I stared at him.

Notwhat I’d been hoping to hear.

He kept talking. “Remember that other girl in Ortigia? Ludavica? Isabella’s withher!So they’ll be together, and you andIcan be together!

“Then why is she marrying YOU?” I asked, horrified.

“Because her family doesn’t know.”

Pain flooded my heart, and I pushed him off me as I turned my face away.

“What?” he asked, confused.

I couldn’t say anything.

I felt sick.

“What?!”he repeated. “I thought you’d be happy!”

I looked at him in horror. “Happy aboutwhat?”

“That you and I can keep on sleeping together after the wedding! Isabella knows, and she doesn’t care!”

I wanted to vomit.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?!” he asked.

I didn’t answer.

I couldn’t – not without screaming.

“Say something!” Valentino demanded angrily.

I tried to keep my voice calm as I answered. “You’re going to marry a girl you don’t want… who doesn’t wantyou… and who’s actually in love withanother woman… and you’d rather doallthatthan be with me. And you thought I’d behappyabout that?”

He looked as though I’d slapped him.

I stood up, walked over, retrieved my panties from the chapel floor, and stepped into them.

“It’s not like that,” he said as he got to his feet and zipped up his pants.

“What’s itlike,then?!” I asked angrily.

“Babe – ” he said, reaching for me –

“Don’t!” I half-whispered, half-sobbed as I backed away from him.

“Ihaveto do this. You know that. Ihaveto do what Dario ordered me to. I have no choice.”

“Youalwayshave a choice.”

“But we can be together now!”

I swear to God, he sounded happy as he said it.

I stood there in agony.

I fucked him in a church…