Free Seduced by the Italian Billionaire by C J Howard Page A

written anything hateful in the memo. She hadn't, and I snorted, thinking how she probably would have if  she’d had  the time. I set the check back in the decorative dish made in art class and given to me. A student so poor I'd had to buy a graphing calculator for her, just to she could participate in an advanced algebra class.        
                A sudden realization hit me, and I gasped, a hand flying to my mouth. I knew how much good a hundred grand could do for the kids at my school.
     
     
     

Chapter8
     
    I shook my head so hard my ponytail holder fell out. "No. I love Benito. No way in hell is this check getting cashed. Not even to help the kids."
                Realizing Elza had me so rattled I was talking to myself in an empty kitchen, I dialed Tasha's number, desperate to talk to her. But she didn't answer, and there was a knock on the door.
                I flew over to it and yanked it open. "Mrs. Fabriccio, if you don't leave me alone, I'm --"
                "Huh?" Tasha stood in the hallway, holding a foil-covered pan. "I made up some strawberry-rhubarb Brown Betty and just thought I'd pop on over and check to see if you were home. But maybe this is a bad time. 'Cuz you clearly in some sort of freak-out mode where you thinkin' I'm your boyfriend's mama."
                I apologized and then ushered her in, thanking her for bringing the Betty but saying that I didn't think I could eat any at the moment. "I'm sorry, Tash. The other shoe just dropped. I was absolutely right to be nervous this morning."
                "Say what?"
                "Sorry; never mind. Something really terrible and upsetting just happened, and I'm just  completely and totally rattled."
                "Too rattled for Brown Betty?"
                "Yeah. Sorry. My appetite's just about at a negative ten."
                "Well, what happened?" Her eyes narrowed. "Homeboy's mama givin' you drama? She give you a hard time last night?"
                "No -- last night, she was actually amazing. She was so wonderful, and warm, and caring. I kind of thought she'd become my own Mrs. Chen."
                "So what happened to change that?"
                "Well, she just came over; she only left a minute or so before you got here. She was so cold, and rude, and -- here.  Let’s go sit down. This may take a minute."
                We went out to the kitchen, and Tasha asked if I minded if she dug into the Betty. I said go right ahead, and she grabbed a spoon and joined me at the table.
                She lifted the lid off the foil and breathed in deeply. "Been waitin' a week for this."
                She scooped up a big bite right out of the pan, and I asked her if she wanted a plate.
                "Nah, but thanks. I'm 'bout ta really get into this, and I don't even wanna know exactly how many servings I'm havin'." She took another big bite and chewed and swallowed quickly. "Sorry, 'Lecia. Continue on with your story about Mrs. Fabriccio's rude ass."
                Over the next several minutes, I told Tasha everything, and she listened quietly, chewing large spoonfuls of Betty. But when I got to the part about the final check, she finally put her spoon down, her eyes wide.
                "A hundred thousand dollars?"
                I nodded, flipping the check over in the decorative dish so she could read it. "A hundred grand -- to never contact Benito again."
                Tasha's eyes got even wider.
                "And you said -- what?"
                I snorted. "What do you think I said? I told her to get out. I love Benito, and I can't be bought. I didn't even think about taking the money for a split second."
                Immediately realizing this wasn't exactly one hundred percent true, I flushed,