Wife Wanted (A Billionaire Bad Boy Romance)(51)

 

“Did he realize you took the files?”

 

“No, not yet, at least, but he’s just hired some new consultant lady,” she snapped, feeling her cheeks flush from the wine and her anger. “I no longer have full access to the company’s records, so she has to be brought in to do what I can’t.”

 

Mitch frowned as he chewed the ravioli and swallowed. “That’s bullshit.”

 

“That’s pretty much what I said. And then my job got threatened,” she said, twirling her fork through her spaghetti. All she did was find some weird files, and now she had the CEO watching her like a hawk, and this woman was going to be around constantly. She wouldn’t be able to think half the time, let alone get any real work done.

 

Maybe it was a sign she should quit after all. Then again…she glanced sideways at Mitch. If she did marry a rich man like him, she wouldn’t have to work anymore. Did she take the risk and quit, hoping he’d hold up his end of the deal? Her stomach roiled at the idea, and she almost lost what little dinner she’d eaten. Having no solid source of income was not where she wanted to be. Or solely dependent on someone else. She’d never lived like that and didn’t want to start now. Even if she did marry him, she’d be bored all the time if she didn’t work. There would be time to take care of her mom, but even then, what would she do with her time? The foster kids. She’d have time for them again, being there to help guide them. Maybe this arrangement wouldn’t be so bad after all.

 

“You seem awful thoughtful right now,” Mitch said, giving her a little nudge with his elbow. “Come on, what are you thinking about?”

 

She smiled and glanced past him into the living room where, just yesterday morning, she’d been on the floor beside a naked man, talking and chatting and making love until they’d finally made their way back into her bedroom. She’d opened up in his arms. The smile fell from her face, and she cleared her throat, trying to hide the sadness weighing her down.

 

“Just thinking that maybe…maybe I need to make a few changes in my life.”

 

“Oh yeah? Like what?”

 

“Go after Yancey and take him down a peg or two.” Phoebe wasn’t sure where the sudden urge to go through with her plans came from. Maybe her time with Ben had done more for her than she thought. “He can’t get away with whatever he’s doing.”

 

Mitch set down his fork and fiddled with his wine glass. “Are you sure you want to do that? A man like William Yancey…he’s got a lot of pull with a lot of bad people. And that guy following me the other day—I don’t want them to start going after you.”

 

“How do you know he was following you?”

 

“I do business with men like him during the week. They’re sharks. They circle their prey until the right moment to strike. Sending goons like that is not unheard of.”

 

Phoebe gulped at the image of Yancey as a great white but shook her head. “I don’t care. He can’t threaten me like that, can’t use my mom against me.”

 

Mitch’s grip on the wine glass nearly broke it, and Phoebe shot him a worried look. “He used your mom?”

 

“Yeah. Asshole, right?”

 

He nodded stiffly. “Well then, if that’s what you want to do, I’ll help you however I can.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes, but after tonight. I think right now you need some good old fashion hang-out time,” he said, reaching out and laying his hand gently over hers. It was warm and felt good, but nothing like when Ben touched her. There was no shock of electricity. No warming deep within her, no anticipation of what else that touch might mean. Just a touch. Soft and sweet.

 

She squeezed his hand back and dug into her food once more. They talked about random things mostly, and Mitch, surprisingly, had a better sense of humor than she originally thought. Before long, he had her clutching her sides with mirth as he poured the last of the wine. Finished with dinner, they made it to the couch, where Phoebe motioned for him to sit beside her. There really was no beating around the bush. If she was going to marry him soon, she might as well let him sit beside her on the couch. They stared at each other as the laughter finally died away, and Phoebe tried to see who this man really was. She saw something else in his eyes besides the gentleness he was trying to show. There was something there, something that kept appearing and disappearing in his eyes as she looked. A side of him he didn’t want her to see yet.

 

Or not at all.