Maid for the Billionaire(53)

"The usual threat—I'd better not work you too hard in your condition or he'll poison my next plate of tortellini."

His younger cousin laughed at that, but Stephan didn't join her. Her joy echoed through him, a hollow reminder of how much he had changed. He was only six years older than Maddy, but he felt ancient next to her.

Her enthusiasm could be exhausting. Unabashedly, she grabbed life with both hands and shook it until she got what she wanted, rewarding those around her with the sweetest smile that had probably ever graced the planet when she won, a smile that usually crumbled any residual opposition.

When she‘d come home from a year of studying abroad in the South of France with an unknown French Chef in tow, Stephan had voiced his concerns and he hadn‘t been alone. On paper, Richard D‘Argenson hadn‘t been impressive. Maddy‘s response? She‘d gathered the family from brothers to cousins—and informed them that Richard was there to stay and that they would love him.

They were married in less than a year and pregnant soon after that.

Richard had won Stephan‘s respect by refusing to accept financial backing for his restaurants and for allowing Maddy to continue to work at Andrade Global. Even as a newlywed, Richard hadn‘t been put off by how protective the Andrade men were of their women. He was devoted without being controlling, and he fit into the family just as Maddy‘d proclaimed he would. Most impressive was the fact that he was constantly learning traditional Italian cuisine from Maddy‘s mother so he could feed multiple generations of the clan at her parents‘ house each Sunday. How could they not love him?

Even when he threatened to poison you.

Usually it was amusing. Today, it was annoying. There was too much riding on this deal for Stephan to allow himself to get distracted. In just a little over twenty-four hours, he'd be pitching his proposal to China's Minister of Commerce, and if all went well, Andrade Global would be an international player, and the infamous Dominic Corisi would be scrambling to survive the financial fallout.

Maddy eased her feet back onto the floor and said, "I actually had a good reason to come in and interrupt you this time."

Stephan crossed the room and, with a gentleness that not many outside his family would associate with him, assisted his petite cousin as she struggled back to a standing position. "You really should go home, Maddy. Whatever it is can wait until I get back in a few days."

Yes, the deal was important to him. In fact, it was all he had thought about since he'd first heard that Dominic was going to make a bid to the Minister, but Maddy was family, and family, to an Andrade, was everything.

Maddy rested a hand on the sleeve of his jacket. "No, this can't. I'm worried about you."

"Me?" His head pulled back with pride.

"Yes, don't lose yourself in China, Stephan."

"I don't intend to lose." He knew by her wince that his tone had been harsh.

Not that it stopped her.

She said, "That's not what I mean and you know it." Her voice softened with concern. "Are you going to Beijing for the right reasons?"

Why was she doing this now? He checked his watch. About forty-five minutes until scheduled takeoff. It wasn‘t like his private jet would leave without him, but he had meetings lined up for when he landed and making them depended on getting there ASAP. "If Andrade Global succeeds in winning this contract -"

"What, Stephan? What will change? You've already more than made up for what your father lost..."

"My father didn't lose anything. It was stolen from him." She knew this.

"And China is all about making Dominic pay for that, isn't it?"

Oh, yes. "Dominic should pay for what he did to my father - for what he did to all of us.

Isola Santos is a mockery of what it once was. I've offered Dominic money for it many times, but this time I won't be the one asking. When I'm done with Dominic, he'll be begging for whatever I'm willing to give him in trade just to pay for the lawyers he'll need to sort out the mess I'll leave for him in my wake."

It felt good to say it out loud.

After all these years, Dominic had finally miscalculated and left himself vulnerable. By including influential investors from around the world in on his push to create a viable network for China, Dominic had put his personal wealth at risk. His investors were not going to be pleased at all when Stephan offered the Chinese government the same service for a third less cost, with more freedom to implement the restrictions they wanted. Unlike Dominic, Stephan didn‘t care if he had any control over the software once it was purchased. All that mattered was closing his rival out of that market.

"You don't have to do this," Maddy said urgently.

"Yes, I do." It was that complex and that simple. He put his hand lightly on her back and nudged her toward the door. "You worry too much, Maddy. I'll be back before the weekend.

Just tell the little one in there that he or she has to wait for me."

Maddy refused to budge. "Stephan, I still have something to tell you and it's important."

He looked down with quick concern. "Is it the baby?"

Maddy placed her hand over her large bump. "No, the baby is fine, but I came in here to tell you that Nicole called earlier. She asked if you were here and if she could see you today."