My Italian Billionaire: A BWWM Italian Billionaire Romance (12 page)

Now he crushed her against him, at first harsh but then tender, rubbing her back, pressing her to him. She nuzzled his neck, breathing in his scent. It was all she could do to not weep.

Bracing herself, she pulled back and stood. Without a word, she went to the bathroom to clean up. When she returned to the living room area, she half expected him to be gone, but he was slowly sorting his clothes from hers, naked yet. The hard lines in his back flexed as he moved.

"I never meant to hurt you," he murmured.

Words wouldn't help them, but she couldn't stop herself. "You should've told me who you were right from the start."

"But would you have… treated me any different?"

She shrugged. "Who knows? It's too late now. What were you trying to be? Ordinary? An ordinary millionaire?" Her loud snort startled her. "You never let me in."

"That's not true." He took a step toward her, his shirt in his hands and covering his penis, but he halted when she held up her hand. "I told you about my parents."

For a moment, she felt guilty. Casting him aside felt almost wrong. But she shook her head. "Trust is the basis of any relationship, and we never even had a relationship because you never showed me who you really are."

Lucca's face grew hopeful. "Let me show you. I promise—"

"What do you want from me?" she asked wearily. Her high from their good bye sex was already dying.

"I've had my share of women, I'll admit. They just wanted me for my money. With Father's stipulation, I wanted to try and find someone who saw me, not the money clip." He sighed.

"How could I see you when you weren't being honest? We don't really know each other at all. Not really." She bit her lower lip.

He crossed the distance between them and gently pried her lip free. "I know the sounds you make when you're almost about to come. I know that your toes curl when you do. I know how wet you can get."

Megan rolled her eyes. "Sex doesn't make for a relationship either."

"I also know you're a great cook and that you don't have enough faith in your abilities. I could try and secure you a job. Hell, I considered it. But I know you would rather earn it yourself."

She couldn't deny that.

"I also know you won't apply to any of the places on my list and that…" He shook his head, almost disgusted.

A pang hit her in the chest. "And that what?" she bit off.

"Your parents ruined your self-esteem and made you doubt yourself all the time. You said cooking is about faith and trusting yourself, but you hold yourself back. If you could just believe in yourself, if you could—"

"What are you, a fortune cookie? I'll have you know I have two job interviews lined up for tomorrow. I'm good. I'm fine. I was doing just fine before you came into my life. I'll do just fine with you gone."

Lucca stared down at her, his face now a mask. She shuddered. There was so much she didn't know about him, this man she'd given her body to so freely.

"Are you sure?" he whispered.

She nodded.

He dressed and left.

Numb, Megan locked up, ignored her clothes on the floor, and climbed into her bed. A few tears leaked out of her eyes, and she angrily wiped them away. Lucca was no better than the others. He had lied to her, thought he could tell her how to live her own life, almost seemed to want to control her.

No. She was her own person, and she didn't need him.

So why couldn't she stop crying?

Chapter Fifteen: After

It felt wrong. Every step away from her felt wrong. The hurt in her eyes… Someone else must have hurt her badly, and that infuriated him. He was just as angry with himself for having hurt her, even if it had been unintentional.

She made a valid point. There was a lot about her he didn't know, almost as much as she didn't know about him. Their relationship had only been based on lust and magnetism without an emotional connection yet.

He'd fallen back into his old habits because he didn't want to show his true self. He knew about his skill in bed, and she was just as talented, but he'd chosen to hide behind that instead of opening up. Yes, he'd told her about his parents, but he hadn't shared any details about them either. No wonder she'd been so upset.

For so long, his relationships had been more conquests than anything else. To have a real and honest and true partnership, that he had never experienced.

Was he afraid to take what he wanted? To grab it? To bare his soul?

Lucca Greccio was a lot of things, but coward wasn't one of them.

Without hesitating, he marched back to her place and knocked on the door. He'll take her straight to his place and let her ask any question. He'd make her see she deserved a second change.

Because if she was this upset that he had kept his riches from her, she wasn't interested in him for his money.

Only right now, she wasn't interested in him at all.

He pounded on the door. Why wasn't she answering?

It didn't look like the light was on. Had she left? Would serve him right for thinking he could swoop back into her life and force a place for him there.

At least she had two interviews in the morning. He hoped like hell everything would go well for her, so she could pick which one she wanted to work at.
If our… fight…
He hoped it was just a fight and something that could be resolved.
If it causes her to interview poorly …
He'd never forgive himself, and she wouldn't either.

What a host of problems he'd caused for them both.

For the hell of it, he knocked again, but there was no answer. She wasn't here.

His black mood matched the nighttime sky, and he opted for a cab ride home. Right now, he wasn't up for walking, but he sure as hell was happy he'd walked into Megan's life.

I just hope I didn't talk myself out of it.

He tipped the driver well. A cold shower and maybe a snack, and he'd go to bed. Maybe things would look better in the morning.

All he did during his shower was think of Megan and her hands and her full lips and that fine ass… He grew hard just thinking about everything they had already done and everything they could yet do, but he didn't jack off. He deserved to feel a little frustrated.

Hair dripping, body wrapped in a towel, he made his way to the kitchen. His butler had brought in the mail, including an edible arrangement laid out on the breakfast nook. He helped himself to a chocolate-covered strawberry as he hunted for the card.
Thinking of you and glad we ran into each other. Georgia.

He groaned. They hadn't run into each other, not like he had with Megan. And since eight months had passed since the party without her finding him or seeking him out, he knew why she had a sudden interest in him.

She was beautiful in her own way, even he couldn't deny that, but he hadn't wanted her at the party. Just knowing he'd rejected her then for a coworker—something he had always vowed to never do—didn't speak well for her.

Even if Megan refused to give him another chance, he didn't think he would give Georgia one either. Father might have seen something in her, but not enough for him to have ever mentioned his matchmaking attempt.

Appetite gone, he abandoned his half-eaten strawberry and went to sleep. Even in his dreams, Megan plagued him, bringing him close to climax and then stopping, over and over again until he thought he was going to explode. He woke up rock hard, and he hardly had to touch himself to orgasm.

He'd never find another woman like Megan. Never.

He had to find a way to get back into her good graces. For his sanity. For peace of mind. For his cock.

And maybe, just maybe, for his heart too.

Chapter Sixteen: Morning After

As soon as Lucca walked out of her apartment and out of her life, Megan called Julie. Her best friend had called her repeatedly over the last few days, but she'd been too wrapped up in quitting her job, and Lucca, for her to answer her phone at all. Julie was gonna be pissed.

And she was.

"Girl, why haven't you called me back none? You know I have stories for you. Drake is nothing but a low-down, no-good bastard and—"

"Julie."

"I broke up with his black ass. I can find another guy, a better guy, any night of the week. You better—"

"Julie."

"Believe it. I'm not going to lay down and die because some guy thinks with his cock instead of his head and—"

"Julie!"

"Yeah?"

"I need a drink."

"Wanna go to Joe's?"

Megan rubbed her temple. "I don't have any money to spend on booze."

It hurt so much to admit that. Which was ridiculous. Julie had seen her through her worst—turning her back on her parents—and she'd helped Julie through all of her numerous breakups. They always had each other's backs.

"No worries. I can handle tonight. Joe's then? How soon?"

"How about your place? And I'll be there in twenty."

"Girl, want me to come to you?" Julie's voice had softened.

"Your place." Megan hung up.

It was actually only fifteen minutes until she reached Julie's apartment. Her best friend had moved out of their place two years ago because of one of her more serious boyfriends—serious as in seriously-in-need-of-help Julie soon learned. Abusive, asshole, arrogant… there weren't enough words to describe what a douche he was. Megan had kinda hoped Julie would've moved back in, but with the events of the past week, maybe it was for the best she hadn't.

Or maybe she would've been smarter about the whole Lucca thing if Julie had been around.

Julie already had blended a pitcher of frozen margaritas. Megan drained half of hers without even first saying hello.

Her best friend lifted her dark eyebrows. "Girl, you better start talking before you drink so much you're slurring and I can't understand a word outta you."

"I met a guy." Megan took another swallow.

"Must be some guy." Julie grimaced. She was darker than Megan and loved to wear either whites or reds for contrast. No matter what she wore, she looked amazing. If Megan didn't love her so much, she'd hate her.

"Some guy all right. You haven't happened to hear about a certain Lucca—"

"Greccio?" Julie shrieked. "That guy is loaded and if he marries in a few months, he'll stay that way for the rest of his life. He's supposed to be hot and sexy and smart and… You mean to tell me the guy who has you drowning in tequila is Lucca Fuckin' Greccio?"

"Yes," Megan admitted. Before she could finish her drink, Julie was pouring her more.

"How did you meet him? What's he like? Why aren't you happy?" Her friend's bubbliness died as she narrowed her eyes. "What did he do to you? A real number, that's plain to see."

"He lied to me."

"About what? Don't tell me. He has a host of women, concubines, and he wanted you to live with the other women."

"No. Nothing like that. He—"

"He wanted a threesome. You and another chick."

"No."

"You and another guy?" Julie's eyebrows lifted so high they disappeared behind her curly bangs.

Megan just shook her head. Once Julie ran out of ideas, she'd finally have a chance to talk.

"The tabloids all lied and he's crappy in bed."

She averted her gaze and drank more.

"So that's not it." Julie threw up her hands. "Tell me. Was the sex hot?"

"Beyond hot. Amazing. Best ever."

Julie squealed. "So what's the big deal then?"

"He lied to me. About being rich. And—"

"He's that cheap? He made you go dutch or something?"

"No." Megan sighed. "He broke my trust in him and I quit my job and if I take him back, it's going to look like I'm nothing but a gold digger." She slumped her shoulders.

"He didn't tell you who he was."

"Nope. Just pretended to be an ordinary guy."

"Did you like him? Before you realized who he was?" Julie finally took a sip of her drink.

"Yes, but I don't know if all of it was an act. He hardly talked about himself, just asked questions about me—"

"So he wanted to get to know you," Julie pointed out.

"Or maybe he just wanted to dodge my questions." Megan sighed. Her brain was going numb from the cold drink, but she kept on swallowing. "I don't know who he is. I don't know him. And with my trust in him gone, how can I believe him if I were to give him a second chance?"

"Hon, you might not want to hear this, and Lord knows I'm not good at this whole love and romance thing myself, but if you're this bent over the guy, he must've done more than just hit a nerve. He got to you, didn't he? Made you smile, made you laugh, made you happy?"

Megan nodded glumly.

"Made you come?"

Despite herself, she laughed. "Oh yeah."

"Maybe he does deserve a second chance, but only you can decide that. Finding love isn't going to be easy. You know how long I've been looking for it."