Marco – A Billionaire Romance Read Online Penny Wylder

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Billionaire Tags Authors: Penny Wylder Advertisement

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"I love you too. I'll see you soon?"

"Yeah. Yeah, soon." Hanging up the phone, I walk towards the exit. The police woman sees me coming; she stands taller, eyes hard and narrowed. "I'm leaving," I tell her flatly.

Her eyebrows dart downward. "What, don't want a ride back to the bar?"

"No."

"I pissed you off that much?" she snorts.

With a mild smile, I walk by her. "No. I just think it's a beautiful night for a walk."

The truth is, I don't want to walk around in the dark by myself. She was right, I didn't want to ride with her. Unsure if I'll be able to flag down a taxi at this hour, I step into the evening air; it's cold from the nearby ocean. I shiver, hugging myself.

"Cold?"

Jerking around, I gape at Derek. He's leaning on his car, hands deep in his jacket. His eyes are as black as a killer whale on the hunt. "Why are you here?"

His scowl makes me recoil. Then he hangs his head, shoulders tucking to his ears. "Get in the car."

"Why should I?"

His voice drips not with disgust, but regret. "Because we need to talk."

Chapter Eighteen

It's the second time I've been in Derek's car. It's as uncomfortable as the first. Maybe worse, because at least the other trip I was distracted by worrying about Trey and the coup Derek was plotting.

We sit in heavy silence. I reach for the radio; he clicks his tongue, stopping me. My hand drops into my lap where I squeeze it. This tension is making me sweat the longer it stretches on.

"At the bar," he finally blurts. I jump in the passenger seat. "When Marco said he'd go with you to the embassy, why didn't you let him? He was losing his mind from stress over you."

I glance at him. His eyes are fixed on the road ahead. There's a small muscle in his neck that keeps twitching. It's the only part of him that moves. "He had more important things to take care of. The last thing I wanted to do was get in the way after all the trouble he went through winning the vote."

"Winning," he grumbles. He shoots me a furtive look, then eyes the road again. "You really aren't like I thought you'd be."

"Yeah, yeah. You think I'm some money chasing scum or whatever."

"Yes," he admits softly. "I did think that."

My mouth pops open. "Sorry, you don't think that now?"

"Much to my horror," he chuckles dryly. With a long, exhausted sigh, Derek parks his car on the street outside of the bar. There are people hanging around outside; the place is more busy than before. "Filia, I want to... apologize. For how I treated you."

I cover my mouth with my hands. "Are you a doppleganger?"

"Am I––no," he huffs. Glaring at me, he runs his fingers through his hair. "This is hard enough as is, could you take it seriously?"

"I'm just confused. What would make you change your opinion on me so suddenly?"

Derek shuts his eyes like he's gathering his thoughts. He speaks without opening them; like he can't handle looking at me as he talks. "I'm a proud man. I think I'm a good judge of character. I've only been wrong about people twice. You...and my own father."

Shifting in my seat, I work down the hard lump in my throat. "You're talking about how he cheated on your mom."

There––his eyes snap open. The anger is back. "Marco told you."

"Yes."

"Fuck. Is nothing sacred anymore?"

"Derek, I'm sorry your dad hurt your mom. I'd never hurt Marco like that, though."

He watches me curiously. I can't read his expression. Putting his elbow on the steering wheel, he props his cheek on his fist. "Marco is loose with his tongue. Do you know, then, about how our mother is dying?"

My insides turn to ice. "What? No! That's...but he told me..." I struggle to recall our conversation. When I'd tried asking if his mother was dead, he'd quickly assured me she was alive. I'd took that to mean she was healthy. Why hadn't he told me the truth in that moment?

"Marco didn't tell you that. Interesting. Then you really had no clue how tense this situation was. And still, you worked your ass off to help him win. Why?"

"Because I love him."

He makes a face. "Just that reason?"

"Why do I need more than that?"

"Love is fragile. It comes and goes." Turning, he opens his door, speaking as he exits. "I'm glad I was wrong about you, Filia. Don't break my brother's heart, even if he ends up breaking yours."

Stunned, I sit there in the car alone. What does he mean? I’m in a daze asI leave the car, walking like a zombie. Inside the bar, I mix with the crowd, not paying attention to where I'm going. Not that it matters; there's so many people I can't see a thing.

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