“Baby, I missed you so much.” Tammara murmured as he entered his penthouse two hours later.

Marco had even forgotten what Tammara had looked like. Now that she was standing before him, he couldn’t even remember why he had shown even the slightest of his interest in her.

Perfectly straightened, blonde hair with pink highlights fell on her sides. Pink highlights. And to even say, she was a grown-up woman.

Marco’s mouth curved in distaste. 

She looked at him with inviting eyes, expecting him to return the sentiment. It was as if she was waiting for him to even remotely show that he had needed her. It was as if, she did not know him at all.

Marco Arthur Davinci was a man of very limited emotions when it came to his one-night stands. The most domineering or potent of those emotions was lust in the beginning and acute irritation at the end. 

It was as if Marco lived a dual life, which was no problem to him really. He strictly believed that his family life, and his business and sexual life should run on two different frequencies. Which they did as a matter of fact. He knew he loved his family, and with family came vulnerability and emotions. The only thing he promised himself never to show, to anyone or at any circumstance.

He knew people who could easily manipulate him with his weakness.

And Tammara, standing there with a tight button down shirt and an extremely short skirt, leaving the least to imagination, was a living proof of one of those people.

Sensing as if she would have to make the first move, she walked boldly towards him like a cat. She came closer, and without the slightest bit of nervousness placed her hands on his chest, looking at him through a half lidded stare. 

Now that she was just a breath away, Marco did not feel a thing. Not even the slightest feeling of desire or lust. Instead what he felt was surprise when he looked at her face that was covered with make up. What had he ever liked in her? She was a walking, talking whore. The only difference was she did it for free. 

He would have to find himself a new woman.

He felt one of her hands sliding down his chest towards his southern zone. And his member, as if having a mind of its own, twitched as her hand finally came to a halt over his package. Fingers splayed, she started to draw faint circles onto his shaft above his pants. 

Marco closed his eyes.

Never. Never touch me again you bastard.

His eyes opened again, feeling as if he had been slapped the second time today. 

Tammara purred in appreciation as she felt the movement in his pants. And the next thing he found himself doing was, ripping her skimpy little dress off, there and then.

He did not care if his nostrils burned at the amount of strong scented perfume she had used. He also did not care as he guided her to his couch in the living room. He just closed his eyes and remembered Vanessa Laurenz’ words and her face filled with loathing as he took Tammara, in broad daylight. 

…

It was an hour later, when he had sent Tammara home, despite her protests, when the bell rung indicating someone on the door. 

He pulled up his pants, and ran a hand through his disheveled, bed hair. 

He heard footsteps and the door opening, no doubt it was Gem, his housekeeper who had let the visitor in, and heard a boyish squeal. A small smile grew on Marco’s face as he heard his little nephew talking to Gem.

“Hey, Gem. Where’s Arthur?” He heard soft, feminine voice speak. Gabriella no-doubt. 

Picking up his button-down shirt, he exited the room while buttoning on his shirt when he felt a small little body latch onto his legs with a lot of force. Surprised and smiling, he looked at his nephew and bent down, picking him up.

“Why were you sleeping at this time Martho?” The little devil asked in a serious tone. Marco smiled at his designated nickname for him. His older brother, also this little man’s father, had persuaded his son to call him by that name. A mix of Marco and Arthur both. 

“Ron, how many times have I told you not to call me Martho?” Marco chuckled while ruffling his hair. “You make me sound like a girl.” 

Ron smiled widely at him, his dimples showing. He was the cutest kid he had ever seen. Not that he had much experience with kids anyway.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned around to look at Gabriella, his older brother’s wife, who had a crooked smile on her face. 

“You know, I’m expecting a niece or a nephew to spoil as well.” She spoke, her voice tinged with a slight Italian accent, making Marco stare at her as if she had grown five heads.

“And you know, I’m expecting pigs to rain down on Manhattan.” He retorted earning a laugh from her sister-in-law. 

“Martho, pigs don’t rain. Weren’t you taught well at school?” Ron inquired with a knowing grin, as if he had somehow outsmarted his uncle. 

“Ca–” Ella began sternly, but Marco beat her to it. 

“Nah, school was just not it, for a kid like me.” He muttered dryly.

The infant began to laugh, his laugh so infectious and open. And all Marco did was stare, with a grim smile pasted on his face. 

If only his nephew knew the double meaning behind what he had just said.

Ella however was not so ignorant of the fact. He felt her moving closer to him, and addressing Ron in a hoarse voice, 

“Ronny, please go find Gem and tell her to give you the cookies she made for you.”

Her son’s face scrunched up deep in thought, as if he was working out a very difficult puzzle. 

“But Mum–” He whined.

“Hurry! We have to leave in fifteen minutes!” She tried to sound excited, but the forced happiness was not lost on Marco. 

“Hm.. ok.” He whispered and wiggled out of Marco’s arms, running towards the kitchen.

“Ar–” Ella began.

“Ella, It’s okay. I can handle it.”

Ella sighed and reached over to him, turning Marco around to face her. She moved closer to him, holding his face in the palms of her hand. 

“Arthur, no matter how much you’d like to pretend, I know you feel differently.” 

“Ella listen–”

“No, you listen to me. You are a loving son, an amazing brother, an adoring uncle and not to mention but a pretty damn successful businessman. That is all that matters to me. You’re the younger brother I never had. And if for one second you think that I can’t see right through your mask hiding so much pain, you don’t know your sister-in-law at all. Don’t let your past stop you from being the man you are today.” Ella spoke with so much conviction; Marco felt a smile making its way on his face.

Even though he had not believed a single word Ella had said, well of course except the part about him being a successful businessman, it felt good to have someone believing in him. 

And to lighten up the mood, he cracked a laugh, placing his fist on his heart. He exclaimed in playful mock sarcasm,

“You wound me. I thought I’d worked my reputation up enough to be called a millionaire playboy!”

Ella stared at him, looking at him as if he’d spoken Mayan.

“Ella, I swear it’s fine. Plus, brothers do the protecting.” He laughed and pulled her into a warm brotherly hug. 

“Ma! Gem gave me chocolate-chip muffins and Nutella!” Ron chose that exact moment to come barreling into the room. 

He stood there with a chocolate-chip muffin in his greasy hands and chocolate smeared on his mouth.

Ella face-palmed herself and withdrew a wet baby wipe from her hand-bag.

Fifteen minutes later, when Ron was all cleaned up, Ella turned facing Marco and said,

“Don’t forget to come to his birthday party today. It’s in a few hours. Don’t be late.”

He smiled and said, 

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

…

An hour later Marco stood in front of the kitchen counter, clad in his polo shirt and jeans when his phone sprung to life.

It was Barb.

His fingers involuntarily clenched into a fist before he answered his phone.

“Speak." 

“Sir… uh…”

He heard Barb stammer over the phone. 

“Did you fire her? Has the notice been sent?”

There was a long pause before he began again.

“Sir, that is what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Well then make it quick!” He snapped.

“She has not been fired.” He heard Barb speak all in one breath.

“WHAT!?” He felt his anger rising. “WHEN I TELL YOU TO DO SOMETHING, YOU DO IT!” He boomed.

“B-but-but Sir! I couldn’t fire her.”

“Well, then be prepared to get fired yourself! And I assure you the notice would be sent to you within five minutes!” Marco bit out.

“Sir I couldn’t fire her because she quit before I could do anything!” Barb exclaimed in a panicked voice.

Cold fury unlike any other he had felt before settled down on him.

“What do you mean?” He said, emphasizing each word in a deathly calm tone.

“S-sir, she came five minutes after you called and quit the job.”

Marco slammed the phone shut and threw it across the room where it fell with its screen shattering into pieces.

He did not know the reason behind him getting so aggravated over a mere woman.

The fact that her words filled with loathing and disgust kept on ringing in his ears. It was as if his past had the ability to spring up on him again.

Why would she quit the job altogether if she was playing hard to get? He knew in the corner of his mind that women who had played hard to get with him before had never went so far as to slap him across his face without even flinching.

His mind whirled as he continued to think about it.

Ten minutes later he was seated in his Audi, with Charlie in the front driving off to Ron’s birthday in brooding silence.

YAYYY CHAPPPIEE 4 B) WHACHU THINKINNNN?