Page 25 of The Billionaire's Angel

It wasn't what I'd planned to say. I wasn't there to talk about Sophie. But they’d looked far too cozy behind that closed door, smiling at each other as if they shared an insidejoke.

I didn't want Aiden alone in a room with Sophie, laughing with her, and sharing jokes with her. Aiden was all wrong for Sophie. He was too cold, toocontrolled.

“I was having a private meeting with an employee,” Aiden said, dryly. “You should know that I would never engage in inappropriate behavior with a woman who worked for me, especially one who works in thishouse.”

I knew what he was getting at. What he was implying. I wasn't taking the bait. Just in case I'd missed his point, Aiden went on, “Please tell me you're not botheringSophie.”

I didn't answer. Anything I said would either be a lie or start a fight. Aiden's eyes narrowed on me, his expression icy. “Sophie is a valuable member of our staff. Aunt Amelia considers her a friend. We are not going to do anything to jeopardize her position in this household. Do youunderstand?”

“So she's just an employee? Then what were you two laughing about in here?” I asked, knowing I sounded both jealous and a littleunhinged.

I couldn't helpmyself.

Impulse control had been just one of my problems since I'd gotten home. Normally, I could match Aiden's icy stare with one of my own. Not now, and not when it was about Sophie. The memory of their shared laughter grated on mynerves.

“Our conversation is none of your business,” Aiden said, flatly. “Now, what did you need to see meabout?”

I wasn't ready to drop the topic ofSophie.

“If you're going to have meetings with Sophie, you should do it with the door open,” I insisted, knowing I soundedridiculous.

Aiden visibly gritted his teeth. “There is nothing going on between me and Sophie. She is an employee, and I was getting an update on Amelia which necessitated a closed-door because Amelia is nosy. Everyone in this house knows that, and the only one who thinks it's suspicious or inappropriate is you. Which makes me wonder exactly what's going on between you andSophie.”

My hands dropped to my sides, my fingers curling into fists. I couldn't bring myself to lie, not to Aiden, but I wasn't going to reveal any information that might compromise Sophie. I settled for saying, “Sophie hasn't done anythingwrong.”

“I never thought she had. Stay away from her, Gage. We can't afford to lose her. Amelia would never forgive you.” Sitting back, he flipped his pen over in his fingers. In a low voice, he said, “I haven't looked into the details, but my understanding is that she had a very bad marriage before her husband died. According to Amelia, she hasn't dated since. The last thing she needs is to get involved with a man she can't depend on. Leave heralone.”

Between the mention of Sophie's bad marriage, the direct order to stay away from her, and the very thinly veiled accusation that I couldn't be depended on, I was ready to launch myself across Aiden's desk and start swinging my tightly clenchedfists.

Impulsecontrol.

I wanted to hit him so badly I could feel the impact of his cheekbones on my knuckles. Feel the crash as I took him from his oversized desk chair to thefloor.

I don't think I ever wanted to hit someone in my entire life as much as I wanted to hit Aiden rightthen.

It took every ounce of willpower I had to stay where I was, my fisted hands at my sides, my jaw tight. I didn't like hearing that Sophie had suffered through a bad marriage. I really didn't like Aiden ordering me around. But the worst, the hardest to swallow, was Aiden implying that I was undependable. Because he was fuckingright.

I wasn't myself. It had nothing to do with Sophie. I knew I shouldn't have kissed her in the kitchen, but I wouldn't take that back for a milliondollars.

Onekiss.

It couldn't have lasted more than a few minutes. I could still taste her in my mouth, feel her sweetly curved body under my hands. I could've kissed her forhours.

But Aiden was right; Iwasundependable. I didn't know if he was referring to my running out on the family twelve years before, or the fact that I'd come home a fucked up mess, but either way he had apoint.

And it burned even more that he was right about her being an employee in our home. She didn't work for me. I hadn't hired her. But I was a Winters, and we signed herpaycheck.

This had never been a house where a woman at work felt vulnerable.Never.

My grandfather, my father, my mother, Uncle Hugh, Aunt Olivia—all of them had made it clear that our staff was to be respected and treated as professionals at all times. There was no chasing after the maids when I was a teenage boy, no matter how pretty they mightbe.

I didn't want to walk away from Sophie. Since I'd come home, she was the only person who made me feel like me. Ironic that the one human being in this house who made me feel at home was one who technically didn't belonghere.

It killed me to admit that Aiden was right. Sophie deserved better. I wasn't saying I wouldn't pursue her, but now was not the time. I had to get my shit together. There was always the chance that once I was back to normal, this insane attraction would fade. Maybe something in my subconscious was just grasping at Sophie because she feltsafe.

Maybe. But I didn't think so. I wasn't myself, I knew that. But the way I was drawn to Sophie, it was more than a reaction to stress. I closed my eyes, remembering the scent of her skin, sultry and sweet. The sound of her laugh, joyful andclear.

Sophie was mine. I could give her space. I could wait until I was in better shape to pursue her, but she wasmine.