Ronan smiled, like he enjoyed teasing his brother. “Seems like I hit a button.”
“That’s the difference between you and me,” Bosco said, his voice cold. “I don’t have buttons.”
Ronan dropped his grin, and the teasing stopped.
We moved farther down until we finally came to a stop. The trip was long, so it seemed like we went underground. “Where are we?”
“The office is below ground,” Bosco said. “Has a specific satellite feed for the servers.”
I had no idea what that meant.
The doors opened and revealed a short hallway before stone steps.
Bosco held me against him. “Shoes off.”
I slipped them off, knowing I didn’t want to walk down those steps in the sky-high heels, even with his strong arm around my waist.
Bosco went first, holding my hand and making sure I got down the narrow passageway in one piece. He took me through the doorway into a sleek office. The desk and furniture were black, and the couches were leather. There was a laptop on his desk, along with a private bar.
“How did you get all this furniture in here?” I asked.
“It was built in here.” Bosco poured three glasses of scotch and set them on the table. He opened a drawer and pulled out a stack of paper before he tossed it onto the table. “Here’s the contract.” He pulled a pen out of his pocket and set it on top. “Let’s do this.” He sat on the leather couch and stared at me, waiting for me to join him.
I took the seat beside him and crossed my legs.
Bosco didn’t touch me, turning serious like this was a business meeting.
Ronan sat across from us, grabbed the contract, and then crossed his legs. Like his brother, he wore a flashy watch on his wrist. He had corded veins like Bosco, the same chiseled jawline too. They were both equally beautiful, but Bosco was a little more unfriendly on his exterior. Ronan flipped through the pages. “It basically says you’re required to live with him for the next three months. Well…the next two and a half months since two weeks have already passed. He has full authority in your ownership, making all decisions. When the time period comes to an end, all rights are restored to you, and Bosco must respect every decision you make.” He closed the contract and placed it in front of me. “A little excessive, but not surprising.”
I could tell his brother was a lot different, far more playful and less intense. “I’m not a fan of the ownership part.”
“It’s what we agreed on,” Bosco said coldly. “If you want me to fulfill my end of the bargain, you fulfill yours.”
I turned my stare on him. “You already have me, Bosco. You don’t need to rule me with an iron fist.”
Ronan grinned. “Well said, sweetheart.”
“Don’t call her that.” Bosco’s threat shattered the calm in the world. He directed his angry gaze on his brother. “You address her as Carmen and nothing else.”
Ronan turned to me and grinned. “In case you haven’t noticed, he likes you a lot.”
Bosco gave him a deeper look of hostility. “Ronan.”
He raised his hands in the air in the form of surrender. “Just stating the obvious, Boss.”
“Boss?” I asked.
“It’s short for Bosco,” Ronan explained. “I’m not referring to him as a boss. Nor will I ever.”
There was obviously an element of competitiveness between them. I could feel it in the room, the way their levels of testosterone continued to rise. I grabbed the contract and flipped through it. “I agree. It is excessive.”
Ronan grinned. “I like her.”
Bosco ignored him.
“You can’t tell me where to go.” I grabbed the pen and scratched that line out. “I can do whatever I want. I’m not running home for curfew like a child. I have a life.”
Ronan nodded in approval. “It’s nice seeing someone stand up to him.”
“I’m not standing up to him. Just making my demands.” I set the contract down and signed the bottom. “My brother is getting married next weekend, so I’ll be gone during that time.”
Bosco’s head snapped in my direction. “What did you say?” Venom was heavy in his voice, like I’d just threatened him.
“My brother is getting married next weekend.” I held his gaze without backing down.
“Where?” he asked, clearly annoyed I hadn’t mentioned this before.
“My brother’s house. He lives in Tuscany, a few miles from my parents,” I answered.
Ronan’s eyebrows rose off his face, and he could barely contain his smile, knowing his brother was going to go ballistic.
Bosco didn’t contain his rage, not even in front of his brother. “And why would you need to stay there?”
“Because we’ll celebrate the night before, the night of, and then have breakfast together the next morning. That’s what we’ve done for every other wedding in the family. It’s a whole weekend thing.” That shouldn’t be surprising, considering we were an Italian family who loved any excuse to drink and celebrate.