Free Leah's Seduction: 3 (Gianni and Leah - Leah's Seduction) by Emily Jane Trent Page B

fingers through her hair, Leah said, “Look, I know you are my best friend. But there are some things you just don’t want to be involved in.”
    “Leave that to me.”
    “If I tell you, that will pull you into it, and it’s not safe,” Leah said.
    “Is that why you have a bodyguard following you around everywhere now?”
    “Yes, that is why.” Leah stepped closer and lowered her voice. “There’s a lot going on at the moment. I’ll tell you when I can, okay? But I’m sworn to confidentiality right now.”
    Kyra narrowed her eyes. “On one condition…if you are in trouble or it’s dangerous, you have to let me know. That’s what friends are for.”
    Leah nodded.
    Still not satisfied, Kyra added, “I mean it. Don’t go disappearing or clamming up on me. I’ll worry. You need to let me help, if something is going on.”
    Leah smiled. “I will. Nothing is going to happen to me. As you can see, I have plenty of security. Gianni is taking care of everything.”
    “He better be,” Kyra said, “because if he screws up he will answer to me.”
    Leah hugged her. “You’re the best. Don’t worry, really.”
    Although Leah had reassured her friend, she didn’t know if she believed it herself. She was tangled up in a situation that was out of control. Cody had been right: she was caught between two powerful men. Working for Barrington while siding with Gianni was sticky.
    Vadim would know that she was intimate with Gianni. And he wouldn’t believe anything else, no matter what she said. Now he would press her for more inside information. Unless he figured out Leah was on Gianni’s side.
    Then he would fire her. It crossed her mind that Gianni might hire her if that happened. But she didn’t want him to. Leah depended on Gianni enough already. It was important to maintain her independence in the workplace.
    She followed Kyra out to the exercise room. Now her friend knew something was going on, which wasn’t good. Leah was inexperienced at keeping secrets. Her life hadn’t required it. There had never been any secrets to keep.
    Now there were. And the situation had just escalated. Once the media got wind of the relationship, they weren’t likely to let it go. It was only going to get worse. Leah had no way out. She had to go forward, trust Gianni, and hope for the best.
     

 
    Chapter 10
    For the next few days, Gianni was tied up at work. The texts weren’t enough—Leah missed him. She wanted to talk with him about the pictures in the media, but didn’t want to do it over the phone. As the week drew to a close, she was lonely and discouraged.
    Then Gianni called to invite her for a weekend away. It instantly revived her spirits. Although the city had advantages in the summer, including outdoor activities, Leah wanted to escape. The heat hadn’t let up for months, making her tired of the smell of melting garbage, and grateful that she didn’t have to ride the hundred-degree subways.
    Roston’s protection included rides to the showroom, and for any errands or meetings. Feeling like a VIP, Leah had no choice but to take advantage of it, which saved her from the usual modes of transportation and made life more comfortable.
    Leah left early, and packed for a few days away. Since they would be in Long Island near the water, she took her swimsuit and shorts, along with dressier wear. It was smart to be ready for any occasion, since Gianni hadn’t said what activities he had planned.
    The trip was only an hour, so Leah decided to wait for a better time to discuss issues. She hadn’t seen Gianni in days, and enjoyed hearing him talk about his showroom. He didn’t share too much, but even the highlights were exciting.
    The talk was so engrossing that Leah hadn’t known they were nearly there. Then the car pulled up the driveway to an English manor-style house, a masterpiece of the 17 th century. It was surrounded by lush gardens. “This is beautiful,” she said.
    The driver opened her door, and Gianni