Page 39 of Revenge Vows

I clasp my hands. “I beg of you just this once. If this goes badly, I’ll take full responsibility,” I say.

She looks at me like I’m crazy. “Do you have any other ridiculous requests?” she asks.

I smile. “Can you get him fresh clothes and take these ones to be washed?”

She smiles sarcastically. “Of course.”

When he comes out of the bath with a white towel tied around his waist, Mary has set the table for his dinner. She brought some steak and a salad for him to eat.

His fresh clothes have been laid down neatly on the fresh sheets on the bed.

He looks down at me and the spread of food.

I smile. “I had your dinner brought up here because it’s late already,” I say.

He walks to the bed, unfolds the clothes, and begins to slide them on. His wet, short shaggy and slightly curled hair is draped over his forehead, and as he slides on the black t-shirt, his toned muscles stretch, revealing his veins.

Why am I ogling his body? I look down at the food as he puts on his pants.

“Don’t be shy. You can stare. You’ve seen it all, haven’t you?” he asks.

I smile despite myself. “It’s rude to feel entitled to anything or anyone,” I say, looking down, hoping he catches the irony in my words.

“You were not informed that I have my meals alone,” he says.

I look up at him. He is fully dressed and is rubbing the towel over his head.

“I was informed that you were strict about your meals, but I decided to give this a try,” I reply.

He walks over to me and sits on the bed.

“What exactly do you think you’re doing?” he asks, looking at me.

Giovanni’s words echo in my ears. Don’t pretend to be too clueless; he will see right through it. Remember, coat your lies with truth, and you’ll pull this off.

I smile. “I’m resigned to my fate,” I say, picking up a plate. “If I am going to be stuck here, the least I can do is to make the best out of it.”

He watches me as I fix his plate with a generous portion of steak and salad. Before I give him the plate, I grab a fresh fork, cut the steak on his plate, and take a bite of it.

He takes the plate from me with his eyes fixed on me. We have a relatively quiet meal, and when another maid comes to clear the plates, we sit in awkward silence.

After the maid leaves, I turn to him. “Do you want to spend the night in my room?” I ask.

He gets up and tosses the towel at me. “Aren’t you getting a bit too comfortable with me?” he asks.

I smile as he leaves the room, slamming the door behind him. I sink to the floor in relief.

“You did good today, Alyssa,” I say to myself.

I walk to the drawer and take the key from my dressing gown. I slide it in the drawer right before Mary returns with the second batch of fresh sheets.

I open the drawer and pull out my flip phone. There is a message from Giovanni. I walk to the door cautiously and lock it before I begin to read the text.

Listen carefully. I need you to steal an important document from Antonio. It’s a deed to a land that he stole from me. When you get the deed, destroy it! That’s your first mission.

I curse under my breath, tossing the flip phone to the bed.

I inhale and clasp my shaking hands.

---