Page 31 of The Leader

Tommie spun around to where the voice had come from.

She scowled at Gio, who’d just walked in. “That’s not funny.”

“Since it’s not a joke, I should think not.” His cold gaze raked over her startled friend.

When Hector joined them from the balcony, Tommie gulped—actually gulped. Then again, as head of security, looking menacing was Hector’s job. His large frame, muscle on top of muscle, and perpetual scowl would intimidate anyone. Well, anyone but her since she had fought the devil himself and prevailed. Hector might look menacing on the outside, but he had nothing on Marco, who was beautiful on the outside, but rotten inside.

Don’t go there, Jazzy. Keep that memory locked inside your mental box.

“Don’t likeScarface, huh?” Hector growled.

Tommie started to stammer. “Um, I actually loved that movie. Just…I just didn’t think…I mean…”

Jazzy took pity on him. “Will you guys stop it? He’s here with me.”

Gio stood next to her in two short steps, his arm around her waist, pulling her into him. “And why exactly is that?”

It was impossible to miss the edge in his voice. He clearly didn’t like Tommie around her. Well, too bad. For the time being, this was her house too. She could bring around anyone she liked.

“Gio, meet my business partner, Tommie Green. We will be using this place as our headquarters, until we find office space.”

“There’s office space in the Detta Tower. Just take your pick.”

Be around him all day so he could watch her from a distance, distracting her? No, thank you very much.

Tommie cleared his throat. “We can’t afford an office in that tower, Mr., um, Detta, I presume?”

Gio kissed her slowly, clearly showing his ownership, and she barely controlled an eye roll. “You presume correctly. And obviously I wouldn’t charge my own wife.”

Her friend’s head snapped right back to her. “Wife?”

She sighed. “Tommie, meet Giovanni Detta. My husband.” It still felt weird saying that out loud. Also, a part of her felt like a fraud, since their marriage was one of convenience. “Thanks for the offer, by the way, but we’re going to decline,” she said, getting back to their original topic. “All we need for now is a computer and a flowchart, really. There’s enough space in this big house. Space that won’t cost us a mint.”

“Hector, why don’t you show Mr. Green to the living room? I need a minute with mywife.”

Before Jazzy could protest, Hector led Tommie away. She’d expected her friend to protest, but he was already trailing after the bodyguard. Did he just check out Hector’s ass?

When Gio took her by the elbow and guided her up to their bedroom, she knew it was going to take more than a minute.

As soon as he closed the bedroom door behind her, he rounded on her. “Why didn’t you tell him you’re married?”

“I didn’t get around to it.” When he cocked an eyebrow, she added, “Because it’s weird, okay? Tommie knows I’m not an impulsive person. I wouldn’t just jump into the fray like that, marrying a stranger. I guess I just didn’t want him to think less of me.”

He was silent for a moment. “Do you regret it?”

She looked up into his eyes that, as usual, didn’t betray what he was thinking. “No, I don’t.”

“You sound surprised.”

“Maybe I am,” she admitted. “I mean, we kind of had a rocky start, even before we tied the knot. To say the least. I guess I had expected the worst, for some reason.”

His hand cupped her cheek, his thumb stroking it, when she mentioned the rocky start. She didn’t know what made her do it, but she grabbed his hand and placed a kiss on it, silently telling him that she didn’t blame him for that slap weeks ago.

“I don’t like you keeping our marriage from people, like it’s some dirty secret.”

“It wasn’t like that—”

“I don’t like you working with him.”

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