Page 14 of Unstoppable Billionaire (The Hardcore Novels: Special Editions #2)

She gives me the butterfly kiss I ask for, and damn if it doesn't make me feel better.

Then she drops down to the flower arrangements, sticking her nose in them and inhaling deeply.

Adjusting my attitude, I tape the envelope back to the pole and change the subject, sort of.

"How did you manage to get a stripper pole installed? "

"Money talks and …." Her nose dives again to smell the roses.

"Shit walks. Yeah, don't I know it."

She looks up at me with a question in her eyes. She's sharp, and I've just told her I'm wealthy enough to invest and made a derogatory comment about money influencing people.

Before we go down a path, I'm not prepared to share yet. I change the subject. "So, since you have a pole in your apartment, will you share with me how you intend to collect on the bet I lost?"

She studies me for a moment, then looks at the pole. "That's a Sunday secret confession, and I'm not telling you now." The sassy Siri is back.

"Sunday Secret Confessions sounds like a good theme for tomorrow."

"We can confess our sins to each other. I like it! Let's do it in bed."

I smile at that. "In bed, in the kitchen, out on the balcony."

"On the balcony? Someone might see us."

"I'm not talking about only exploring our bodies, Siri. You told me all of you belongs to me and expect all of me. We have a lot to talk about."

"Tomorrow then!"

I offer my hand, needing to feel her body against mine. She hugs me tight and says, "I can't wait to hear all about 'the dark side' of Aurelius Moore."

I chuckle, but it's only to hide the dread I feel at the thought. "Be careful what you wish for."

"I'm not afraid." She boasts.

I give her my best Master Yoda impression, "You will be.'

She dies laughing, "Are you secretly the bastard son of Darth Vader?"

I laugh out loud. "No, but …"

She pounces on that. Grabbing my shirt with her fists, so I can't turn away. "But? There's that word again! But…. But who?"

I laugh, "Lucky for you, not Darth Vader."

"OH! BUT … you are secretly the bastard son of somebody!

" Her eyes are twinkling and sparkling, and she says in an imitation of the emcee from Been Jammin's.

"This is a tasty tidbit of depth into the dark secrets of Aurelius Moore.

Let's guess!" She ramps it up a notch, and I can't help laughing with her.

The drama is spot on as she raises an arm toward the ceiling as if she's calling to the heavens to roll Thor's thunder.

"The Bastard Son of Thor, God of Thunder! "

My jaw drops open. I'm gobsmacked! How the hell did she guess that?

"YOU ARE!" She is as shocked as I am, but she recovers quickly. "Holy Fucking Hades! That sounds sexy as hell!"

I shake my head. Of course, she would see the sex part of it, but it's not that. It's because I am hardcore and a badass.

She jumps up and down. "I can so believe that! It suits you! How did you get it? Who gave it to you? Tell me more!"

I buy time to figure out how the hell I'm going to explain this away. Deflecting, I laugh with her, feeling a little like Chris Hemsworth's Thor. "Not literally, Siri!"

She doesn't bite. She gives me a 'give me a break' look.

"Of course, I know it's not literal! I don't believe in Gods.

I just like to poke fun at the religions.

" Then she's back to laughing and teasing me to tell her.

"But the name suits you so!" She says it out loud again in her emcee voice.

"Aurelius Moore, My Golden God, the Bastard Son of Thor, God of Thunder! Please, oh great one, tell me more!"

I roll my eyes but laugh at her theatrics. She is hilarious when she wants to be. "Tomorrow!" I tell her firmly.

"Oh hell no!" She doesn't let me off the hook that easy. "I have to know this now! Tell me about the dark side of you!"

Shit! This isn't going the way I want it to, so I buckle down on the firmness. "All I'm telling you right now is that it's an alter ego that no one knows about."

"What does the bastard son do? Something dark with thunder, I hope!"

I roll my eyes again. She's clearly thinking BDSM. I have to shut her down. We are nowhere near going there. "No more questions."

She narrows her eyes, drawing air between her teeth. "Ooh, you mean it."

I nod. "Yes, Siri. I mean it."

"Just one more. Then I'll wait till tomorrow, I promise."

I sigh, "Ok, one more."

She doesn't waste time thinking about what she wants to ask. She already knows. "Does your alter ego reside in Italy, and were you going to, and will you still introduce me to him? Please, please, please!"

"That's three questions."

"Technically one because I used conjunctions. Trickery again." She winks.

"You're going to keep me on my toes." I shake his head. "Ok. Yes. Yes. And Yes."

"OH YEAH!" Her eyes flare. "I can't wait! When do we leave?" She throws her arms around my neck and jumps up and down on me.

Relieved she's letting it go and optimistic. She's so open-minded, I confess. "Ah, my Wild Thang. What fun we are going to have together!"

"Yes! Fucking fun!" She giggles. "I cannot wait to explore all of that name! My Fucking Golden God is the Bastard Son of the God of Thunder! Oh, hell yeah! I can so believe that!"

I cup her face to keep her still so I can kiss her smile. She makes me so happy. So unbelievably happy. "Let's go. Before we do any more exploring, we have a hot date tonight, and if we don't go, my bros will come looking for me."

"Ok!" She agrees. "I have to meet your bros! But I cannot wait for Italy!"

We turn toward the kitchen, but then she stops and bends over one last time to smell the roses.

I wait while she enjoys them and notices one of the small ID cards has fallen off.

I bend down to retrieve it. It reads, "You are one hell of an entertainer.

Thank you for the performance. It was unforgettable! Love Darren and Angela."

I hand it to her when she stands, and she puts it in her jacket pocket. I set my empty beer bottle on the kitchen counter, then held my hand out for hers. I bond our fingers together as she drags me out the door.