Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 106

Sutton pressed her hands to her face, trying to steady herself. This was too much. Too fast. “I don’t know, but I need time to think.”

“Of course.” Luca nodded quickly. “Take all the time you need. But please, don’t shut me out. I know I don’t deserve to ask.”

Sutton lowered her hands, meeting his gaze. “If you remember, I didn’t shut you out. You pushed me away. So I came home. There’s a difference.”

Before he could respond, a sharp knock came at the door. It opened without waiting for an answer, and Nicole stepped in, her face a mask of professional concern.

“Luca, I’m sorry to interrupt, but you have that conference call in five minutes.” She glanced at Sutton with barely disguised contempt. “I’m sure whatever this is can wait.”

Luca’s expression hardened. “Nicole, the call can wait. We’re in the middle of something important.”

Nicole looked taken aback. Her eyes flicked between them, clearly trying to figure out what was happening. “But they specifically requested… well, you.”

“Either handle it or it can wait.” Luca’s voice was firm. “Reschedule it.”

Nicole’s smile tightened. “Of course. Right away.” She shot Sutton a look of pure venom that Luca missed before backing out of the office and closing the

door.

When she was gone, Luca sighed. “I’m sorry about that.”

“About what? Your guard dog?” Sutton couldn’t keep the bitterness from her voice.

“I didn’t realize she’d been giving you a hard time,” he said. “She can be… aggressive in her professional approach. I haven’t had any issues with her before. In regards to work anyway.”

Had he had issues in other ways? It wasn’t her business. “That’s one way to put it, but are you sure? Because she hasn’t been pleasant.”

Luca moved back to his desk, leaning against it, facing her. “Look, I know this is sudden. And I know you have every reason to hate me. But we need to figure this out. For the baby.” He nodded toward her belly.

Sutton rested a hand protectively on her stomach. “I’ve been figuring it out just fine on my own.”

“I want to be involved and I know you want time to think, but…” Luca said. “I want to support you both. Financially, emotionally, however, you’ll let me.”

“I don’t need your money.”

to know their father.” Luca’s

time she had

she

promise to my father, and I

“I never cheated, ever.”

wiped a hand over his face as he realized all his words were haunting him now. “I know that, and I know the baby

“How?”

you on both counts when you told me. But a doctor told me pregnant women can have a

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16:06 Sat, 28 Jun

Chapter 106

Sutton nodded.

get back to work,” she said finally, unable to deal with this

be upfront with you, Sutton. I

statement made her

had loved him. But now she… didn’t know if she could trust him. She had cried for weeks when she had come

to get married and

you found out I’m not a nobody

“No, that has nothing to do

ground right now.” Sutton wasn’t in the mood to fall at his feet in gratitude. He had hurt her and rejected

but then

are for now. I have work

more thing,” Luca added as she turned to leave.

Sutton frowned. “What?”

said you’re a talented coder. You should be in development,

applied for transfers three times,” Sutton

“Well, I’m the boss now. And I say you’re too valuable to waste at the front desk.” He grabbed a post–it, scribbled something on it, and handed it to her. “This is Jake’s office number. He’s my head of operations here.

stared at the paper, then back at Luca. “You’re giving me a job

you deserve,” he corrected. “The one this place was too sexist to give

pregnant

searching for words. “The baby is personal. This conversation would have happened regardless once I reviewed your personnel file and noticed the mismatch between

coding job was what she’d wanted since she started at Cyber10. And if it got her away from Nicole’s daily torment and allowed her to do what she loved even better,

she said, taking the paper. “I’ll talk to

expected more resistance. “We can talk more later. When you’ve