Page 122 of Fortress of the Heart

The thing about playing with fire is that someone always gets burned.

I should know that by now, since I’m the one used to making all the rules.

Yet, every time I think about it, I also remind myself about the short but blissful time we spent together.

“...and then we’ve got the conference call with Kazmir Holwitz. He’s the one wanting to rent a space in the building downtown Dante just acquired…” Helena says.

I should also not fantasize about her while preparing for my day. This week, of all weeks, I need to have my head in the game.

Until the casino is in full flight and the operations manager runs things how I want them, I’m stuck here. But at least I get to have my team with me.

I told Jonas to stay with Dante for the day, along with Georgie.

I’ll get more done without them bothering me about petty shit I don’t need to know about.

I slide my phone into my pocket as I look at Helena.

She’s giving me a knowing look. “Let me guess?”

I cock a brow.

“Could it be a woman?”

“Could what be a woman?” I fire back, my lips twitching as I stretch back in my seat.

“That has you immersed in your phone instead of your schedule?”

I snort. “Momentary lapse of concentration, I apologize.”

“That’s not like you, Marco. It’s good to see.” She smiles.

She knows better than anyone that I’m a workaholic.

I frown. “It’s good to see that a woman may have potentially distracted me? Which they haven’t, by the way.”

I’m on good terms with Helena, but I don’t share my private life with anyone. The only ones to rib me about anything personal are my brothers, and maybe Enzo.

“That isn’t at all what I meant,” she clarifies, sounding far from apologetic. “You just seem…different.”

I scratch the back of my head.Am I that transparent?

“I’m perfectly fine,” I assure her. “But thank you for the concern.”

We’ve been on a first-name basis for as long as I can remember. While I command respect from all my employees, I let Helena play a few rounds. She’s been good to me and like my mom in many ways. I’ve seen her go to bat for me, and she goes in swinging.

“Would you like cream in your coffee this morning, Sir?” She never calls me Sir. “Or are you sweet enough?”

I shake my head. “There’s no woman,” I say, ignoring the way she gives me a blank look. “Let’s get that straight.”

I’m a liar, and my phone is burning a hole in my pocket because she hasn’t replied back.

“Uh-huh.” She smiles. “You keep telling yourself that.”

23

KATIYA

I standin my uncle’s study as he raises an eyebrow and I’m left stumped on how to answer his question.

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