At the Ruthless Billionaire's Command

‘At the time I was unsure of what time you were going to wake this morning,’ he defended.

‘Fair enough.’ She sighed. ‘I’m just wondering whose life you ran before taking over mine?’

‘Lia—’

‘It’s okay.’ She held up a defeated hand. ‘I understand.’

‘Understand what, exactly?’

‘That the quicker this is resolved the sooner I’ll be out of this suite and your life.’ She stood. ‘I think I’ll take some more painkillers and then follow Sebastien’s example of taking a nap for a couple of hours.’

She left the sitting room.

Gregorio was so stunned by her first comment that he was barely aware of the second one.

Lia believed he wanted to hasten her departure—not just from this suite but from his life. What had he ever said or done to make her think that?

His only motivation in ending this situation with Richardson was to ensure that nothing like last night ever happened again. He also wanted to clear her father’s name. Again for Lia’s sake, more than anyone else’s.

Lia had been very defensive this morning. Spoiling for a fight. Earlier Gregorio had put it down to late reaction to the shock of Richardson’s attack last night. But what if it was for another reason entirely? Her barbs and sarcasm had been directed solely at him, Gregorio now realised. Much to Gregorio’s annoyance she had joked with Sebastien a couple of times this morning. Usually at Gregorio’s expense. And she had been calm and polite when she answered the questions put to her by the police.

He didn’t understand why. What had he and Sebastien been discussing shortly before Lia joined them in the kitchen earlier?

Damn it!

Sebastien had been teasing Gregorio about his responses to Lia, and he had reacted defensively to that teasing. Had denied that Lia had any importance in his life amongst other things. One of those things being stating his need to resolve the situation quickly and to agree that it was so that Lia could move back to her apartment.

He hadn’t meant that the way it had sounded—had only been fending off Sebastien’s too-personal comments.

Perhaps he shouldn’t have said it? Especially in a place where there had been a chance that Lia

might overhear the comment.

Damn, damn, damn it.

* * *

Lia’s first thought on waking up was that there was something heavy lying across her. Then she realised it had to be the unwieldy plaster cast she had on her arm.

Except... This weight felt lower down than the plaster cast. Warmer too. More flexible.

She carefully lifted the duvet so she could see what it was.

An arm.

A bare and muscular male arm, lightly dusted with dark hair.

An arm she easily recognised as belonging to Gregorio.

Gregorio is in bed with me!

Lia was sure he hadn’t been there when she’d fallen asleep earlier, almost the instant her head had touched the pillow. She had been exhausted from talking with the police for over an hour, and then the painkillers had finally kicked in.

Gregorio must have come to her bedroom and got into the bed with her some time after that.

A part of her knew she should be annoyed, at the very least, at his having taken advantage of her sleeping. Another part of her just wanted to curl up in his arms and go back to sleep.

She also couldn’t help wondering if the rest of him was as naked as his arm...