Page 50 of Grumpy Billionaire Bad Boy

"I didn't notice it until now." Grace taps her finger to her mouth. "Maybe Leo is the brother we should be after."

I put my hands up. "Not it." I'm familiar with the inner workings of a dysfunctional family but I'd prefer not to get involved with another one. "You know Seven will murder him, right?"

"Could you ask Archer for his number for me? Actually…" Grace gets her phone again, furiously typing away and leaving me hanging. She smiles triumphantly and pokes one final button before signaling to me to be quiet and putting the phone to herear. "Hey," she says into the receiver. “It's Grace, we met Sunday night at Archer's place. I'd love to get together for coffee. When are you available?"

She stops talking, and I watch her assertiveness take hold.

"Great, yeah, that time tomorrow works for me. I can meet you there." Grace hangs up and sets her phone down. "And that's how it's done."

My eyes widen. "Did you really find and ask out Leo that quickly?"

"Like it was hard." Grace shrugs and grins, her bubbly personality almost contagious if not for everything that’s happened to me.

I used to be like her, despite everything that I've lived through, but I find it particularly hard to pretend lately. The worst should be behind me, and somehow it feels like my father still has his claws stuck in me.

"No, but really, how did you find his number?" I ask her, wanting to learn her sleuthing ways.

"Leo owns Sin Casino. It only took a little digging to cross-reference documents and find his personal number. Easy-peasy."

"Casino owner…huh. I don't know what I expected but it wasn't that."

"Right?" Grace downs the last of her coffee and checks her watch. "Listen, I should get going. Unless there are any other juicy details you left out."

"Not that I can think of." I stand and drink the rest of my latte, too. "But you need to update me on this Leo situation."

"Excuse me," a voice interrupts.

I scan until I lock eyes with a man, his face familiar but I can't quite place him. My chest tightens. No one should be familiar. Not here. Not yet. Does he know who I am? Did I getso complacent that I forgot I'm supposed to be hiding out and starting over?

"Sorry," he says. "We never really officially met. The other night, in front of the apartment complex. I'm Drew." He extends his hand.

"Drew, hey." I shake his hand and it's not until I fully lock my eyes on him that I place him as the guy who let me into Archer's building over a week ago when I showed up that night. "Yeah, I remember you." My body takes a long moment to relax. The threat I thought was staring me in the face is actually a nice guy.

Grace reaches out to him. "Grace McCallister."

He shakes her hand, too. "Drew Kingsley, pleasure is all mine." Drew focuses on me again. "I'm sorry, I don't think I caught your name."

"London," I offer, almost following it up with Gardella. But London Gardella died in California when her father was set on killing her for helping her friend. "London Smith."

"Beautiful name," he says, a polite smile on his handsome face. "I know this is probably too forward, but would you want to go out sometime? Get dinner with me? My treat, obviously."

My first reaction is to tell him no, to turn him down and walk out of here with my head held high. That's what the old London would have done. The old London was picky, and never dated—her dad wouldn't allow it.

We have to keep you pure, London girl.

No one will pay me top dollar for a whore.

You're worthless if not for what you can give with your body.

I'll kill any man that even looks at you.

And he held his word to that promise, my heart aching at the bloody memory I can't escape no matter how hard I try to push it aside.

"Yes," I find myself say. "Are you available Thursday?"

Drew nods, a hair too enthusiastically. "Of course, yes. I'll let the firm know not to schedule any late meetings. Have you been to Rao's?"

"I haven't," I tell him.

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