Page 67 of Unforgettable Billionaire (The Hardcore Novels: Special Editions #3)

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Aurei

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Watching her drive away makes my gut tighten. I pull my phone out to check the time, then spin around and head back inside to the garage. I tell Alfred, "Track Siri's phone and send updates to my phone."

"Yes, sir. How often?"

I think about that. "Every 30 minutes."

"Very good."

Walking into the garage, I decide to take the Corvette. Before sliding in, I tell Alfred, "Secure the house when I exit the gate."

"You got it. Have a safe trip."

"I'll be home tonight."

"Shall I let Maria know what to prepare for dinner?"

"Yes," I smirk. "Ask her, don't tell her, to prepare a Cordon Bleu, please."

"Umm. That sounds delicious."

Alfred is learning fast. I chuckle as I get behind the wheel then crank the car.

Pulling out, I drive down the highway, heading to meet my crew at the warehouse.

I arrive with 15 minutes to spare and find no one is early, so I stroll around the side of the building to the vacant lot.

The makeshift tent is gone, and in its place is a Habitat for Humanities small one-bedroom house.

I begin to whistle a special forces marching chant as I approach the new residence.

The door swings open, and out comes a clean-shaven, freshly buzzed head with an ear-splitting grin.

I almost don't recognize the old soldier, but the hobble in his gait and the fire in his eyes are the same.

He reaches out for a handshake and pumps mine.

"I knew one day you would return." He tells me.

I nod. "Looks like you've made some new improvements to the place while I've been gone."

I look for the knife that I stuck in the tree. "It's been removed." He tells me.

"By you or a gang banger?" I cut my eyes at him.

"By me." A woman says from the front door.

Surprised, I raise my eyebrows, and the happy man beside me laughs. "She's run all the gang bangers off." He walks toward her, reaching for her hand, "Come here, Brenda. I want you to meet the man who turned my life around."

She smiles as big as he does. "It's nice to finally get to say thank you face to face."

He takes her hand, and they walk over. "I told you he'd be back. Just be patient."

I shake my head. "No thanks are needed." But she gives me a hug, nonetheless.

"Luke and I are grateful."

I look back at the tree. "So, where's the knife?"

"Framed and on the wall inside. Would you like to come in and see?"

I look back to the warehouse. A taxi is pulled up to the curb, and Antonio gives the driver a tip while Angelo gets his bag. "Maybe another time," I tell her. "I have a meeting next door. We're going to renovate the old warehouse and turn it into an office complex. We'll be daytime neighbors."

"Excellent!" Luke nods and puts his arm around Brenda. "Brenda and I look forward to seeing you on a more regular basis."

We shake hands again, and I walk back to the warehouse.

Halfway back, my phone vibrates with a text. I pull it out to see my first update. I'm really going to enjoy this new system.

Alfred here. Your requested update is ready. Shall I give it to you here?

Yes.

Siri is currently located at Lioness Towers.

Excellent.

When I round the corner, Angelo and Antonio are shaking hands, then Antonio is introducing Maria to him.

Quintus pulls up on a Harley wearing his MC gear.

He takes off his helmet and hangs it on the handlebars, shakes out his long hair, running his fingers through the big curls, then walks up on the sidewalk, hugs his cousins, and shakes Maria's hand.

My phone vibrates with a text.

Your Every Thang is reporting in. I'm at Lioness Towers, safe, trying to find a parking spot.

Ok. Check in again when you leave.

When I walk up, they all turn to look at me. Maria speaks first. "My God, Aurei, are all the men in your family handsome?"

I laugh at her. "I never really thought of it. But I guess they are." I grin at them. I speak individually to each other when we hug.

Antonio gives me a typical Italian hug, kissing both cheeks. "I found a nice house with a big yard. Gio and the children will be coming at the end of the school year. Everyone is excited to be moving to America." He grins. "We are one big happy family again."

Angelo does the same but slaps harder. "The flight was good.

Long. Quiet. Good." Everyone laughs, knowing he is glad to be out from under Mia's eye for now.

"I'm looking forward to my new role. Being Siri's personal assistant.

" He pulls on his jacket lapels and looks at Antonio. "We are equals now, no?"

Antonio smirks. "No, but you'll get there. I'll train you."

Angelo asks me. "Perhaps Siri can give me an insider's tour later?"

"I'm sure she will, but it will have to wait a few days."

"Si, Si. Of course, "He nods.

Quintus gives me a hug, then pulls away and gives me a 'shit eating' grin. "I just left a club meeting at The Lioness Towers. Guess who I saw there looking as hot as ever?"

"My girl?"

"She got out of her car with her cute little ass packed up tight in her jeans, and she strutted her stuff. My men were all watching and enjoying that view."

I frown at him, not happy to hear that.

Quintus punches my arm. "Bro, chill. I straighten them out.

I told them that she was off-limits, who she was, and who she belonged to.

They won't harm her; they'll have her back.

" He grins that same grin at me. "But I can't keep them from enjoying the show.

That little twitch in her ass that swings her hair says, Bold, Baby, Bold.

" His eyebrows twitch, and he says. "Damn! " Then he sucks his teeth.

The sound makes me want to punch them right down his throat. He turns away, ignoring me, and introduces himself to Maria. She is eyeing him with a mix of respect because he had the balls to say that to me and of admiration because he is such a handsome devil.

He takes her hand and bows down to kiss it. I swear, he pours it on thick sometimes. I roll my eyes as Maria giggles and blushes.

He grins at her, knowing he made her pussy soak itself, and then turns to me all business. He is perfect for this job.

I motion to the door of the warehouse. "Can we go in now? I've got a hot date with a hot chica that has a sexy twitch and beautiful hair."

Laughing, we step inside the old abandoned building, and Antonio takes over the tour.

"I've put the blueprints from the architect on a work table to review.

Let's look them over first. Then we'll tour the building.

" He rolls them out and explains the vision the architect came up with for our new home office for Maximus Enterprises.

We discuss the layout, then the pros and cons on our walkthrough and there are a few adjustments.

Overall the entire workup is good and will fulfill my vision.

Maria listens quietly to everything, and when we are finished, she asks. "What is my reason for being here?"

I grin at her. "You will have an office here too.

I would like to offer you a business proposition.

Walk with me." I hold my arm up, and she slides under it.

I tell the others. "That's all for today.

We will start construction next week. For now, get settled into your new homes.

" They nod, and I tell them as they start out.

"Siri hopes you will join us for her finale," I smirk at them.

"I don't know if I want you all there, but she does. "

"Roger, boss," Angelo says. "I'll be there."

Antonio nods. "Wouldn't miss it."

Quintus smirks. "I wouldn't dream of missing it."

"Keep your phones on at all times. Vegas never sleeps."

They walk out, and I look down at Maria. Her hand comes up to hold my fingers while I talked. "Maria. You and I have a special relationship."

"That we do." She grins up at me.

We start to walk. "I have my hands in a lot of different businesses and charities. The local soup kitchens being one of them."

"Mmmm. I didn't know that." Then she shakes her head. "I don't know."

"Hear me out." I hug her to me.

"I'm not administrator material." She shakes her head.

I laugh at that truth. "Hear me out."

"Ok. Ok. I'll hold my tongue until you're done."

"Thank you!" I say sarcastically, and she jabs my ribs. "This place is going to be ideal for what we want to do." I muse.

"Sounds like it."

"Maria, do you know where our office is located now?" I look down at her.

"You know? I don't." She confesses.

I give her the street address. "It's about five blocks south and twenty blocks west. It's right in the middle of everything, and the foot traffic is incredible, but it's not a great location for a business like mine that operates with a measure of privacy.

Plus, it's only one story and not large enough for all the offices a conglomeration the size of my organization needs.

" I muse. "I could try to buy or rent the air space above it and expand, but this place is actually perfect for what I need. "

"That's good." She remarks.

I smile. "I've been thinking about moving here for a year now, and in that time, I kept wondering, 'what am I going to do with this prime piece of real estate?'"

She laughs. "Where are you going with this story? Don't you have a hot date to get to?"

I chuckle. "Yes, I do." I turn her to face me, take both of her hands in mine, and stare into her face. "Maria, I want you to open your restaurant there."

She blinks. Then blinks again. Then again. "What did you just say?"

"I want you to open your restaurant there."

"My restaurant? Like my dream restaurant?"

I turn my face slowly away but watch her closely. "Yes. Your dream restaurant."

She falls into my arms, wraps hers around my waist, buries her face against my chest, and tries to squeeze the breath from my torso. "I thought you were going to ask me to open a soup kitchen in it! Oh wow! I don't know what to say."

"Say yes."

She chuckles. "Yes, of course!" She squeezes me again, and lets go, smiling the biggest brightest smile.