Page 102 of Virgin's Dirty Boss

“Do not be foolish. She is simply a means to an end, nothing more.”

Scarlett couldn’t bear to listen to the rest of the conversation and abandoned her hiding place around the corner. Some compulsion had urged her to stay, to hear his sisters, hoping that a reasonable explanation for their behavior would be offered. She bit back a sob as she ran to her room, wishing she’d never heard those damning words. She wanted to pretend that Carter had slept with her because he wanted her, maybe because he was starting to love her as she was beginning to love him.

The truth was so much more simple, plain, and devastating. To Carter, she was an inconvenience, a way to toy with her father. He probably considered last night a small consolation for the trouble she’d put him through. He was a man, not going to refuse what was offered, especially when she’d been so humiliatingly willing. Scarlett’s face flamed as she remembered begging Carter to make love to her. At the time she’d assumed he was prolonging her pleasure, but now she knew he was prolonging his own. Playing with her had must have brought almost as much satisfaction as the sexual release, if not more.

Scarlett threw herself on the bed, finally giving in to the sobs. She was falling in love with a man who hated and despised her, who regarded her as a pawn in a game of war he was playing with her father. The worst part was, she didn’t know how to stop falling for him. How did she turn off her emotions? She might as well rip the heart from her chest and grind it under her heel. And she could never do it as effectively as Carter had done with a few careless words.

Carter

Athena shook her head at Carter as his sisters left the room. “It’s not like you to lie. You’ve always been truthful.”

“I’m not lying,” Carter said in a voice that rang with conviction.

She nodded sagely. “That is the worst kind of lie, Carter. The kind you tell yourself,” she added, leaving him in the sudden silence as she swept out of the room.

Carter looked up to meet the recrimination in Darren’s eyes. “What?” he bit out. “You disapprove of my game?”

“She’s not a game,” Darren said in a mild tone. “She’s a nice girl, and she doesn’t deserve what you’re doing to her.” He shook his head and left Carter as well.

Carter shook his head, marveling at how quickly everyone could abandon a person. His sisters had departed after hearing what they wanted to hear, going about their lives. Then his mother and her ridiculous accusation, followed by Darren’s disapproval.

“Dammit,” Carter cursed, drawing himself up sharply. He had to separate the truth from the lies, the pretense from the reality, before he could allow himself to trust her enough to love her.

15

Scarlett

Scarlett awoke with a pounding head and a dry feeling in her mouth. She sat up, lurching a bit in the afternoon heat. Too busy sobbing, she hadn’t turned on the air conditioner before lying down.

She still wore the rumpled slacks and white halter, so apparently she’d fallen asleep sometime during that storm of tears. Her head was pounding more now, and it took her a moment to realize the pounding was an external sensation. She rose from the bed and walked onto the balcony, looking up at the sky, seeing the helicopter approaching the island. Without interest, she turned from the balcony and went to the bathroom, where she took a long shower, forcing herself not to think of Carter and his hurtful words.

After dressing, Scarlett sat on her bed, wondering what she should do with herself. She was hungry, and dinner was fast approaching, but she didn’t want to face Lydia and Thea. She was also in no hurry to see Carter again, knowing she would have to pretend that she’d never heard the damning words he’d spoken.

She would have to paste on a false smile, pretending like they’d never slept together, and that he’d never used her. Scarlett would have to hide the love growing in her heart, and she didn’t know if she could do that. She wasn’t an actress by any stretch of the imagination, and she wasn’t good at lying. Too practical.

Eventually, Scarlett decided she would have to go down to dinner if for no other reason than her pride. She wasn’t going to let any of them intimidate her or treat her as an inferior. With a sigh, she got off the bed and left her room.

As she walked into the sitting room, she noticed it was much noisier than usual. She was surprised to find several more people milling around the room, and first thought Athena was hosting a party. Then she saw the four children and figured it must be a more intimate occasion.

The man closest to her turned around, and she saw the resemblance between him and the rest of the Braxton family. His eyes appraised her in a lazy fashion, and she was surprised to see a smile form on his lips. “You must be Scarlett.” A sudden hush fell upon the room. “I am Elias Braxton, Carter’s younger brother.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine. It isn’t often that our entire family gets together.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Come meet the rest of the brood.” He led her forward, stopping before an elegantly dressed woman with a cap of soft black hair, wide eyes, and pale skin. “This is my lovely wife, Giovanna.”

Scarlett shook her hand, surprised that there was no coldness in her gaze. “Lovely to meet you. Please call me Vanna.” Vanna spoke with a thick Italian accent.

“We live in Rome,” Elias said as he led her to another man, his features plainly Italian. “My brother-in-law Dario, and my sister Ekaterini.” Their receptions were both warm as well. “Dario is Vanna’s brother,” Elias said as he led her to the children.

They lined up in a neat row, from tallest to smallest, and Scarlett immediately found them enchanting. “Aristotle, eight; Aleni, six; Fabrizio, four.” Each of the children smiled at her. Elias knelt in front of the smallest child, who waved at him and lifted her arms. “And this little one is Catherina. Ekaterini has dubbed her Cat until she has a chance to grow into her name.”

“You have beautiful children,” Scarlett murmured, conscious of Carter’s eyes upon her from across the room. Lydia and Thea also regarded her avidly, but with intense dislike.

Elias nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, they are all saints,” he said with gusto, earning a chuckle from Vanna. “Only the three oldest belong to us. Cat is our niece.”

Dinner was a loud and boisterous affair. Scarlett remained quiet for the most part, content to listen to the family speak to each other, often in loud, but loving, tones. She learned that Elias helped Vanna and Dario manage their father’s export business, and had been the one to introduce Ekaterini, the youngest Braxton child, to Dario three years ago. They lived in Rome and didn’t find as much time to visit as they all would like. Upon learning that Carter would only be on the island for twelve days, Elias had organized their vacation, practically closing down their shipping offices. “Family must come first,” he said. “Just as our father taught us.” A toast was drunk in honor of Santori, and then Elias raised his glass once more. “A toast to Justin,” he said.

Lydia’s expression froze, and tears leaked from her eyes. “I won’t drink a toast to my dead husband with her sitting at the same table.” She glared at Scarlett.

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