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AfterI handed him the divorce papers, it took Dante one week to contact me.
Okay, so I’d hoped he’d come chasing after me and say, “Elysa, come back to me. I love you.” That we’d have a Heathcliff and Catherine moment fromWuthering Heights. Instead, he texted me.
Dante:Elysa, will you be joining me for the Carrera Charity event?
Me:No.
Dante:Why?
Me:We’re getting a divorce.
Dante:But we’re not divorced.
Me:Take Lucia.
He called then.
“Cara—”
“Iscaralike baby? So, you don’t have to remember the name of the woman you’re rolling off of?” Ididn’t expect the snark to pour out of me like that. I surprised myself. I had asked for a divorce, and now I told Dante he was a bit of a manwhore…now,anythingcould happen.
“No, it’s not.”
“You call Luciacara. I’ve heard you.”
“Carais just darling, and I use it?—”
“With women, you work with or women you think will make a good wife?”
“Elysa,cara?—”
“Don’t call me that,” I snapped.
“Fine, what do you want me to call you?Mialeoncina?”
My Little Lionesswas better than little bitch!
“Call me Elysa. I have a perfectly good name.”
I heard a long, suffering sigh. “Elysa, why are you being difficult?”
“I’m being me.” Not true. This wasn’t me. I had no idea who this was. She had my voice and body, but her attitude was to take no prisoners when I usuallywasthe prisoner.
“I would like for you to attend the charity gala with me,” he tried again.
“And I’d like to have dinner with Michelangelo, but life’s full of letdowns."
“Elysa,” he growled. Yeah, like he was a wolf or…a dog?
“Dante,” I growled right back. My growl was more ladylike…at least, I hoped it was.
Another long sigh. “You’re driving me?—”
“Have you taken a look at the divorce papers? I’d like to get this over with ASAP.”
I hated my life right now.
Why couldn’t Dante have fallen for me even a little bit? Just a teeny tiny bit so we could make it work.