A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

"I'm Callie's real brother-her second oldest, actually. Which pretty much makes me your half-boss, don't you think?"

"If you're polite to Callie, you should show us the same respect. You only get to eat because of her. Keep up that lousy attitude and I can have Callie fire you in a heartbeat."

Valerian was sure Calliope was only giving him the car because she was under his thumb. She couldn't do anything to him. If he told her to fire Franco, he was certain she'd do it.

"Oh, so you're my half-boss? Have you ever paid me half a paycheck, then?"

Franco couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head. "I've known Callie for years. We're not just colleagues. We're friends. Compared to me, what are you? You're her brother, sure, but you don't know her a fraction as well as I do. Don't go waving your family card around. Callie can cut you off anytime she wants."

"And Valerian, I'm being nice here, telling you not to touch this car for your own good. It's not yours. If anything happens to it, you couldn't afford to pay for the damages. You know how much this car is worth, right? Even the tiniest scratch would bankrupt you!"

Franco's handsome face was set and cold. He was trying to let Valerian save face, but apparently Valerian didn't care about that, so Franco wasn't going to bother either.

So what if he was Calliope's brother? To be honest, Franco knew he wasn't even her real brother.

"Why would I need to pay anything?" Valerian shot back. "This car was a gift for me. If I want to drive it into the river, that's my business, not yours!”

"Franco, don't think you can boss me around just because you're Callie's assistant and a little closer to her. You don't get to order me around!"

Franco-stubborn, arrogant, and

This guy was impossible. No matter how clear he made things, Valerian just wouldn't

people whispering and craning their necks to see what would happen. Everyone was wondering: if Calliope showed up, whose side would she

Ulysses, another of Calliope's

and reason with

self-important. Calliope was too

the

she used to be.

too. Guys like him and Valerian weren't as special as they

like someone else had

sister away f them, like she

anymore. Content 6 met

them anymore.

voice rang out, "How

turned to see Calliope standing

until he noticed the three men flanking

and