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She doesn’t respond, her eyes narrowing slightly as she bares her teeth in frustration.
Cortez smirks, clearly enjoying the tension, and gestures toward the car. “This way, Mrs. Donatelli.”
Aria shoots me one last furious look before walking toward the car. Cortez follows behind, hands in his pockets, whistling softly.
My eyes stay on them, watching them drive off before turning back to the house. There are last-minute instructions to give before I join her.
I call my men together, speaking to them in a clipped tone, laying out the plan for the next few days, ensuring every corner is covered.
Ready to leave, I step out, feeling the cool evening air against my skin.
Fake or not, as of this moment, I’m married to Aria Abruzzi.
She’s legally mine now, whether she likes it or not.
Chapter twenty-six
Aria
My face is pressed against the tinted car window as Cortez maneuvers through the streets to wherever Elio has ordered him to take me. Rage continues to simmer under my skin like bubbling lava.
Elio didn’t fail to prove himself as the annoying jerk I’ve always known him to be. Not only did he refuse to notify me beforehand about our fake wedding, but he also went ahead and informed my dad behind my back!
When I asked how I was going to report to work, he said he’d called the ADA and put in a word about our wedding, so I didn’t need to bother about being absent for one week.
My hands curl into fists, nails digging into my palms. I feel like opening my mouth wide to scream at the top of my voice, but the person I’d like to scream at is Elio, and he isn’t here.
I thought of calling Mia and venting my pent-up frustration to her over the phone, but Cortez is here, and I don’t want to risk him listening in on my conversation with her.
The drive to the villa is quiet, and when we arrive at the exclusive property Elio has reserved for our honeymoon, Cortez honks twice.
Elio steps out of the building. I can’t tell how he arrived here before us, but the minute his eyes fall on me, his demeanor softens. He helps me out of the car, placing his arm around my torso and bending my knees into submission as he carries me into the suite.
The suite is beautiful, with a warm, honey-colored stone façade and ornate ironwork balconies. It’s like I’ve stepped out of the real world into a fantasy.
In slight contrast to the exterior of the suite, the interior is sleek with luxurious black and white furnishings.
“Sit,” he orders softly, pointing to the massive four-poster bed with a cute lacy canopy on top. It is covered in pure white linens and a sprinkling of plush black pillows.
This man sure has a thing for large, four-poster beds!
I lower my body onto the bed without any argument. He disappears for a moment and comes back with a tray of mini grilled cheese sandwiches with caramelized onions.
He sets it down and climbs onto the bed beside me, picking up a sandwich and holding it to my lips. “Eat.”
My mouth opens to let him feed me, the warmth of his hands brushing against my lips. As I chew, an idea suddenly drops in my head, “I think you should teach me how to use a gun.”
His hand stills. “What?”
“I need to be able to protect myself,” I say firmly. “I realize in this world something might happen anytime, and if you’re not there to protect me… I need to be able to do it myself.”
His jaw tightens, and his eyes darken as he shoves a bigger portion of the sandwich into my mouth. “There won’t. And I’ll make sure you’re protected at all times.”
“You definitely have no control over everything that happens or when and where it happens. I have to be able to take care of myself as well.”
He sighs, setting the sandwich down. “True. I don’t like to admit it, but there are indeed things I have no control over. This is exactly why I’ve always been skeptical about starting a family, Aria. Too many vulnerabilities. Too many risks.”
“Y…you don’t want a family?” My heart is thudding against my chest, the implication of what he’s saying dawning on me. I mean, before finding out about my pregnancy, it would have beenmaybefine. I guess, after all, it was just a deal−but now?