Page 35 of Ruined in Vows
He tensed. As if he remembered what he was doing, and who he was doing it with, he pulled back. “Fuck,” he murmured, raking a hand through his dark hair. I wanted to run my hand through those strands, as he ate my pussy. I wanted to… my thoughts stopped when he growled his next words. “Go to bed, Leg.”
Anger coursed through me at his easy dismissal, and I couldn’t help snapping back at him. “You’re such a coward, Dante. I know you want me.”
He laughed but it was humorless. “Yeah? Maybe I fucking do. It doesn’t make it right or mean that we can ever happen.”
My face fell, but I stepped into him, desperate. “Why? Nico would be okay with us. I know he would. He just wants us both to be happy.”
Dante had stared at me with a mix of sadness, desire and hopelessness. “Yeah, he would. But your papà wouldn’t. I will be dead if he gets wind of this. Now do us both a favor and go to bed.”
With that, he walked away, leaving me wondering what the hell just happened and taking my heart with him.
“Well?” Athena prompts, bringing me back to our conversation.
I smirk. “I have just the thing. Though I won’t be able to have it on full display as it’s technically lingerie. But I can put some pants on over the top, so that it looks like a Cami top instead of a nightdress.”
Chapter 23
Luca
After hearing mywife’sone-sided phone call with Benito, I wanted to shout and scream at her to tell me the truth. Realizing that it would do me no good to call her out on her shit, I acted completely normal. I locked myself in my office, searching the internet for anything that might link me to my past.
A couple pictures of Nico, Allegra, and their parents existed. But it was like I never existed. I was a ghost. It would make sense on both accounts, considering how during my research, I found out how notoriously private both the Conti’s and Marchettis were.
When Caterina called me for dinner, I was a ball of frustration, anger and suspicion.
When I sat down to eat, the tension and atmosphere in the room was so thick, it was stifling. Just as I predicted, she quizzed me once again on the doctor I had seen and why I hadn’t answered her phone calls. I reeled off my answers on autopilot, not wanting to cause suspicion. And when she touched me, which was every fucking five minutes, it took every bit of self-control not to push her hand away and sneer in disdain. Having had enough of the interrogation, the touching, I finished mydinner and headed to the private gym in the basement. It was confirmed the Conti siblings were liars, and frankly I was over the bullshit. But instead of alerting them to the fact I was aware, I had to play it cool. I had to let them believe I was still oblivious to their lies.
Pulling up outside the Diamond Luxe hotel the next day, I park at the Valet and hop out of my car. A guy in his early twenties jogs over to me whistling. “Nice car, man.”
Grunting, I chuck him the keys. “You scratch it, you pay for it.”
He laughs only for it to trail off, when he sees that I am being deadly serious. “I-it’s safe with me,” he stutters, handing me a ticket.
Moving around him, I make my way into the lobby where I know I will be greeted by Nico’s guards. Despite them expecting me at some point today, I am under no illusion that I could get anywhere near Allegra or her family without being checked for weapons first. Which means that no matter what time I showed up, the security team would have been ready for me. My assumptions are proven correct, when I spot the private elevator banks, being guarded like they are the fucking president.
“Afternoon, gentleman. Is this really necessary?” My voice is filled with sarcasm.
“You know the drill, Dante,” the one that seems to be in charge drawls, ignoring my attitude. Narrowing my eyes at him, I spread my legs and hold my arms up high. He shakes his head, amusement dancing in his eyes.
“You don’t remember me, but once upon a time we were good friends,” he drawls.
“Yeah? Then why are you treating me like an enemy?” I shoot back.
He sighs. “It’s protocol. Deep down you know this, Dante. And if you eventually remember who you are, you will be thanking me for keeping them safe. Especiallyyourwoman.”
I pause at his statement. My woman. He can only be talking about Allegra, and it sounds good, right. She feels like mine even though I don’t recall her – or us.
“She has been waiting for you for hours,” he says, patting my jacket pockets down. And I don’t need to ask him to explain who thesheis that he is talking about. Since the moment I left her yesterday, I have been waiting for our next meeting and story time. It’s all I have thought about in the last twenty-four hours. It wasn’t easy getting away from Vincenzo, but I explained I would be seeing my doctor again. He looked at me with suspicion, asking why I would need to see him again so soon and pressing for the doctor’s details. Ignoring his interrogation, I didn’t give him any answers, and just left.
That doesn’t mean I wasn’t careful on my drive over here. I chose to take the long route, just in case he decided to have me followed. I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, but you can never be too careful. Because the truth is, if Vincenzo and Caterina are willing to go to these lengths to make me believe I am her husband, then what else are they capable of?
Strong hands bring me out of my thoughts, reminding me that I am still being felt up. “What is your name?”
“Alessio,” he grunts, without looking at me.
Nodding, I sneer, “Well, Alessio, nice to meet you. I don’t have anything on me so stop the pretense and take me to her already.”
He takes a step back, his glower locked on me even when he barks his orders out to other guards. “Asshole is clean. Let's go.”