“That’s not your fault. Ru would’ve come here regardless.” I let her go and our gazes met. “I don’t want to shove my way into your career and life, but...Ru has to not only leave this house, but he has to leave you alone too.”
She blinked and didn’t say anything.
“His behavior is outrageous. I know he’s done a lot for you and has been there through these years, but you deserved it. You’re talented. He got just as much as he gave. There’s no need to let some sense of loyalty keep you from ending your business relationship with him.”
She backed up and left my arms. “Gio, I have to think about all of this.”
“I know.”
“Everything is happening so fast. And now Ru is acting crazy and out of nowhere I’m in love...” She dropped her mouth open as if in shock at what she’d just confessed.
My heart warmed. Immediately, I forgot about Ru and the tense topic we’d been discussing.
I stepped toward her, closing the distance between us. “You’re in love?”
She looked away. “I’m falling for you. How could I not? You’ve been everything I’ve ever needed and more. You’ve been amazing.”
I breathed her in and gathered her back in my arms, kissing those lips and tasting her tongue. “Simone. Simone. I thought I was the only one that was falling. I thought it was too soon for me to say something. I thought...”
My mouth finished the words, delivering the message with my tongue. When we separated, she panted, stepped back, and leaned against the wall.
“So, that settles everything.”
“What does?”
“You’re mine.”
“Are you asking?”
“I’m telling you.”
She curved her lips into a smile. “I’m yours, but we have to take our time.”
“Sure, we will.”
“I’m serious.”
“I won’t slow down. I want you too much.”
She bit her bottom lip.
“And I won’t let you deal with Ru by yourself.”
“Gio, I can handle it.”
I shook my head. “No, you mean too much for me to let you deal with it all by yourself, and he’s done being your manager.”
“Gio—”
“Midnight is here. He can sign you as soon as you drop Ru.”
“Gio.” She shook her head and left the wall, walking toward the east wing. “You can’t just take control of my life.”
“I’m not trying to.” I gently grabbed her arm.
She moved it away. “You are trying to take complete control and I know you’re looking out for me, but just like Ru, you have to step back and let me live my life.”
“I can’t, and I know that I should’ve lied and said I could, but I can’t. You mean too much to me. Ru’s actions have put me on edge. I think he’s acting out of control—”
“I can deal with this.”
“But you won’t.”
She sighed and walked away.
“Simone?” I called after her.
“I’m going back to the bedroom to think. We can talk about this later.”
“Fine,” I said through clenched teeth.
Why can’t I compromise on this?
I knew I should’ve. There were so many better ways I could’ve handled it, besides being a big ogre and demanding it all go my way. Simone was smart, talented, and capable of taking care of herself. She’d made it this far without my help. Why couldn’t I just let her deal with it?
Because I don’t trust Ru. I know Simone will do the right thing, but he won’t. She’ll tell him to leave. She’ll listen to his pitiful excuse and maybe even understand why he did it. But would that be the end of the problem? No.
Ru wouldn’t leave if she came to him. He’d figure out some way to make her feel guilty, or he could do worse.
She walked off and I let her, steaming away with anger at her manager. Every cell in me wanted to turn around, storm off to his room, and wake his bitch ass up with a punch to his fucking jaw. How dare he cause problems for us? How dare he have Simone worry? How dare he create a rift between Simone and me?
Everything had been going right between us, and then the reality of Ru seeped back into our lives like black sludge, coating us both in annoyance.
I won’t let her deal with this on her own. She must get rid of him. He’ll never let us be. He’ll always cause problems.
“Baby!” Midnight’s gruff voice sounded behind me.
I turned. “Hey, I heard you arrived.”
Never simple, he wore a gold velvet suit with a large fur hat on his head. Diamond rings covered his fat fingers. All of them were new from the last time I’d seen him. A big chain dangled from his neck, holding a large M covered in diamonds, all decked out. For many men, this would be an outfit that they would wear to an extravagant ball with a velvet and fur theme. For Midnight, this was casual.
“It’s cold as fuck here.” My huge manager gave me a big hug, wrapping those fat arms around me.