Page 101 of Boss from Hell

“You broke my heart, Max.”

“I’m really so very sorry I hurt you, but whatever hurt I caused you I’ve suffered more.”

“How can I ever trust you again?” she gasped.

“Because you know me. Even when I thought you were my enemy, I couldn’t stay away from you.”

“What would you have done if it had turned out that I was the leak?”

“I think I would have forgiven you. How can you punish a child for stealing bread to feed her mother?”

“So what now?”

“I want to marry you.”

She let out a cry of delight. “You mean that?” Then her expression became sad.

“I love you too, Max, with all my heart, but what future is there for me if your first love is your business? Will you throw me under a bus every time you have to choose between your business and me?”

Strong emotions swirled inside of me and I felt my eyes mist. I loved this woman so damn much. “I want kids,” I blurted out.

Her eyes widened. “Are you trying to bribe me?”

“Is it working?”

“Kind of.”

“How big a family do you want?”

“Big,” she whispered.

“Are ten kids enough for you?”

She shook her head and tears filled her eyes. “You’d have ten kids for me?”

I nodded vigorously. “I’d have a hundred kids if it would make you happy.”

“I want four.”

“I want whatever you want.”

I couldn’t stand the distance between us anymore. I tugged her hand and she crashed into me. I wrapped my arms around her and held her so tight she squealed.

When she drew back, she stared up into my eyes. “I love you. God, how much I love you. I’ve cried and cried thinking I’d lost you forever. Even now, I can hardly believe you’re here.” She cupped my face and looked at me with such love, it made me feel undeserving of that love.

“I’m so sorry. I was an ass. I promise to spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”

“It’s okay. I forgive you. All you need to do is love me.”

“That I can definitely do,” I said, covering her mouth with mine. Our tongues touched, familiar and exciting at the same time.

Lillian pressed her body to mine, showing me without words that she wanted me as much as I wanted her. Wanting a taste of every part of her, I moved from her mouth and nuzzled my way to her earlobe, biting it gently.

“Don’t you think it’s time we got on with making these ten babies?”

“Five,” she corrected with a laugh.

“If we start tonight. That will be one down and four to go.”