Page 37 of Vicious Redemption

“What do you want, Elena?” I shrug her hand off my arm and focus on my food to make it clear I would rather be thinking of anything but her answer.

“Can’t a girl come say hi to her ex-lover?” she pouts innocently.

From my periphery, I catch Tia’s eyes snap up to look at me before quickly shifting to the pain in my ass that stands by my side.

Elena’s definitely trying to cause problems. As for her reasoning, I don’t really care. If she doesn’t fuck off real fast, I might just have her removed.

18

TIA

“Well, you’ve done that,” Leo points out casually, wiping his face with his napkin and tossing it onto the table.

“I just thought you might want to show me another unforgettable night…”

The words are like a knife to my gut. Suddenly, the hand that this strikingly well-endowed woman placed on Leo’s shoulder holds even more meaning. The flirtatious hint I picked up on before was actually so much more. She’s not just flirting; she’s laying claim. Right here in front of me.

And her impressive amount of visible cleavage, combined with the way Leo’s gaze rakes up her body to find her face, leaves me feeling utterly inconsequential.

“Unless your wife has you on too short a leash. But as I recall, commitment’s never really tied you down before…” she taunts playfully, daring him to prove her right.

Great. Now, she’s using me as a prop to seduce my husband. The oxygen vanishes from my lungs, leaving me light-headed and reeling. I should say something—speak up for myself, but I can’t seem to move my lips. Because she makes a fair point. Why would Leo want to stay faithful to me when he could have a woman who positively oozes sexuality like this one?

“I have a real nurse’s outfit now if you’re into that kind of thing as well,” the voluptuous woman hints, fluttering her lashes and twirling a lock of her bleach-blonde hair. “I’ll even let you tie me up like you used to,” she offers.

Tie her up? What does that even mean?

She glances more pointedly over her shoulder at me now, her condescending gaze assessing me in a flash and finding me wanting. “You know, in case you want to spice things up.”

She looks at me like I’m some kind of child. And because no one would openly insult Leo’s wife for fear of the repercussions, her tone says what her words won’t: “I bet she lies there like a limp fish just performing her wifely duty.”

I can tell she thinks I don’t know how to please him. That I’m grossly inadequate in the wake of her sexual prowess. Pursing her pouting lips, Elena turns her attention back to my husband, seeming to confirm I’m a waste of her time and attention.

It leaves me feeling small and utterly unremarkable. And a crushing realization hits me that she could be right. What if I don’t know how to please him properly? It wasn’t Leo’s choice to be with me, after all. He was forced into marrying me. He could simply be going through the motions because I’m carrying his child, and it’s his duty.

I can’t breathe. Violent insecurity takes me hostage, freezing me to the spot.

“That’s enough,” Leo growls, rising from his seat. His voice holds a hint of warning as he leans in close enough to Elena that he could kiss her.

My heart hammers as the image flashes into my mind, and I feel sick to my stomach at the thought. Like the coward I am, I drop my gaze to my lap, too terrified to witness something that painful. I can’t watch any longer.

“Get her out of here. Now,” he commands, the fury in his tone an unexpected salve to my painful sense of insignificance. Whether or not he liked tying Elena up or seeing her dress up as a sexy nurse when they were lovers, it seems he’s not in the mood for her now.

But like a parasite, doubt continues to plague the back of my mind.

Elena scoffs. “You can’t just have me removed. This is my uncle’s restaurant,” she insists.

“Not anymore,” Leo states flatly, his voice dangerous enough that it makes my heart skip a beat. “Don Fiore gave up his claim on this place the day he bent the knee to me.”

Elena gasps as two men grasp her arms and guide her toward the elevators, her dark-haired shadow of a friend scuttling quickly behind. Across from me, Leo settles back into his chair, replacing his napkin on his lap.

Still, I can’t seem to look at him. My stomach’s in knots over the confrontation, and I don’t know what to make of it. Of course, Leo would have to defend my honor in a place like this. I can only imagine how much attention that whole interaction has drawn to our table, but I don’t want to glance up and find out.

Instead, I curl in on myself, wishing I weren’t so young, so inexperienced, so flat-chested and plain. Heat pools in my cheeks, and ridiculous tears sting the back of my eyes as I wonder how much truth might be in that woman Elena’s words.

“Do you want to go home?” Leo asks gently.

Like the coward I am, I nod, failing to meet his eyes. A sinking disappointment settles in my gut as he gestures for the check. This night started off so well, but now, I don’t think I can get myself back on track. Because once again, I’m left wondering if the only reason Leo wants me is our baby.

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