Page 63 of The Roman's Woman (A Singular Obsession)

“Let’s go home,” Gio said, the rush of adrenaline from the confrontation wearing away.

Sophia was waiting for him.

Chapter 21

I’m going to kill him, Sophia thought as she paced across the penthouse living room. Gio had been gone all night and he hadn’t called or responded to any of her texts.

She had hurried home from the lab, eager to spend another night in with her man. Instead, she’d found an empty apartment and that damn little note.

What the hell had he been thinking? Didn’t he know leaving like that was going to drive her crazy? Especially after that little bombshell message. So he was “going after” his ex-wife, was he? Well, what exactly was he planning on doing once he found her?

It’s not to get back together, so stop picturing him naked with the Italian stick insect.

Sophia knew better than that. After everything Elynn and Alex had told her, she didn’t believe that Gio was after some sort of reconciliation with Maria Gianna. But there was still that tiny insecure part of her that was comparing herself with the glamorous and svelte, evil ho-bag.

No, what Gio was after was some sort of revenge. What he had planned was a mystery. He was too much of a sweetheart to do anything violent, even if his note did make him some like the lead in a bad gangster movie.

Knowing him, Gio was going to hit them where it hurt—their wallets. It was what he’d done with Lucca, and if the updates from Salvatore were to be believed, the little shit was remorseful and reformed.

What Gio’s exact plans were for his dreadful wife and her co-conspirator didn’t matter. As hateful and wretched as those asshats were, what actually bothered her about his little disappearing act was something else.

And he gets to hear all about it right now, she decided, when the penthouse door opened to reveal her aggravating Italian in one of his trademark charcoal suits.

The smile he gave her in greeting threatened to take the wind out of her sails, but she was determined not to get sidetracked by his looks and charm. Crossing her arms and tapping her foot, she waited while he crossed the suddenly endless expanse of the foyer.

“I missed you,cara,” he said, his steps slowing as he reached her.

He bent his head to give her a kiss, but she was having none of it. Reaching up, she grabbed his puckered lips.

“Don’t even think about it.”

“What’s wrong,cara?” he asked.

At least that’s what she thought he said—she hadn’t let go of his lips so it came out somewhat garbled.

“Are you serious? You take off to go see your ex-wife and don’t pick up your phone the whole night?”

He squinted and gently pried her fingers off his lips.

“Cara, I’m sorry if you were worried, but I couldn’t talk to you. I needed to stay mad.”

“What?”

His shoulders went up to his ears and stayed there. “I had to confront my ex-wife about her involvement in your attack. She egged Lucca on, got him drunk and put the idea of coming after you in his head. She even drove him to my place.”

Sophia closed her eyes. “Yes, Elynn told me all that. And might I add that sucks! You should have been the one to tell me. I had a right to know what kind of psycho you married.”

He held up his index finger. “And divorced. I may have married her, for the wrong reasons, might I add, but I got out when I saw what she really was.”

Throwing up her hands, she bowed sarcastically. “If it’s credit you want, fine, you've got it. But as long as we’re keeping score, can I point out that my ex has never sent anyone to attack you!”

Gio’s face darkened. “So this is about Richard?” he asked incredulously.

“No!” Sophia yelled, before changing her mind. “Yes, all right! It is. You go on and on about Richard, like he’s some kind of thug when your ex-wife is this unbelievable bitch who isactuallydangerous. And I’m supposed to sit here and do nothing while you go and confront her!”

He stared at her for a moment, his mouth open. “Only because it’s my fault she even knows about you. The only reason she tried to hurt you is to strike out at me. So I went and made sure it would never happen again. It’s my job to protect you.”

“I don’t need protecting. I can take care of myself. If I were in the same town with your ex, I would have dealt with her myself.”

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