Page 57 of Seducing Her Scarred Boss

He’d gone pale. Stopped halfway down the hall. ‘Why did you want me to meet your family?’

‘I didn’t. It wasn’t like I was going to introduce you to them as my boyfriend or anything, Lorenzo. Heaven forbid.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘I just wanted you to be there. I wanted your support.’

‘No.’ Lorenzo took a deep breath in and reminded himself that he was not going to lose it. Not again. Now was the time for some honesty. He owed her that, at least. ‘I’ve met your father before.’

‘You have?’

‘He was the presiding judge when I was up in court.’

‘What?’

‘Youth court. I was thirteen.’

‘What had you done?’

He shrugged. ‘Graffiti, theft, destruction of property. It wasn’t the first time.’

‘What did he do?’

‘Ordered some community service. Made the order to send me to that school.’

‘Dad did that?’

‘Yes. I had “potential.” They thought it might bring it out.’ And it had—to a degree.

She lifted her brows. ‘And you think what? That your past would put him off you now?’

Of course it would.

‘Doesn’t all you’ve done in the last eighteen years count for anything? Or are you stuck in some kind of time warp? You don’t think what you’ve done with your life since matters?’

He shook his head. She just didn’t get it.

‘So tell me the truth, then.’ She squared up to him. ‘The wine label—it’s a front for money laundering, isn’t it?’

‘What? No.’

‘Is it drugs, then? You’re secretly growing pot in the vineyards?’

‘Of course not.’

‘Oh.’ She sounded disappointed. ‘No illegal activities. You’re not much of a crim then are you?’

‘Sophy.’ He so didn’t need the sarcasm right now.

She didn’t stop. ‘Have you ever been back in court?’

He shook his head.

‘So what’s the problem?’ She folded her arms and eye-balled him. ‘My father believes in justice, Lorenzo. You had a problem. Did some things you shouldn’t have. You did your hours of community service or whatever. Put the wrong right. And he got you into a place that would actually help you. It’s finished. Behind you.’

‘He wouldn’t see it like that.’

‘How do you know?’

‘I just do, all right?’ She was so naive. ‘Do you really think he’d be okay with what I’m doing with you?’

‘Well—’ her colour deepened ‘—I don’t think he’d want to know any intimate kind of details about anyone I’m with but—’

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