Beauty and the Billionaire

THE LIES WE TELL

CHAPTER-21
THE LIES WE TELL

"Mrs. Archer? Are you okay? You're...sweating," Rossi cocked his brow at me.

I wiped my forehead with my palm, "I-I'm fine. I'm sorry, where were we?" I asked faking a laugh.

"You were going to explain to me that why Mr. Archer took Miss Sterling as his date at the gala when he was dating you," Rossi said.

Oh, fuck! What had Austin told him? Why was he there with her? And what was I suppose to say now?

"Uhm, yeah, right. So...uh...Austin went to the gala with Kristen because...um...because—"

"Because Eva and I had a fight and I wanted to make her jealous," a voice boomed from the threshold.

My husband's voice.

All eyes went to the entrance of the living room, and there he was, striding toward us with his glory, with Romero behind him and Austin glaring at Rossi.

"Mr. Archer," Rossi exclaimed when Austin came to stand before him. Rossi offered his hand but Austin ignored with a deadly stare.

"I was here to have a little...chit-chat with your beautiful wife," Rossi said. Austin glared at me, "I don't remember inviting you here, Mr. Rossi, and I don't remember either that I allowed you to talk to my wife in my absence."

Rossi clenched his jaw as he glanced nervously between me and Austin. "I guess you've forgot your limits, Mr. Rossi." Austin gritted.

Rossi cleared his throat, "Uhm, my apologies Mr. Archer, I didn't know your wife was...off-limits."

Austin shoved his hands in his trouser's pockets, "Oh, of course, she is off-limits. Just because I'm not the Capo doesn't mean you're allowed to talk to my wife in person. Right?"

"Right," Rossi mumbled. "Hmm...so, now that I'm here, by all means, please continue," Austin said and walked to me and pulled me close to him on the couch, close enough that my shoulder and thigh touched his.

"You were asking?" Austin asked Rossi.

"Yes, I was asking Mrs. Archer about Miss Sterling." And since he first arrived, I saw a nervous smile on Rossi's face. Austin's heated palm connected with the small of my back and a shiver ran through my spine.

"And you got your answers. Move forward," Austin said. I could have been interested in Rossi's expression but then Austin's thumb started drawing small circles on my back. I clenched my thighs.

What the fuck was he doing?

"Yes, sure. So, Mrs. Archer, I would like to know that after two years of dating, why all of a sudden you both decided to get married at this point of the month. I mean, from resources I've got to know that there was no particular arrangement for the wedding; it was all done in a rush. If I simply put my question, why did you decide to get married when Mr. Sylvester's will came out?"

Why?

I didn't know why. And I couldn't even think of an answer when Austin was constantly torturing me with his touch. His hand, which was on my back, had currently slid down to my ass and his thumb was now creeping up under my shirt and then rubbing my bare skin.

I gave Austin a death glare at which he just smirked, "Answer, baby," he whispered.

He was doing in this public? Right in front of a man who was annoying the fuck out of me and with his bodyguards who were standing right behind us and I was sure they would be getting a hell lot of a show.