Page 71 of The Sexy Billionaire

“Any news on that asshole ex?” I ask him.

He lets out a sigh. “He must know where the security cameras are near my place because he avoided them all. It’s her word against his. I sent one of my boys down to the restaurant to investigate, and he had an alibi, a staff member said she was with him.”

What a fucker.

“I’m assuming it’s the same staff member Paige caught him fucking.”

“Yeah, probably, but without evidence there is nothing I can do to put him behind bars,” he explains before giving a frustrated huff.

“What do you need from me? I can go down and rough him up. I have a diplomatic passport so?—”

Smith bursts out laughing. “You didn’t just say that to an NYPD detective.”

“No, I said it to the older brother of Paige Johnson.”

Smith’s eyes widen, and then a full-blown smile falls across his face. “You never heard this from me …”

“Enough said,” I tell him.

He gives me a knowing nod.

“I’ll bring her back to your place once she’s finished,” I tell him.

“If she’s not in a good way, is it okay if she can crash? She’s a lightweight,” he explains.

“Of course, I have a spare bedroom already set up. And she can borrow some of Nat’s clothes.”

“Thanks, Gio. I appreciate that you’ve been a great friend to her through all this,” he says, giving me praise.

“She’s done the same to me too. Thankfully, my ex is too busy taking selfies to be stalking me.”

Smith nods in acknowledgment. “How are you doing, really?”

“Just waiting for the public announcement, it feels like once that is out there, I’m free. At the moment I’m still in limbo.”

“Guess a couple more weeks in the grand scheme isn’t that long,” he adds with a shrug.

It’s true.It could be worse, much worse, I think as I look over at Paige.

“I’ll let you go. The girls seem to have gotten louder, I didn’t think that was possible, so good luck with all that,” Smith jokes, then hangs up the phone.

I turn around and see the two of them having the time of their lives together. Seeing my sister laughing with Paige, both relaxed, thaws my stone-cold heart. Giada, even though she had much more in common with Natalia than Paige does, I don’t think I could ever see her getting drunk and dancing on coffee tables, not unless it was for social media. The most relaxed I’ve seen Giada is, funnily enough, with Allegra in Greece.

“Gio, join us,” Natalia says, calling me over. My first thought is to wave her off like I normally would, not wanting to be seen being silly, but something in me decides to let loose instead. So, I do. I grab the bottle of tequila, swing a shot back, and join the girls dancing to something absurd on the stereo and let myself go.

“As fun as this party is, I’ve got to go,” Natalia says.

Huh, go? Where? Why?

“You two have been so much fun, but I have this opening I’m supposed to be at,” she explains as she rushes up and kisses me on the cheek. “Loved your moves, brother. Who knew you had it in you?” Then she moves over to Paige and gives her a tight hug. “Love you, girl, tomorrow don’t forget, you and me, shopping up a storm.”

Paige groans but gives my sister a smile. “I’m in your capable hands,” she tells her.

“I won’t let you down, I promise,” Natalia states as she steps away from her. “Hey, you’re welcome to grab a change of clothes from my room,” she says before turning and heading out of the living room.

Paige and I look at each other and burst out laughing. I turn the stereo down to a normal level and collapse on the sofa. Paige does the same beside me.

“Thanks for hanging out with her,” I turn and tell Paige.

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