Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 109

Sutton stood at the bus stop after her first day in the development team, which had been a whirlwind… no, the whole day had been a bloody tsunami of emotions, starting with the confrontation with Luca to proving herself to the skeptical dev team. At least she’d texted Blair earlier to confirm she was okay and to let her know she and Keira would still be coming over tonight.

The sky darkened ominously overhead, gray clouds. Perfect. It looked like rain. Great, this was all she needed to get wet to the skin. Just what she needed to end the day.

She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, glancing at her phone to check the time. Her bus was already five minutes late. Other people waiting for buses huddled under the small shelter, everyone avoiding eye contact. It was the thing she hated most about the city.

The first drops of rain began to fall, spattering the sidewalk with dark circles. Sutton edged closer to the shelter.

A sleek black car slowed beside the curb, before the passenger side window rolled down. Sutton’s stomach tightened as Luca leaned across the passenger seat, his dark eyes on hers.

“Get in,” he ordered.

Sutton didn’t move. She was not impressed with his tone. “I’m taking the bus.”

“Sutton, it’s raining.” As if on cue, the rain started to speed up, cold drops sliding down her neck.

“Really, I would never have guessed without you pointing that out,” she shot back, pulling her jacket tighter. Several people at the bus stop were watching now, the little standoff and the expensive car catching attention. People really could be nosy.

Luca’s jaw tightened. He didn’t like her defying him. Well, tough. “Sutton, the longer you stand there arguing with me, the more likely someone from the office will see us. Or worse, the media could snap a photo. Do you really want that?”

Well, shit. The last thing she needed was to end up in some gossip column connected to Luca De Santis. No one in the USA had figured out yet she was Audrey. She wasn’t as well known as Luca, but if someone made the connection before, she had a chance to prove herself as a programmer… no thanks.

That thought had her glancing nervously toward the office building just down the road, where some employees were still coming out the main doors.

“Fine, whatever.” She huffed, moving toward the car, and yanked the door open. She hauled her pregnant, damp self into the low damn car like it didn’t piss her off every step of the way.

The interior was lovely and warm. It smelled of leather and Luca’s cologne and him, that familiar scent that used to cling to her skin after nights in his

arms.

To stop herself from thinking of that, she fastened her seatbelt, careful not to meet his eyes.

“Where to?” Luca asked, pulling into traffic.

Sutton glanced at him, surprised. “You don’t know where I live?”

“Listen, Sutton, I may have finally tracked you down, but I haven’t had time to find out everything.”

“Yet?” she replied, one eyebrow raised.

“Yet,” he agreed, not denying anything.

The word hung between them before Sutton gave him her address reluctantly, watching as he entered it into the car’s navigation system.

They drove in silence for a few blocks, raindrops racing each other across the windows, the wipers creating a hypnotic rhythm. Sutton could feel Luca’s gaze flicking to her every so often.

“You’re taking the bus every day?” he finally asked, disapproval in his voice.

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Chapter 109

“Yes. It’s convenient.”

“It’s not safe.”

“I’ve been taking public transportation my entire life,

my child before,” he pointed out,

our child,” she corrected automatically. “And I’m perfectly capable

“But you’re pregnant.”

a food baby,” she deadpanned, resting a hand on her rounded belly. “Thanks for pointing

on crowded buses or subway platforms. What if someone bumps into you? What if you

Earth tomorrow? What if aliens invade?” She shook her head. “I

goes around.”

you taking unnecessary risks with the

strong movement that made Sutton wince. Luca

he asked, concern replacing

today.” She rubbed I the spot gently. “Probably all

emotions.”

“May I?” he asked, his voice suddenly uncertain, eyes flicking

guard. Her instinct was to refuse, to keep that boundary firm. But something in his expression stopped

Not while

attention to the road, but the tension in the

feeling made heat raise to Sutton’s cheeks. She turned her head to look out

him.

service pick you up and drop you off,” Luca said after a

the moment was gone. Life was like a balloon but one prick and it was gone. God, she felt like she was channeling

“No.”

“Sutton…”

need a car service. I

arranging your life. It’s about taking

and

taking care of myself just fine without you, remember?” she said, the

“Because I

didn’t believe me,” she countered. “Because you called me a liar and a

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Chapter 109.

now, matching the

a mistake,” Luca said, his voice tight with restraint. “One I’ve regretted every day since. But I’m here now, and I’m trying to do the

right thing would be respecting what

when those decisions put

“I’m pregnant, not made of glass.

not carrying

exactly why I should just say no to your proposal, too. You think you can

making demands, I’m

didn’t ask

too stubborn to admit you need it!

in front of her building.

fell rapidly, her face flushed with anger and something else, something she didn’t

you,” Luca said

been just fine without you,” Sutton replied, but the fire had gone out of her

But I need to give it. Can you understand that? I’ve missed six months of this pregnancy. Six months I can never get back. Let me do this, Sutton. Not because you need it, but because I have

raw honesty of it, reached past her defenses. She looked at him, really

what happened,” she