Page 43 of Beautiful Betrayal

“I love you behind the wheel of a Porsche,” I say. “You make the car look good.”

“Youmake the car look good, baby.” He winks, backs up, and soon we’re on the road with only a short drive ahead of us to be home. My hot man is a billionaire and doesn’t act like it in ways others with money do, but then, his father beat the word “humble” into his head.

I have the briefest flashback of the first time I met his father, an older version of Grayson, who’d stayed fit and handsome, which made the heart attack shocking.I’ve been sitting in a coffee shop and he’s shocked me by sitting down right in front of me.

“You’re dating my son.”

“Yes,” I say. “I am.”

“But you work for the company.”

“Do you want me to resign?”

“I hear you work very hard,” he says.

“From Grayson?”

“No. Everyone.”

“Harder than ever now. I don’t want to seem like I’m riding his coattails. I didn’t want to date him for that very reason but, well, I ran into him quite literally and it just—we happened.”

“Are you after his money?”

“I hate his money,” I say, as I had to Grayson. “I really hate his money.”

He arches a brow. “Why?”

“Because you have to ask me that question. Because he has to ask that question of everyone around him. I didn’t think we could be real for that reason. I didn’t think he could be real with anyone.”

His lips quirk. “His mother hated my money. Shereallyhated my money. Did you know that?”

“Grayson told me. He’s told me a lot about his mother. He loved her very much.”

“And she loved him very much. Do you love Grayson?”

“Yes. Very much.”

“Then why are you hiding your relationship?”

“I can’t be the girl who slept her way to the top.”

“Then don’t be. Win and win big. No one can question you if you do that, but they will question you and create rumors about you and my son. I had to find out from Leslie. I’ll tell you what I’m going to tell Grayson. Own it. Deal with it. I won’t give you special treatment and neither will Grayson. I didn’t give him special treatment.”

“I don’t want special treatment.”

“Good.” He winks. “I suspect I’ll see you soon, Mia.”

He gets up and leaves.

“Mia?”

I blink and glance at Grayson who’s halted us at a stoplight. “Yes?”

“Where were you right now?” Grayson asks.

“I was remembering the day your father outed us.”

He laughs. “Ah, yes. You called me in a panic.”

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