Page 193 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 6

I’d try this first. And if it didn’t work, I’d go to Mr. Pruitt.

The Cannavaro estate was on the outskirts of the city, luckily not that close to my parents’ house. If I’d had to grow up with Poppy, I probably would have blown up my own car.

I parked my car in the large circular driveway. Why was she here on a Monday anyway? Didn’t she have evil business to conduct in the city? I climbed out of my car. The place reminded me of the Pruitts’ apartment. Only even larger and more ostentatious. Not that I could really talk. My parents lived in a house almost this big. And the only inviting part of that house growing up had been the kitchen. And now none of it was inviting. Because it was just filled with memories of ghosts.

Poppy opened the front door like she’d been expecting me. I looked back at my car, wondering if it was bugged or something.

“Darling!” she said and hurried down the stairs. “Where is it?” She put her hand out.

“Where is what?”

“My ring.” She lifted her hand a little higher. “Don’t worry about whatever speech you had planned or anything. But it better be at least 4 karats or I’m going to have to exchange it.” She wiggled her fingers.

“I’m not proposing, Poppy.”

“I’ve heard differently.”

“Well, you’ve heard wrong.”

She pouted. “But I’ve already gone public with the news.”

“And why the hell would you do that?”Oh right, you’re freaking insane.

“Because I trusted my source.”

Ah. There it was. She had the tabloids wrapped around her fingers too. Because of course she did. She probably threatened them with death if they didn’t leak stuff to her.

“I’m not here because of the article,” I said.

“Well, have you at least signed the relationship agreement Uncle Richard sent over? We’ll need a marriage amendment added, but we should start with the basics.”

“I’m not marrying you. And I’m not signing anything.” I pulled out the folded piece of paper from my jacket pocket. “And you’re going leave Scarlett and all my friends and family alone. Or I’ll go public with this.” I handed her the paper.

She scanned it and smiled. “I don’t know what this is. But if you’re planning on spreading rumors about me killing someone with a car bomb, then that’s slander, Matthew.”

“Not if those rumors are true.”

“Well, how do you know if it’s true?”

“For starters, you’re not denying it.”

“Oh, right.” She laughed and put her hand to her chest, feigning shock. “Oh my goodness! This isn’t true!” she said with way too much hysteria. “I’m a mother! Not a mobster.” She put the back of her hand to her forehead like she might faint. And then smiled at me. “Better?”

“No, not better. You killed someone, Poppy.”

“You’re welcome.”

Seriously, I’d sat across from this woman at dinner and had a civil conversation with her. But it was like she’d snapped overnight. Why were all the women in my life losing it?

Poppy laughed. “Oh. I keep forgetting. You don’t know.”

“And what don’t I know?”

She shrugged. “I’m enjoying the secret for now.” She looked back down at the photo. “And this is a terrible angle of me. Couldn’t you have taken a more flattering picture?”

“Stay away from my family and friends.”

She shrugged.