Page 50 of Ruined in Vows
Caterina frowns, her eyes turning cloudy with anger. I bite back a smirk. It doesn’t take much for her to reveal her truemask. And there is nothing she hates more than me brushing her off. Mywifeis an attractive woman, one that men would probably give their left nut to be with. She just isn’t for me. There is only one woman I see. And she has dark brown hair and ocean blue eyes.
Trying to soften the blow, I smile, through my lie. “I have an appointment to get to. Maybe later?”
Her face brightens immediately, a triumphant smile spreading across her face. I resist an eye roll. This woman really is delusional if she thinks that after all her months of trying, I’m finally going to give in to her.
“That would be…” she trails off as if she is trying to look for the right words. “Amazing. It’s been so long since you’ve been inside me,” she sighs.
Keeping my face blank, I nod curtly. There is no way I have been intimate with Cat. I realize now, it’s all part of the lie. My guess is, they used my head injury to get me where they wanted me, hoping that they would get away with their version of my history. They just didn’t bet on me coming face to face with my past or remembering anything.
“Right.” I say, clearing my throat. “I will pick up dinner later. We can have a night together.”
Caterina’s eyes light up like she just won the lottery. She runs a finger down my bare chest, and it takes everything in me not to cringe away from her. “I would like that. Maybe that new doctor you are seeing, despite my reservations, was a good idea. You seem to be coming around to the idea of us again.” Her face falls as she forces fake tears to her eyes. “I never thought it would happen again. You have been so distant and nonreciprocal toward me. I tried not to take it personally but how could I not? You’re my husband and you didn’t want me.” She chokes on a sob, putting on the performance of a lifetime.
Taking her hand, I squeeze. Not because I want to but because I need to keep up the pretense. “I’m sorry.” I am lying through my teeth, but if it keeps her in the dark, I am all for laying it on thick. “I have just been so stressed and confused with everything, you know? It’s been hard to come to terms with the fact that I might never remember our past or who we used to be.”
Caterina cups my cheeks. “Maybe that’s a good thing? We get to start over, make a new beginning.”
With a tight smile, I nod. Her words tell me everything.
Because if Caterina was really bothered about our past, one I now know never existed, she would be pushing for me to get those memories back.
“Anyway, I better get moving. I will see you later.” I move to slide out of bed, but she stops me, pressing a small kiss to my cheek.
I hate it, but again am helpless to stop it, if I want to keep her in the dark. “I-I,” she stutters out, before inhaling a calming breath. “I do love you, Luca.”
Forcing a smile, I glance over my shoulder. “I know.”
And then I leave her on the bed, happy, but in the dark about what is coming next.
“So, we agree. You will stay here until we find out who is behind this. Once that happens, will we bring you back to the East Coast?” Nico asks it as a question but it's anything but.
For two hours we have been coming up with plans on how to approach this mess and we have finally settled on a strategy. It's not ideal and I don’t particularly want to stay in Las Vegas, but it’s the only option right now. The thought of Allegra leaving meliterally kills me inside, and if her sad face is anything to go by, then she feels the same.
Grabbing her hand, I give it a gentle squeeze. “It’s not forever.”
Her blue eyes are glassy with tears, but she doesn’t let them fall.
My girl is strong.
“I know. I just hate the thought of you here withher.” She spits out the last word.
My mouth crooks up at one side and her possession. Bringing her hand to my mouth, I pepper kisses over the soft flesh.
“Nothing will happen. I have been able to hold her off this long. I can do it for another couple months,” I assure her.
She nods, sucking in a breath and suddenly looking nervous. Awareness settles in my gut, my heart pounding with anticipation of what other shit she can add to the mix of this already fucked up situation.
Whatever it is, I know I won’t like it.
“I have something to tell you. Now before I continue, let it be said that you were aware of this arrangement. With my papà’s death we thought we would find a way out of it. That it would never come to actually going through with it.” She exhales, and I feel on edge. “That being said, when we thought you were… gone.” She chokes out the word, pain flashing in her eyes. “I decided that I wanted to do something for my family, protect them, and go through with it. You see at that point I didn’t think I had anything to lose.” She squeezes my hand, no doubt trying to soften the blow she is about to hit me with. “But now I know that it was a lie. That there was an elaborate plan in place that we had no idea about.”
“Just tell me,” I grate out through clenched teeth.
Allegra flinches at my tone. Guilt immediately hits me. Inhaling, and exhaling, I search for a calm I don’t feel. It goes out the window with her next words.
“I am to marry Riccardo Romano. In two month’s time,” she adds, as red-hot jealousy surges in my veins.
My body vibrates with anger, not at myprincipessa, but the fact that some other man thinks he has a claim on her. I have no leg to stand on feeling such rage, considering my marriage, but still, I can’t help it.