Page 220 of The Morally Grey Billionaires Boxset

Two weeks later

Solene

"There you are!" Olivia exclaims. "I’ve been trying to reach you for so long."

"Sorry, sis, I’ve been busy. New career and all that, you know."

She purses her lips. "You’ve been too busy to text me and tell me you’re okay?"

"I’m telling you now, I’m okay." I paint my mouth with the gloss, then smack my lips together. "In fact, I’m off for my first recording today."

"The recording of your first song?"

"It’s only a demo, but yeah, I’m recording it." I can’t stop the grin that stretches my lips.

"Whoa, that’s amazing." Olivia’s smile matches mine in intensity.

My sister really is happy for me. She’s always supported me.

Well, as much as she could, considering she wasn’t always around when I was growing up.

She managed to escape our family at the right time and, clearly, marriage suits her.

Not that I begrudge her. She knew what she wanted early on and went after it.

She had the courage to fight for her convictions, to never give up, and to follow her dreams. And as a result, she has succeeded.

That's something I wished I could have done then... Something I’m doing now, thanks to Declan.

"How’s the acting career going?"

Her smile widens more. "It’s slow, but I’ve landed a new talent agent who believes in me. Regardless of whether I’m scarred or not."

I cap my lip gloss and place it on the table. "That’s what I’ve always loved about you, Livvy, you don’t let challenges get you down."

"Oh, I was down after the accident that left me with this.

" She points to the scar on her face. "But you know, Massimo was there with me that day at the hospital.

He stayed with me the whole time, and that's when I knew I was falling for him. But I knew he was part of the Mafia, and the last thing I wanted was to marry a Mafia guy, considering I left home as soon as I could precisely so I couldn’t be trapped into an arranged marriage with one of them. "

I stare at her, and she flushes.

"I didn’t mean anything by that comment. I wasn’t trying to find fault with your agreeing to one in the first place."

"I know. And honestly, the place I was in, I thought my only way out of that family was by getting married." I bite down on my lower lip. "When I think of it now, I can’t believe they brainwashed me into believing that was the only way forward for me. But when you’re in that situation with our family, it’s difficult to think you have choices.

If I hadn’t met Declan when I did—" I shake my head.

"Speaking of, where is he?"

"He’s on a shoot."

"And you didn’t go with him?"

My guts twist, but I manage to paste a smile on my face. "I do have my own career to launch."

"Is he going to be around for your first recording?"

Isn’t that the question? Fact is, I haven’t seen or heard from him since he left me asleep in his bed.

The stronzo didn’t even leave me a note.

Which, honestly, is not what I expected.

Especially not after how he held my gaze as he came inside me.

There was this intensity to his movements, a desperation in how he took me, a possessiveness that bled through his touch into my skin, the way he painted my insides with his cum as if he were marking me as his.

.. Or maybe, that was my imagination playing tricks on me…

Maybe the speed with which he changed his mind about keeping our relationship professional and then taking my virginity is what made my head spin.

And the asshole left it to Rick to convey the news that he’d left for his shoot.

Coward. I curl my fingers into fists. Not that I’m going to call him and find out where he is.

Or when he plans to come home. I’m not going to stalk him on his social media or keep an eye out on the tabloids or the film publications for news of where he is either.

"Solene?" Olivia’s voice pulls me out of my meandering.

"No, he’s not going to be at my recording. Or if he is, he hasn’t mentioned it to me. He’s a busy man. A top-rated Hollywood film star, for chrissakes. Of course, he’s not going to be around for something as trivial as this."

She stares at me.

"What?"

"You said chrissakes."

"I did."

"If Ma were to hear that—"

I scoff. "I’d never say that in her presence."

"Being away from home has been good to you. Not that I ever doubted it. But you sound like the Solene of old again."

I sober. "I feel like I’m regaining all that exuberance and courage of my youth, which I thought I’d lost. Turns out, it only needed the right circumstances for it to resurface."

"Hmm." She opens her mouth, when someone calls her name. "Oh, hey Karma!" Olivia waves at someone off screen. "Yes, I’m talking to my sister. Do you want to say hi to her?"

What? Before I can protest, Olivia’s flipped the screen, and the face of a dark-haired woman wearing dark lipstick and dark eyeshadow, and definitely channeling a goth princess, fills the screen.

"Hi, Solene. I’m so sorry we didn’t get to know each other better at Olivia and Massimo’s engagement and wedding."

"Right." I rub my forehead. "You’re Michael’s wife?"

"Correct,” she flashes me a smile.

“Michael is Massimo’s oldest brother, and the Don of the Cosa Nostra, eh?"

"Ex-Don. Also,” she leans in closer, “They don’t use that term anymore, since they’re legalizing the Cosa Nostra."

"They are?" I stare. The Cosa Nostra is one of the oldest Mafia families in Italy. The Mafioso blood runs in their veins, and they're thinking of switching to the right side of the law?

"I know, the love of a good woman, and all that,” she smirks. “Now that the Sovrano brothers are getting married, they want to ensure they and their wives are safe. Plus, they want things to be safe for the kids when they come, so—" She raises a shoulders.

"Right, wow, okay then."

"Anyway, enough about me, I hear you’re going to be the next big thing in pop-music?"

"Umm, I’m going to need a lot of luck for that to happen."

She takes in my features. "From what Olivia tells me, you're someone who’s determined enough to make it happen. And while I haven’t heard you sing, I’m sure you’re enormously talented."

"Thanks." I laugh. "I can do with all the good wishes."

"Speaking of—" Her eyes gleam. "There are a few women I want you to meet."

"Umm, I don’t think—"

"Relax, they’re not from the Mafia. Neither am I, though Michael did kidnap me—"

My eyes bug out. "He kidnapped you?"

"Oh, don’t sound so surprised. You know these Mafia guys. Once they want something, they go after it. Not that different from your guy."

"My guy?" I blink. This woman is flitting between subjects like a butterfly between flowers.

"Declan?"

"He’s, ah, not my guy."

"Pfft—" She waves a hand in the air. "The two of you meet. The next thing we know, you’re running off with him to LA—"

"Only because he’s a big star and he has all the contacts and—"

"—there was no need for him to share his contacts with you."

"I suppose not," I murmur. Now is not the time to tell them about how Declan and I already met. I should have told Olivia about it, but I've kept putting it off, and now, I’m not sure it makes a difference, to be honest. What happened is between Declan and me.

"You’re right, he did want me here. And he’s been helpful. And perhaps, he feels something for me, but I’m not sure what." I raise a shoulder.

She glances to her right, exchanging a look with Olivia.

"Have you made any girlfriends in LA? Anyone you can speak with and bounce your thoughts off of about your love life?"

"This is LA."

She blinks.

"This is LA. And I’ve been here a very short period of time, but I can tell you, no one here is your friend.

" It’s what Declan tried to warn me about, but being on my own for the past two weeks is already making the reality of my situation clear.

Trust no one, and your manager even less.

That has become very clear to me already.

Harry doesn’t give a shit about me as a person.

To him, I'm an asset, and it's his job to make me earn as much as possible in as little a time as possible.

That's how he makes his money. Of course, I make money for myself, too, but I have to watch out for my own best interests. I'm still building my career, so I don’t mind Harry putting me out there for every possible gig and pushing me to record this demo, so he has something to share with influencers and record companies. Given a choice, though, I’d rather just sit in my room and pen new lyrics for my songs and come up with new tunes.

For now, though, I have no choice but to follow Harry's lead.

"Solene, did you hear what I said?"