Beneath Her Bastard Boss

They moved to the living room once they had their drinks. Sutton eased herself onto the couch, feeling the day’s exhaustion deep in her bones.

Luca sat beside her, not too close, but near enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from him. He was like a furnace. One thing she had enjoyed during winter in bed with him. “You look tired,” he murmured. “Do you want me to take you home?”

Before she could answer, Keira appeared in front of them, arms crossed. “So,” she said bluntly. “What exactly do you want from my sister? Because if it’s just the baby you can get lost, she needs more than that, and she deserves it too.”

“Keira!” Sutton hissed, mortified. She should have known it was the calm before the storm.

Luca, to his credit, didn’t flinch or back away from the fight. Standing up to Keira was the best way to handle her. “I intend to be there for her first. For our child. In whatever capacity she’ll allow me.”

“And if she tells you to get lost?”

“Then I’ll respect her wishes,” he replied evenly. “But I’ll never stop trying to prove that I can be worthy of a second chance. I knew the moment I let her go I had made a terrible mistake.”

“Not from the moment you walked away. You waited over a week, or you would have seen her before she left the country.”

Luca nodded, agreeing with her. “Keira, there are things you don’t understand, and while I know you want to protect your sister, it’s between Sutton and me. If she wants to tell you, that’s fine, but until that moment, stay out of it.” There wasn’t any anger in his statement, just telling her in a few words to butt out.

Sutton hid a grin by bringing her tea up to take a sip.

Keira studied him for a long moment, then gave a curt nod. “Fair enough. But let me be crystal clear: if you hurt her again, there will not be enough evidence left for the police to build a case against me.”

“Understood,” Luca said with complete seriousness.

Keira gave Sutton a look that clearly said, “The ball’s in your court,” before wandering off to examine Roman’s wine collection over in the corner.

Blair and Roman hadn’t said anything, letting Luca and Sutton deal with Keira.

Sutton said, her face slightly warm with embarrassment. No one would guess Keira was the younger sister. She had more fight than Blair and her–which she broke up

He hesitated before adding, “Are you ready to go? You look like

if on cue, Sutton yawned. “Maybe. But

offered. “If you’re comfortable with that. Your sister can

thought about it for a moment. “Okay,” she decided. “But just a ride home.

He nodded. “Of course.”

sisters tightly, promising to call tomorrow. Blair whispered in her ear, “Be careful with your heart. But don’t be afraid to use it,” which was exactly the kind of contradictory advice Blair was good at. But she understood. Blair had taken

on the console between them. Occasionally, she caught him glancing at her. She was

as they approached her building. “I’ll be here, in whatever

113

Chapter 129

watching the familiar streets pass by. “I know.

in my diary. I wasn’t sure how long it

Blair know she didn’t have to come this time. Her sisters had been taking turns going with her so she wouldn’t be alone. Tomorrow would have

about

yet.” She turned to face him. “It’s a big step. I’m going to take

and shut off the engine. “Also to let you know I’m thinking of adding childcare in the

because of

but you can ask Jake. I have childcare at most of my companies. It’s practical and works for the company and parents because it’s not just women that need childcare. Some dads do as

very forward–thinking of

I walk

then nodded.

silent, the air between them charged with everything unsaid. When they

nervous.