Page 276 of Vita Mia

“Can you feed me?”

“Fix it yourself,” she mumbled. She set the plate on the table. She picked up a flute of champagne and tossed it back the bubbly drink to keep from speaking.

“Champagne? Not your style,” he said. He knew she hated the taste of it.

Eve rolled her eyes and looked away. It was hardest to not stare into Stefano’s deep brown eyes when they were focused on her. They held the intensity of a man that knew her intimately, and the passion she knew was always alive between them, even when they were angry and apart. He was strikingly handsome. He had deep brown skin, several shades darker than her own. Both of his ears were pierced with small silver hoops. His head shaven, but he had a skull tattooed to the crown of it and the face of an owl tattooed under his chin and on his neck. The tattoo he had across his back was the most provocative. He had it done after they were married. It was something she had drawn for him. It was of a charging bull and a matador standing at attention. Her artwork was transformed beautifully. It covered his entire back. Stefano’s father was Spanish, and from Spain. His mother was African. They married and met in Canada and eventually moved to France.

Stefano was all muscle. He was tall in a tailored suit and even taller to her naked. She imagined he started breaking women’s hearts when he reached puberty. Stefano was a world-renowned boxer. He and Gianni had boxed in a champion fight. She first saw him there. And though her brother went the distance Stefano kept his belt by a judge’s decision. They two of them constantly argued over who truly won that fight. Her dad loved to hear the argument and would start it up when Stefano and she visited and Gianni was around.

Men.

After that boxing match Eve didn’t realize that Stefano had took notice of her too. He made himself available to be a celebrity model for her menswear line at a charity event. She’d never had a lover so sweet and addictive. But with passion came pain. And after the loss of their first child, she brought Nico back into their marriage. Their fights and his jealousy became harder to control until she got pregnant again. Stefano tried to change. He tried hard to be there for her. And she tried to stop comparing him to Nico. A childhood love that grew into something deeper. When she lost the baby the second time she didn’t call Stefano. She didn’t call her mother and father. She called Nico. It broke Stefano to arrive to home to be told the news of the loss of the baby by Nico and not her. He gave up. And his abandonment was the final straw.

“Why did you come here? How did you know I would be here?”

“You know why. You know how. I came here for us.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Doesn’t matter if you believe it or not Eve. I’m here. I’m here for you.” Stefano said and took a step toward her.

“We’re going forward with the divorce, Stefano. Sign the damn papers.”

“Make me.”

Eve narrowed her eyes on him. “You’re going to make this a problem? I wouldn’t if I were you. My family doesn’t deal with problems well.”

“I know your family. They handle problems just fine. And I wouldn’t be here in front of you if they didn’t think this is a problem you and I should solve.”

“I’m warning you!” Eve said and tried to walk away.

He stepped over to prevent her escape.

“Or what? You’ll sick your brothers on me? They can’t hurt me any deeper than you and Nico already have.”

“Not this again. Nico is just a friend of the family. He was never any threat to you! It’s all in your head.”

Stefano smirked. His smirk was as dangerous as the one Gianni would have when he knew he was being lied too. She didn’t want Stefano angry and jealous again. Not today. She didn’t want a scene. She just wanted peace.

“Move,” she said.

“No,” he answered.

“I don’t want this anymore. I don’t want to fight anymore.”

“Me either. And guess what?”

She stared up into his eyes.

“Nico can’t have you. I want my wife.Je veux que tu reviennes.”

“We’ve tried. You and I both know it’s better for us to be a part. Two miscarriages and there is nothing left in me. I can’t give you children. I’m over it.”

“I don’t need children. And if you want them we can have them. I want you. Look at me Eve. He can’t have you. Your father told me why Nico is in our lives. You should have told me. Let me know where I stand.”

“My father doesn’t know shit!”

Stefano smiled. Eve crossed her arms in front of her. She sighed.

---