Page 60 of Desire and Revenge

By the time I step out of the bathroom, I’m ready to crawl into bed and sleep the rest of the day away.

“Hey, baby.”

I whip my head to the side in shock just to find my husband smiling at me.

“S-sebastian,” I stammer. How much of that did he hear? Did he hear anything? “What are you doing here?”

He pushes away from where he’s standing and approaches me, hands behind his back and then he brings his hands into my view with a flourish. “Surprise.”

I stare down at the small box in his right hand wrapped with a cherry red bow and then shift my gaze to the bright red rose in his other hand.

“What’s this for?” I ask, eyebrows inching up to my hairline.

He leans forward and brushes a kiss over my cheek. “I was thinking today and then I realized that I haven’t been giving my new, young bride a lot of attention.”

Oh, God, no.

The last thing I need is my husband’s attention anywhere near me. The only reason Nero and I have been able to get away with so much is because my husband doesn’t pay meanyattention. And I’m not quite ready for this thing with him to end.

“Oh, it’s alright. I know you’re a busy man and?—”

“No,” he cuts in, shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter how busy I am. I may be the head of this household, but you are the neck. If I continue to neglect the neck, the entire head will fall apart.”

My smile is small and strained. “Thank you, I’m sure what you got me is wonderful.”

He laughs. “You haven’t even checked what it is. Here, let me help you.” He grabs the rose, and I watch as he carefully tucks the long stem behind my ear, eyes soft.

The only other time I remember my husband being like this is on our wedding day. So, what the hell is going on right now? I have to discuss this with Nero and know what is happening before I end up putting my mouth in my foot.

Sebastian unwraps the parcel and then opens it. I gasp as a diamond fountain necklace comes into view.

“It’s beautiful.” I stare at it. I’ve always liked pretty jewelry and clothes, but the necklace my husband is currently fastening to my neck is something else. It’s on a league of its own in the world of jewelry.

“You look stunning,” he smiles, brushing his mouth against the back of my fingers. “Get dressed, we are going out for dinner. It’s more of a business meeting, but wear something pretty.”

I keep my smile fixed in place until I hear the door shut behind me, then I scramble for my phone and type a quick, panicked text to Nero.

A moment later, my phone starts ringing.

“What’s going on?” I ask as soon as he answers. “Does he know? How did he find out? Is he going to kill me?”

“He doesn’t know. Trust me, Princess. And even if he did, I won’t let him touch you. I don’t want you worrying. I’ll be there with you at the dinner meeting, and you’ll be fine.”

I gulp, feeling for the row of diamonds at my neck. Despite Nero’s words, I still have a bad feeling about the entire matter. Something is happening and I can’t afford to let my guard down.

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

CHAPTER 19

Nero

“This is excellent, Amato,” Sebastian hums from across the table after the first bite of his stromboli.

We are in a five-star restaurant at the other end of town from the Lucchese mansion. The place is tasteful and exclusive, with a waiting list that’s over a year long. It’s owned by Carmine Amato, a man who controls almost all the weapon trade in the whole of Italy.

I’ve been trying to get Amato’s attention for the better part of a year, but so far, all my attempts have been rebuffed.

---