Isla thought about it. She spent all night discussing it with Jane. They had to go out and buy more ice cream and, because the situation called for it, pizza.

There was no time to cook when both were so busy contemplating what it would mean for her to allow herself to be Arturo Calendri's mistress for a month.

She probably gained ten pounds that night.

Would she even really be considered his mistress? He wasn't married. Mistress seemed the wrong word.

Either way, she'd definitely be some arm candy, and everyone who saw her with him, including her own family, would know what was up. If they didn't know what she was doing, then at the bare minimum, they would know what Arturo was using her for.

Neither option was pleasant, or would endear her to the family.

"If it’s going to piss them off so much, is it worth doing?" Jane asked.

That was something to consider. "Good point." She took a moment to seriously think about how her family would react. "They won't disown me, but they'll be disappointed," she finally said.

Jane pulled another hot slice from the box. She had an insane metabolism that Isla was jealous of, but this was one of those few times where her jealousy didn't rear its ugly head. It was probably because she was too damned busy thinking about the consequences of her actions.

"Are you prepared to live with their disappointment?" Jane asked, before shoving another bite into her mouth.

Another good question. "I'm their daughter, and my parents love me. My brother would be pissed, but not so much disappointed. I think it would be embarrassing more than anything for them."

"Okay," Jane said, as she waited for Isla to continue.

It was another one of Jane's ways to keep her talking when she wasn't sure she wanted to do much of anything.

"My grandfather will be sad and disappointed, but then he'll have his business back. My aunts always said he saw it as much of a baby to him as his daughters were."

"Okay, but you have to think this through more thoroughly. Would he want you to do this?"

Isla shook her head. She didn't need to think about that one. "No, he wouldn't."

"I'm sensing a ‘but’ in there."

Isla sucked in a deep breath, held it for four seconds, and then blew it out. She couldn't tell if that helped or not. "But then he would be happy, the family would have the business back, and no one would have to worry about debt collectors or selling their family homes."

She had lived in the same house her entire life. There had been times when she'd gone to the summer cottage on the lake, sure, but the thought of her parents having to sell the home they’d raised their family in, and arguing while they did it, broke her heart.

It not only broke her heart, it shattered it like glass.

There was a lot more arguing now about money. Her mother wanted to save more, but her father was spending as though he was still well off while all his new business ventures floundered.

He was still all right, but only because his own parents were supplementing the bills and helping with start up costs for all his new ideas, which put her mother in debt with her in-laws. It was also a problem for Isla’s grandparents because they had been fighting an expensive battle with Arturo’s father and were running out of money.

Her mother couldn't take that. It grated on her, irritated her, and made her antsy.

She was terrified her parents were going to get a divorce if she couldn't get the business back and get her mother back working in it so she could make some more money.

Isla’s mother was proud. She refused to work in a hotel or a restaurant, and the last high end jewelry store that hired her had quickly fired her for being late three times in a row.

Isla stayed afloat by selling her jewelry she designed and made, to other shops. The money was good when it came in, but materials could be expensive, and it took time to make every bracelet, necklace and ring. Slowly, her designs were getting plainer and plainer since she couldn’t afford the beads or wire she wanted. That meant less shops were buying, and it put Isla in some financial trouble as well.

"What are you thinking about? Come on, sweetie, talk to me. Tell me what's going on?"

"My parents will have to sell the house. They already sold the cottage and the second car. The financial strain is causing problems in their marriage because my mom is getting fed up with my dad. I’m worried it will end in divorce."

She couldn't even say those words without nearly bursting into tears. It was too much, too hard for her to accept. She couldn't allow that to happen.

Jane cocked her head again. Her expression was sympathetic, but what came out of her mouth was not exactly what she wanted to hear. "You're an adult now, and so is your brother. It won't be the end of the world if they divorce and have to sell the house."

"But they can't do that!" She tensed in her seat, nearly knocking over her plate with the pizza crusts on it.

Jane didn't mention a word about a possible mess on her rug. She just waited for Isla to continue.

"I grew up in that house. We were happy there, and we were happy spending our summers at the cottage."

Jane took in another deep breath, once again, preparing to be the voice of reason. Isla knew she wasn't going to hear the thing she wanted most.

"Look, I get that those things have sentimental value to you, but your life isn't going to stop if things change. Does it matter if your parents get a divorce? They're both adults who can choose to do whatever they want. And let’s say they don't divorce—"

"They will if they sell the house. Daddy doesn't want to sell it and Mom is fighting him on it."

She knew her daddy wouldn't forgive her mother if the house needed to be sold, regardless of whose fault it was. "We live in a nice apartment in the city. They could easily live in a place like this and get by just fine. Our place isn't exactly cheap, and your parents would be able to afford this much.”

That was true, they could, but the point remained. "It'll end for them if the house or the cottage has to go."

"Even though your grandfather has cottages you and your family could use? You can make new memories in another cottage at a different lake."

"He would let us use one for family time, but that's it. I do get your point though," Isla said. It would wound her father's pride to have to get rid of one of his properties, but maybe their marriage could survive it.

"Great, and couldn't your grandfather give your mother a loan to keep the house for now?"

She shook her head before Jane finished speaking. "I already asked him. Daddy didn't know I went to see him, but his answer was no. Daddy’s mad at him that he doesn’t give enough, but he’s running out of money, too.” He’d said it was just a house and a pile of bricks shouldn't matter. He was right

“He says that to you, and you’re still so desperate to save Baciami Boutiques?”

Her face heated. She turned away from Jane, but it was probably already too late to keep her friend from seeing it. “That’s different. He’s lost property plenty of times, he knows how it feels, but this is his whole business. I know he’s trying to teach me a lesson about moving on and not holding onto to material possessions, but I don’t think he knows how much trouble Mom’s marriage is in.”

“Would your mother accept a loan from him, even if he were to offer one?”

Isla opened her mouth to respond, and then had to immediately shut it again. No, her mother wouldn’t accept the help. She’d been brought up to want to do things on her own, to not rely on her father’s wealth.

Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t heard of any of her aunts asking for money. Either they weren’t in the same financial trouble that her parents were in, or they had already decided to suck it up.

“I take it that means no?”

Isla shook her head. “I don’t… I guess so.”

“And what about your brother?” Jane asked. He’s saved for College, right? So he shouldn’t be in any trouble over this.”

“Matt’s costs are forty thousand per year. He only managed to save up ten thousand of it instead of twenty for his first year. Daddy’s been paying the full difference instead of just half like he was supposed to. If I don’t get the business back and running, he won’t get a second year.”

Jane continued to give her that ‘hard truths’ look, the one that said she still wasn’t on the same page. “And don’t you think that’s a consequence he’ll need to face for a set of actions he made?”

Normally, she would agree, but this was different. Her brother was young, and even if he had saved half his year’s tuition like their mom wanted him to, that wouldn’t spare him from what was coming. His schooling, his future, would still be in danger.

“We might have to order another pizza,” Jane said, “and some beer.”

* * *

They got their beer, and boy did Isla ever need it.

She knew what Janey was trying to do. Her best friend was trying to make her see that the world wouldn’t come to an end if she couldn’t get the business back for her grandfather and her family. Her mother would find another job, probably one that didn’t pay as well, but she would be all right.

Maybe her parents wouldn’t get a divorce. Maybe they would stay together.

But then her granddaddy, who was sick with grief, could possibly get worse. If he didn’t get over the takeover, then he could die. He wasn’t even remotely a young man anymore.

Also, the more she thought about this, the more her mind wandered over to sexuality and morality. She wasn’t a virgin; she knew how to have and enjoy sex. There was certainly nothing immoral about wanting sex with a handsome man she didn’t love, or didn’t like.

Anyone who did think there was something wrong with a woman wanting sex could fuck off. She always hated people who thought to tell other people how to behave, and yet here she was telling herself how to behave.

Isla was also fairly sure Arturo had no plans to abuse her or anything. He just wanted to humble her, get back at her a little, and then she could go on her way. She was a grown woman, and this wouldn’t be much different from any other barely-there relationship she’d tolerated just because she’d wanted the sex or to go out on a date and not stay in on a Friday night.

There was nothing wrong with sex. It wasn’t a dirty and disgusting act, but Arturo hadn’t mentioned what sort of sex he intended to have with her, so that left something to think about on top of everything else.

Arturo was a businessman. Despite also being a playboy and having sex in what was supposed to be his office, he’d still kept his company afloat even after his father was put away. That meant there would likely be a contract in there somewhere. She could negotiate. If he wanted sex from her, then he had to get her off while he was at it. No sharing her with anyone else, no pictures taken, and no audio recordings.

She thought sex was natural and hated people who tried to put shame to it with a hardcore passion, but she definitely drew the line at putting sex tapes of herself on the Internet. It was one of the few things a couple of her boyfriends had been disappointed in. She refused to take pictures of herself or make tapes. Eff that shit.

Jane had fallen asleep on the couch while trying to get her to see things differently, but all Isla was doing now was talking herself into it.

This actually might be a little fun, and her family didn’t have to know about any deal she’d made. At worst, this would just look like she’d decided to date a good–looking, super billionaire, and by the end of it, he would give her family back their business because he simply wanted to be nice.

That didn’t sound so bad. Matt wouldn’t have to worry about coming up with the extra funds for school or switch universities, her parents could work out their problems, and her grandfather would get better. Why the hell had she even let herself worry about it?

Yeah, she was totally making her decision, and by the end, she was going to make sure Arturo was wrapped around her little finger. He might be taking her on this ride, but she was going to see to it that he got on this ride with her.