Page 6 of The Leader

Whatever he saw in her eyes made him curse. “Don’t move. Unless you want me to give you what your body is asking for.”

The arrogant prick!

He slid his hand inside her bra—his finger accidentally on purpose brushing over a stiff nipple—and pulled out the pocket watch.

Right. The watch he believed she had stolen. She’d almost forgotten about the reason she had ended up in this position in the first place.

She was just about to bite him in the chin—’cause really, what other option had she left—when the door opened, and Mary walked in. Her cousin gasped when she found Jazzy on the floor, Gio on top of her, holding her down.

“Oh my God, what—”

“Mary, finally. Could you tell this asshole I’m Mr. Rossi’s personal assistant and that I’m allowed to open his safe? In fact, that I do it all the time?”

His hot gaze raked over her barely-covered chest and a smirk curled his lips. “His PA?”

Her cousin cleared her throat. “Um, yes, she’s allowed to take things from the safe all the time.”

Mary couldn’t lie to save her life.

“That’s right.” Jazzy tried to wriggle from underneath him, but he was unmovable, like a rock. “I’m his right hand.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’rejustlike his right hand.”

It took her a second to understand what he was insinuating.Gross.

He cocked a brow at the disgusted look she gave him, but then finally rolled off her.

The second he stepped away from her, Jazzy crawled back to her feet and fled the room, not caring about the watch anymore. She all but ran to her bedroom, getting her backpack from her closet.

Passport. Check.

Phone. Check.

Pile of cash. Check.

There was no way she was getting through a dinner with Giovanni Detta. She had a really bad feeling about him, and the way he had looked at her. The man might choose herjustto spite her. Which just wouldn’t do. In the infamous words of Gaga;I’m a free bitch, baby.

She had places to go, promises to fulfill. Come hell or high water, she was going to finish Mike’s bucket list. And there was no time like the present.

CHAPTER 4

GIO

Gio sat across the dining table from Antonio Rossi. Vince was chatting up Gina, though she clearly saw him more as a nuisance. He had to hand it to her, she was keeping her eyes on the prize; unlike most women, who made a giggling fool of themselves when they got Vince’s full attention.

The other granddaughter, Mary, sat across from him, barely meeting his eyes. She was a shy little thing; preferred to listen instead of talk. Still, something was missing. It wasn’t hard to figure out what was wrong with this picture.

“Where’s your other granddaughter? Jocelyn.” The smart one.

The conversations at the table came to a halt.

Even though Gio didn’t consider Jocelyn a serious candidate, it was still an insult that she’d stayed away. He waited for Antonio to make up an excuse for her absence. A migraine, having the flu, anything.

Antonio put down his wine. “I was told that Jocelyn left the premises about an hour ago. Something about discovering the world before she got snatched up by an arrogant billionaire.”

Gio had a feeling the old man was quoting the last part. “So, she suddenly decided to take a trip around the world, did she now?”

It almost seemed as if Antonio was baiting him, which didn’t make any sense. The old man had more to lose, if this deal fell through, than Gio did.

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