Page 108 of Out of Control

“You just realized that, huh?”

“No. Maddix had to point it out for me.”

“Of course she did.” We laugh.

“I’m proud of you, Sof. I truly am. And this place is going to kick some serious ass.” He takes it all in again. “Between the location and your genius marketing idea with the flyers, and some huge painting people are talking about? You seem to have captured the buzz.”

“Even if that is when el patriarca was supposed to throw you a party at the villa?”

“He threw out dates around my schedule. I pointed out the ones I could do. How was I to know he was going to use that as leverage to see if you were willing to fight for this?”

“Sneaky bastard,” I mutter.

“Yes, he’s that too.” He chuckles. “This opening is way more important than a party for me. It truly is.”

“Delivery,” a voice calls through the back door moments before I’m met with a gigantic bouquet of peonies.

“Wow. Okay. Thank you.” I laugh in disbelief as I sign for the delivery and then open the card.

I see you. I know how hard you’re working. I know you’re going to kick ass.

—Ollie

I must get the goofiest grin on my face because when I look up, Cruz is looking at me with a dubious expression.

“What?” I ask.

He blows out a long, exhaustive breath. “They’re from him, aren’t they?”

“So what if they are?” I ask because while I appreciate what my brother has said about me and my dreams, this whole Rossi thing is still floating out there between us.

He grimaces. “I don’t like thinking about you with any man, let alone him.”

I nod. “That genius marketing idea? The flyers blanketing Monaco? That painting I got on loan that everyone’s talking about? A lot of the work done in here to transform it to what it looks like? All that? That was all Rossi. Every single bit of it. For me. Because he believes in me.”

“Shit,” he grumbles and scrubs a hand over his face.

“Yeah. I know. You might just have to start liking him.”

He eyes me. “I’m a work in progress, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” he teases.

“I love him, Cruz.” The words are out before I can stop them.

“Jesus.”

“I do.” I smile.

“And el patriarca?”

“I don’t know.” Jesus. I just fixed shit between us. Can’t he be okay with that? “I’ll figure it out. It’s my life, right?”

He nods. “And it’s private for now but it’s Rossi—a public figure—how long do you think you’ll be able to keep your relationship a secret?”

“I don’t know. I’m figuring it all out.”

“Uh-huh.”

“You were allowed and afforded the grace to change and grow from the disaster you were, why isn’t he? You were allowed a redemption story. So is he.”