Billionaire Stepbrother - Secret Lives by Madeline Du Bois Page B
Authors: Madeline Du Bois
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either.”
“It sounds like you almost think of them as family, though. That’s why you gave me all those rules, right? So, it’s not so obvious to me why they would be so upset or why anyone wouldn’t like you as their leader if you’re all like family.” He felt her touch his shoulder in an act of comfort, but he could feel a burning under his shirt where her hand sat. It was such a small gesture, but he wished he could grab her hand and hold it, tell her she was driving him crazy in the best way.
“Well, think about it. A lot of the biker gang stereotypes are true. Drugs, sex, and illegal activity are rampant in my world, even if I don’t like to admit it or partake personally. A lot of people get involved because of all of that. They want to live this crazy lifestyle and be these bad guys for real. They don’t like that I’m ruining their fun and asking them to give up easy money. You wouldn’t believe how much money there is in some of the most illegal things, and they don't have to work nearly as hard for it as they would with a real, legit job.”
“So, how are you going to handle it? I mean, are you going to kick out the people that don’t agree with you, or punish them in some way? You seemed pretty harsh with that girl at the bar. They must fear you enough to do what you say.”
He had been afraid of her getting an impression of him by how he talked to Liz that night, but it was part of being their president. He had to be rough, especially when there were so many of them rooting against him. “Honestly, it is still unclear as to which ones are on my side and which ones aren’t. They’re keeping it under wraps for the most part. Very few openly show their dissention, and the ones that do don’t seem capable of really staging any kind of rebellion. But I think someone is, and I have no idea who to trust.”
Dante was getting lost in his thoughts, wondering who in the world was so against him. The MC was his family and had been for a very long time. It was hard to think of any of them going against him. “And about me being tough, it just comes with the territory, Cynthia. I don’t really treat women like that outside of the gang. It’s the way they want it, trust me.” He hoped that didn’t come off as misogynistic.
“Oh, I see. Yeah, you don’t really seem that way at work." She looked down at the ground quietly for a moment. "I’m sorry I’ve been so weird. I’ll try to act more normal, but maybe we should head back. We’ve been out here almost an hour, and I still need to make those orders. Plus, we have a new client coming in to meet with me at four.”
Dante nodded and smiled, leading the way back to the office. He felt a little lighter on his feet than he was on the way there, and he was pretty sure it had something to do with Cynthia. But he still had to address the growing feelings he was having for her. And hopefully the ones she might be having about him.
Chapter 10
“I’m heading to the conference room to get ready for the new client. Do you need anything before I go?” Cynthia asked, standing up with her laptop in hand. The tension had started to subside after lunch, and the silence didn’t seem purposeful anymore while they worked. He had even been able to help her find a new vendor to contact for supplies.
Just as she walked out the door, a familiar man popped in beside her. He could see her nose wrinkle in disgust. It was the P.I. he hired to follow her. He had missed their meeting on Friday, and he half expected that the guy would just run off with the money, but it was irrelevant since he was confident now that he could trust her.
“Do you need any help with this one, Dante?” she asked. He brought himself down from the high of hearing his name roll off her tongue so he could answer. As soon as he admitted to himself his attraction to her, he couldn’t stop pining for her. He felt like a teenage boy instead
“It sounds like you almost think of them as family, though. That’s why you gave me all those rules, right? So, it’s not so obvious to me why they would be so upset or why anyone wouldn’t like you as their leader if you’re all like family.” He felt her touch his shoulder in an act of comfort, but he could feel a burning under his shirt where her hand sat. It was such a small gesture, but he wished he could grab her hand and hold it, tell her she was driving him crazy in the best way.
“Well, think about it. A lot of the biker gang stereotypes are true. Drugs, sex, and illegal activity are rampant in my world, even if I don’t like to admit it or partake personally. A lot of people get involved because of all of that. They want to live this crazy lifestyle and be these bad guys for real. They don’t like that I’m ruining their fun and asking them to give up easy money. You wouldn’t believe how much money there is in some of the most illegal things, and they don't have to work nearly as hard for it as they would with a real, legit job.”
“So, how are you going to handle it? I mean, are you going to kick out the people that don’t agree with you, or punish them in some way? You seemed pretty harsh with that girl at the bar. They must fear you enough to do what you say.”
He had been afraid of her getting an impression of him by how he talked to Liz that night, but it was part of being their president. He had to be rough, especially when there were so many of them rooting against him. “Honestly, it is still unclear as to which ones are on my side and which ones aren’t. They’re keeping it under wraps for the most part. Very few openly show their dissention, and the ones that do don’t seem capable of really staging any kind of rebellion. But I think someone is, and I have no idea who to trust.”
Dante was getting lost in his thoughts, wondering who in the world was so against him. The MC was his family and had been for a very long time. It was hard to think of any of them going against him. “And about me being tough, it just comes with the territory, Cynthia. I don’t really treat women like that outside of the gang. It’s the way they want it, trust me.” He hoped that didn’t come off as misogynistic.
“Oh, I see. Yeah, you don’t really seem that way at work." She looked down at the ground quietly for a moment. "I’m sorry I’ve been so weird. I’ll try to act more normal, but maybe we should head back. We’ve been out here almost an hour, and I still need to make those orders. Plus, we have a new client coming in to meet with me at four.”
Dante nodded and smiled, leading the way back to the office. He felt a little lighter on his feet than he was on the way there, and he was pretty sure it had something to do with Cynthia. But he still had to address the growing feelings he was having for her. And hopefully the ones she might be having about him.
Chapter 10
“I’m heading to the conference room to get ready for the new client. Do you need anything before I go?” Cynthia asked, standing up with her laptop in hand. The tension had started to subside after lunch, and the silence didn’t seem purposeful anymore while they worked. He had even been able to help her find a new vendor to contact for supplies.
Just as she walked out the door, a familiar man popped in beside her. He could see her nose wrinkle in disgust. It was the P.I. he hired to follow her. He had missed their meeting on Friday, and he half expected that the guy would just run off with the money, but it was irrelevant since he was confident now that he could trust her.
“Do you need any help with this one, Dante?” she asked. He brought himself down from the high of hearing his name roll off her tongue so he could answer. As soon as he admitted to himself his attraction to her, he couldn’t stop pining for her. He felt like a teenage boy instead
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