Page 42 of Milo

"Go play," Julia says to her daughter who dashes out of the room without a word. So well behaved. Julia purses her lips before giving Milo a hug and two pecks on the cheek. "I see you still dress like the grim reaper. Mocking death, ah?"

"Not everyone wants to walk around looking like a rainbow, Julia," Milo grumbles as he pulls away and lethargically gestures toward me. "This is Kiara, she's?—"

Julia grins, opening her arms. "The woman who saved your ass from the Russians, of course!” She plants kisses on both of my cheeks. "Welcome to Monaco, cara! It is so nice to finally meet you." She holds me at arm's length, giving me a once-over. "Well, now I know why my idiot brother didn't kill you. Bellissima!"

"Oh, thank you," I hum, slightly taken aback by her friendliness and the fact Milo's already told her about me. “It's nice to uh—meet you too."

"Let's go and have some drinks, yeah?" Julia’s gaze snaps over to Gio and Mateo who've been silently creeping in the background. She glares at the two guards, crossing her arms under her generous chest. "Smile for fucks sake, you're in Monaco! Why you look so sad?"

Milo closes his eyes, letting out a sigh. "Julia, please?—"

"What? They are standing there like two brick walls!" She tosses them a scowl. "Do you walls want a drink or?"

Gio's head snaps to Milo for approval and Julia slaps her hands against her thighs, mumbling in Italian under her breath. "You have them trained better than papa. Do they need to ask your permission to take a shit as well?"

Milo sucks in a deep breath, keeping his composure in check despite the fact there's a very large vein popping out of his forehead.

"Oh, relax, little brother.” She expels a dramatic sigh. "I was joking." She casts me a side-eye. "He is so sensitive sometimes, no?"

"Sometimes," I grin as Julia loops her arm through mine.

"Fucking women," Milo murmurs under his breath and trudges behind us as we step onto the terrace that overlooks the white sand and glistening teal ocean of Lorvotta beach.

"Paolo! Baby! Look who's here!" Julia sings, addressing a man who's sitting on a contemporary grey sectional at the far end of the patio.

"Milo!" Paolo adjusts his light linen attire before standing up. He holds out his hand. "It's been too long. How are you?"

"Alive," Milo chuckles, shaking Paolo's hand. The two men grin at each other as if they're in on the same secret.

"Poor bastard," Paolo laughs, gesturing for us to take a seat. "He was a moron, even as a child."

"If only he outgrew it," Milo states as a young man carrying a tray of cocktails approaches us. Milo picks up two glasses and hands me one, nodding at the server. "Grazie." His attention shifts back to Paolo. "This is Kiara, Kiara this is Paolo, Julia's husband and my?—"

"Business partner?" I tilt my head and take a sip of the sweetest cocktail I've ever tried. Holy hell.

Julia claps her hands, a boisterous laugh escaping her red lips. "She's a quick learner, I love it."

"Yes," Milo says flatly. “It is truly a gift."

"Allora, Kiara," Paolo begins, reclining against the plush throw pillows on the sofa. "How is it working for Milo? Is he treating you right? This man, he is a bit—" He pauses. "Temperamental."

Temperamental? That's putting it lightly. Milo is arrogant, callous, infuriating, stubborn, but fuck—he's the most alluring man I've ever met.

Even now, sitting six inches away, all I want to do is fist his goddamn shirt, pry his full lips open with my tongue, anger him, feel his fingers coiled around my neck, show him exactly how obedient I can be.

But of course, I don't.

"Well, he hasn't killed me yet…” I dismiss the treacherous thoughts out of my head. "So, I guess... so far so good."

Paolo laughs. "That is a very good attitude to have, Kiara. Very positive."

Milo snorts, stating in a sardonic tone, "Don't let that smile fool you, Paolo. She is as positive as an electron."

I shoot Milo a glare. "I think under the circumstances, I'm pretty fucking positive. Don't you think?"

"Circumstances can change, Kiara," Milo says, a raspy timbre in his voice. "Don't forget that."

Julia expels a sigh. "Please, Milo, do not threaten young women in my house. So fucking rude!"

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