Page 21 of Deadly Don's Savage Vows

Glancing at my watch I note the time.

Eight thirty. It’s late - and I have a delivery coming in at nine again.

“Go home, Bella.” I say, without looking at her.

“I’m still working.” She replies, walking towards the office door.

“No, I said go home.” I snap.

She turns to face me with fire in her eyes. “I said I was still working. I have a job to do. What difference does it make to you if I’m here or not? What are you still doing here, anyway?”

I clench and unclench my jaw, the muscles ripple across my face.

“I have some artwork arriving. A very private client is collecting it and he wants to remain anonymous.”

She looks confused. “What art work?”

“Nothing that you need to worry about, Bella.” I sigh.

“I want to see it. Our gallery has a very specific image to upkeep. I need to know what type of art is coming and going - even if the buyer wants to remain anonymous. A lot of our buyers stay anonymous.” She shrugs.

“No - go home.” I say, more sternly as I stand up and push my knuckles into the desk.

She folds her arms across her chest.

“What is really going on here, Nico?” She glares at me.

My heart constricts and my throat tightens. “What do you mean?” Does she know about the underground side of things?

Annoyance flitters over her face. She looks agitated.

“I’m tired of you playing games with me. Its time you made a choice. You’ve been giving me mixed signals since the moment you arrived at the gallery opening. You need to make up your mind.”

“Make up my mind?” I stammer, surprised by her outburst.

“Yes, Nico.” She snaps angrily. “I will not let you hurt me. One minute you’re all over me and the next you are pushing me away. Why are you so desperate to get me to leave - is there another woman involved? Is someone coming to see you that you don’t want me to know about - is that why you’ve been so hot and cold?”

“There is no other woman, Bella. I have a delivery. I don’t know where this is coming from.”

She huffs, not convinced at all. “I’ve heard the stories about you, Nico - how you don’t commit, how you date multiple woman at once. I am not some game you get to play. If there is another girl involved, I want nothing to do with you in a personal capacity and I’d rather you had the decency to be honest about it.”

I stand up from my desk, desperate to defend myself against this crazy accusation.

All I’m trying to do is keep her safe from the illegal shit happening here. I haven’t even been able to look at another woman in the same way that I look at her since the first night we spent together.

Now she is standing in my office accusing me of playing around.

“Bella this is ridiculous. I am not dating anyone. I am trying to make this business work. That is all I’m focused on - and with you it’s - “ I sigh. It’s complicated.

“It’s what?” She demands.

“It doesn’t matter. What matters is that there is no woman coming to meet me here. I’m working. But I want you to go home so that I can handle this client.”

I glance at my watch again. The delivery is going to arrive any minute now. For fuck sakes this is not good.

I walk out of my office, trying to encourage Bella to leave.

She follows me into the main section of the gallery.

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