Page 24 of Rosabel and the Billionaire Beast

The sight had been almost laughable.

Almost.

“Anyone I know?” I’d growled.

Gale had leaped in her chair. Isla had released a squeak, her face going bright red as her eyes cast a culpable glance in my direction. Guiltily, the two women swiveled back to their screens without another word.

I’d stormed to my office long enough to swipe my phone and had stormed out again, down to my Bugatti, and then home to call the only people I could trust with this torrent of emotional stupidity.

Rosabel had thrown my world upside down, and I didn’t know what to do about it.

“Ridiculous,” I grumbled, staring at my friends once more.

“She finally got sick of you,” Maddox said, laughing.

“May I remind you how you ended up finding the love of your life? You and Adelie would never have done that photo shoot in the first place if I hadn’t talked you into it. Now, you’re happily married.Andyou had an incredible honeymoon thatRosabelarranged for you. At my request.”

Rosie had been a good sport about that one. She’d squealed and jumped online, searching out romantic hotels and eventually nabbing the Hatters a stay at the Elir Resort in Paris a few weeks ago.

“All right,” Maddox said with a laugh and lifting his hands in surrender. “You miss her, don’t you?”

My pulse was in my throat. My housekeeper’s singing magnified through the door. I glanced out the window, but I didn’t want to look out at the golden spread of grass in the afternoon sunlight outside. Instead, I looked at the garbage can next to the door and relived the coffee’s acrid taste from earlier.

“She knew how to make coffee the right way,” I gritted out in response.

“Uh-huh. And no one else can make coffee for you the way she did, is that it?”

“Exactly.”

At least someone got it.

“Rosabel had just the right mix of cream and sugar,” I said. “She could always blend it just the right way—wait. Are you laughing? You’re laughing.”

“Dude, we both know this isn’t really about coffee,” Maddox said. “I’ve never seen you so bent out of shape over a woman.”

“I mean, it’sRosabel,” I said.

As if that should say it all.

“Yes, it is,” Maddox said. “So, what are you going to do about it?”

I slumped into the chair behind my home office’s desk and stared at the potted plant in the corner. “She didn’t just quit, man. She slammed me. Hard.”

“How?” This time, Hawk asked the question. His blond head filled the screen as he spoke that single word.

“I asked if she would date me. And she said no.”

Maddox laughed louder this time.

Laughter.

Soon, my screen was full of images of the idiots all busting a gut.

Sure, laugh it up. Of all the reactions they could possibly have. Why did I think I could count on these guys to do anything but mock me for this?

I unbuttoned the cuffs of my shirt and rolled up my sleeves. Left first, then right. Time to bring out the guns. Maddox and I sparred occasionally. Any of the guys had to know I’d come out on top if it came to that.

It was a good thing they were all in remote locations.

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