Marriage by Bargain - Book 2

Chapter Four

Naia

It had been about two weeks since Zandre crashed my lunch date and while I was still able to avoid having that dreaded talk with Damian, it was right next to impossible to avoid Zandre. The man was everywhere! He kept sending gifts to my house and my job, not to mention randomly popping up in places I frequented. I would be terrified of the fact that he was basically stalking me but in truth I relished every bit of the attention I was receiving, I couldn't help but feel special. Even Lia was impressed by his persistence, we were both quite surprised he didn't step up the game and start showing up at her house. It was Friday evening and I had decided to spend the weekend with my best friend not only because I missed her but also because she begged me to. Apparently her husband was driving her out of her mind with his constant attention and his determination to restrict her activities.

"Naia, I swear the man treats me like an invalid!" She complained while we were in the kitchen getting snacks together for our movie night.

We were going to watch Shark Tale, Lia and I had an incurable love for old animated movies and always enjoyed them twice as much when we watched them together. I continued to crush bars of milk chocolate to top our ice cream while Lia made a spicy cheese dip for our homemade chips and carried on with her ranting about her overprotective husband. I actually understood where Damian was coming from with his concerns, I grew up with the crazy chick so I knew first hand that she was a danger to herself and a menace to society. I wasn't denying that I was basically much of the same but the difference was I wasn't pregnant with the first born children of a man with mafia ties, which meant I could carry on with being a public nuisance. Although I had to admit I wasn't getting much time to get into any trouble since a certain sexy millionaire was dedicated to wooing me and seemed to have this uncanny ability to catch me off guard. No, there was no time to let loose and be wild, I had to keep my wits about me so I wouldn't wind up in his bed again even if the last time was amazing and I was starting to suffer from withdrawal symptoms.

Nope, no siree, no more sexy time with the enemy, I told myself firmly.

I was so far gone in my thoughts that I didn't notice Lia had stopped speaking and was glaring at me for not listening to her woes.

"Well you are carrying his precious mafia babies you know," I said to prove I had been listening.

"You're taking his side?" She asked with a loud exaggerated gasp.

I was saved from having to answer for my crimes of high friendship treason when Damian walked into the kitchen accompanied by the very man that had been occupying my thoughts for days.

Oooooooooooooooh no! He's infiltrated the mother ship! Abort! Abort! My mind yelled urging me to flee the scene.

Instead I stood there staring at them both with wide eyes and suddenly sweaty palms.

How can he be here right now? How are they even able to stand in the same room after all that drama? I wondered frantically.

Oh crap! What if Damian knows now? What if Zandre told him!? A dull ache started at the base of my neck as all the worst case scenarios started playing out in my head.

"Mr Alexander and I have important business matters to discuss, but I promised you I would be home by six, so I hope you don't mind that I brought him along," He explained casually while I was still standing there wide-eyed and gaping at Zandre.

"Wait just a darn tooting second!" Lia said with narrowed eyes, "What kind of business matters could you possibly have to discuss with him?" she asked pointing an accusatory finger at Zandre, who actually dared to chuckle in the presence of a highly unstable pregnant woman.