Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Fino’s weasel face twisted. “But I don’t like the idea of you being with him. You said you loved me.”
I patted his cheek. “And I do, darling.” I placed my hand over my heart. “Trust me, I’ll be thinking of you the whole time I’m in bed with him.”
Sure. That tracked. I’d be thinking of this pasty little ferret with his sweaty palms while the tall, masculine, deliciously muscled Matteo Cavalieri was rutting over me with his big cock.
So I leaned over and kissed Fino’s cheek, leaving a large red lipstick smear. It wasn’t that big of an ick, I did after all need to blot my lipstick. “And don’t worry, pooky. As soon as we’re married, Matteo Cavalieri will meet with an unfortunate accident, and I’ll return to Sicily. The grieving, incredibly rich, widow.”
He nodded decisively. “And then we’ll marry.”
Knowing I would never be able to say it with a straight face, I turned away to zip my makeup bag closed. “Of course. I can’t wait to be your wife.” Ew, gag.
After smoothing my hands over the silk nightgown I had on, I shrugged into a trench coat and slung my purse over my shoulder. “I have to go before Matteo realizes my sister… I mean I’m… gone. Make sure Marzio completely believes it is me before you kill her. We can’t have any loose ends.”
I couldn’t wait to see the bastard's face when he learned I was alive and married to Matteo Cavalieri.
Fino leaned in for another kiss, before settling for a peck on my cheek as I turned my head away. “I won’t let you down, schnookems.”
Ew.
Dying on the toilet was definitely not humiliating enough.
As Fino drove off using a back road to the north of the winery, I took advantage of the chaos after the fire we started to slip into the villa. I had already paid off one of the staff to tell me Ella's whereabouts; my slutty twin sister was staying in Matteo’s suite.
Apparently, she wasn’t that innocent after all. It was a shame. Had I known sooner, I might have included her in my plans.
Too late now.
Bye, sis.
CHAPTER 50
MATTEO
Something was wrong.
Over twelve straight hours of dealing with the aftermath of the fire had me pushed beyond the point of exhaustion. By two a.m., all I wanted to do was climb into bed and hold my wife close.
My wife.
It felt good to say it. Although I had resigned myself to the concept of marriage, I had not even considered the possibility of finding happiness in marriage. Fate had other plans. Thank God.
Especially in moments like this. It would have been torture to watch my cousins, father, and uncle turn to their girls for comfort in their grief while I had nothing but the cold bed of an unwilling bride. Enzo had been right. Forsaking love and support was no way to live.
After hosing off downstairs and agreeing to allow Dr. Pantona to examine the scrapes on my back, I was finally able to check on my baby.
Lucia was kind enough to bring her a tray of food earlier but told me the room was dark and Ella didn’t respond so she just left it on a side table. Although I was concerned that she may have not eaten, perhaps sleep was the best thing for her right now.
Sleep was an escape.
And I’d desperately wanted that same escape.
But the moment I entered our suite, I knew something was off.
It was the smell.
A cloying, sickeningly dense rose perfume.
I knew that scent…
Flipping on the light, I stormed over to the bed and ripped the covers off.
Antonia.
With her hair artfully splayed out on the pillow and her heavy makeup perfectly applied, she pretended to blink and slowly come awake like some demented fairy tale princess rising from a bed of fucking flower petals.
Gracefully drawing her hands under her chin, she arched her back, pushing her breasts which were barely contained in some scrap of silk and lace forward. “Darling, is that you?”
My fist twisted in her hair. I grimaced at the crunchy feel of the thick hairspray covering the tacky curls sticking to my palm. With a fierce yank, I pulled her from the bed. “Don’t you fucking darling me. Where the hell is Ella?”
From her position on her knees at my feet, she ran her hands over the tops of my thighs. Her eyes filled with false tears. “Please don’t be angry with me. She made me do it.”
Throwing off her hands, I prowled around the room. “Bullshit. I know it was you, Antonia.”
I slammed open the door to my closet. "Ella?" It was empty. “What did you do with her?”
Antonia crawled across the room to me. This time reaching up and pressing her hands against my crotch. “Be kind to me. You have no idea the… the… unspeakable things… I’ve endured to reach you.”