Page 39 of Frayed Bonds

“So basically, he needs a girlfriend.”

“More like a wife.”

“I still think alone is the best idea.”

“Enough,” I snap and nod my head in the direction from where Antonio and I came, implying we should head home. “We all know I won’t have a girlfriend by this Friday, let alone a wife, so let’s stick with the plan of me going alone, and handle whatever comes with that.”

“Why is this so difficult? Call up some random girl on your list of conquests. Hell, even ask Alexa for all I care, just get it taken care of,” Antonio says.

I shoot him a look and he just shrugs it off.

Antonio's mood has been sitting in the gutter for the last few weeks and what happened yesterday just put the icing on the cake. Even clients have picked up on it, complaining about his lack of customer etiquette.

“He’s just pissy because Valerie has been avoiding him like the plague,” Augustus sings through the phone.

“I’m not in the mood for this,” Antonio says, and he jogs off back to the house without me.

“And then there were three,” I say. “Speaking of three. Adriano, why did I get a call about you spending nearly three million euros on a Ferrari ”

“Ambrose, we have to go, our taxi is here. Maybe try one of those hire-a-girlfriend sites for a date,” Augustus says hurriedly before hanging the call-up.

I stop walking and stare blankly ahead. Something odd is going on with my brothers.

I start running again, the idea of possibly paying someone to pretend to be my date, let alone my girlfriend, is absurd. The idea of having a girlfriend, even more. I haven't dated anyone since I was sixteen. Hookups and flings, sure, but nothing more serious.

Something about being Vitale Holdings' next CEO meant I never had time.

Chapter fourteen

Ambrose

My brain repeatedly plays the predicament of finding a date for the dinner, from the beach, home, into the shower and to the office.

“What do you mean you’re in South Africa again?” I ask Kaia. She was my last option before I truly fell into a pit of desperation and called up Alexa.

“Have you lost your ability to comprehend a sentence, Ambrose?” she asks. She sounds as if she’s running around, busy with something that I can only imagine is taking most of her concentration.

“What I meant is, I thought you got back last week,” I clarify, and soften my tone.

She sighs. “I did. It's Kita's bridal shower this weekend, and she asked me to come home to help her prepare.”

Kaia's sister is being sold off to the highest bidder, and the wedding is fast approaching. I know the entire situation makes Kaia nervous for whatever her father has in store for her as well. She’s never been too keen on the idea of an arranged marriage.

“What did you want, Ambrose?” she asks.

“I need a date for this stupid dinner on Friday,” I admit, spinning around on my chair to turn away from the large window I've been staring out of.

“Sorry I can’t help you out, Brosy,” she says, and I can sense her attention is on me again.

“Don’t call me that.” I roll my eyes, but a smirk tugs on my lips. She hasn't called me that since the funeral, but it truly does have a nice ring to it, even when I know she is only using it to soften the blow of her rejection.

“Maybe try asking that cute new assistant of yours. I hear she's quite the looker,” Kaia says.

“From who?” My brows furrow.

“My aunt told me she came to pick up your suit,” she chuckles and I exhale a breath I didn’t realise I was holding.

“I think she’d rather lock me in a burning building and throw away the key than ever pretend to be my date,” I chuckle.

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