Chapter 0225

“What?” I gasp, shocked. I mean, I don’t know what the rules are, but I’m pretty damn sure it’s not okay to go poaching other

boss's men.

Jerome just shakes his head, looking forward again, his whole body tense. “He wouldn't be doing that if he didn’t know he could

get away with it,” he murmurs. “And...soon.”

“Soon?” I ask. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Jerome continues, “that he doesn’t really seem to care if I go back and spill that to Kent. He’s not being careful

anymore, which implies that even if Kent wants to retaliate for that kind of insult...”

“...my dad doesn’t think he’ll have time to do anything big enough to hurt him.”

Jerome nods quietly and my head turns towards the windows as I start to notice, out of the corner of my eye, that we're drawing

close to home. As we pull closer I notice that the limousine is waiting in the drive out front, which I know only means trouble. I

swallow deeply, wondering what the hell I’m in for.

“Are you going to tell Kent?” I ask in a whisper, my whole body now as tense as Jerome’s.

“Nope,” he says, shaking his head as we pull through the automatic gate. “You are.”

“What!?” I gasp, appalled at the idea.

“Tell him when you’re naked,” Jerome suggests, sending me the start of a smirk that I can tell he can’t quite bring to its full

strength. “Kent’s much less likely to smack you for getting close enough for Alden to make the offer.”

“Don’t count on it,” I murmur, my hand unconsciously moving to my ass as my worried mind spins through everything we learned

today.

I only realize what I’m doing with my hand when Jerome bursts out laughing and then I blush and smack him, telling him to shut

the hell up, though I can’t help laughing myself.

The result, of course, is that by the time we both spill into the house we’re laughing hysterically at our new inside joke. But we

both fall silent as we turn the corner towards the main entry of the house, where Kent, Daniel, Natalia, and Alessi are all dressed

in formal wear, glaring at us.

Well, Daniel isn’t glaring. He smiles at both of us and gives a little wave.

But Natalia takes the lead in scolding.

“Fay,” she starts, crossing her arms and shaking her head at me. “Can you not learn to read a clock? Honestly. We are so late.”

Usually I'd blush and hurry and apologize to the end of me. But something about it - about the smug way Natalia shakes her

head at me, like she expected no less and actually thinks I might not be able to read a clock - makes me go cold.

“So sorry,” I say cooly, finding a coy

smile on my face as I wrap my ar

around Jerom sengiteting ft oe

ee lost track of time.

Jerome,” I say, looking up at him.

“Will you help me upstairs? I need to

get ready.” Please read the original

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Jerome, anxious, steps forward

eagerly but I don’t let him go too fast,

holding him back a little, 15 nso Ciesin

piee tovards the ior and then

hole em, and up the stairs, at an

almost too-leisurely pace. Kent's

face, from what I can see, is totally

blank. But Daniel grins, enjoying it.

Please read the original content at

.

“We are waiting!” Natalia calls after me, angry at my sluggish steps.

“Oh, go on without me!” I say, waving a hand after her. “I'll catch up! Jerome can drive me!”

“Why do you keep wrapping me up in

this shit,” Jerome hissesbetweer his

syigapet tOXNE top of the

winch and he’s relatively sure the

Italians can't hear us. Please read the

original content at .

“Because,” I reply, smiling up at him. “You look so good all tied up in the Lippert drama. Besides, you secretly like it.”

And then, as soon as we're out of sight of those standing below, I dash into my room, pulling him with me so that I have

someone to help me get ready in record time.