Page 74 of Legacy of Deception

all you need to know

MARCO

Elio: Sorry, Marco. I will not call an emergency shareholders’ meeting for a vote of no confidence against your father.

I should’ve figured he’d pull this. He was afraid of what a new assemblage might mean.

Marco: Don’t worry about having to handle a fractious board meeting.

The truth was that I never gave a damn about running the company. What I cared about was taking over control so I could get my life back and consider this arranged marriage bit nothing more than a ridiculous blip in time. However, all of that had changed. I didn’t want out of my relationship with Brooklyn any longer. So, at this point, my father could keep his precious company. I was already getting what I had always wanted with my position solidified in the company by having something that was mine with the acquisition of Bellissima.

Elio: I don’t know what you’re getting at, Marco, but the issue here is that you don’t know what you’re talking about. Your father is not only fully capable, he’s a genius.

Marco: Acquiring two failing equine centers when we don’t know shit about horses or do any business in that industry doesn’t feel too genius to me.

Elio: The deal committee vetted the deal and is in support of it. That’s all you need to know right now.

Marco: Then all you should know is that I’ve decided to pull the plug on my bid to become CEO, so this exchange was all for nothing.

Except for the fact that I now knew something I hadn’t known before. I’d suspected it, but now I had confirmation. There was something that had specifically drawn my father in when it came to Briggs’s equine centers.

There was always something in it for Santo.

However, because I didn’t see how I’d get more intel and specifics on what it was exactly he was getting out of this, I was done. This was between Raf and Santo. I didn’t need their mess creating problems for me and Brooklyn.

Chapter 30

You like my lips?

BROOKLYN

Swirling my tongue on Marco’s earlobe, I kissed the spot and moved down, flattening my tongue before kissing the side of his neck. Shifting myself on his lap, the only thing preventing his cock from rubbing my center was the minimal barrier of my panties. My light pink silk nightshirt lifted up slightly in the back even though it had a high-low hem, the smooth fabric slipping through Marco’s hands as he held me by my backside. “Chip me?” I asked, alluding to wanting another salt and vinegar chip from the bowl he’d sat on the seat next to him. The seat I was supposed to be in but had decided to vacate in favor of straddling his lap and doting on him.

He reached between us with the chip, feeding it to me as I groaned in delight at the way the flavors danced on my tongue. “You know, you might want to turn around to see the television.” Nudging his chin, he tried to get me to look that way. “Unless you would rather I shut it off.”

On his last word, I pulled on the bottom of his lip, the corners of my lips slowly tugging upward as the ghost of a smile played on them. “As it turns out, I have a thing for men with tattoos.” Closing my eyes, I ran my tongue across the ink, and he surprised me by flicking the tip of my tongue with his own.

Drawing back, I tapped his lip with my finger. They were one of my favorite things on him, and that was saying a lot because I didn’t have any complaints.

“Men?” he growled, his brown eyes darkening as he lifted my ass up slightly, squeezing it before placing me back down on his lap.

My cheeks reddened. “Yes, men.” I gave him a dignified glare, tilting my chin upward as I tried not to chuckle.

“You better change that answer,” he teased, creeping his hand up my back over the fabric of my shirt.

Heat ran down my spine. “Why?” I asked, drawing his bottom lip in with my teeth and pulling on it hard. He didn’t even flinch. ”Do you not like that I still find other men hot even though I’m with you?” I asked, paying attention to his neck now as I nuzzled it. The desire to mark him was strong, but I knew he would undoubtedly return the favor, and I didn’t find walking around with a hickey appealing.

“No, because I’m not an imbecile. We’re together, but you’re not dead. Having a thing for other men is another thing, though.”

Without me even having to ask, he put a chip in front of me, and I opened my mouth, letting him feed me once more.

He watched me carefully.

Closely.

Never taking his eyes off of me as I chewed.

Slowly.