Page 107 of Dangerous Contract: Part 2

"When I heard that, I became enraged. I hadn't been that mad in a long time. I guess you could say my protective instincts kicked in," Mr. Miconi told her. "I told my guard to ready the car. I told him I would be taking you away from that idiot."

"What do you mean by 'taking'me away?"Please tell me I'm not in the presence of another kidnapper!

"I mean what I said."

Yep, I am.

"And I would've done it," he continued as if kidnapping was legal. "You would've been mine a long time ago if the company who wanted me to invest in them hadn't distracted me. As they showed off their vehicle to me, I kept my eyes on you. You looked like a breath of fresh air to me – which was exactly what I needed in my life. I'll never forget the vision you were on that day. You were wearing a long blue dress and a white and blue beach hat. You had on blue sandals. And you smiled at everyone who passed you, even if they didn't smile back. I wanted to approach you with a smile to ease the nervousness I saw on your face. Unfortunately, I lost sight of you and your ex in the sea of people on the beach."

"How can you remember all of that?" Monique whispered.

"I remember things that are important," he told her. "I also remember how lonely you looked, standing all alone while your husband stared at the bikini-clad women on the beach in between mingling with investors."

Monique stared down at the floor. "So, you saw that too, huh? It seems you know all about my horrible relationship with my ex."

Mr. Miconi placed his finger under her chin and forced her gaze to his again.

"Don't ever allow thoughts of him to make you lower your head. He didn't deserve you. And if you ask me, neither does Don Orazio Cattaneo."

Monique took a step back. "Mr. Miconi..."

"Frederico," he corrected her.

"Frederico, I don't know what to say. I mean, you've left me speechless."

"Just say you'll go with me to the gala. Say you'll enjoy yourself at the event. Let Raz go with my Isla, and let him see if he can handle you being there with someone else. If he can handle it, if he doesn't react at all, then he's not the one for you. The two of you can have a clean break if that's the case. But if he can't handle it, then I'll step aside. For now."

"For now?"

"Yes, for now. If he fucks up again, I'll step in. And he won't get a second chance to hurt you. I'm already giving him a chance to see you one last time. If he blows this chance, then he'll have to start a war if he wants to take you from me. And I don't think the young don is ready for that type of war."

Oh, wow!Monique didn't think she was ready for this type of man. Mr. Miconi was nothing like she'd imagined. Even so, she was looking forward to her night with him at Orazio's gala.

And that scared her because a woman in love shouldn't look forward to spending time with anyone but her lover. However, Raz had dumped her which meant, right now, she had no lover.

Chapter Thirty-One

MONIQUE

––––––––

"I'm coming on too strong, aren't I?" Mr. Miconi asked.

Monique chuckled. "A little. It must be an Italian trait or something."

"It is," he agreed. "But it's also because I've wasted enough time already. I don't want to waste anymore. Monique Rose, will you go to the gala with me?" he asked. "Just as friends. And if you and Orazio do not work out, I'm willing to wait until you're over him before I ask you to join me at my villa in Italy."

Again, Monique opened her mouth and ended up closing it without uttering a word. This man wanted to take her to his villa in Italy. Was he serious?

"Mr. Miconi, I..."

"Frederico," he corrected her for almost the fifth time. Or was it the tenth?

"Right, Frederico," Monique continued, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear, noticing the way his eyes followed her every movement. "I don't want to lead you on. I plan to leave the gala with Orazio Cattaneo. We have some unresolved issues to discuss. But I don't want my issues with Orazio to hurt you or your daughter."

Frederico smiled. "Most women wouldn't care if the current date of the man they loved ended up hurt."

"I'm not most women. I have no problem with your daughter. Orazio is my problem. And I'm the type of woman who faces her problems head-on. My only reason for attending the gala is to confront Raz. I'm not going to mingle or have fun."

---