Page 21 of Ruined in Vows

outside, pausing when I spot my wife and Vincenzo whispering at the end of the hall. The conversation pauses when their dark gazes settle on me. My eyes narrow in on them, suspicion slithering in my veins at the clear secrecy between them. And I don’t know whether it’s because of the weirdencounter I just had with the angel, but I can't help but feel a little paranoid.

My wife plasters on a smile as fake as her tits, shoving past her brother and making

her way toward me with a seductive sway of her hips. “Darling, where have you been? I’ve been waiting for you,” she purrs.

Annoyance tightens my jaw. I still haven't forgiven her for what was essentially

sexual assault the other morning. And she damn well fucking knows it.

“Needed some air,” I grunt, bypassing her when she reaches for me and ignoring

the look of hurt mixed with anger on her face.

Vincenzo steps in front of me, blocking my way to my office and the glower on his

face would make most men wither, but not me. After the events of the last hour, I am not in the mood for his or his sister's shit.

“Move,” I grate out, through gritted teeth.

The maniacal look curving his lips, has me pausing. It's like nothing I've ever seen.

Vincenzo is mostly cool, calm, and collected. But right now, he looks like he wants to kill me.

“You better start showing Cat some fucking respect, asshole, before I drain the life from you and bury you where no one will find the body.” The disdain in his voice is evident. And not for the first time I question, how the hell was I ever friends with this motherfucker.

I am questioning it even more now, since my run in with Allegra.

“Noted,” I drawl sarcastically. Pushing past him, I stride to my office.

Heels clicking on the marble floor tells me that my wife is following me. Fury erupts

inside me, threatening to boil over at any second. Why can't she just leave me the fuck alone?

“Luc?” she calls, stepping into my office and closing the door behind her.

“I’m busy, Caterina,” I growl, taking a seat in the leather chair behind my desk.

She sighs, flopping down on a chair in front of me. Just like every other time she

displays crazy behavior, she switches to her other personality, now looking dejected and gloomy. Once again, when it comes to my wife, I don’t know whether it’s real or just another winning performance from her.

“I miss you,” she says softly, leaning across my desk and reaching for my hand. For

some reason, I let her take it. “I know everything is fucked up right now, but please, just try and bring back the Luca I know and love. Dig deep baby, because I know he is in there somewhere and I want him back.” She gently rubs my fingers before interlinking them.

Staring down at where we are joined, I frown when I feel nothing from her touch,

casting my mind back to the feelings that ignited me when I spotted the dark-haired angel. The way my body lit up like a damn firework when she held my hand.

How I felt something.

Everything.

As if Caterina's touch burns me, I pull my hand out of her hold, breaking our

connection. My wife’s face falls, her brown eyes glistening with unshed tears. For some reason, I can’t bring myself to careabout her feelings. Her touch is all wrong, when Allegra’s felt right.

Mulling over Allegra’s words, I remember the pleading in her voice and the way her