Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 150

Chapter 150

Luca helped her out of the car later that afternoon. His hand steady at her lower back as they made their way up the front steps. He could see she was still tired and clearly still in pain. The doctor had told them Sutton could be in pain for at least another month–not only from giving birth to Miles but also from her fall.

When they got inside, Sutton went straight to the room they were going to use for Miles when he got home. He watched her turn on the light and stand in the middle of the room looking around.

He could feel her pain from here. Every day she left the hospital without Miles was heartbreaking for her and him. More so because her pain was there for all to see.

“We’ll bring him home soon,” Luca said beside her, putting his arm around her waist. “We’re so close.”noveldrama

Sutton nodded and leaned into him for a second before she turned away and headed toward the kitchen. She needed water. Maybe a sandwich. But she wouldn’t cry.

She was halfway through filling a glass when she caught his reflection in the kitchen window… she could sense something, the way she had since he had come to the hospital… His shoulders were stiff, jaw tight, and he wasn’t talking much.

“Okay,” she said finally, turning around, glass still in hand. “Spit it out.”

Luca looked up.

“You’ve been itching to say something since we left the hospital. What is it?”

He exhaled through his nose and crossed the room. “Nicole’s gone.”

Sutton blinked. “Gone? As in what, exactly?”

“As in on a plane to Rome. There isn’t a return ticket.”

“What?” She stared at him. “You let her go?”

“She’s gone, Sutton.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, already knowing this wasn’t going to go over well. “If I’d pushed for jail time here, she might’ve served two, maybe three years max. Out on parole before that… Miles will not even be walking by the time she could be free. But this way, her leaving the country under pending charges means she’s done here. For good. If she tries to come back into the country, they’ll arrest her. And this time she’ll face federal charges with no plea deal. It’s exile. She would get a lot longer than two years.”

Sutton’s eyes narrowed. “So, you just… decided that? On your own? Without talking to me again, Luca.”

“Sutton, it’s for the best. She’s blacklisted in Europe. I made sure of that before she landed. I called in every favor I had. After she paid off the hacker, she wasn’t left with much–she’d be lucky to get a job flipping burgers without being flagged.”

“You arrogant, high–handed, frustrating CEO–of–a–shithead man.” Sutton called Luca what Blair had often called Roman. But she was spitting mac

Luca blinked.

She pointed at him, setting her glass down with a loud clink. “You don’t get to play chess master with my life and our son’s life and just drop the recap after like you’re giving a meeting summary.”

Luca took it, her fury, every word of it. He knew this would happen when she found out. So he let her.

She stepped in closer, still glaring. “You don’t get to protect me from the truth just because it’s inconvenient for you to tell me. I probably would’ve

Chapter 150

agreed with you I get why you did it. But next time you involve me, do you understand me?”

“I wasn’t protecting you from the truth,” he said calmly. “I was protecting our family. Nicole behind bars wouldn’t have kept you or Miles als She would’ve thought of ways to come after us. She would’ve found someone to manipulate. Someone to use. This way, she has nothing. With no money and she isn’t in the same country.”

Sutton crossed her arms. “You didn’t think to

a say?”

“I didn’t think you needed the burden of it while Miles is

still in the hospital.”

“That’s not your decision to make.” Sutton was feeling frustrated because they had already had a fight over this.

“No,” he agreed. “But I made it, anyway.”

That stopped her. Because the honesty in it was so disarming, so Luca, that it knocked the heat out of her anger. He was an arrogant ass, but it was one of the things she found so appealing about him. His take–charge attitude.

She looked at him and could see the lines of worry under his eyes. While she had been focused on Miles, he had been working behind the scenes to keep

them safe.

“What if she comes back?” she asked quietly.

“I’m keeping tabs on her. You don’t need to worry about that.”

“And if she does?”

“She won’t. She knows better. But if she does…” He paused. “Sending her to jail might’ve made her angrier, hungrier for revenge. This way, it’s over. She lost. She knows it. She’s running.”

Sutton watched him, unsure what to say. The man in front of her was ruthless, controlled, but every move he made was to protect her. Protect their son.

“You really believe this is safer?” she asked.

“Yes.”

She sat down heavily on one of the kitchen stools. “Unless you had her killed.)

Luca didn’t smile.

He didn’t laugh. He didn’t say anything.

And that silence made her eyes widen a fraction.

“Oh my God,” she said, eyes scanning his face. “I was joking.”

He came around the counter and stopped in front of her, gaze steady.

“I didn’t. But if it had come down to that… I would’ve made sure she could never hurt you or Miles again.”

Sutton shook her head and let out a breath that was half shock, half reluctant admiration. “Jesus, Luca.”

He reached for her hand, threading their fingers together. “I didn’t do anything.”

She looked down at their hands and then back up at him. “You are such a shithead.”

“Yeah,” he said, brushing his thumb over hers. “But I’m your shithead, and I will do anything to protect you.”

Her laugh broke the tension like glass shattering, and suddenly she was leaning into his chest, her arms sliding around him, head resting just under his

chin.

17:17 Tue, 29 Jul 0

“I hate that you’re right.”

“I know.”

“I still think you should’ve told me.”

“I will. From now on. No more decisions without you.”

She exhaled, closing her eyes. “I’m holding you to that.”

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