Page 210 of The Morally Grey Billionaires Boxset

Declan

Maybe it was a bad idea to bring her here.

I scowl at the waiter, who can’t take his eyes off of her as he uncorks the bottle of wine.

He pours a little into my glass. I take a sip and nod my approval.

He leans over to pour some into her glass, which means he has to move closer to her and—I jump to my feet. "No wine for her!"

The waiter’s hand jerks. Drops of wine stain the white tablecloth. In two strides, I reach him and take the wine bottle from him. "Leave." I jerk my chin in the direction of the kitchen.

He half bows, then scurries off. "Asshole," I grumble as I put down the wine bottle, then snatch up the bottle of water and top off her glass with water.

"Umm, what was that?"

"What was what?" I place the bottle of water on the table, then move over to fill my glass with wine before taking my seat.

"You know, the way you sent that poor man scurrying off?"

"He was standing too close to you."

"He was trying to pour me some wine."

"And now, he isn’t."

She gapes at me. "Are you feeling okay? Maybe that run in with the pap upset you more than I realized."

"I chew through them in my dreams, so don’t worry your pretty little head about it."

She sets her jaw. "Don’t treat me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like a woman who has no idea what’s happening around her. I admit, I'm in a different country and still getting used to my environment, but I learn fast."

"You don’t say." I raise my glass. "Here’s to you.”

She glances at her glass of water, then at me. “But I want to drink wine.”

“You’re not yet twenty-one, so no wine for you.”

“But in Italy, the legal drinking age is eighteen,” she protests.

“We’re not in Italy. We’re in the U.S. and the legal drinking age is twenty-one.”

She pouts. “But I wanna drink wine.”

“And I wanna bend you over the table and fuck you right now, but I’m not going to, so I guess we’re even.”

She gapes at me again. I can’t stop the chuckle that wells up. “Doesn’t take much to shock you.”

“Ha!” She tosses her hair. “Enjoy it while you can. I’m a fast learner.” She takes a sip of water from her glass, then sets it back on the table. "Thank you, by the way.”

"For what?" I raise the glass of wine and sniff its bouquet.

"For the books earlier, then for defending me from the paparazzi. And now, this." She waves a hand in the air. "It would be a lot better if I knew what you wanted from me, but I guess I can’t have everything, huh?"

She looks, and I hold her gaze. "I’m not sure what I want from you, either. I was really pissed at you—not so much for this scar…" I gesture to my forehead. "Although admittedly, that did alter the course of my career. But hey, being a villain in Hollywood is not so bad, I’m finding out."

"I’m so sorry, Declan."

I wave my hand. "It’s not your fault your brother sent those guys after me. I should have anticipated the encounter ending like that. I was angrier that you implied to him that I'd forced you."

She swallows. "I didn’t know what else to say. Diego… His anger was not pretty. He’d have punished me, and I was scared."

"I understand that now."

"You do?" Her gaze widens.

"You were seventeen, a kid. And while seeing you again reignited a need for revenge, which I admit, was on my mind when I first asked you to join me in LA, I quickly realized the error in my thinking."

"So, you… forgive me?"

I tap my fingers on the table. "Let’s just say, I don’t blame you anymore for what happened."

"Okay."

"Okay."

"So, is this a truce?" She holds up her glass of water

"It’s a… beginning of our friendship."

"Friendship?" Her forehead furrows.

"Friends. You and me." I clink my glass with hers, then take a sip of the wine. "Not bad." For the most expensive wine on the menu.

“Can I take a sip, please? I’ve never tasted wine before.”

“Never?”

She shakes her head.

“Hmm. Since this is an evening of firsts for you—” I slide my glass across the table. “A taste won’t hurt I suppose.”

She snatches up the glass takes a sip then coughs, "Ugh, it tastes like vinegar."

I laugh. "You get used to it."

She takes another sip, swirls it about her mouth, then makes a face, but swallows it down without flinching.

Take my dick down your throat. Breathe through your nose. I prefer it if you gag. I want to see the saliva drool down your chin. I want the tips of your teeth to scrape over my shaft and—

Footsteps approach, then, "Declan?" Rick’s voice cuts through my thoughts. I turn to find he’s walking next to a tall, skinny woman with pinched lips, hollowed-out cheeks, and hips which might almost look good if she put on five more pounds.

"Giorgina," I say with resignation.

Rick shuffles his feet, "Sorry, she was throwing a fit outside, and short of hauling her away physically—"

"Don’t you fucking touch me, you prick," she snaps.

He doesn’t bat an eye. "I know you didn’t want to be disturbed. It would have been worse if I’d stopped her from coming in."

"Damn right." She marches over to the table and throws down her phone, screen face up. "Care to explain this to me?"

"No, and you’re interrupting a private dinner."

"It’s fine, really, I can go—" Solene begins to rise, but I glare at her.

"Sit down."

Her butt hits the chair, but she looks thoroughly pissed about it. A chuckle wells up, but I manage to stop it. Damn, if it doesn’t send a signal straight to my dick when she obeys me like that. Her body knows who her master is, her mind and emotions have yet to catch up though.

"Is this your new plaything?" Giorgina looks down her nose at Solene. "Shoo, can’t you see the adults are talking?"

Solene stares, then a mutinous expression comes over her face. She leans back in her seat and tips up her chin. "Who’s this skinny bitch, darling?" She drawls.

Giorgina scoffs. "Well, in comparison to your puppy fat, yes, I guess I’m skinny."

"Puppy fat?" Solene’s gaze narrows. "I’d be careful what you say next, you anorexic Barbie-lookalike."

"I’ll take that as a compliment." Giorgina sniffs.

Solene looks taken aback, then a reluctant chuckle leaves her mouth. "You have a sense of humor for a dried up—"

Giorgina lowers her chin to her chest, and Solene shuts her mouth.

"So, this is the woman for whom you decked a paparazzo, huh?" Giorgina looks her up and down.

I reach across, and take my glass of wine, then take a sip. “What took you so long?"

"I’ve been trying your phone non-stop, but it kept going to voicemail."

"Ah." I smirk at Solene. "I wonder why that’s the case, hmm?"

"Never mind about the phone.” Giorgina plants her hands on her hips. “We need to release a statement about why you went all kamikaze on a pap, while you were trying to defend—"

"Solene," I helpfully supply.

"Solene." Giorgina looks between us. "Someone care to tell me what’s happening?"

"Nope." I half smile.

"Jesus, Declan, this doesn’t look good."

"Adds to my bad boy persona. Given directors only approach me to play the villain, this makes it seem like an extension of my on-screen image, which won’t hurt."

"The asshole pap wanted to press charges, but I bought him off,” Giorgina sniffs.

"Of course, you did."

"He also wants an exclusive."

"Not happening." I drain my glass of wine.

Solene looks from me to Giorgina. "So, you’re his—"

"Long-suffering PR manager," Giorgina snaps without taking her censorious gaze from my face. "You could be a little more subtle about this date you—" She glances around the restaurant, "Did you buy out the restaurant? Where’s everyone else?"

Solene whips her head in my direction. "Did you buy out the restaurant?"

“Nope.” I pour more of the wine into my glass, then take a sip. “I bought the restaurant."

“You bought the restaurant,” she blinks.

Solene stares. "You bought the restaurant?"

"That’s what I said.”

The color drains from Solene’s face. She opens and shuts her mouth, then reaches across the table toward my glass of wine. I don’t stop her, so she snatches it up and takes a sip, only to cough.

“Ugh!” She makes a face, places the wine down, and instead, reaches for the water.

I shoot her an I-told-you-so look, and she scowls back.

Giorgina throws up her hands. “Can the two of you stop whatever it is you're doing and focus on the fact that, when the news of his sale is bound to get out and—"

"The owner signed a non-disclosure agreement."

"Which only means the news is delayed by a few days. I suppose I should be grateful for that reprieve."

"I also bought a bookstore chain."

This time, Giorgina whips her head around to stare at Solene. "You did that for her?"

"It was a good investment." And this way, wherever she travels in the U.S., she’ll always have a bookstore where she can walk in and get her spicy books.

She rocks back on her heels. "This is going to cause a media furor."

"That’s why I’m paying you, aren’t I?"

"Absolutely." She cracks her knuckles. "So, we release a statement informing the press about your new girlfriend, and—"

"I’m not his girlfriend," Solene interjects.

At the same time, I growl, "She’s not my girlfriend."

She looks between us. "Suit yourselves, but it’s best we stick to this story, and—"

"Absolutely not. I will not drag Solene into this. Besides, she has her own talent manager who also manages her PR.”

"She does?" Giorgina straightens, then once, more turns to Solene. "And what is it you do?"

"I’m a singer."

"A very talented singer who will be famous very soon," I murmur.

Solene’s face flushes. She looks down and begins to play with the hem of the tablecloth. "Thank you."

"You’re welcome."

"O-k-a-y…" Giorgina fans herself. "You may insist there’s nothing between the two of you, but the sparks between you two say otherwise, alright?" She looks to Rick, who hasn’t moved from his stance beside to her.

He looks taken aback, then slowly nods. "Much as it pains me, I have to side with her."

"I'm always right, if you'd only admit it." Her eyes gleam.