Page 158 of Grumpy Billionaire Bad Boy

Seven pokes through some music as he maneuvers us into traffic, finally choosing nothing, the silence filling his Rolls-Royce. He speeds through town and darts around cars carelessly like he didn't just give me shit about putting fingerprints on the door.

It takes twelve awkward minutes to get to The Branford Hotel. Seven pulls up front and puts the car into park, completely ignoring the other vehicles coming and going.

"You ready to do this?" Seven glances over at me and reaches for his door handle.

"I need to do this myself, Seven." I clear my throat. "Plus, you'd make him suspicious. I have to go in alone."

"Archer's going to kill me," he says as if I didn't already know that, but I can't let it deter me, not when I'm this close.

"For what it's worth, he'll probably kill me, too." I drag my bottom lip into my mouth and imagine how angry Archer is going to be, both at me and Seven. Me for killing Vito and dooming his entire family, and Seven for allowing it to happen.

"What do you want on your tombstone?" Seven asks me, his train of thought so random at times.

"I don't know. Think of something cool for me." I put my hand on the door handle, my gaze focused on the hotel and not on Seven, because if I look at him, I might change my mind. Sure, he's a fucking lunatic, but he's become a friend over the last few weeks, and I'm betraying him, too.

"How long do you think it'll take?" Seven asks me, causing me to pause.

"You don't need to wait, I'll find a way home." I leave the vehicle before he questions me about anything else I don't have an answer to and march right past the valet and into the hotel lobby.

The lights are bright and borderline blinding but I keep on, because I have no choice. I can't turn back now.

"Checking in?" the woman at the desk says to me when I approach, a soft smile on her plain face.

"Actually, I'm here to see a guest. Joe Vito. Room four-twenty-three. Could you let him know I'm here?" Hotels like this don't allow random people to access the elevators. You need a room key, and I don't have one of those. I'd love the element of surprise with him, but this will have to do.

"What's your name?" she asks me.

"London Gardella." It's the first time in a while that I've truly acknowledged my name out loud, and I have to say, I was quite getting used to being London Smith, the orphaned girl trying to start over in a new town. I hate having any association with the man who ruined my life. My father.

"One moment." She picks up a phone and pushes a few buttons. "Hello, sir. This is the front desk. You have a guest here, London Gardella." After a long pause, she extends the receiver to me.

I hold it to my ear, the time for backing out fully expiring now that he knows I'm here. "Hello," I say while trying to keep my voice from cracking.

"My London girl. What a pleasant but unexpected surprise. Have you come alone?"

"Yes."

"And where's your lover boy, Archer?"

"I don't know."

"Interesting." He goes quiet for a minute. "I'll meet you by the elevators. I'll be down momentarily." Joe hangs up and I give the phone back to the woman who pretends to be busy on her computer.

"Thanks. He's going to meet me," I tell her. "Where are the elevators?"

She points behind me. "Through that walkway."

I step out of the way, giving the man waiting in line a chance to be helped, and make my way in that direction, swallowing my nerves in hopes that I'll be able to accomplish what I set out to do here. I can't think about the consequences, for me, or for Archer, because the only important thing to consider is gaining my freedom for once in my life. I already have my story planned out in my head. I went up to meet him and he forced himself on me. I grabbed a weapon he had up there and used it as self-defense. Seven told me it was untraceable, and I can't imagine he wouldhave lied about that. I highly doubt someone as experienced as Seven would make a mistake that massive. I try not to let the gun bother me while walking through here, the cold barrel rubbing against my bare skin, but too many prying eyes and cameras are on me, otherwise I'd adjust the way it's sitting in my pants.

The wait feels like an eternity and a blink of an eye, and every time the elevator dings my stomach turns a bit more.

I rehearse this over and over in my head, but nothing prepares me for the cold that sweeps over me when Joe Vito steps out of the elevator toward me. My lips part and suddenly I shrink, my entire body going stiff at the weight of the situation. I'm not prepared for this, I'm not ready.

"London girl." Joe stalks toward me, turning and putting his hand on my lower back and guiding me in the direction he came. "I'm so happy to see you." He keeps his grimy palm on me as he pushes the up button, the elevator doors springing open for us.

I go in and remain composed, not wanting to fuck things up just yet. I have to get him into his room. I can't do this here, even if I really fucking want to get it over with.

"You're so tense." Joe comes up to my rear and puts both hands on my shoulders, rubbing harder than he should, like he's trying to assert his male dominance in some weird way.

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