Page 84 of The Rebel Billionaire

My brows furrow, and he shakes his head.

“You came across for sugar. You need to leave with some,” he says as if I’m stupid.

I hand him the cup, and he walks over to the kitchen, pouring some sugar from their bag into it before returning it to me.

“If I need to contact you again?” I ask. “No one told me what to do.”

“You shouldn’t need to. We’re always watching, just so you know.”

“I appreciate it,” I say, and he smiles.

“We’ll keep you safe until we can get you home,” he tells me, his expression softening.

“Thank you.”

It’s only as I walk back across the corridor and enter my apartment that I realise I’m starting to enjoy it here. I’m starting to enjoy my job and the people I’ve met. I don’t like being a virtual prisoner, but for the first time in my life, I can be me. I’m not looking over my shoulder to see if a member of the press or public is waiting to photograph me, or twist something I’ve said. Here, I’m just me, and now that Alessandro is being less sharp with me, I may actually enjoy my time in New York.

CHAPTER 24

ALEX

Elise and Brooke are deep in conversation when I return to the airport lounge.

Our flight has been delayed by an hour, which is frustrating. I’m not a fan of airports or flying, having spent most of my early years flying back and forth to the US for every holiday. During one trip, my chaperone was hurt when the locker above us opened during turbulence, and a bag hit her on the side of the head. I’ll never forget the stream of blood from the cut above her eye, or the screams of terror from the other passengers.

I shake myself out of the memory. It was thirty years ago, time to get over myself.

I half-listen to their conversation before deciding to tune them out. The guys ribbed me when they found out that Brooke was accompanying me to Italy, Dante being the worst.

“Remember, what happens in Italy stays in Italy,” Leo said, smirking into his wine.

“Haha,” I said. “As I explained to Dante, she’s closer in age to my niece, and I’m her boss.”

“I don’t hear anything about you not being attracted to her,” Orlando said.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Have you listened to a word I’ve said?”

They all chuckled, but it was Dante who spoke out. “You’ve made a lot of excuses as to why you shouldn’t get involved with her.”

“Exactly,” I said, pleased someone was talking some sense.

“But attraction, that’s a hard thing to fight. David will tell you that.”

I scowled at my friends. “I’m not attracted to her.”

Dante smacked me on the back. “Keep telling yourself that, old man.”

I growled at them all.

“We shouldn’t tease, he has Aubrey after all,” Leo said.

“The elusive Aubrey,” Orlando muttered. “He keeps us separate. Do you think he’s not proud of us?” he said, pulling a dramatic face and clutching his heart.

“Idiot,” I said.

I haven’t introduced Aubrey to the guys because I didn’t want to give her or them the wrong impression. We’ve had fun, but I don’t see it progressing. Once bitten, twice shy, as they say. I’ve done the marriage thing, and once was enough. She’s been travelling and focusing on her career. I have St Clair, my employees and clients to concentrate on. It’s worked. However, the last couple of times we’ve been together, she’s dropped hints that at thirty-four, her modelling career is coming to an end and she’s looking to move forward with her life, maybe settle down…

I changed the subject, but it’s made me take a long, hard look at what we have. It’s been fun, but if I’m honest, we’ve no real connection outside the bedroom. The worst part is that the boys aren’t wrong. I feel more for Brooke, who I’ve only known for a few weeks, and that thought alone scares the shit out of me.