Page 20 of Marriage Bargain With Her Brazilian Boss (Billion-Dollar Fairy Tales)

“So you aren’t marrying that idiot then?” Caio asked, his face still set in taut lines, no glimmer of humor in his eyes.

Nush walked to the sitting area and poured herself a glass of water, her heart thundering at how close he came to the heart of the matter. “God, no,” she said over her shoulder before drinking it all in one go.

She’d barely put the glass down when he stood before her, taking up personal space, sending her pulse flying.

“Then why have you been spending the last few days at his penthouse with his gang of useless deadbeats? Did you know that Peter Huntington Sr. has been going around insinuating that an engagement announcement is imminent? That your...” his upper lip lifted in obvious disgust, “union is the new direction that OneTech needs desperately.”

It took some serious facial gymnastics to keep the satisfied smile that wanted to bloom off her face.

Maybe she was going about this the wrong way. Maybe putting her feelings out there every time Caio demanded wasn’t the way to go. And maybe...just maybe a little petty revenge wasn’t quite out of her reach.

“What I was doing with Peter is none of your business now, is it? As to his father, I’d think you’d know better than to believe anything the man says. He’s always tried to cause a rift between you and Thaata. Now he’s playing the same games with you and me.”

Caio flicked at his cuffs and Nush knew it was to hide his relief. “For a woman who keeps changing her mind every two hours, you seem to be very aware of everyone else’s motivations.”

“Don’t get used to it,” she said on a sigh. “I’m only playing along until things settle down. Until I get what I want.”

“Which is what exactly, Anushka? A week ago, you couldn’t wait to get far away from...here,” he said, using her own words.

“I’m allowed to change my mind, aren’t I?”

“Why though?”

“Because you were right. I was running away from...a lot of things. And that’s not the kind of person Thaata hoped I’d be. And you, your actions, your rejection... I can’t let it define me either.”

A low, soft curse escaped him. “I didn’t reject you. I—”

“Let’s not get into semantics, shall we?” She added a casual shrug. Maybe this was the way to get over this ridiculous attraction—to pretend that she was over it. If she did it long enough, she’d start to believe it too. “The fact is I’m not going anywhere right now. And I have a solution to keep OneTech in your hands.”

A muscle jumped in Caio’s cheek. Tension radiated from him as he ran a hand over his jaw. And for the first time in days, Nush felt like she was finally standing on hard ground.

“Unless...” She couldn’t help adding, “You’re the one with the problem now?”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“You don’t look happy to see me, Caio. If it’s going to be this hard for you to be around me, then I’m not sure my plan has a chance of—”

He pushed off the desk with such lethal elegance that Nush had to force herself to stay still and not step back. Stopping just close enough for her to breathe in the scent of him, to feel the heat of his body, now familiar in a different way, hit hers, unspooling that wanton need in her lower belly. Those enigmatic eyes studied her, flicking from her eyes to her nose to her mouth and then back up. “I didn’t realize you were capable of playing games, Princesa.” Pure challenge dripped in every single word. “Especially with me.”

Two more steps and she could press her chest against his. Two more steps and she could learn if he was affected by her proximity at all. Two more steps and...

She shrugged again, and wondered if it would become a tic she couldn’t control soon. “I’m just making sure you’re okay with my presence, Caio. It’s imperative that we get along, despite our...differences, if you want me to save OneTech.”

“Save OneTech? Then why didn’t you attend the board meeting this morning?” His mouth flattened. “I could’ve used your support there—seeing as you now own all of Rao’s stock.”

The bitter twist of his lips made her forget all her anger with him. “Are you angry with Thaata?”

He took in a deep breath. “I don’t know if I should admit it to you, Nush.”

Nush gripped his wrist, realizing how close they stood until he stilled. “Whatever else has occurred between us, or not occurred,” she said, “I’d never turn against you, Caio. Do you think he just forgot after Nanamma’s loss?”

“No,” Caio said, surprising her. “Rao had a mind like a steel trap. He didn’t forget anything. He left you everything knowing full well what he was doing. Knowing I’d resent him for it.”

Surprised, Nush stared at him. “But why?”

Caio shrugged. And Nush had a feeling he knew. But he would never tell her. And really, she had no interest in knowing what the ongoing battle between him and Thaata had been about. She didn’t need any more headaches.

“Whatever Thaata’s reason, he must have underestimated my intense dislike for boardroom backstabbingandmy loyalty toward you.”

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