Page 6 of The Sexy Billionaire

“I love my life, Smith. Just because you’re unhappy with yours doesn’t mean everyone else is,” I bite back.

My brother rolls his eyes at me; we’ve had this argument before, usually when he is telling me I can do better than Michael.

“I think you’re jealous of my life, Paige. I don’t have to answer to anyone. I have the freedom to do whatever the hell I want. I’m not tied down.”

It’s the same response he gives, the perennial bachelor of Manhattan, sleeping his way through the never-ending supply of badge bunnies that chase police officers.

“Why would I be jealous of your one-night stands? There’s more to life than sex,” I say.

“That’s something someone who isn’t getting good sex says,” my brother teases.

I flip him off. I’m not going to defend my sex life to my brother. Has it dropped down significantly? Yes. But that’s because starting a business is stressful, every couple goes through a dry spell. This dry spell has spanned months, but neither one of us has the energy after working sixteen-plus-hour days to come home and get it on. I wish there was more intimacy in my marriage, but I know that all marriages have ups and downs, and this, too, shall pass.I hope.

3

PAIGE

It was hard to say goodbye to Italy; it felt like a piece of me was missing as I stepped onto the plane and headed back to New York. I was happy to be getting back to my life, but in the same breath, I felt unsettled as if heading back to the States wasn’t the right thing to do. It’s probably because every other time I left Italy, I knew I’d be seeing Lucia again, but this time, it’s goodbye, the first time I’m leaving not knowing when I’ll come back again, and even if I do go back, she isn’t waiting for me. I don’t want our connection to break because it will be broken when I step off on the other side of the world, and I’m not ready to say goodbye, even though I must.

“You want me to wait?” my brother asks, having arrived back in New York.

I wave his concern away. “Michael said he’s stuck in traffic,” I lie. Michael isn’t waiting for me at the airport like he said he would; why am I surprised? He’s obviously lost track of time while in the kitchen and is probably at the restaurant prepping for the day.

“You sure?” he double-checks.

“Yes, go,” I tell him.

He nods, eventually leaving me to it. Mom and Dad had decided to stay on in Italy for a couple of weeks more to do some exploring in Europe. I pick up my phone and call Michael to find out where the hell he is, but his cell is switched off.

What the hell?

There was a small part of me that hoped he would be here, greeting me at the airport with a bouquet of flowers, telling me how much he missed me and that everything was going to be okay. Instead, I’m heading to our restaurant to see my husband for the first time in a month. I never got a chance to tell him he’s married to a countess now, that we’re rich and don’t have to struggle anymore, especially after speaking with Lucia’s financial advisor. Antony explained to me all about the businesses she had invested in and that I was now the proud owner of multiple enterprises across Europe. Including, the co-owner of the vineyard next door to Lucia’s estate, which I had no idea was partly hers. Lucia owns the land that they grow the grapes on, and the Fiorenzo family owns the wine-making business. Apparently, the two families have worked together for generations, creating the wine. It was quite shocking to discover that Giorgio and I are now in business together. Antony went on to explain that the Fiorenzo family live in Rome and don’t come down much to see it as they employ numerous people to run it for them. Mario, who I always assumed was Lucia’s neighbor, not her employee, being one of them.

She’d also invested in another winery in France, in the Champagne region, and owns her own champagne brand. Why had she never told me any of this? There are also boutique hotels in the Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, Venice, Santorini, St Tropez, Marrakesh, and Hvar in Croatia, as well as ski chalets in the Dolomites, St Moritz, and Chamonix. I always assumed when we went to these places on holidays that she chose them because she wanted to go there, not because she was visiting her hotels, butnow it makes sense why everyone was falling over themselves to assist us every time we stayed—because she was the fricken owner.

Then there were other generosities like supporting up-and-coming artists and fashion designers with scholarships and grants in her name. That she is a silent partner in the world-renowned brand Yvette Sanchez, whose head office is in Paris.

And now, it was all mine.I don’t want to let you down, Lucia.

Antony also explained the huge charity organization that she founded, helping to raise millions for various charities that were dear to her. Every year there is a ball in Rome that she co-hosts with the Fiorenzo family; it’s a huge fundraiser for their charity. It’s horrible to realize you didn’t know parts of someone you were so close to. I should have done better.

Another stunning revelation was Lucia also has a classic car collection which is housed in a garage somewhere on the outskirts of Florence, not at her home as she didn’t like the clutter. Smith is going to freak when he finds out. This woman was an undercover multi-millionaire, and we had no idea. I feel so stupid not realizing, but I guess you’re only looking at what people are showing you and she never showed me the countess side of her. Now I wonder what she was really like when I wasn’t around. I imagine this outspoken, assertive, ballbuster countess wrapped in fur, dripping in diamonds, driving classic cars between her estate in Italy and who the hell knows where else. She was a boss bitch, and I didn’t even know it, and yet she thinks I can continue her legacy when my own life is a hot mess.

The taxi pulls up out the front of my own legacy, the restaurant Michael and I opened together. Maybe I can do this; I just need to have faith. Lucia saw something in me that I never did—until now. As I grab my suitcase and tip the driver, a sense of calm slides over me; I’ve got this. I, too, can be a badass boss bitch; I’m a fricken countess now.

I straighten my back and hold my head up higher than I normally would as I turn down the side alley and head into the restaurant via the back door. Opening the door, I walk through the back area and toward the kitchen, placing my suitcase down beside the fridges before continuing through. It’s awfully quiet, I assumed a couple of the chefs would be in early prepping. Maybe the time difference has messed me up and it’s earlier than I think it is. Then I hear grunting coming from the main kitchen. My heart skips a beat as the strange sounds echo around me. What on earth is that?

As soon as I turn the corner, I freeze as the source of the grunting becomes abundantly clear. My husband is fucking someone over the stainless-steel kitchen bench.That’s not hygienic. If the city found out, we would be closed down,I think as I watch his white bare ass piston into someone that is not his wife. The woman lets out a moan as she moves her head to the side, and that’s when I realize it’s our sous chef, Amelia. A slew of French curse words fall from his lips as he slaps her ass a couple of times until his grunting ends with a long moan. I can tell that he got what he needed, not sure if Amelia did though.

Her eyes open and they land on me; her face instantly pales, and she quickly tries to push Michael off her.

“Hey, what the fuck?” he curses as his limp condom-covered dick falls from her. I should be happy that he’s at least practicing safe sex.

“Paige,” Amelia whispers as she quickly pulls her pants up.

“Why are you worried about Paige now? It’s never bothered you before,” he states, sounding annoyed that his sous chef has brought up his wife. He ties off his condom and throws it into the bin before pulling up his pants and turning around; his face drops as he stares disbelieving at me.

“Surprise. Guess you didn’t miss me then?” I say before storming out of the kitchen.Be strong, Paige, do not let this man see you cry, he doesn’t deserve it.

---