Page 23 of Ruined in Vows

“Valentina is right, Alle. He will come. I saw the questions in his eyes. He was curious if nothing else,” Athena says, rubbing at my arm soothingly.

Glancing over my shoulder, I shoot her a grateful smile. She smiles back at me, with hope in her gaze. She wants this to work out for me as much as I do. And that is a good friend. We both startle when our suite door is pushed open.

My brother steps inside, Romeo in his arms and Ocean beside him. His cold gaze bounces from me to Mamma. He frowns, his brow raising in silent question when he no doubt spots the look on my face. Sighing, I shake my head, telling him to leave it.

“What’s going on?” he demands, ignoring me.

Mamma rises from the couch, looking at Nico. “Your sister is upset about Dante. She is worried he won’t come,” she murmurs, moving toward him and taking Romeo out of his arms. My brother hands him over willingly, knowing full well Mamma loves being around her grandson and that he brings her a sense of purpose.

“Well, then you will like what I have to say then.” My body tenses in anticipation. “Dante, or whoever this man is,” he adds, giving me a look. “Is currently in the lobby with two of my men. They are waiting for my order to bring him up.”

I jump out of my seat, rushing toward him. “Well, what are you waiting for? Bring him up now.” My voice is urgent, filled with excitement and a little apprehension.

Nico sighs. “Look, Leg. I know you said you are one hundred percent sure it’s him, but on the off chance it’s not, I don’t want you to get your hopes up. Please try and go into this with an open mind. I know how devastated you will be if the man downstairs is just some doppelganger and not Dante. You’ve been through enough, mourned his death for months, I don’t want you to have to go through it again.”

My shoulders sag, warmth spreading through me at my brother’s concern. He is a hard man and doesn’t show this side of him often. But what he doesn’t understand is that my wholelife is mourning, every second of every day. And whether I made a mistake, and the guy I saw isn’t Dante, that will not change.

“Understood,” I whisper, though right now I don’t understand anything.

Nico searches my face before giving a sharp nod and turning to his second in command, Matteo. “Bring him up but get them to search him for any weapons first. We will meet here instead of the penthouse. I don’t really want him in my space until we know more. I want extra guards on this floor, and some situated around the suite.”

Matteo nods, stepping outside to go do my brother's bidding.

I roll my eyes. “He won’t hurt us, Nic.”

My brother glares over at me. “You don’t know that, Allegra. This could all be part of some ploy to harm me or my family. I will not take any risks. Not with my wife, son, you or Mamma.”

“Thanks for including me in that little protection bubble,” Athena huffs before I can respond.

My brother ignores her, never taking his eyes off me. “Ready?”

I swallow down the lump in my throat, my pulse kicking up to an unnatural speed as my stomach somersaults with nerves and anticipation.

“Yeah,” I swallow again, barely getting that one word out.

“Okay. Just be prepared that this could all be one colossal misunderstanding,” my brother says, putting further doubt in my mind.

Maybe I just imagined him. I shake my head at the negativity. No. Mamma and Athena saw him too. And I know they wouldn’t just go along with this to appease me.

Straightening my shoulders, I clear my throat of any doubt and say in my strongest voice, purposefully saying his name so that it leaves no room for uncertainty.

“Bring Dante up.”

Chapter 16

Luca

Standing in the lobby of the hotel, I smirk at the two big bulky guards, watching me like a hawk. I have been thoroughly patted down and checked for weapons twice now. They think that they are intimidating me, but they’re not. Not in the slightest. At this point I feel invincible, like nothing can touch me and truthfully, with everything that has been going on with Caterina and Vincenzo, death seems the easiest, most peaceful option rather than dealing with the siblings. Maybe I am suicidal or I just don’t give a fuck anymore, but either way, these men don’t or won’t scare me no matter how hard they try.

My gaze shifts to the larger one when he presses his fingers to his ear and it's only then that I notice the earpiece. He glares at me, nodding as he no doubt takes instructions. I’m proven right with his next words.

“Boss is ready for you,” he grunts, turning and moving toward the elevator banks, expecting me to follow. I do, but only because I’m curious, and want the answers I’m looking for.

Though I’m skeptical about this whole thing, I can’t deny that I felt something when I saw that girl. What that something was, I’m not sure, but it was there, a living, breathing thing inside me, drawing me toward her.

Stepping into the elevator, I watch as the doors close behind us and one of the guards punches a button. The car ascends slowly, the silence thick as we rise higher. My heart pounds in my chest, the noise loud in my ears as my pulse races erratically in anticipation. I rub at the spot, trying to alleviate the tightness, but it’s no use. My whole body buzzes with something unknown, as if there is a live wire beneath my skin sending shocks through me.

Usually, I would be certain something like this feeling has never happened to me before, but a whisper of something familiar tugs at my brain, telling me that this is not the first time. I frown, confused, though I don’t have time to dwell on it because the elevator comes to a stop, the doors sliding open to reveal white walls and marble floors.

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