Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Wow.” My eyes widen. “Are you telling me I look like shit?”
“Yes.”
I’m given a glare, and realizing Gianna is really upset and not joking, I say, “You worry too much, G. I just had carrots, so I ate something healthy.” Lying through my teeth, I add, “And last night I slept five hours.”
Nope, I look like death warmed up because I spent the entire night fighting a hacker who was trying to break past my firewalls.
Just as I think I should rather stay and work on my system, Gianna gives me another glare, silencing me.
I’ll visit with her for two hours and consider it a nap.
I follow her to the SUV, and Alessio comes closer, looking a little shocked. “Are you leaving?”
“I’m being kidnapped by Gianna,” I inform him.
“It’s about time,” he mutters before using the guard’s communication channel to say, “Rosie is on the move. Haul ass to the SUVs.”
Ten men hang back to protect the fortress, while the other fourteen get ready to leave.
When Alessio pulls out his phone, I snap, “Don’t you dare tell Enzo. He doesn’t need to know my every move.”
And I need some time to get over seeing his hot ass before I’m able to look him in the eye again.
When Alessio hesitates, I add, “I will fire you if you don’t listen to me. Give Enzo a break. Besides, I’m with Gianna, not on some random shopping trip.” I look at my friend. “We’re hanging out at your house, right?”
“Right.” She backs me up by telling Alessio, “I don’t want my brother spoiling our girl time.”
“Fine, but if he gets angry, I’m throwing the two of you under the bus,” my guard mutters while indicating for me to get into his SUV. “While on the move, you’re with me.”
“Yeah-Yeah.”
I climb into the back seat, and while we drive to Gianna and Riccardo’s house, which they moved into after getting married, I check my systems from my tablet.
On edge, I go over my firewalls again because one breach could bring the whole network down, and I’ll shit myself if that ever happens.
“We’re here,” Alessio suddenly says, and my head snaps up.
Shit, that was quick.
I get out of the SUV and follow Gianna into her house. When we enter the kitchen, I see the chair, scissors, comb, and towel ready for my haircut.
She’s been cutting my hair since I was fourteen because a hairdresser gave me a Lord Farquaah bob that traumatized me.
“Let’s wash your hair,” my best friend says.
I place my electronics down on the counter and bend over the sink. Gianna shoves a towel beneath me, and I take it to cover my face.
She keeps quiet the whole time she washes my hair, and only when she makes me sit on the chair and grabs the scissors does she say, “When are you going to stop pushing yourself so hard? You work day and night and haven’t taken a single vacation since you took over from your dad!”
My lips part, but I slam them shut again as she continues, “The family depends way too much on you. I’m going to give them all a talking to.”
“Okay.”
“Damn right, okay,” she mutters. “You’re not a computer, Rosie.”
“Welllll…”
“No joking,” she snaps. “I want you to take a break. Get everything done and schedule two weeks off. Your dad can take over.”
“And what do you expect me to do during the two weeks off?” I ask while the scissors snip viciously behind me.
“You’re going to Bali with me. We’re going to lie on the beach all day long and dance the nights away.”
“I can’t dance for shit.”
“You can watch me dance while getting drunk on cosmopolitans.” Gianna lets out a heavy sigh. “I worry about you.”
“And I love you for it.” Wanting to change the subject because I can’t take time off and need to get my friend to forget all about it, I say, “I’m thinking of hacking into a dating site and picking the best guy for myself.”
“What?” she gasps. “You can’t just pick some random guy.”
“I’ll stalk him and wear him down until he gives in.”
Just then, Riccardo and Enzo walk into the kitchen, and Riccardo asks, “Who’s the poor guy you’re going to stalk?”
“No one,” I answer before Gianna can say anything.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop my friend from spilling the beans as she informs her husband of what I just said. “Rosie plans to hack into a dating site and picking some random guy to stalk.”
“The best guy,” I correct her.
Enzo’s eyes lock with mine, the lines on his face tightening. “Is that so?”
“Yep.”
Then his gaze sweeps over my clothes, and he frowns. “Didn’t you wear that yesterday?”
“Nope.”
“Rosie,” he growls. “You worked through the night again.”
“She needs to take a vacation.” Gianna jumps back to our original conversation. “The four of us can go to Bali.”