Page 18 of Good Girl Gone Bad

Chapter Six

“Hey,” Nico said, striding into Marco’s office without being announced. Nico had been alive three years longer than Marco, but sometimes the impatient and bossy way he acted made it seem like he had a whole decade on his brother.

Marco, however, had no problem putting Nico in his place. He raised his gaze from the paperwork he was signing and rocked back in his chair. “How was Los Angeles?”

Nico sat in front of him. “Good.”

“How’s Zaine doing? I haven’t seen him in a while,” Marco said, mentioning Nico’s buddy from college. These days, Nico juggled business on both coasts, and whenever he visited California, he visited Zaine Cavanaugh and his wife Ashley.

Nico scratched his chin. “Okay. Doesn’t seem like his marriage will hold up.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m surprised. They seem like a good match,” Marco said, remembering the way the power couple completed each other.

“You and your matches. By the way, where’s Elizabeth? Haven’t heard much about her lately.”

He shrugged. “I don’t see her anymore.” He didn’t miss Elizabeth one bit. Ever since his return from his business trip a few days prior, whenever he was away from Lily, he’d counted the minutes until they were together again. The image of Lily’s radiant smile flooded his mind, and need drilled through his body. The day before, he’d taken her shopping and provided her with all the best dresses and shoes money could buy. He couldn’t wait to—

“You’re smiling like a fool. Who’s the new lady?” Nico asked.

The one keeping us from getting the garage.“She’s someone I enjoy being around. She’s…not like others.”

“Other women?” Nico drew his eyebrows together.

His brother had never been much of a romantic himself, preferring a string of casual relationships to settling down. He’d even mentioned a couple of times he wanted to get a vasectomy. Marco would brush the subject aside, not really believing his brother would see that plan through.

“Other people. Anyway, there’s something more important I need to tell you. We’ll have to find another garage for the new entertainment district.”

Nico rocked his head back, then threw it forward, sighing. “We’ve already exhausted all the options. The next site for making a garage is a few blocks from most restaurants and places. What’s the holdup? I thought you wanted to talk to the beauty shop owner.”

“I have, and she’s adamant on keeping it.”

“Didn’t the corporate investigator look into her situation? Isn’t she financially strapped?”

“Yes.”

“I wonder if it’s just a matter of time. But I gotta say, we can’t wait long. The investors won’t be happy about it, and some may even back out. Besides, I want to get on Brad Franklin’s good side. I heard he’s been doing a lot of business with Antoine Desmarais.”

“So?”

“So, Desmarais owns that property in Mauritius I’ve been dying to buy since our father sold it.”

Marco threw his hands in the air. When would his brother give up on this ridiculous dream of buying their childhood vacation home? Whatever feeling Nico expected to revive when he entered the place where—according to him—they were happy, it wouldn’t happen. Desmarais, the owner, was extremely reclusive and had been for years. He’d lived in the home full time and had turned down every chance of selling it, despite the high purchase prices his brother had offered. “You need a new obsession, man.”

“Maybe I’ll call Elizabeth now that you’re out of the picture,” Nico said, obviously to tease him. They had better bro code than that.

“Be my guest.”

“Porca miseria, Marco. You can’t be this nonchalant about losing a deal because of a fucking beauty shop. If our father heard you, he’d—”

“What? He’d tell me I’m no good for anything? We’re dealing with someone’s livelihood here, Nico. It’s her choice. She doesn’t want to lose the salon. We can’t make her give up her dream. We’re rich, not mind manipulators.”

Nico squinted his eyes. “I’ll give it more time. Jerry said within weeks she should lose everything. But once that happens, that’s it. We’re taking over, whether we buy it from her or the bank seizes it from her.”

Marco pondered. He had no problem telling his brother about his one-month arrangement. Nico was no saint, and didn’t often judge another’s sexual debauchery. But, if he told him, Nico would criticize his mixing business with pleasure in a way that could alter lives and a huge business deal. Nico would make a big deal out of everything. After the month ended, Marco would tell his brother about the deal and tell him to fuck off. Until then, he planned on enjoying Lily, guilt-free. Worry-free.

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