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Dante
“Are you sure you’re alright Mr. Grimaldi,” Hazel, my executive assistant, asked. It’s not like you to miss meetings, especially one that took you two months to nail down. When you didn’t show up, I was worried—”
“I’m human Hazel,” I snapped. “It happens. Just reschedule the meeting, will you?”
“But that’s just it,” Hazel said. “I tried, but Mr. Palmer said, and I quote, ‘that he wasn’t taking any more damn meetings with someone who can’t even bother to show up.’”
“Get him on the phone,” I directed.
“I’ll try,” she said.
“Don’t try. Do it,” I demanded.
“I’ll do my best,” she said, holding her ground, which made me feel even more like an ass.
“Hazel, I’m sorry,” I said. “I had no right to talk to you like that.”
“It’s ok,” she said.
“No. It’s not. It’s never ok to mistreat someone, especially a valued employee like you. I truly wouldn’t know how to function without you. Please accept my apology. I’ve just ... I’ve got a lot going on right now.”
“We’ve worked together long enough that I know your bark is worst than your bite, Mr. Grimaldi. Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked.
“No,” I said. Nobody could help that my dick had gotten me in trouble my head may not be able to get me out of.
For the first time in ... forever, I’d wanted a woman to stay in my bed after I fucked her. And it didn’t even feel right categorizing what had passed between me and Charlie as fucking. I’d fucked plenty of women. Charlie was different. I didn’t even let my mind begin to fish for a description of what had transpired between us.
She wanted to go; to leave my apartment and get back to her life. Part of me wished fervently that I could grant her that wish. Even though another part of me knew that the place wouldn’t be the same without her.
She’d made her mark in every room, not to mention my clothes, and even my scent. How such a little woman could leave such a big mark confused the hell out of me. That’s why I’d escaped my bedroom last night. The desire to hold her, to spend the entire night with her almost suffocated me it was so strong. I liked sleeping alone. In fact, I wasn’t able to sleep with anyone in bed with me. It was a constant complaint with my so-called lady friends. But I’d never had the desire to have one hang around, especially not in such a personal space as my bed, after I’d gotten what I wanted. But no matter how clear I made it beforehand, they all thought I was kidding; that they could be the one to change my mind. It had never happened. The desire to have one stay had never been strong enough for me to give into it on a regular basis. A few nights here and there. Yes. But that was about all I’d ever been willing to tolerate.
Charlie was different. As much as I hated to admit it, she was. Leaving her alone in my bed had been a physical ache, which is why I hadn’t turned to look at her. I could sense the confusion in her, I didn’t need to see it in her face because it would have been my undoing. And that, as much as anything else, meant that the sooner this thing with Stefan was over, the better.
I yanked up the receiver of the phone on my desk and punched in some numbers.
“You still haven’t gotten even a glimpse of him,” I barked into the phone. “He’s not a fucking ghost. Find him Matteo, or I’ll find someone who can,” I directed, hanging up the phone.
I knew damned well that if Matteo and Leonardo couldn’t find Stefan, then chances were slim to none that anybody else could. Short of putting an actual cash bounty on my brother’s head, there was little I could do but wait.
And waiting it out with Charlie underfoot was becoming the more dangerous option.