Page 3 of Unforgettable Billionaire (The Hardcore Novels: Special Editions #3)

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Siri

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While I wait, I think about last night. As soon as we were back in our room, Aurei received a text from Mia with pictures of the two of us posted on social media.

As we scanned the candid shots of us grinding and dancing, coming back to the hotel, entering hand in hand looking like a couple in love, then kissing as we waited for the elevator, I told him, slipping off my shoes. "I think the coverage and pics are tasteful."

He translated the captions, laughing, "The first woman Maximus Moore of the Liotine Oil Dynasty appears in public with is a STRIPPER. Has Maximus Moore, American Heir to the Liotine Dynasty, turned irresponsible Playboy?"

He looked up at me and grinned. "Aka lost his mind?"

He looked back at his phone. "Will his bad choice of bad women," he looked up and winked, "bad woman," he corrected the plural to singular. Then added, "Bad to the bone, Baby."

I laughed out loud, and he continued reading the headline, "drive a wedge in the otherwise conservative family?" He rolled his eyes.

"Will his party habits reveal a secret drug and alcohol problem?" He shook his head. "These Fuckers will just make up shit."

But his whole demeanor changed when he read Mia's text. I stopped undressing and asked, "What's wrong?"

He didn't answer me. He called her. She shouted at him, and someone else, whom I assumed was poor, sweet Angelo, in Italian.

Pressing his phone to his ear with his shoulder, he went into the closet, grabbed a couple of suitcases, and began to pack. When he hung up, he shoved it into his pants pocket. His jaw set, his eyes scowled, and his thunder threatened.

I asked, "What's wrong? Why are you packing?"

"Nothing is wrong. We are leaving immediately to avoid the media frenzy in the morning." He tossed me a t-shirt, along with a pair of jeans, and walked out with my converse tennis shoes in his hand.

I quickly but carefully removed my beautiful toga dress and asked, "Why is Mia angry?"

"She's upset she's out of the loop."

"What loop?"

He paused but didn't answer. Then went back into the closet and began sliding hangers looking for something.

"What loop?" I asked again because he was distracted.

" Your loop."

" My loop?" I asked, confused. "Why didn't you tell her about me?"

My voice made him stop and come back. We stared, eyeing each other. I searched for the hated word as the reason he kept me hidden from her.

But his honest green gaze pierced and pinned me down. "Need to know."

Then he looked away, distracted again. I thought about what he meant when he searched a shelf for something. Surmising he meant nothing more, no hidden alternative reason, accepting he communicates concisely, I put my hands on my hips, "Aurelius!"

He reached for an item, and then he tossed it to me. "See if you can stuff all your hair up in this."

I tossed the ball cap on the bed next to the clothes. He came walking out with his brown leather bomber jacket and stopped when he saw I wasn't dressed. "Get dressed. We don't have time to fuck. I want to hit the road right away."

I took the jacket but laid it on the bed. As he went back into the closet, I waited. When he returned, he had similar attire in his hands.

"What?" He asked as he got dressed, watching me watch him with my arms crossed under my tits and my eyebrows raised. Assuming he was rude and I'm pouting like some other woman he's had to deal with, he adds, "Please, get dressed?"

"Shame on you, Aurelius Moore. You should have told your VP!" I shake my head. "What do you mean she didn't need to know? No wonder she was yelling into the phone and at poor Angelo too. I would have been upset. You blindsided her."

"Oh," he breathed, then shook his head and closed his eyes, knowing he must explain because I wasn't letting it go. "Don't put your values on her, Siri. She was mad because they woke her up before daylight."

"Really?" I huffed, "I find that very hard to believe based on the amount of yelling going on."

"Look, the paparazzi blew up her phone, wanting her to identify you before dawn and her anger was because they woke her. She's spoiled and controlling. Sure, she's pissed about not knowing about you, but her rant was about the spin the media was putting on it."

"Then why did you hang up angry?"

He looked at me with a 'you don't really need to know' look.

But I persisted with my arms crossed and my face set, and he caved.

"Since you must know, she pissed me off when she called you a…

." He looked away, avoiding saying the word.

"I told her to listen very carefully to me.

You were my girl, and I would flaunt your hot ass wherever the hell I pleased, to hell with the press, and to hell with her if she didn't like it because that's the way it is from now on. Then I hung up on her."

"Poor Mia. She thinks I'm a whore she will have to deal with. No wonder she's pissed."

"Siri. Don't feel sorry for Mia. She is a shrewd businesswoman but also a selfish bitch."

"Still. I understand her being upset. The label 'whore' negatively affects everything."

His eyes flashed at me, and the thunder rumbled behind them.

"You and I know it isn't true. If we acknowledge their false assumption, we give it power.

And if we give it power, then it might as well be true.

Perception is power. Don't say it again.

You're not. Own the truth! Do you understand?

To me and the world, you are my beautiful Lady. Mio Bella Signorina."

I stood stunned by what he said. The force of his commanding nature was on full display, demanding we assert the truth.

What a MAN! WHAT A REAL MAN!

Finally, I smirked. "Wow! That was profound. OK, I will own the truth, but you must know they will still think it of me and whisper it about me. In their eyes, I will always be a whore. But for you, I will own our truth."

"For us." He corrected me, then relaxed and told me with a softer tone but no less commanding. "Now, please, get dressed, Siri. I'm only concerned about your safety. Your picture has been plastered all over the internet, and if Ruth's threat is real, you are in danger here."

Without resistance, I obediently slipped into my clothes while he headed for the bathroom to pack the toiletries. When he returned, he said. "The rest can be packed properly and sent to the Compound. Come on. Let's go. Grab the jacket."

"Compound?" I stopped and stared at him.

He laughed. "That's only a nickname Antonio and I gave the family villa.

It sounded more mysterious to two young boys, but it is, in essence, a compound.

You'll be safe there. We're only leaving a few days earlier than I planned anyway.

Not a big deal, Baby. Don't make it one.

" He kissed my lips with a sweet butterfly kiss before he grabbed the luggage handles, and we left the hotel room.

He adjusted my cap for me in the elevator on the way down. "Let's hope we can sneak past the press and get to the parking garage without being ambushed."

When we exited the elevator with our heads down to avoid eye contact, we quickly turned to the rear doors.

Outside we were greeted by a couple of security guards.

Carlo and Franco had ensured we could leave unnoticed, so we simply walked to the garage where the valet parked the cars and got in a Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster. Black, of course.

When Aurei cranked the car, he turned to look at me, and whatever was on his lips vanished when he saw my twinkling eyes. "What's up?" He asked suspiciously.

"This car is dope!"

"Yes, it is, but that look is more than 'nice car.' I know that look by now. Spill it."

I giggled. "Good thang, we didn't have to make a run for it."

He frowned and looked at my shoes like something must be wrong with them because I run 'pretty good for a girl.' "Why?"

I pulled my shirt up, lifting my tits so they bounced dramatically for him. "I would have given myself a black eye."

"Shit! I forgot your bra." His eyes flashed shock, and I couldn't help the giggle that escaped. "Why didn't you say something, Naughty Thang?"

"Because I'm naughty!"

He chuckled as he pulled out of the garage. "That's for sure."

I turned to look down the street for traffic. "Clear, right."

Driving down the empty streets to the main freeway, I hear. "Fuck. I didn't pack a single bra."

I grin at him when he comes back with the luggage. "I am a quiet kitten."

"It won't last." He teases me. I stick my tongue out at him. "See what I mean." He gives me his big, beautiful smile.

I sigh and lean back to watch my man unpack quickly and efficiently.

Now sitting in the dressing room, admiring his efficient motion as he moves fluidly from the last suitcase to the hanging rack, I clear my throat. He glances at me. "There's that look again."

I raise my shirt and show my tits to him. "Licks, please."

"You need to keep those hidden." He walks to stand in front of me.

I spread my legs and lean back to look up into his gorgeous green gaze while I lean forward to touch my tits against his ever-present bulge.

My hair swings gently against my back as my neck lays bare for him.

His eyes shine down, and the warmth fills me with sweetness.

His musk fills my head, and I take a big relaxing breath.

His scent is so divine! "Just one little lick can't hurt, Sir. " I bat my eyelashes at him.

He smirks, making me giggle. "What to do with you?" His eyes narrow.

"You stick your tongue out and drag it across like this." I stick my tongue out and place it in the middle of his crotch. I start to drag it up as I reach for his zipper to release his beast.

"That's it." He turns and goes into the closet. I hear him rummaging around for something. When he reappears, he tosses me a small, fist-sized, light brown object.

Instinctively, I catch it, then give him a look of 'What the hell's this for?'

"Instant bra."

"Umm, umm." I toss it back. "I don't think so."