Page 133 of Playboy Billionaire's Fake Marriage

Antonio inclines his head in acknowledgment. “Mrs. Fairchild.”

Carmen, obviously not fazed by Antonio’s detached air, goes right up to him, smiling. “Do we have to return right now? Gina’s on her way, and she won’t forgive me for coming to Seattle without laying eyes on her.”

Antonio nods his assent. “Okay. But we should be airborne in the next hour. Weather forecast,” he explains.

“Oh, is there a storm coming?” I ask.

“If we don’t haul ass out of here.”

Gina chooses that moment to walk in.

“At long last. Just the one person I’ve been waiting for!” Carmen cries, hopping to her feet.

“Sorry I’m late! I was held up right across town with legal aid stuff–” She stops up short as though suddenly walking into a brick wall.

Apparently, a brick wall in the form of Antonio.

Antonio’s reaction is no less shocked; he tears off his shades, his jaw going slack.

My gaze flies back to Gina, who has still not been able to close her mouth for the last ten seconds. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her go so red in my entire life.

Oh, shit. These two know each other.

My gaze once again swings back to Antonio, witnessing his typically unflappable demeanor shatter as though hit by a wrecking ball. He runs shaky hands—shaky hands!—through his hair, managing to stand the strands on end. He then replaces his aviators and settles back into his granite posture, the only remnant of the fit he just had being the reflexive twitching of his jaw muscles.

I stare back at Gina, who looks like she just ran a race. She’s now throwing pleading looks back at me.

“What the fuck?” Ryan’s arms drop from around me. I hazard a look at Ryan, who is already sporting a thunderous expression.

“Baby,” I begin in a placating tone.

“What the actual fuck, asshole?” Ryan roars, sending Antonio a look that could kill. “You have a fucking death wish?”

Carmen also gets what’s happening and immediately grabs Antonio’s hand. “We should leave Antonio. Now. Guys, there’s a storm brewing.”

Antonio doesn’t need to be asked twice, clearing from the room like a shot and taking Carmen with him.

Ryan stares, stupefied, at the door for a full minute after Carmen and Antonio leave, while Gina and I remain frozen like statues, with bated breath, waiting for Ryan to calm down…or lose it.

Ryan finally turns round then in a seemingly controlled voice he begins. “What the fuck did you do with that…that...tool?” Ryan demands from Gina, already getting worked up again.

“Ryan, she’s a grown woman,” I interject.

“How does she even know him? How does a guy like that even get to speak to you, Gina?” Ryan booms.

Gina, apparently now recovered enough to speak, chimes in with an eyeroll and a shrug. “I don’t see what the big deal is. You’ve been pushing me to Chad for years, Ryan, what’s another guy?”

“Chad is a lawyer who can’t hurt a fly.” Ryan snaps.

“And you’re saying Antonio can?” Gina argues.

“Do you even know who the fuck this guy is? What he fucking does?”

“He’s a mechanic and races cars on the side. It’s a bit on the dangerous side, but—”

Ryan scoffs in disbelief. “Tell me you’re not that fucking naive! Have you looked at his tattoos? Did you ask what they meant?”

“I’ll be honest, I was more interested in other parts of him.” Gina says with a mischievous smile.

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