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“Hey, little miss, you are supposed to be admiring the art, not shopping,” someone with a deep, friendly voice whispered in my ear. I recognized him immediately. It wasn’t Luc, and I should have been happy, but instead I felt a deep pang of disappointment.
“Marco.” I turned in his arms and returned his hug. “How are you? It’s been too long!”
“First you, why are there three big dudes all packing heat watching you? Does the Met have you on some kind of watch list?”
I wasn’t even surprised I was still being watched. Though I was surprised Luc didn’t march back in here and demand to know why I was trying to get rid of him.
Marco was a friend from art school. He had recently separated from his partner, and was always a lot of fun. More importantly, he was always up for a little mischief. Since he was six-four, classically handsome and from “new money,” as my grandmother would say, he was the perfect partner in crime.
Marco had the benefit of being close enough to my world to see it clearly but separate enough to not be under its influence. His parents had meant it when they said he could date who he liked. They just wanted him to be happy.
“Marco, would you like to help me with a little project?”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “What kind of project, and why are you smiling like a super villain?”
“How are your acting skills?”
CHAPTER 22
AMELIA
“So, tell me again,” Marco said, putting his arm around me as we headed down the street to a little bistro off Central Park, not too far from the museum. “What are you hoping to gain from this?”
“A little payback.” I rested my head on his shoulder. “And maybe a little clarity.”
“You are playing with fire but slay queen. Slay.”
We went to put on a show for my uninvited, unwanted security detail at a little café on the Upper West Side.
We walked in the park holding hands while we caught up on our day to day. He had attended my wedding but had been too busy with his own relationship drama to reach out and check on me.
After the park, we went for coffee, walking with his arm wrapped around my waist to this cute café which was one of the most beautiful ones in New York. We sat outside on the street where anyone could see us, drinking coffee and laughing under a trellis full of fresh spring florals.
Several people stopped to take photos, some of the stunning, unique café and others who whispered my name or his to each other and would, without a doubt, be sending the photos to the gossip columns. To make the most of this, I made sure to constantly be touching Marco, a hand on his arm or caressing his face.
“What exactly did this man do, that you want to make him jealous?” Marco asked, taking a sip of his coffee.
“He thought I would be content, no, flattered with crumbs of his attention. And that he could delegate aspects of our relationship to his assistant.”
“Kinky.”
“Not like that, though at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if he asked Henry to knock me up if he had a more important meeting.”
Marco choked on his coffee and took a moment to regain his composure. “You are kidding, right?”
“Maybe.” I shrugged. “I don’t even know him enough to know what he is capable of. He led me to believe he was paying attention and interested in what I like. He even arranged this incredible lunch for us at the Met and was asking all the right questions. I thought he cared. Then I found out that he had his assistant make a file on me and is having me followed and under surveillance. He didn’t do any of it, his assistant did.”
“Is that normal in your world?” he asked.
“No, having your intended stalked is not okay. When I found the dossier on me, I was livid, and when he sees the next report on me, I want him to be just as angry.”
“You are intentionally pissing off one of the most powerful men in the country. A man you are going to be legally bound to till expensive lawyers do you part?” He raised an eyebrow at me.
“Yes.”
“And you are putting me in his crosshairs, too,” he pointed out.
I felt a little guilty about that, but I was pretty sure that once Mr. Manchild did his digging into Marco and found out I wasn’t his preferred body type, he would leave Marco alone.
