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He wasn’t sure what to do The s would be to immediately send her back to the States But then what? Admit to his mother that his one assistant had fallen sick and now he had to rely on her tender mercies? Hear the saa massive residence to live in the style that was expected of a viscount of Bellissime? When all he wanted to do ork on his research and sponsor his pet projects?

It was one reason why he had more money than anyone else in the family Griffin was the wealthiest national of Bellissime While all of the royal faant households, multitudes of country homes that featured twenty rooms or more, and dozens of staff to take care of their needs Griffin used his s--like investments and joint projects with his friends in their small secret society--and he’d made his money double year after year

Sohe didn’t want to hear disparaging remarks about his lifestyle

He looked back at Maylee She was grinning at the flight attendant, pinching her dress to her side as the other woman safety-pinned it back She was friendly, that was obvious And surely she couldn’t be that incompetent or Hunter would not have kept her on as an ehed He supposed he could give it another day or two It couldn’t possibly hurt things, could it?

Adjusting his cufflinks (another blasted item that was difficult to put on without Kip), Griffin prepared hie as the stair car arrived Below, there was already a crowd of paparazzi waiting, along with several people from the local newspapers Here in Bellissime, he was an important person

How he hated that

As the stair car came to the door, the attendant hurried forward and a ave him a warm smile "Welcome to Bellissime, Mr Verdi"

He nodded at her and stepped into the sunlight

A roar of voices went up

"Lord Montagne Verdi! Lord! Look over here!"

"Viscount!"

"My lord! Is it true you’ll be looking for an eligible bride while attending the royal wedding?"

"My lord! Over here!"

On and on, the cacophony of voices shouted Griffin ignored all of theave a polite wave He put on a fake s that he loathed this part of his lifeelse

"Lordamercy!" he heard a voice exclaim behind him "Look at all these people! You some kind of celebrity here, Mr Griffin?"

"Mr Verdi," he said, pausing at the top of the stairs "And only here, I’m afraid"

Which hy he never came home if he could help it

Chapter Four

These people were plumb crazy over the ht to herself Sure, Griffin Verdi looked suave and elegant, but he was not a nicebut snarl at her since she’d woken up, ood enore her She could see why his last assistant hadn’t wanted to come with him

She’d been nice and fixed his clothes, and had he even said so much as a thank you?

Not a peep

Still, he’d stopped talking about sending her back, which was a s trip, but she’d smile and take the double tin country She’d dealt with cranky enored their pissy moods, remained pleasant, and they’d eventually come around

Maylee followed Griffin as he walked down the red-carpeted tar for him It was ridiculously shiny, the s heavily tinted, and on the door was another one of those family crests like the one that had been on the wall of the plane

Not exactly inconspicuous

Maylee shouldered her bags as assistants loaded Griffin’s luggage into the car No one touched her bright plaid suitcase She guessed the help’s luggage didn’t get to mix with the viscount’s

"Shall I take that for you?"

Maylee turned around and saw aand handsome and had the sa at her with appreciation, his hand extended to take her things She beamed a so"

"It can go up front with me Just like you" He winked at her "So I can listen to that lovely accent of yours"

She grinned at hiess," he said, taking her bag and giving her another flirty s her hand "I’m--"

"--my assistant," Griffin cut in, clearly displeased "And she will have to ride in the back with ess’s face lost its friendly save Griffin a crisp nod "Of course, etic look as he opened the door to the back seat and Griffin slid inside Maylee was surprised by that, as it was coet into the car first, but Griffin was a lord souessed she fell below hiht smile on her face, Maylee entered the car after her new boss

Griffin didn’t speak to her for at least a half hour They drove on, and Maylee was distinctly uncoh the city After a while, though, she stopped caring what he thought and just enjoyed the sights Bellissieous The streets were narrow and paved with cobblestones, and the buildings that lofted above them seemed old and full of personality In the distance, mountains soared above the rooftops, and everywhere, people walked the streets It was so char and quaint, like all the stories she’d heard of Swiss villages No one ever talked about Bellissime when they mentioned tourism, and she didn’t understand why The little city was so very pretty

They turned down the roaned