Billionaire Stepbrother - Secret Lives

by Du Bois, Madeline

  Chapter 32

  “I really wish you’d let me send my car or limo for you for the charity ball. You really shouldn’t ruin a beautiful dress by taking it in a cab or something. It would really be a shame. Of course, you could always wait at the office and go with me. I can have a dress in your size brought over to you as well as any hair dresser you want to help you get ready for the event. I know how you like to look your best.” Any other day Cynthia would have cringed at Winslow’s suggestion. He had been trying to woo her ever since she started working there again.

  Now that her and Dante were officially broken up, Winslow had really stepped up his game. It had been three weeks exactly since she had watched Dante walk out of that hotel room. That night she had stayed behind, getting drunk and bawling her eyes out. She had half expected for Dante to show back up, but he didn’t. In fact, it had been radio silence from him since that night. Not that she’d made an effort to contact him either. She’d even cut off contact with Billy and Barbie. That part of her life was clearly over.

  She sat some paperwork on Winslow’s desk and looked at him for a moment. He was, of course, undressing her with his eyes as usual, but his offer actually sounded sincere. He had gone through all that effort because he made a mistake and wanted her back. No matter how much of an ass he was, she had to admit it was a little flattering and quite noble of such a man to stoop so low as to practically beg at her feet to win her back.

  For all she knew Dante already had some bad ass biker chick warming his bed for him at night. She believed what they had was genuine, but the look on his face that night at the hotel told her he was completely done. She was sure he’d gotten over her that very night. And here she was still pining for him when breaking up was her idea.

  “Thank you for the offer, Winslow, but I need to take care of a few errands anyway. I’ll just meet you there.” She smiled at him, practically ready to roll over and give up. She felt exhausted from missing Dante so much while trying to resist Winslow’s charms. Why did the worst of guys get the best of the looks, charms, and money? The universe was always backwards like that.

  “Well, if you’re sure. I don’t want to take you away from something important.” She couldn’t help but notice the disappointment in his voice as he spoke to her. She couldn’t imagine getting everything you ever wanted in life and then finally being turned down by someone. “You know, I can easily make you forget about that boy you were running around with. It was only an obsession, I assure you. It was a rebound because I pushed you away. You really belong with someone who can give you the world and who appreciates how beautiful you are. I can take you places you never even dreamed of going. You’d never have to work a day in your life unless you wanted to, if you were mine.”

  Suddenly, she didn’t feel so sorry for him anymore. He was being his usual cocky self, so assured that money could buy him anything, even human beings. But love would never be on the menu for him that way.

  “I would be incredibly bored if I didn’t work, and I’m too lazy to learn another language so I can't go live anywhere else. I’ll stick around Detroit, thanks.” She knew it came out curt, but she didn’t care. She wanted to be clear that what he was offering she wasn’t interested in. She’d take a poor man’s love over parties and cruises any day. What was funny about that was that Dante did have a lot of money; he just didn’t use it to buy people or happiness. If he sold his company, he would likely be a billionaire as well. Some people just didn't care about material things. That's one of the reasons she liked him so much.

  “As you wish.” Cynthia tried not to gag as he quoted one of the greatest romances of all times. Winslow was no farm boy turned infamous pirate. He was nothing but a lonely tycoon who had sold his heart and soul for fame and fortune before he even turned 21. It was still a mystery to her how she’d fallen for him.

  “I’ll be right back. Excuse me.” Cynthia left the room, heading for the restroom. When she got there she pulled out her phone and scrolled through the pictures, finding one she’d taken of Dante not too long after they started dating. Her body began to shake, and she wrapped her arms tightly around herself, afraid she was going to come apart. But then she began to sob, tears pouring down her face. She had invested in waterproof makeup just for moments like this. She’d been having them almost daily since that night at the hotel. It gave her nightmares just thinking about his back to her. It wasn’t the way she’d wanted to say goodbye. Hell, she didn’t want to say goodbye at all.

  She gave herself less than five minutes before grabbing some tissue and cleaning herself up the best she could and breathing in and out until she was calm enough to go back in.

  But when she walked back into Winslow’s office, she was ready to lose it all over again. Her boss was no longer alone. He was talking to someone whose back was to Cynthia, but she would recognize that brown hair and those tattoos peaking up from his collar anywhere. “Dante?” she asked, unable to hold back her surprise.

  “Yes, I’m afraid it seems Mr. Cross here has forgotten about our agreement. He wishes to see you. Would you like me to get security on it?” Winslow didn’t take his eyes of Dante as he asked.

  “No, no, that’s alright. I will escort Mr. Cross out of here myself. I assure you that he will cause no further problems for you.” Dante turned around with a grin on his face that seemed out of his place. In his hand was a bouquet of blue and yellow tulips that she assumed were for her. But as much as she loved seeing him like that, he was not doing either of them any favors. He was playing a dangerous game with a man who wasn’t in for playing by the rules.

  She motioned for Dante to lead the way out of the room before turning to Winslow. She tried to look as neutral as possible that her ex had just showed up with flowers, but it took quite a bit of effort, and she wasn’t sure she was pulling it off.

  “I’m so sorry, Winslow. I honestly had no idea he would be here. I have had no contact with him and have no idea what this is about. If you just give me a few moments I will see to it that he doesn’t come here to bother you again. Please, don’t punish either of us or his company for this.”

  “No worries, I can understand a man possessed by lust when I see one. I myself have made many mistakes because of it. But do see to it that he is clear on the fact that he is unwelcome here. I will not be so kind in the future. And I only give my mercy to you, not to him.”

  She nodded, understanding exactly what he meant. He was not being kind to an enemy but kind to the woman he wished to win back one day in hopes that she would see the light. And something made her very afraid that after Dante’s display that she would have no choice but to do just that.

  She turned on her heel and followed Dante out, unsure of what to expect. What exactly was he trying to accomplish other than pissing off the guy who held his future in his hands? She wasn’t sure she was ready to find out, but as she approached him, something inside her melted and threatened to break.

  Chapter 33

  “What are you doing here, Dante? I thought I made it clear that we couldn’t see each other anymore.” Cynthia looked him up and down as if there were some clue like a head injury or a hospital bracelet. He had to be out of his mind to show up at Vosh like this.

  “And I thought I made it clear that I didn’t want you to do that. I thought you understood how much I loved you and would give anything up to be with you. How can I give a fuck about my accomplishments and all those fucking strangers in the MC without you around to praise me and help me? It’s a miserable life to live without you. I’ve given you time to see that, and now I’m back for you. It’s that simple. Just leave with me, and this misery will be over.”

  “But it won’t, Dante, because then you’ll lose your company and your club. You’ll hate me for it forever, and I’ll hate myself too. I can’t live that way.”

  “But you can live this way, without me? You must not love me as much as you said. Was it all a lie? Not that it matters; I won’t believe you if you say it was. Plea
se, come back to me. I promise, I could never hate you. We’ll get through whatever happens, though I doubt anything will happen. It’s all been quiet, and he can’t blame me for taking you now. He’s had three weeks to win you and hasn’t. Or has he?”

  She contemplated for a moment if it would be better to let him believe that Winslow had gotten to her. Her first priority was protecting Dante. But as he shoved the bouquet into her empty hands, she didn’t know what to say. So she opted for nothing. Maybe he would give her a moment to think. She had to convince him that she was doing the right thing.

  “You can’t fool me, Cynthia,” he said all of a sudden, walking her up against the wall. Her eyes darted around, looking for a way out as he placed a hand on either side of her head and leaned in close. Her breathing started coming in erratic gasps. Being that close to Dante was still so intoxicating. He was right about what he’d said. There was no fooling him. He knew how she felt whether she denied it or not.

  “I don’t know how much longer I can live without these,” he whispered as he traced her lips with his finger. It was almost erotic as he brought his finger to his mouth and tongued the spot of lip gloss that had come off on his finger. It took all of her remaining will power not to just strip for him right there.

  She went for the silent treatment again, but with him that close, she was sure he could hear the racing heart beats responding to his proximity. Her heart was pitter-pattering like hooves on a race course.

  That’s when he went in for a mouth-watering kiss, the kind that you only saw at the end of a movie when the man had come for his woman. And that’s exactly what Dante was doing. Her body revolted from her mind and pressed against him, melting at his touch as he crushed her to him. Both of their bodies were responding, and she knew she was way past denying it. She could never let him walk away from her again. They pulled apart, and he looked at her with glittering eyes. She knew he had won, but could she live with the consequences?

  “C’mon, Cynthia, just admit it. You can’t tell me you felt nothing, that you can just walk away now. Please, just let me handle the consequences. I’ve never needed anyone the way I need you.” She sighed, pressing into him. She felt depleted.

  “Yes, Dante. I love you, and it hurts every day I’m without you. Is that what you want to hear? I’ll be hurting either way, though because I’ll hurt for you.”

  “I told you to let me worry about all that. It’s not your job to save me. A part of me always knew this was coming. Besides, I’m cleansing the MC. I don’t think there’s anything to really worry about. Just leave here with me.” He continued to beg her, wearing her down. Didn’t he know he’d already won?

  “What are we going to do about Winslow, Dante? He’ll never let me go. I don’t know if he’ll even let me walk out of his office.”

  “You’re not his property, and you’re with me. He’ll let you leave or I’ll make him let you. It’s that simple. All you have to do is say the word and I’ll whisk you away.” It sounded like a dream, a really good one, to think that he was going to take her away from all the misery like that, but she had to do it the right way.

  “Let me do this the right way, then. I’ll go in and tell him my decision, and maybe he’ll just let me go, let us both go. You have to let me try.”

  “I don’t like the idea of you being in there with him alone for this. I don’t trust him at al.”

  “I know, but you’ll be right outside, listening in. If it doesn’t work you can come in and scoop me up and carry me out yourself. You have my word.” She smiled at him, starting to feel like they had never broken up or been apart. Being with Dante was as natural as breathing.

  “I’ll hold you to it,” he responded with a tight jaw, looking straight ahead. It was almost like he was trying to see through the wall and right into Winslow’s office. He nodded towards it, and she ducked under his arm to head into the office for her moment of truth. She was done with Winslow and moving on with Dante for good, but what consequences would that have on them?

  “Ah, I see you’ve taken care of our little pest control problem,” Winslow spoke to her without looking up from his computer.

  “Actually, Winslow, I need to talk to you about something.” She watched as his eyes got wide, probably looking at porn on the clock or something. It was like each second he got more and more unattractive to her. He cleared his throat and stood up to walk over to her, adjusting his suit jacket and tie.

  He cleared his throat again as he approached. “I think I know what this is about.”

  “You do?” Cynthia asked, a little nervous. She wouldn’t put it past him to listen in on her conversation with Dante.

  “Yes. I saw the way you lit up when he showed up. I saw how you looked at him. You may not be with him anymore, but it’s only because of our deal, no other reason. You still want to be with him. Here I was so sure that I could win you back, that he was just a sad replacement, but I guess I was wrong. I can’t help but being a bit disappointed, but the heart wants what it wants right?”

  Cynthia felt even more nervous, standing there holding the bouquet of flowers Dante had given her. Winslow’s disappointment could be devastating to Dante. “Look, I’m very sorry, but I think we were over before. I just don’t think we’re a good match, and I can’t keep pretending that I don’t want to be with him. This whole thing isn’t working for either of us anymore.”

  She trained her eyes on the ground, unable to look him in the eye as he sentenced the man she loved to the torture of losing his life’s work. “I guess I can’t blame you for being honest with me. You gave it a good try. I want to assure you that if you wish to keep your job here, you can. There are no hard feelings. I can’t deny love when I see it, and I see it in the two of you.”

  Cynthia looked up in shock at the man she used to date, the man that broke her heart over a year earlier. Had he really changed for the better? It felt too good to be true. “Are you serious? Well, thank you, Winslow. I’ll think about the job, but right now Dante and I have some talking to do. I’ll be in touch.” She knew her mouth was hanging open in surprise as she stepped out of the office and grabbed onto Dante’s hand. “Let’s get out of here,” she suggested, practically pulling him behind her into the elevator. As they plummeted to the ground floor, she felt strangely free like she had just been let out of jail. Her load was finally light once again, and the man she loved was by her side.

  Chapter 34

  “Are you almost ready? Billy keeps texting me, and he’s dying to see us apparently!” They had stopped at Cynthia’s apartment to drop off her car and so she could change before they went to reintroduce themselves as a power couple to the MC. But she seemed to be taking forever. Women and their need to feel perfect. It was so silly considering she always looked great no matter how much time she spent on her makeup.

  He heard the clunking of her heels on the faux wood flooring announcing her presence and turned around to face her. He whistled like a man at a construction site. She looked smoking hot, and suddenly, he wanted her to get undressed all over again. But they had an appointment that meant a lot more to Dante than showing up to The Blue Pig as a couple.

  Cynthia had told him what happened in Winslow’s office, how easily he has let them off. It made him suspicious. No way did a man like that let a woman and a billion dollar business go so easily. He had a feeling that someone in the MC had shaken him up somehow and forced him to back down. He wanted to know who because it meant they knew his secret but were loyal. That was becoming more and more important by the day.

  He looked Cynthia up and down as she approached him with a sexy grin on her face. She had pulled her hair back in a sleek ponytail and put on a pair of faded and torn skinny jeans that hugged her curves in just the right way. Her black scooped-neck shirt showed just the right amount of cleavage and had a little gold chain hanging from it. Over it she put on a violet leather jacket that looked both bad ass and feminine. To top it all off, she was in studded black heels that made her
seem a foot taller. “You look sexy as hell, babe. I suddenly feel like a fucking slob.” He latched onto her hips and pulled her in for a gentle kiss on the lips. He knew there would be plenty of time later for a more intense encounter.

  “Oh stop, Diesel. You know I think you look hot like that. Black jeans and wife beaters suit you somehow. They show off those beautiful tattoos of yours.” He’d always suspected she liked the tattoos, but she’d never said it out loud before. Her fingers began to trace some of the patterns on the skin of his arm, and he shivered, reaching for his own leather jacket.

  “C’mon, babe. We better go before we get stuck here. Everyone’s expecting us.” He winked at her and offered up his arm for her to hook hers through as they walked to his bike. They both straddled it as she wrapped her arms tight around his waist. “I missed this, feeling you behind me on my bike,” he confessed with surprise. It was something he didn’t realize until that moment, feeling her there with him again.

  “I did too.” She leaned forward and gave him a peck on the cheek before rocking up against his back. “Now, let’s go!” He chuckled at her enthusiasm and took off, causing the bike to end up on the back wheel for a moment on their way out to the road.