He blinks slowly at me as if I’m crazy for suggesting the idea of going anywhere with the help. Christ, he can be such a snob.
“Hm. Would you like that?”
“Yes, I would,” I say firmly, looking at Marguerite, who is stock still and not breathing.
“Then the week after next when you come back to Italy, you may meet Marguerite in Milan,” he states.
Oh, may I? Infuriating control freak.
“Why, thank you, sir. How kind of you to allow me out on a day trip,” I say sweetly but heavy on the sarcasm.
His eyes snap to mine, boring into them. “Don’t push your luck, my love,” he says quietly as I bat my eyes at him.
Huffing at me, he takes my hand and kisses it, “Aefre, you drive me crazy, but I do love you.”
I grin at him and he grins back. Marguerite is staring at us in utter disbelief that she has seen a caring side to her boss.
“Good day, Marguerite. We will see you later.”
“’Bye, Marguerite,” I say before he Teleports us out of the castle and into The Council for another dreaded day of schmoozing.
CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
A fter a quick greeting to Giulia, we head up to our offices, hand in hand. He walks me to mine and opens the door, leading me in. No sooner have we entered the room, we are joined by Gregor.
“Constantine.” He nods at him, then turns his insipid smile on me, “Aefre, you look wonderful.”
“Thank you. And really you can call me Liv.” CK smirks, pleased to be the only one allowed to call me my original name.
Gregor says, “Of course. I trust you had a
good night in Milan?”
“Oh, we weren’t in Milan,” I say and leave it at that for the sole purpose of pissing Eloise off, who has also just turned up in my doorway.
She narrows her eyes at me. “And how is that gorgeous husband of yours?” she asks meaningfully.
CK strides to my side with a look of murder after yesterday’s revelations. He takes my hand and her expression turns from goading to fury.
“He is just fine, thank you, Eloise,” I say. I really want to piss her off, so I take my right hand out of CK’s, curl my arm up his back and over his shoulder so that my hand is on the top of his chest. He puts his arm around my waist, resting his hand lightly on my hip. Being unable to see anything except the magnificent blue diamond ring, I drum my fingers lightly as two sets of jealous eyes go to my hand.
“Well, I have work to do if we could save the rest of this meeting for another time,” I say, moving away from CK to brush past Gregor on the way to my desk. I sit with everyone watching me with varying expressions on their faces. Clearing my throat, I say, “Meeting adjourned.”
Rattled into movement by my dismissive tone, Gregor and Eloise look to CK for instruction in a stunned fury. He just shrugs and moves behind me to plant a quick kiss on the top of my head before he exits my office casually. The other two follow him with bad grace. I laugh inwardly. The gods, I can’t wait to sever their heads from their bodies. Hateful creatures.
My phone buzzes. It’s a message from CK: Go to Gregor on your own in about an hour. I will join you shortly thereafter. Xoxo
It buzzes again: PS: I think I am starting to understand your new role. WE NEED TO TALK!
I chuckle at the shouty text and message him back: OK to the first but don’t keep me waiting long. Less talking, more kissing. I’m worn out with words. Xoxo
I get nothing back. His way of letting me know he is annoyed with my lack of forthcoming. It makes me jump about twenty minutes later when the phones buzzes again: I find those acceptable terms, although I do hope that there will also be some fucking involved?
I don’t message him back as I dislike his constant use of the word ‘fucking.’ Is that all we are doing? I mean sure, we fuck, but last night we also made love, a lot, and yet he never says it.
On impulse, I message back: No fucking!
Radio silence. Yep, now he is pissed off, but I don’t care. I’m struggling to concentrate on this work. It’s dull and I wish I were back home with my own work, even though that is dull as well, at least it has some purpose. All of this is going to Hell in the next couple of weeks and I don’t see the point. Sighing, I go off in search of Gregor once the hour is up. I hope that CK doesn’t leave me swinging in the wind after my “no fucking” text.