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.”

been taking public transportation

pointed out,

“And I’m perfectly capable of managing my own

“But you’re pregnant.”

she deadpanned, resting a hand on her rounded belly. “Thanks for pointing out my

You shouldn’t be standing on crowded buses or subway platforms. What if someone bumps

She shook her head. “I can’t live my life based

goes around.”

isn’t about hypotheticals. It’s about you taking unnecessary

then, a strong movement that made Sutton wince.

you okay?” he asked, concern replacing

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

emotions.”

his voice suddenly uncertain, eyes flicking to her

keep that boundary firm.

you kidding? Not while you’re

nodded, returning his attention to the road, but the tension

to look out the window so he wouldn’t see. She couldn’t help

him.

have a car service pick you up and drop you

gone. Life was like a balloon but one prick and it was gone. God, she felt like she was channeling Keira right now. The only difference is Keira would have said it, not just thought

“No.”

“Sutton…”

said no, Luca. I don’t need a car service. I don’t need you arranging my life

about arranging your life. It’s about taking care

you and

fine without you, remember?”

locked together. “Because I didn’t know

countered. “Because you called me a liar

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Chapter 109.

now, matching the intensity building

regretted every day since. But I’m here now, and I’m trying to do

right thing would be respecting what I

when those decisions put

“I’m pregnant, not made of glass. Millions of

they’re not carrying

temples where a headache was forming. “This is exactly why I should just say no to your proposal, too. You think you can just

demands, I’m

I didn’t

you’re too stubborn to admit you need it! Plus, you are still making

in

rapidly, her face flushed with anger

fight with you,” Luca said finally, his voice softer. “I just

don’t need your help. Like I told you, I have been just fine without you,” Sutton replied, but the

six months of this pregnancy. Six months I

She looked at him, really looked, and saw the regret etched in the lines around his eyes, the tension

what