Page 25 of Desire and Revenge

I drag on a dark Henley and dark jeans and dig my almost empty pack of cigarettes into my pocket before leaving my room. I walk past Sofia’s room on my way to the greenhouse and spot light spilling out from under the door.

She’s awake.

I don’t want to think too long about the pleasure that warms my chest at that discovery. Maybe I’m as curious of her as she is of me. It’s just curiosity, no big deal.

I push into the greenhouse and settle into one of the stone benches. From my position, I can see that the roses are beginning to droop a little, and I wonder if Sofia will be sad about that.

I don’t care.

But hours later, when it becomes clear that she’s not coming, I admit to myself that I might care just the tiniest bit.

CHAPTER 8

Sofia

“Remember, Sofia.” Sebastian grabs my elbow before I could slip out of the car, and I know what he’s about to say next. “Do not embarrass me.”

It’s common knowledge that image is everything to made men, but my husband takes it to an extreme. No day passes without him saying those four words.

I nod and he releases me.

As soon as my foot lands on the grounds of Villa Rivera, the exclusive beach resort in Capri, I know the weekend is going to be hell for me. Sebastian only told me about this wedding a few hours ago, and I’ve spent the time since packing and making the journey here. It’s only now that it hits me that I’ll be stuck with the Lucchese family for the next forty-eight hours or so.

This entire mess is somewhere at the top of the list of things I don’t need.

The light evening breeze whips at my hair and I hurriedly tuck the loose strands behind my ear and wait for my husband to come around the car. Just then, there’s the revving sound ofa bike and I turn to see a rider clad in all black except the red helmet over his head.

I’m distracted from staring at him when I notice something at the back seat of the bike.

Is that?—

“You made it,” my husband says with a smile. “It’s the second wedding you’ve attended since returning to the city. I didn’t think weddings would be your scene.”

He whips the helmet off his head, and his eyes lock on mine first before dragging away from me slowly. That brief eye contact is enough to have my heart racing. After I realized that Nero was avoiding me and then watched him brutally murder someone for me, I’ve been the one avoiding him.

I wonder if he’s noticed, but I have a feeling those sharp, dark eyes don’t miss anything.

“I’m more interested in the change of scenery than the wedding. What about you, though?” He cocks his head and then steps off the bike.

“What about me?”

Nero turns to the pet carrier attached to the back seat of his bike and begins to fiddle with it. “You and Paolo have never been best buddies. Surprised to see you here.”

The man at my side waves his hand in the air dismissively. “Bygones. Childish quarrels. Paolo and I are as close as siblings now.”

Apparently, Sebastian is as close to everyone as he is to Nero. It didn’t take me any time at all to figure out that most of the men are wary of my husband. They respect him, defer to him and obey him. The big question is why? As far as I’m concerned, he is just a pompous man-child with a cruel streak and not a lot of business acumen, if any.

I’ve heard him make decisions that were so stupid, I was shocked nobody burst right into laughter.

I can’t add that to the load of things I worry about, though. My first priority and the thought that makes me feel queasy just thinking about it is my duty as Sebastian’s wife. My parents have already contacted me at different times to inquire about the progress I’m making on that font.

Of course, I lied to them and assured them that all was going smoothly.

When I told his cousin Viviana that same lie, she stared at me like she could see right through me. The truth is that Sebastian hasn’t come to my bed in days, and I hate to imagine why. It’s a relief for me to not have to endure the sterile lovemaking, but I also know that Ihaveto do my duty.

“Is that a cat?” Sebastian laughs. “You’re a cat guy now? This is ridiculous. Just wait till I tell the others, they’ll never let you live this down.”

Regardless of how obnoxious he’s being, my husband does have a point about the cat. I will never have pegged Nero to be a pet guy.

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