Page 79 of Grumpy Billionaire Bad Boy

"Do you want me to get a mirror out for you, big boy? I mean, the wrinkles between your brows. You're going to need Botox if you keep that up."

I do what I can to relax my face.

"Were you always this uptight?" London persists.

"That was two questions," I inform her. "Were you always this nosey?"

London shrugs. "Yeah, probably." She pauses and adds, "See how easy that was?"

"What?"

"To answer a question."

"Oh." I twirl the glass of tequila before putting it to my lips and downing it in one swallow. "There. Now it's my turn." But the moment the opportunity presents itself, I realize I have no idea what I want to ask her. Sure, there are a million burning questions, but none of them are appropriate. Like who she really is, and what actually brought her here? How did she get involved with Joe Vito, and what is her connection to Silver?

"I'm waiting, big boy." London leans against the counter and keeps her eyes glued to me.

"I…I pass."

London sighs. "You're so boring."

"Thanks."

"It wasn't a compliment."

"I have a question," I admit. "Why are you always trying to pick a fight?"

London blinks a few times like she's taken aback. "I do not."

"You're lying and you know it."

"Fine," London huffs. "I mean, it's not necessarily on purpose, but you're fun to mess with. You get flustered easily." She fidgets with her glass. "You're going to have to ask me harder questions, otherwise I'm never going to drink."

"Maybe I'm not trying to getyoudrunk."

She shifts right into her next train of thought. "What was your longest relationship?"

I have half a mind to drink the tequila she pours into my glass, almost as if she's expecting me not to answer, but realize I have nothing to lose by giving her this information. "Six years."

"Damn. I don't know what's more surprising, the fact that you answered or that you were in a relationship for six years."

I force a laugh. "Yeah."

"What happened? Did she break up with you?"

My gaze lowers and the memory of what happened comes rushing in. I open my mouth, unsure why I'm admitting the truth right now when I've done everything I can to bury it for the past few years. "She died."

London's lips part, her expression softening and her hand reaching forward to rest on mine. "I'm so sorry, I never would have asked if I knew."

I pull my hand away, the reaction so quick and aggressive. "It's fine. You didn't know. It was in the past, anyway."

"Still, Archer, I'm sorry." My name on her tongue and the tequila coursing through me almost numbs the loss.

"What about you?" I ask her, both to deflect the pitiful look on her face and to derail this from being all about me. "What was your longest relationship?"

"Six months."

"What happened?" I ask, unsure if follow-up questions are part of the rules.

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