“Great. Can’t wait to be graced with his crotchety demeanor.”
Luca looks at something behind me, and I freeze.
“Hello,” Anderson says coolly, taking the seat next to me. It’s barely seven in the morning, and yet he’s wearing a goddamn suit. “I hope you both slept well.”
I sit up straighter. “Fine, thanks,” I answer, looking away.
“Care to enlighten me about last night?” Luca asks Anderson, his voice innocuous.
I know better, though.
Anderson cocks his head. “Last night?”
“Don’t play dumb. Natalia filled me in.” His eyes haven’t blinked—not once. I know that look. I take a sip of coffee, gearing up to witness Luca reprimand Anderson.
“Corinne came on to me, Luc. I had no choice but to sleep with her.”
I spit my coffee out. “Wait, yousleptwith her?”
Anderson’s face remains neutral, but he doesn’t look at me.
“She told me the deal’s off, so I figured we were no longer business cohorts.” He eyes me. “Because unfortunately for us, it appears we won’t be working with the most prominent restaurant group in Hawaii.”
Luca shakes his head and scrunches up his face. “It’d be nice if you could keep it in your pants while we’re here on business.”
Anderson chuckles—a deep, low rumble—but doesn’t respond. Instead, he scrolls through the menu. I attempt to quell the outrage and annoyance fueling through my body. He’d come to my room immediately before, then. Had reached out and given me that look just before he fucked her.
I swallow the vomit working its way up my throat.
“Natalia, where is your book?”
I level him with a stare. “What?”
Anderson smiles as he grabs a grape off my plate and pops it into his mouth. “Your book? This is a business breakfast, so I assumed you’d be reading on your phone.”
I grip the edge of the table, grinding my teeth. “Oh, fuck off,” is all I can manage to say, and it elicits surprise from Anderson, if his raised brows are any indication.
“Knock it off,” Luca admonishes. He twists to face Anderson. “Next time, please keep me updated about the business side of things. Corinne never felt right to me, so I’m not mad it didn’t work out, but you need to talk to me.” He looks at me, his eyebrows raised. “And the two of you need to get along.”
It’s not a question—it’s a demand.
“Fine,” I mumble. “Is this a business breakfast, though?” I ask, glaring at Anderson. If Luca notices the sharpness of my tone, he doesn’t say anything. “It seems to me that you are the only one under the impression that we should be dressing in business casual at—” I check my phone— “7:06 a.m.”
“It’s always better to be overdressed,” he replies, his voice smooth and mocking. I want to slap the arrogant smirk right off his face.
“I was thinking of checking out the Hana Lava Tubes,” Luca interjects, his eyes on his phone as his thumbs type something out.
I shrug. “Sure. I have an hour’s work to do on social media, but otherwise, I’m free. Will Nathan be joining us?”
“I think so,” he says slowly, waiting for my reaction. “Is that okay?”
I grin and take his hand. “I really like him. It seems you have good taste in men, despite your choice in a business partner.” I round on Anderson, who is watching me with his usual stormy, hardened expression.
“What about you?” Luca asks. “Would you like to join us?”
He takes a sip of coffee. “Sorry, not today. I have plans.”
Luca’s jaw ticks. “With whom?”
