Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 99

Luca was halfway down the steps when he heard the door behind him open.

“Luca, wait.”

Antonio.

Luca paused but didn’t turn. He wasn’t in the mood for delays. His mind was on finding Sutton.

Antonio caught up, stopping beside him in the drive.

“You should’ve told me,” Luca said without looking at him.

“About Bella?”

h

Luca turned his head slowly. “Yeah. That you had feelings for her. That you’ve been walking around lately like a wounded bear.”

Antonio didn’t deny it. Just looked down at his shoes. “It didn’t seem like it mattered. Dad had made up his mind. You were always the one.”

“The one what?”

“The one who got everything. The business. The praise. The bride, sure–but the respect too. I didn’t build a fortune like you, Luca. I didn’t strike out and make my own name. I just followed the path Dad laid out.”

Luca let out a short laugh, but there was no real humor in it. “You work in the family business. That’s not nothing. You’ve kept it going. I only broke away because I hated shipping and exports. I still hate it.”

Antonio looked up. “So you really think I should marry her?”

“If anyone’s better suited to take over both businesses and keep this whole dynasty alive, it’s you. Not me. I don’t want it. I never did. I think in the long run both families will be happier with this arrangement. God, I think we both are.”

་་་་

They stood in silence for a moment before Luca clapped his brother on the shoulder. “Just don’t lie to yourself, okay? If you’re gonna, do it–marry Bella -do it because you want to. Not because you think you have to. But if the look on your face is anything to go by, I would say you are very happy.”

Antonio nodded. “Good luck finding her.”

just sat there for a second. He watched

phone rang. He

“Ricci,” he said, answering.

of security didn’t waste time. “We’ve tracked

Luca straightened. “And?”

“She vanished.”

does that mean?

she boarded a flight out of

New York?” Surely, they can pick her up on the other side. People

by her name came through immigration at JFK or any of the other major airports. It’s like

1642 Wed 25 Jun

Chapter 99

swore under his breath.

now. But wherever she is, she didn’t want to

baby out there–and his woman. And

“Find her. I don’t care what it

ended the call, frustration humming through his veins with if–only’s pounding through his brain. If only he had believed her, If

for over a week.

gone. And he had no one to blame

driveway in front of him. The call with Ricci had left him wired, restless,

yanked his phone back

of security picked up fast.

Luca said, no hesitation. “I want the best. Not good. Not decent. The

get a

it fast.

“Yeah?”

ends up in the press, you’ll be

“You got it.”

seat. His jaw clenched so tight his temples ached. The worst part wasn’t that Audrey had disappeared–it

was running–because he was the one who pushed

was all

snatched the phone

up on the

say anything at