Page 60 of Scarred Heir

“I did want to ask you something.”

“Sure.” I glanced at my watch. “I have to take a meeting in about five minutes.”

“I’ll be quick.” She let go of my hand and took a seat in the chair in front of me. “You know how you bought me all those clothes?”

“The clothes you didn’t want?” I grinned as I admired the way her fit form looked in the navy-blueskirt. The open-toed, gray stilettos accentuated her sexy feet too. “You’re fucking hot.”

A blush filled in her cheeks when she smiled at me. “I was thinking now that I have this killer wardrobe, maybe I could do something with it.”

“Like what?”

“Look for a job.” She smoothed out her skirt. “And then when I get a job, I’ll have clothes to show up in. Going to interviews was a struggle before because I never felt like I looked good enough.”

“I’m sure you always looked good.”

“But not as good as I look now. My hair, my nails.” She held up her hand to show me her fresh manicure. “Even my eyebrows are perfect.”

“I thought you were stunning before all of that, but you’re a fucking goddess.” I rubbed my jaw. “Far too beautiful to let you out of my sight.”

“What do you mean?”

“You don’t need a job.” Even though I knew that statement was barbaric, I wanted her home when I got there. My life was too chaotic. I needed her when I needed her. This relationship was so new. I didn’t want to share her. “I can take care of you.”

“We can take care of each other,” she said. “Emotionally, physically, but I have to have some stability, you know?”

“Financially?” Was she thinking about an endgame? Did she think I was going to kick her to the curb when I was done? “I can give you money.”

“I don’t want your money.”

“Like you didn’t want the clothes?” Did I need to remind her how I dealt with that display of unappreciativeness?Fuck, I made her strip in front of Camila and… I am barbaric.

“That was different.” She crossed her legs at the ankle. “I need some independence. I have to be able to stand on my own two feet. Chance needs that from me too.”

“Chance doesn’t need anything from you.” I leaned against the desk, trying to contain my anger over her constant need to protect and clean up after her idiot brother. “If anything, he should be the one who makes up for all the shit he put you through. He has to learn to stand on his own two feet.”

“If he didn’t get into trouble, I wouldn’t have found you.”

“I’m not an unreasonable man.” That wasn’t true, but I wanted to at least try. “What kind of job do you want?”

“I don’t know.” She stood, appearing more anxious than I would like. “I’ve mainly worked retail and in restaurants, because those were the only places I could get someone to even consider me. It’s a competitive world.”

“Not when you know an Accetti.”

“I don’t want any favors. I can do it on my own.”

Why is she so difficult?I stalked toward her, backing her toward the wall with each step. “I could just load money into your account.” I leaned my forearm against the wall as I captured her hip in my other hand. “I might do that anyway.”

“No.” She pursed her lips together like she often did when stress took over. “I want to work.”

“You can work.” I gripped her hip.

“I don’t need your permission.” Her statement had an obvious amount of uncertainty.

“Are you telling me that, or are you asking me if you need my permission?” I trailed my hand up her body andthen twisted her hair around my finger. “I’m going to bet you already know the answer.”

“Milo,” she sighed. “Do you honestly see what’s happening between us lasting forever?”

“What?”Forever?