Free Second Chances by Delaney Diamond

terms.”
    “We have an agreement. I expected you to give
them notice that, effective immediately, you’re no longer available. I thought
I had made myself clear the other day.”
    She barely saw the pedestrians walking in the
street or the cars riding along beside them. She knew what she’d done was
wrong, but did he have to treat her like this? Like she was nothing? A nobody?
    “I signed your contract, but that doesn’t mean
you own me. I wanted to finish what I started before I returned to SDG. I’ll
only be a figurehead anyway, so what difference does it make?”
    “I need you to start showing your face, and I
fully expected you to do that right away. You also should have moved in by
now.”
    Sabrina turned to face him. “I’m sorry, was
that in the contract?” she asked with mock sweetness. “I wouldn’t know, since
the entire thing was written in Portuguese and I didn’t have an attorney
present to represent my interests.”
    Silence. “You know how important this deal is.
There are millions of dollars at stake—for both of us. This is not a game.”
There was an unmistakable warning in his voice.
    “I’m not playing games. I didn’t want to let
Midas down. It’s unfortunate you can’t understand that. A couple more days
wouldn’t have made much of a difference.”
    “It made a difference to me.”
    “And that’s all that matters,” Sabrina shot
back.
    “That’s right!” A vein in his neck
popped into prominence, but then he took a deep, calming breath
and it disappeared.
    She turned away again, staring out at the
passing traffic, wishing she could take back control of her life.
    When the car stopped in front of her apartment
building, she reached for the door handle, not wanting to wait for the driver.
“I’ll see you—”
    Renaldo got out of his side of the car.
    She jumped out on her side. “Where do you think
you’re going?”
    “Upstairs, with you. You’re moving. Today.”
    “I’m not ready to move.”
    He strode toward the building, and she hurried after
him, her gaze pinned to his broad back. His tall, muscular body moved with the
ease and grace of an athlete. She struggled to keep up with his effortless
stride. “I said that I’m not ready to move today.”
    Still ignoring her, he hit the button for the
elevator inside her building, and they rode up in silence. If he didn’t want to
talk anymore, that was fine with her.
    When they arrived on her floor, Sabrina hurried
past him to her apartment. If she could get in before him, she had a chance of
keeping him out.
    No such luck. His hand shot out to keep the
door open before she could slam it in his face.
    His dark eyes smoldered with restrained anger.
“It seems you are determined to try my patience.”
    He pushed the door all the way open and looked
over his shoulder down the hall. He waved his hand and two uniformed men
wearing caps appeared, holding large plastic totes with lids.
    Where the hell had they come from?
    Renaldo charged in, followed by the men. They
were movers.
    “I refuse—”
    He spoke over her in Portuguese and pointed to
the bedroom door, instructing them to start packing up her clothing.
    “Wait a minute!” She didn’t know if the men
stopped because they understood English or because they understood the demand
in her voice.
    They looked at Renaldo and he nodded for them
to wait, which only annoyed her even more. “I said no.”
    “Did you forget our conversation in the car? You
are moving back to the penthouse today. Now.”
    “I can take care of that myself.”
    “I’m not on your time, Sabrina.”
    “And I’m not on yours!”
    He clenched his teeth so tightly a muscle in
his jaw vibrated. “Follow me.” He headed to the bedroom door, and after a
moment’s hesitation, she followed.
    When they were both in the room with the door
shut, she faced him, her anger nearing the boiling point. “I am not one of your
damn employees. You do not get to order me around.”
    “On the contrary,