Page 25 of Immoral

"You're starting to sound like a broken record," she comments.

I tilt her chin and force her to look at me. "Cara, what in God's name is going on right now?"

She pins her gaze on me, and I want to crawl into a hole. It's full of more hatred and anger than I've ever seen before. She takes a few moments to compose herself then seethes, "I hope you enjoyed our trip down memory lane. That's all you're getting for the rest of your life from me."

"Is this a joke?" I blurt out.

She shakes her head. "Nope. Now you know how you make me feel. And I may have married you, but know this, Gianni Marino. You had your chances. All you did was throw them away. If you think a shotgun wedding on an airplane will make me ever trust or want you again, you're sadly mistaken."

My heart comes to a halt. I knew she didn't trust me, but she's always wanted me. I fire back, "Seems like you didn't have any issues wanting me a few minutes ago."

A twisted smile forms on her face. I've not seen it before. I'm the one who's warped, not her. Yet everything about her expression tells me I've underestimated her in many ways. "It's easy to make someone pretend you want them, isn't it?"

I open my mouth then shut it. Is that what she thinks I've done?

She scoffs. "Yeah. That's what I thought. I hope you enjoyed it, because that's all you're getting. And my threat still stands. If you touch another woman, Iwillcut your balls off. The last thing I'm going to be is a wife who turns a blind eye."

6

Cara

Gianni's coatis enormous on me. I tug it tighter and sit on the chair in the lobby overlooking the lake. We seem to be in the middle of nowhere. Snow-covered mountains, or maybe they're just really big hills, surround the resort. The check-in area boasts a peaceful, zen atmosphere, complete with a fresh and invigorating eucalyptus scent, but it does nothing to calm my raging nerves.

My head no longer hurts, which leads me to believe the drugs have finally worn off. The bellhop handed me a bottle of water when I walked inside, and I drink a mouthful. My resentment toward Gianni only grew the more he kept his hand on my thigh in the car. He would think he could marry me and every issue we have would disappear, as if his sins didn't take place.

Well, I'm not falling for his lies this time. The revolving scenario of him making me fall back in love with him, using me, then moving on is ending now. I'll be damned if I'll become his doormat again.

As I sat in the car, all I kept thinking was that Gianni thinks with his cock. Well, hopefully, now he realizes what he's done to me all these years.

The beautiful, serene landscape is the polar opposite of our toxic relationship and current situation. Flashbacks of him stating his vows mock me.

What the hell did I do?

He planned this.

What Gianni wants, Gianni gets.

He's not having me ever again.

He comes up behind me. I don't see him, but I can smell his luxurious scent. I close my eyes, wishing my loins didn't burn whenever I inhaled the woody spicy scent. His voice is semi-harsh, which tells me he's pissed off about the little lesson I gave him in the car. That gives me a bit of gratification. He informs me, "Cara, the room's ready."

I rise and ignore him. He doesn't put his hand on my back or touch me in any way, which feels odd. As much as I need to stay away from anything physical with him, we've always fit together. Wherever we went, I felt protected and powerful. Gianni made it clear I was his when he led me through a sea of people or just through a door and onto the street. This new version of us, where I'm next to him, but he's not touching me, feels uncomfortable.

It's better this way,I try to convince myself. I step into the elevator and continue not to focus on him, praying there are two beds in the suite so I don't have to lie next to him all night.

He hits the button for the top floor. The doors shut, and his signature scent flares in my nostrils. Tense silence is so thick it could suffocate me. The elevator stops on our floor, but Gianni presses the close-door button as soon as they start to open.

I snap my head toward him. "What are you doing?"

His eyes turn to dark slits. "That wasn't cool what you did in the car, Cara."

I put my hand on my hip and huff. "Don't lecture me after all you've done."

"I apologized dozens of times. Or have you not heard a word I've said since you got back to New York? Hell,beforeyou returned to New York!" he roars.

"It's not been dozens of times. It's been hundreds. Did you forget about the last twenty-some years?" I fire back.

He scrubs his face, shaking his head. "What do I need to do so you get past this?"

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