Page 91 of Diavolo

"I know," he muttered with a despondent grunt, "that is why I delayed this conversation for as long as I could."

Another stark realization spread over her. Despite Alessandro's honeyed words and breathtakingly romantic gestures, it appeared that her husband had known all along. He'd known that his world was a hellish one, one that destroyed the innocent and corrupted souls, but he chose to lure her in, anyway. Sharply, Elyse challenged, "Did you delay it in case I got cold feet before the wedding?"

"Perhaps."

"You're not afraid that I might try to runnowthat you have revealed your true colors?"

"You will break my heart if you go," he whispered. "You are the only goodness in my life."

Bitterness crawled up her throat. "Then why did you force me to marry you?"

Alessandro fell silent. Elyse glared at him. He mumbled, "Because..."

She prompted again, "I deserve to know."

"I did not want Stefano or Mikey to hurt you anymore, and I could not stand by and watch your grandfather give you to another man."

She'd heard these reasons before. "Those weren't my only options."

"But they were your most probableones."

Elyse's emotions began to spiral into a chaotic blur. He was right, but he was also wrong. She hated it so much. Elyse spat, "Do you see yourself as my savior?"

"Not at all," Alessandro responded, remorsefully, "I know I have done wrong by you. But I hope, someday, you will come to understandwhyI did it. I genuinely believe I can give you the best life out of these limited options."

A hushed, painful tension settled between them. They were still laying beside each other, naked, like blissful newlyweds in a beautiful honeymoon suite, but there was very little unity between them. Such a strange, surreal night. Much like their wedding day. Elyse's heart carried potent feelings for Alessandro. Her mind knew better than to fall, though. Would Alessandro still be willing to divorce her after all the ugly secrets she'd uncover over the course of their marriage?

"I don't hate you," Elyse admitted finally, "but I don't know if I could ever love you."

He reached over to caress her cheek. "You do not have to love me,cuore mio. I only wish for you to stay with me. Until I can stand taller than my father's shadow."

His touch soothed away some of her anger. Reason and sense returned to her. Alessandro didn't believe that he had a choice in his fate. Because of his father and his upbringing. He hadn't believed that she possessed more than two options—death by Stefano or marriage by mafia—before they became husband and wife. His views differed from hers. Elyse believed that she deserved more than one or two choices. She asked, "Are you a man of your word?"

"Of course."

Perhaps, not all hope was lost. "You promised to divorce me after my grandfather helps you achieve your goals. Is this still true?"

Alessandro's eyes gleamed with sadness, but he answered, "Sì."

"Can you help me disappear after the divorce?"

If at all possible, his eyes grew sadder. "I can."

She placed her palm over his hand. "Alessio?"

He leaned into her touch like a large feline. "What is it?"

"I want to believe that you're a good man who's being forced to become a bad one."

"You do not think I am a bad man pretending to be a good one?"

With a sad smile of her own, Elyse stared into his beautiful brown and blue-gray eyes. "I have to believe that you're a goddamn angel. Otherwise, I'm fucked. I'll be trapped in hell with you. Forever."

He chuckled at her candidness, but his eyes still looked miserable. "Is that the optimist in you talking? Or the realist?"

"Probably both."

Suddenly, Alessandro leaned over to kiss her. Desperately. Urgently. Hopelessly. She let him. They were husband and wife, after all. He needed her. She needed him as well. Their lives were bound together in a fight for survival. As his arms came around her, she laid her head upon his solid chest, and Elyse realized that she hadn't truly known her husband until tonight. In truth, there were two opposing sides to the man she had wed.

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