Page 55 of She Belongs to Me

He faltered before nodding. “Yeah, the team leader arrived with several men and they are currently going over the exterior. I thought I’d let you know.”

“You have. You can walk with him. I emailed a plan of what I need to the guy. I emailed one to you as well. You can keep track of what he and his team are doing for me.”

Luca wasn’t the kind of man to ignore an elephant in the room. “Are you okay, boss? I know this shit is bothering you.”

“It is. Tremendously. I have a bad feeling that the situation is going to become violent and on our turf. That won’t bode well for business.”

He nodded. “I’m keeping watch, but there’s more, isn’t there?” A single eyebrow shot up and I tried to keep from altering my facial expression. The man knew me far too well, which wasn’t usually a problem. Today I just needed time to figure out what the fuck was wrong with me.

“It’s nothing for you to worry about.”

“Uh-huh.” The two syllables were exaggerated coming from his mouth. “It’s tough to have a woman living in the same house as you are. Isn’t it?”

Retorting wasn’t something I usually did under any circumstances. I almost broke my own rule, but didn’t need to, my sister sweeping in like a breath of fresh air. Her perfume always lingered like her glorious laugh.

“Woman in your household. Would that be a guest you seem to want to hide?” Isabella nearly sang as she rushed toward me, kissing me on the cheek.

“Don’t start, Isabella,” I warned her. She was either fire made incarnate or could pass for the socialite of the year. However, she was one of the most astute businesswomen rivaling any man in the world.

Plus, I simply adored her, but she knew me too well. When I liked, loved, or hated something, she could pick it out from miles away. When I was ready to kill an asshole with my bare hands, she issued her basic warnings to stop and think about my decision. She had a knack for calming me down.

“What am I starting?” She took a step away, acting as if she was horrified I’d accuse her of something so egregious.

Luca chuckled. He’d seen our banter through the years. The fact I almost never won an argument was fodder for conversation amongst the ranks. I had no issue taking on twelve armed men at one time, always coming out the victor in the battle. I could easily destroy a man or a company in business inside a conference room. And God knows rivals knew when not to cross me.

But this woman had been the only one to push every button to the point I’d learned it was best not to push back.

Now there was Alexandra.

She was damn good at it as well. How was that possible?

I had a bad feeling between the two women, I would lose every argument for the rest of my life. Shit. There I went again thinking I was going to keep Alexandra for the rest of her life. What would I do, keep her locked inside the house? That was my inclination right now.

“I have no doubt Domino gave you an earful.”

“You seem to forget, darling brother. Domino hasn’t had the luxury of meeting this girl either. Shame on you.”

Luca was still amused.

“Don’t you have a job to handle?”

My second in command threw up his hands. “Why, yes, boss. At your service, boss.”

The man could be such a fucking wise guy. He even slammed the doors of my office when he left, leaving me alone with the tigress. I could tell she was on fire this morning.

She promptly plopped down in one of the two chairs opposite my desk, placing her elbows on the arms and steepling her hands. She had a look in her eyes that could wake the dead. I was certain of it.

I moved behind my desk, easing down more gently. The thought of breaking everything on my desk was still in the forefront of my mind.

“Alexandra Christian. Such a beautiful name, almost like a lullaby. Is she as beautiful as her name suggests?”

“Cut the crap, Izzy. This isn’t some reality television show where you get to select my future wife. The girl is in danger. She managed to get herself into some serious trouble. The woman doesn’t understand the trouble she’s in.”

“Which is it?”

“What?” I was already growing weary of the conversation.

“Girl or woman? Granted, you are my much older brother so it may seem as if all women are girls to you.”