[Juliette’s POV]I should be happy. But I can’t smile. Even his knitted brows of concern couldn’t take my mind off what happened after lunch. It was going so well. What happened? Why was he hostile again? It was like the discussion we had this morning never happened—like I had been in a different dimension, or time zone, and I just got back from it. Something rough but warm covered my hand on the restaurant table and I looked down at it. The large hand securing over mine, shielding me from harm, from everything. ‘Do you need details about the emergency? Will that make you feel better?’ Ralph asked in his deep, calm voice of masculine sexiness. A voice that makes me want to crawl into him and wrap him around me and complain and whine. But if I did, he’d remember about the deal we had and take over. I don’t want the Virtus family members to accept me out of the Don’s orders; I want them to accept me for me, and because they want to. I turned to my left and gazed into those handsome

[Juliette’s POV]Dinner was at Sweet Like Heaven bar restaurant, atop one of the highest buildings in the city. I told him about this place a month ago, heard it from someone in the Lux Corp ladies’ room, and felt curious enough to try it. The place was hard to get a table—the long waiting list and all—but he managed to fix us up with one. It was flattering to know that he still remembered. But then, is he doing this out of guilt? For cancelling lunch with me to meet another woman. Is there really another woman? ‘Kitten?’ His voice feathered inside my ear and I blinked at the elevator door as we rose smoothly to level thirty-three, where the restaurant is. Then his warm lips were on the edge of my ear, pressing gently. ‘What’s on your mind?’ I turned to him and he caught something on my face and sighed with a frown. ‘What is it?’ He was as curt as a husband who was about to be confronted about his mistress. ‘Promise me you won’t get upset,’ I muttered, trying to sound less confron

[Juliette’s POV]‘Where’s Ben?’ I asked. The woman in the boss chair across the fancy antique desk, with every limb crossed, smirked and said, ‘He’s busy making sure that the models are focused on their training.’ My insides fell deadpan. Isn’t that her job? Or is she trying to get Ben out of the way? Outside, I maintained a cordial smile. ‘I see. So he’s been really helpful then.’ And her nose crunched with disgust. ‘As a gardener should.’ Jesus… There's really nothing likeable about this woman. Wonder what Ben sees in her. Maybe it’s all sensual for him—she does have all the curves, the perfect flesh-to-muscle proportion. She is afterall a runway model. ‘So what can I do for you?’ The fake smile on my face was starting to take toil on my cheeks. She leaned forward and whispered, ‘Leave Ralph.’ My heart nearly stopped. D-Did I hear wrongly? ‘Excuse me?’ I blinked. ‘You heard me.’ Her voice was low and threatening. ‘Leave Ralph. Divorce, separation, whatever. Get rid of you

[Juliette's POV]Cafe hopping, huh? He shot dagger eyes at me. Behind them, I saw the pain of betrayal. 'I didn't want you to worry.' Was all I could say. But the ex-Mafia King cast me a look of disappointment before he stood and stalked out of the dining room. 'Ralph!' I hissed, running after him, wanting to explain about my meeting with Jewel, to redeem myself. But it was too late. As soon as I entered the main hall, Randy caught sight of me and charged forward like a bull to a red flag. Hand raised, he looked like he wanted to kill me with a slap, and I halted in fright, wincing in preparation for a piercing sting.But… nothing happened. 'Are you interfering now, Don Ralph?' Randy snarled. 'That's my wife you're about to hit, Randy,' replied a deep, guttural voice. Randy tried to shake off Ralph's grip. 'AND THAT'S MY DAUGHTER SHE HIT!' What?! My eyes nearly fell from their sockets. 'I never touched her!' That bitch framed me! 'And there you have it—so quietly leave, Ran

[Ralph's POV] 'What do you have in mind then?' I swallowed the cold water, freezed my dumb brain as punishment, then did a post-exercise heavy sigh. 'Send everything to the cops.' Ben jolted straight. Then, he leaned close, his eyes darting around to make what he was about to say wouldn't be heard. 'Please tell me your head is clear as glass: you send that over, and the entire U.R.T police force will be on Virtus' tail!' I looked up. But the gardener's son was unfazed by my warning glare. His brows looked pissed but his eyes were still respectful. In a lower voice, he muttered, 'The atomic bomb not only ended the war, bro—it ended innocent lives too.' 'I'm aware of it.' I groaned in exasperation. 'And you still want to go ahead with it?' I scoffed in defeat and looked away as Ben added firmly, 'Every shady deal Randy's made in the past, he makes it with someone in the family. It's obvious why: he doesn't want to go down alone.' He doesn't want prison, that's more li