Page 203 of Modern Romance May 2026 Books 5-8
“It was enough to make me leave the company and come toyou, so what does that tell you?” she challenged.
“That you need a job?”
“Don’t be obtuse. I want you tohurthim.”
“Physically? You really do have a low opinion of me.”
“Are you having fun?” she asked with fraying patience. “I came to you because I thought you would want to team up with me against him. This is an opportunity. Take it.”
His gaze felt hot as a sunburn against her cheeks.
No, that was the fresh rise of a blush under her skin, making her feel as though she was overheating. Why did she respond to him like this, even when she loathed him?
“How do I know I can trust you?” His thick eyebrows lifted in challenge. “You obviously still hold a grudge against me.”
“My grudge against him is bigger. In this case, size does matter.” She tilted her mouth into a smarmy, humorless smile.
He snorted and moved to the cupboards near the sofa, taking out glasses with a bottle of Scotch.
“None for me. I don’t like hard alcohol,” she said as he started to pour.
“Wine? Coffee?”
“I’m not here for a date, Rocco.”
“It’s called hospitality.” He brought his own drink to the sofa and waved for her to take the love seat.
She sank down in one corner, but couldn’t relax. She was wound tight by these flailing emotions within her and felt accosted by all that manliness across from her. He hooked his ankle on his knee and splayed his arm across the sofa back. Infuriating tendrils of erotic interest unfurled in her belly.
“When did you leave the company?” he asked.
“Three days ago.”
“The day you ended your engagement,” he noted.
At the memory of that day, her heart exploded with all the confusion and anger and hurt she was trying to suppress. Trying to expel.Who is my father?Otto couldn’t or wouldn’t tell her, but the question still dominated her thoughts.
“Are those two things related?” Rocco pried.
It depended on his definition ofrelated, didn’t it? She waved an impatient hand, not wanting to get into it.
“Axel and I were only engaged because Otto promised to retire and gift the company to us. He changed the terms at the last minute. Otto did.” She couldn’t control the quaver in her voice. “So Axel and I had no reason to go through with the marriage.”
“And this thing that upset you. Axel knows what it is?”
“Yes.”
“Will he use it?”
“I don’t know.” She rubbed at the tension headache that had been sitting behind her brow since that distressing morning.
Axel still had the option of marrying Otto’s biological daughter. He had been impatient to strike out on his own two years ago, before Otto had lured him back with a false promise to give him Vorstoben. Axel wasn’t naive. Now that he knew what Otto was capable of, he wouldn’t trust him again.
“I don’t think he’ll use this informationyet,” she said, making a deduction. “He has other avenues to take over Vorstoben. I think he would prefer to preserve the company. He’s put in a lot of work since he was made CEO. It’s been thriving under his leadership.”
“I’ve noticed,” Rocco said with irony.
“Don’t blame him for the attacks on GPS.” She dropped her hand from her brow. “I’ve seen Otto override Axel when he knew Vorstoben was up against your company. Whatever the grudge is between you, it’s in Otto’s mind, not Axel’s. Do you know why Otto hates you so much?” she asked curiously.
