The Boss Assignment (Rogue Protectors Book 3) by Victoria Paige (red scrolls of magic txt) 📗

“Emilio didn’t have any relatives to take over?”

“Some are on the board, but they have very little control. The company was in near ruins because of the war to go legitimate. It was through Emilio and Antonio’s blood and sweat that made Andrade Industries what it is today. The last decade had seen tremendous growth.”

“Impressive. Did you and Emilio just decide Antonio had a head for business?” Charly mused, impressed.

“Amongst other things,” Luis’ smile was enigmatic, but it didn’t take her much to guess he was referring to their other business. “He started at the bottom—the mail room. You’d be surprised how much you learn delivering mail. That was before email took over. The University of São Paolo eventually awarded him an honorary degree.” Luis laughed briefly. “They probably wanted to say he’s an alumni given the success of Andrade Industries.”

“I also donated a hefty sum to the university.” An amused voice came from the mouth of the dining room.

Antonio strode in. He’d discarded his suit jacket and had loosened his tie. His hair was unkempt, as though he repeatedly ran his finger through it, unless he was driving a convertible this morning. Who knew with these billionaires?

“First day back and not a full day at work,” Luis said. “Where’s Renata?”

“I left her in charge,” Antonio’s gaze landed on Charly. “I have more important business here.”

Oh, boy. Can’t say she wasn’t expecting this.

“But food first,” Antonio said, grabbing an appetizer and popping it into his mouth. “How did you sleep, Dr. Bennett?”

She paraphrased her response to Luis. “I just got out of bed, so you can say it was more than satisfactory.”

“Satisfactory?” Antonio replied as if affronted. “I don’t do satisfactory here.” His expression grew troubled and he lifted his head looking for Ida.

“Don’t,” Charly snapped.

He glared at her. “Don’t what?”

“Oscar is moving me to a better room. Don’t bother Ida about it.”

“It’s her job.”

“And I’m an easy guest, okay? It’s your fault anyway for sticking me there in the first place and locking me in. Besides, this deal is between you and me. No need for any casualties along the way.”

Antonio stared at her steadily with everything about him seemingly laser-focused on her.

“I’m saying you win. I’m going to help you, but no hiding anything from me about the virus or anything that may interfere with my investigation.” He was about to say something when Charly cut him off. “So, no special treatment anymore. No asking Ida or Oscar to cater to my every whim—”

“Is that what you think is happening here?”

“Well, isn’t it?” Charly said. “Intimidation wasn’t working so you try to sweeten the deal? You carried me yesterday, for heaven’s sake, to bed. Don’t you think that was extreme?”

Antonio sat up straighter, regarding her coolly. “You were about to fall on your face.”

“You had a battalion of men waiting in the wings. Oscar could have carried me.”

His scowl deepened. “I’m not manipulating you if that’s what you think.”

“It is in his nature, though, just so you know,” Luis cut in.

Antonio turned his glare on his friend. “Not helping, amigo.” Turning back to her, he continued, “You readily put your life in danger to help us last night even when I didn’t treat you fairly, even when I didn’t give you the benefit of the doubt. I already kidnapped you, I feel I owe you a chance … innocent until proven guilty, yes?”

Charly’s eyes slitted, studying the man before her, but all she could see was sincerity in an incredibly handsome, sculpted face. In the light of day, and with plenty of sleep, she was suddenly aware of Antonio as a man who elicited stirring low in her pelvis.

Crap. Maybe she acquiesced too soon. Maybe after she started working, she wouldn’t have to deal with him.

There was just too much of him to resist. Her nipples tightened. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her seat. “So where exactly am I going to work? Maybe with Nico?”

“No, I have a place for you in the basement.”

She scowled. “You’re sticking me in the basement?”

“You make it sound like I’m Vlad the Impaler. You haven’t seen my basement.”

“What do you have there? A sex dungeon?” Charly started laughing. It was a nervous laugh, but when she stopped she was all too aware that no one was laughing with her. Antonio’s eyes had darkened, and they seemed more penetrating.

Luis was hiding a smile, but his attention was on his newspaper.

“I’m … I’m sorry, that was not meant as an insult.” She shook her head as if doing so would erase her unfiltered words. “Sure. I can’t wait to see it.”

“If you meant my sex dungeon, that can be arranged.” Antonio’s mouth twitched.

Would the chair please swallow her up?

“Why do I feel like I walked into something.” Nico entered the dining room with his tablet in hand. “And did I hear sex dungeon?”

Antonio smirked. “Dr. Bennett thinks we have a sex dungeon in the basement.”

Nico’s mouth fell open and Charly felt like her cheeks were truly on fire.

“Oh, no wonder her face is so red.”

And the dude had to state the obvious.

“It’s lunch, Nico. Put that tablet away,” Ida said, walking in behind her son and putting a platter of roasted fish on the table. One of her kitchen girls put a bowl of fried yucca in front of Charly.

Ignoring his mother, he moved beside Antonio. “I found which warehouses the XZite boxes came from.”

“What XZite boxes?” Luis asked, getting up from his chair and going behind the men.

Antonio told them about the boxes found in Sousa’s apartment. Charly listened avidly. That was quite an interesting turn of events.

“You think Pierre was involved?” Antonio asked Nico. “That’s why you’ve been questioning the data on the virus in our database, right?”

“I had to do my own digging,” Nico said, looking at Charly. “Pierre couldn’t confirm which lab the data came from. It was blank. That couldn’t be blank. It’s a column that couldn’t be null. It is automatically populated.”

“Then