now.” Steven sighed and leaned a hip against the edge of the desk. “But of course, none of that is achieved just because you have a sizeable non-profit sector in your company.”
The lawyer matched eyes with Emma, giving her a meaningful look. “I feel that it might’ve been his way of trying to make someone proud,” he said softly.
Emma stared at the older man. Her heart was now racing and she was sure her cheeks were as red as apples.
Steven straightened up, preparing to leave. “And let me tell you, Miss Del Marco,” he said with a soft smile, “Gabe Del Marco was not one for charities or giving. He only thought to take, take, take. And Charisse Del Marco, God rest her soul, had only been in Antonio’s life for a mere eight months, hardly enough time to leave an impression.” He crossed to the door. Putting his hand on the doorway, he said quietly, “So it makes you wonder who he was trying to make proud.”
Chapter 16
Steven’s words echoed through her mind for the rest of the day. Even as they climbed into their Range Rover, Emma could hardly pull her thoughts away from what the lawyer had said.
Did Antonio care about how she thought about him? It seemed almost preposterous. The man oozed confidence. If they could bottle what Antonio had and sell it, no high school boy would ever graduate a virgin.
And yet…she had noticed moments when she caught his gaze from the corner of her eyes. She had noticed how he had tried to quickly pass over certain topics like the founding of Angels Services. If she hadn’t known any better, she would’ve guessed he had been embarrassed .
But too many of the puzzle pieces lined up. Too many dates were too perfect to be coincidences. When she had first been dragged into Antonio’s home, she had thought he had only seen her as a means to an end, a way to close a much-wanted deal. And now….
And now….
Ring ring!
Emma jerked in her seat in surprise. It wasn’t a ringtone she was used to hearing. Antonio’s phone only had a steady beeping sound on his phone. Emma still had yet to be given a cell phone. But this ringtone was an actual ring.
She turned around to see Antonio answering a small Blackberry that she had never seen before.
“What is it?” he answered, his voice low and with a touch of steel.
Emma stared at him in surprise. After seeing him in his corporate office all day, she was a little jarred to see this rough persona come through.
“No, keep the distribution back,” Antonio said in that same voice. “I’ve told you to scale back.”
Emma wondered who he was speaking to. Antonio never spoke like that to anyone in the office. He spoke with authority but not with anger. But here, she could hear more than a touch of tethered anger in his voice.
“What the fuck!” Antonio suddenly burst. Emma nearly jumped through the roof of the car at hearing his growling burst of anger. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
Emma watched as he listened to whatever the other person was saying. Antonio gave an aggrieved sigh as he closed his eyes, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.
“You meet me at our spot in ten minutes. And don’t fucking make me come after you,” Antonio said as he abruptly ended the call. “Ricks,” he called out to the driver, “we need to stop by the alley.”
Ricks nodded silently, completely unperturbed by his boss’s
The lawyer matched eyes with Emma, giving her a meaningful look. “I feel that it might’ve been his way of trying to make someone proud,” he said softly.
Emma stared at the older man. Her heart was now racing and she was sure her cheeks were as red as apples.
Steven straightened up, preparing to leave. “And let me tell you, Miss Del Marco,” he said with a soft smile, “Gabe Del Marco was not one for charities or giving. He only thought to take, take, take. And Charisse Del Marco, God rest her soul, had only been in Antonio’s life for a mere eight months, hardly enough time to leave an impression.” He crossed to the door. Putting his hand on the doorway, he said quietly, “So it makes you wonder who he was trying to make proud.”
Chapter 16
Steven’s words echoed through her mind for the rest of the day. Even as they climbed into their Range Rover, Emma could hardly pull her thoughts away from what the lawyer had said.
Did Antonio care about how she thought about him? It seemed almost preposterous. The man oozed confidence. If they could bottle what Antonio had and sell it, no high school boy would ever graduate a virgin.
And yet…she had noticed moments when she caught his gaze from the corner of her eyes. She had noticed how he had tried to quickly pass over certain topics like the founding of Angels Services. If she hadn’t known any better, she would’ve guessed he had been embarrassed .
But too many of the puzzle pieces lined up. Too many dates were too perfect to be coincidences. When she had first been dragged into Antonio’s home, she had thought he had only seen her as a means to an end, a way to close a much-wanted deal. And now….
And now….
Ring ring!
Emma jerked in her seat in surprise. It wasn’t a ringtone she was used to hearing. Antonio’s phone only had a steady beeping sound on his phone. Emma still had yet to be given a cell phone. But this ringtone was an actual ring.
She turned around to see Antonio answering a small Blackberry that she had never seen before.
“What is it?” he answered, his voice low and with a touch of steel.
Emma stared at him in surprise. After seeing him in his corporate office all day, she was a little jarred to see this rough persona come through.
“No, keep the distribution back,” Antonio said in that same voice. “I’ve told you to scale back.”
Emma wondered who he was speaking to. Antonio never spoke like that to anyone in the office. He spoke with authority but not with anger. But here, she could hear more than a touch of tethered anger in his voice.
“What the fuck!” Antonio suddenly burst. Emma nearly jumped through the roof of the car at hearing his growling burst of anger. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
Emma watched as he listened to whatever the other person was saying. Antonio gave an aggrieved sigh as he closed his eyes, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.
“You meet me at our spot in ten minutes. And don’t fucking make me come after you,” Antonio said as he abruptly ended the call. “Ricks,” he called out to the driver, “we need to stop by the alley.”
Ricks nodded silently, completely unperturbed by his boss’s
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