Page 38 of Desire and Revenge

“Where’s Sebastian?” I hear Viviana cry, and I ignore her, pushing past the string of people forming a crowd in front of the room.

“Give her space,” one of the Villa staff orders, trying to push them out of the way.

“She’s fine!” Pietro snaps. “Her husband is still in there, he’s the one we should be worried about.”

“Some of the staff members are in there at the moment, trying to get the occupants out. We can’t access the other room because it’s locked from the inside, but?—”

I cut in. “What do you mean, occupants? There’s only one person in there and that’s my husband.”

The suited man stares at me with something that resembles pity too much for my comfort. My stomach turns at that look on his face, and I take a small step backward.

Just at that moment, I hear a door being kicked down and then the sound of a woman sobbing. The water sprinkler system comes on and a shower of water rains over the room.

Emerging from the cloud of smoke is another of the suited staff members, and trailing after him is my husband. In his arms is a woman in a red dressing gown. As soon as I see her platinum blonde hair, I know exactly who it is.

My eyes narrow and I still, watching the duo.

“Oh my God, Sebastian. I was so afraid,” she sobs. “I thought I was going to die. If I hadn’t been thinking on my feet and rushed to the bathroom—you know I got the idea for that from that show we watched, what was the name again?—I was so scared.”

“It’s alright.” He rubs circles around her back, ignoring me completely.

The tie holding her dress together loosens and it opens up to reveal a hot red, silky nightdress that’s the equivalent of wearing nothing at all.

“Sebastian,” I croak and finally, my husband looks at me. “What’s going on here?”

He frowns at me. “What’s going on is that someone set fire to our suite. Vittoria’s room to be exact. I saw footsteps leading out to the balcony. Someone was trying to kill me, or us, I’m not sure which. This was intentional, and I’m going to find the bastard and rip them limb from limb.”

I shake my head, trying to clear the dizziness I’m feeling. “I’m talking about her. What was she doing in our suite?”

“Sleeping!” the woman, who I assume is Vittoria, snaps, eyes narrowed on me. “What else did you think I was doing in there?”

My gaze shifts from Sebastian to the woman, suspicion creeping into every corner of my mind. Was he with her while I was outside with Nero? It seems glaringly obvious now. He must’ve gone into the adjoining room after our little mishap earlier this evening.

Guilt sinks into me like a lead weight, heavy and unshakable. I feel like the worst kind of hypocrite—standing here, seething with anger at my husband for bringing his lover into our suite, when I’m no better.

You deserve this, a sharp voice chastises me.

“Sebast—”

“Save it, Sofia,” he snaps. “You should be feeling compassionate for her almost getting hurt instead of trying to accuse her of God knows what.”

“I’ve always said that the girl was heartless,” Viviana spits, her face twisted up into a sneer.

“Who would do this to you?” The blonde cries and I decide she’s an attention magnet and that I don’t like her.

One of the staff clears his throat, snapping us all out of the tense moment.

“If you could all please exit the hallways,” he says politely, though there’s a firmness in his tone. “The fire department will be here shortly, and I think we’ve had enough excitement for one night. Everyone is expected to retire to their rooms. Mr. Lucchese and his, uh… guests will be moved to a spare room.”

There’s an awkward pause, the tension still thick in the air as everyone glances at one another. Sebastian nods curtly, giving the staff member a reassuring smile. Soon, the crowd begins to disperse one after the other, and I don’t miss the curious looks that they shoot at my husband and the woman wrapped around him still sobbing.

She’s really milking this for all it’s worth.

“Go on up, Sofia,” Sebastian says. “I have to see to Vittoria and try and figure out who’s responsible for this fire and why.”

“I hope you find the animals who did this,” Pietro mutters, shaking his head as he walks away, frustration etched into his features.

Just then, I catch the glow of a cigarette butt flaring to life. My gaze snaps to the shadowy figure leaning casually against the far corner, as if he’s been there the whole time, silently watching.

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