Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 101101 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 404(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101101 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 404(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
“Mr. Morgan,” Jack, my assistant, says, tearing me from my thoughts. “I need to take this call.”
I nod and then focus my attention on Ena, who goes back to discussing how purchasing a new program that just came onto the market would improve operations and increase efficiency.
“If you look at line four on page six …”
I flip through the portfolio she gave me, but can’t find what she’s talking about, so she leans in.
“Right—”
“Does Brielle know you’re having lunch with another woman?” a voice cuts in.
Theodore DeSantis.
“Excuse me?” I quirk a brow, daring him to fuck with me.
“You went through all the trouble to steal her from me, and now you’re out with another woman,” he accuses. “Brielle deserves better.”
How old is this guy? Fourteen?
“Steal her from you?” I scoff, standing and towering over him, having had enough of his bullshit.
“That cocktease was mine fir—”
“You’d better watch what you say,” I warn him, backing him against the edge of the bar. “Brielle is mine, and I’m protective of what’s mine.”
“Yours? No way.” He scoffs, refusing to believe it. “I heard you’re working with the Antonovs, and Brielle said she wouldn’t be with anyone associated with them.”
“Hmm … well, she’s living under my roof”—I chuckle mirthlessly just as I spot Matteo and Lorenzo walking over—“sleeping in my bed. Seems like she’s mine to me.”
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Theo whines. “I spent months with that bitch playing hard to get …”
Matteo’s jaw flexes as he steps forward, but Lorenzo holds him back.
“She’s wearing my engagement ring,” I add, making Theo’s eyes go wide.
“What? No.” He shakes his head.
I pull my phone out, opening it to the pictures that Brielle’s mom took the night I proposed. And the second Theo sees them, it’s like a switch flips.
“Fuck her then,” he sneers. “I knew I shouldn’t have fucked with that bitch. She wasn’t even good in bed … wanting all that weird shit, like for me to—”
The second his words are out, I connect my fist with his pretty face, refusing to let him finish his thought. His head snaps to the side, and he groans in pain.
“Talk about my future wife like that again, and I’ll fucking bury you.” Another hit, and blood flies out of his mouth. “If I so much as hear that you spoke her name, you’re done.”
I’m about to hit him again when Matteo steps in between us.
“He’s not worth it,” he says. “As much as I appreciate you standing up for my sister, he’s a little bitch, and he’ll press charges. The last thing we need is more heat on us.”
I release a harsh breath and step back as Theo covers his mouth with his hands.
“I’m calling the cops,” he mutters, doing exactly as Matteo predicted.
Matteo chuckles darkly. “No, you’re not because everyone in this room will tell them that you tripped and fell on your ugly fucking face. Leave, DeSantis, now.”
Theo glares from Matteo to me, and then like the little bitch he is, he scurries away.
“What the fuck was Bri thinking, dating that guy?” Lorenzo asks once Theo is gone.
“She was thinking that he was her chance at a normal life,” Matteo says, emotion thick in his tone.
I’m about to respond when my phone rings. I pull it out to make sure it’s not Brielle, but when I don’t recognize the number, I hold up a finger, telling them to give me a minute, and answer the call. With my mom out of town, I always answer in case of an emergency.
“Hello?”
“Good afternoon. This is Patty with American Express. I’m calling for Kane Morgan.”
“This is he.”
The woman walks me through verifying my identity, and the entire time, I’m wondering why she’s calling, until she says, “Generally, we don’t call to approve a purchase since you’re a loyal customer, but due to the amount being so high, we need to confirm your card wasn’t stolen.”
I reach into my pocket, grab my wallet, and open it to make sure I have my card on me. Only it’s not there … because I gave it to Brielle.
“What is the purchase for?” I ask.
“A vehicle, sir. A Nissan GT-R Nismo. Total cost is two hundred twenty-one thousand dollars. A woman by the name of Brielle Antonov is making the purchase, but since she’s not an authorized user …”
“My card hasn’t been stolen,” I say with a chuckle. “My fiancée is trying to prove that she’s in control.”
“Excuse me?” Patty asks in confusion.
“Nothing.” I shake my head, realizing I’m going about this entire thing wrong.
I knew the type of person Brielle was from the first night I met her. She needs to be in control, and if I want her to be on board with this marriage, she has to feel like she’s not being forced, even though she is.
I could easily end the engagement. Dominick already agreed to the waterfront expansion deal. And truth be told, I already veered from my original plan to destroy the Antonovs and Russos when I chose to make the deal—putting business above revenge.