Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 101247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 506(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 337(@300wpm)
Vance stops in front of the hotel steps and switches off the engine. It’s only three in the afternoon and I hope Valentino isn’t back yet so I don’t have to confront him immediately. I slip out of the car, and I’m about to walk toward the elevator when Vance’s voice stops me.
“There won’t be a need to go upstairs, La Signora Barone,” he says. “The Boss is on his way down.” He starts to take my bags out, setting them down beside the car. Seeing them now with fresh eyes my heart sinks. My mouth feels dry with trepidation when I count more than fifteen different packages and Vance isn’t even done yet.
Dear God! How did I shop so much? Maybe I can return them, except for the earrings I bought for Louisa and one of my other cousins, everything can go back.
“Why?” I ask Vance worriedly. “Why is he coming down?”
Vance sets down the twentieth bag and shuts the door. “I believe we’re heading to the airport.”
Just then, the doorman opens the tall entrance door and my heart stops. Valentino steps out, and he looks like he’s just returned from a Vogue photo shoot. Dressed in all-black and paired with an obviously expensive, long leather coat that set off his tall frame. Our gazes meet as he walks towards me, and again, I’m in awe at how devilishly handsome he is.
He stops a few feet away from me as another black jeep pulls up. “Let’s go.”
As he walks towards me my heart feels like it is turning to stone. He’s looking at me but he’s not seeing me. It’s like he’s looking right through me. He didn’t even acknowledge the numerous bags at my feet. Maybe he didn’t get the alert of how much I blew in a few hours…
“My things,” I say as I hurry after him. “My clothes and luggage are still in the room.”
“Already packed and on its way to the plane.” He opens the back door of the black jeep and gestures for me to go in.
“I’d have liked to take a shower,” I mumble, climbing into the backseat. “I’ve been out all morning.”
“Sorry about that,” he answers carelessly, his attention on his phone as the jeep pulls away. “You can shower on the jet.”
I bite my bottom lip as silence descends in the car. Valentino is still on his phone fifteen minutes later, and not once has he looked at me. If anyone asks what color dress I’m wearing, I bet he won’t have a clue.
This is what I want. I’m happy he’s not all over me. This is the only way this marriage will work. At least, while it lasts, anyway.
“Here.” I take the card out of my bag and hand it over to him. He looks away from his phone, but only for a moment. But in that second, when his gaze touches my face, I feel warm and fuzzy inside. Then he looks away again and continues to tap on his phone’s screen.
“Keep it,” he says coolly. “You clearly enjoy using it.”
“Um… so you know how much I spent?” I ask, shocked.
He looks at me expressionlessly. “Show me the watch.”
Timidly, I stretch my hand out in his direction. He glances at it and nods. “Suits you.” Then he goes back to his phone and ignores me.
Just like that the ball of dread in my stomach becomes disgust. With him and myself. I feel quite sick with it. What have I become? I’ve spent all that money so carelessly, so thoughtlessly on stuff I don’t need or want. What would Thomas think? He would be horrified. That money could have been sent to Africa to feed starving children.
At that moment I make the decision to return everything.
Every last thing.
Chapter Nine
VALENTINO
“Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Barone. This is your Captain speaking. We have begun our descent to Venice, and we expect to land in ten minutes. The time in Venice is five twenty-five p.m., and the weather is cool and windy. I ask that you please remain in your seats as we prepare for landing. Thank you.”
As the Captain's announcement ends, I turn my phone off, look up, and catch Francesca’s gaze. She immediately looks away and turns her head to look out the window.
Francesca has been restless since morning, and I don’t know why. I am trying not to care because I’m furious with her, but everything about my new wife catches my attention, even the faintest of sighs. No woman has ever had so much control over my attention, and it bothers me a great deal.
“My family will be waiting for us at the house,” I say, causing her to glance at me.
“Okay.”
“When we get out there, we’re going to have to pretend we’re in love.”
Her blue eyes widen with shock. “What?”