought you were the one who would pull him out of the shadows of his past into a normal world. Though I always believed I’d be drafting a prenup for one of the selfish women in his life. At least I can see you’re doing it for your family. Good luck.”
I stare at her for a moment, a war brewing inside me. I didn’t ask for her opinion. I didn’t want to hear from this stranger what a failure I was. If she’s trying to make me feel better by suggesting I’m not like the other women, she’s failed.
For some outlandish reason, I feel like I need to stand up for myself and own the deal. “Let’s not forget I’m getting a company out of this. Win-win.”
I stroll out of her office and find the first toilet. I lock myself in the cubicle and scream into my fist, so nobody can hear my little personal death.
* * *
If I thought the visit with Fatima was the worst of my day, I was wrong. My nerves are fragile as it is, but when I see what awaits me at the restaurant, I consider running away.
In a busy bistro near to Gio’s offices, he sits with his back to me. The hostess weaves between the tables, my heels clicking behind her, my heart thumping in my temples.
His suit hugs his broad shoulders, and my traitorous body immediately pulls toward him. But it’s my heart that shatters. There is a woman sitting across from him. Whatever this is, it’s definitely not a date with my fiancé.
My steps falter a bit before I stop and take a deep breath. I force a smile to my face as I reach the table and both of them stand up.
“Ms. Ward, so nice to meet you. I’m Hilda Steiner.” The woman, in her early forties and wearing a comfortable gray pantsuit, shakes my hand.
She looked vaguely familiar, and now the name connects the dots. She is the owner—the former owner—of the firm Gio bought for me.
This is a business meeting. I push my disappointment as far as possible and focus on my smile.
“Very nice to meet you too. Please call me Mila.”
I chance my first glance at him as he steps closer. Way too close. The smoke and spice hit me straight in the chest, closing my throat with a lump.
Our eyes meet, and one thing is clear. My dress and styling fulfilled their intended purpose.
Dark brown abyss.
The glint in Gio’s eyes confirms he loves what he sees. That one simple look wraps me in the caress of his dominance.
He lowers his lips to my temple, and I hate that I shudder. That my body immediately screams how much I want him. How much I’ve missed him.
“Nice to see you, darling,” Gio drawls.
Darling? My half-functioning brain kicks in, and I realize this affection is for the benefit of our company. But that predatory gaze is above and beyond, unnecessary for the charade. That gaze is real.
Gio moves the chair for me to sit. His arm brushes mine, and the mini explosions around my body spread heat all over.
“Nice to see you too,Giovanni.” He flinches at the formal name I have never used before. If I’m a darling... “I hope your trip was okay.” I collapse into the chair, grateful for the support.
Gio returns to his seat, glaring at me, but then he focuses on Hilda. “I landed this morning. I was in Vancouver.”
The server arrives and we order our lunch.
“Hilda, as of this morning, I transferred the title to the company to my fiancée. Everything else remains the same. You’re staying on for three to six months to ensure a smooth transition and minimal disruption for the clients.”
Hilda seems momentarily disoriented, but she recovers quickly. “In what capacity do you want to be involved?”
