Page 22

MARIA

I thought that by the time I woke up, I would feel fine. Sadly, I am still upset about him missing our dinner date. I know he is a busy man, but for him to walk in like he had absolutely no care in the world gnaws at my insides.

I roll over in bed, feeling dejected. I want to waste the day in bed, but I know that’s not an option. I can’t let this man have so much effect on me.

I drag myself out of bed, feeling sluggish and drained despite having slept for over ten hours. As I make my way to the bathroom, I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and wince. My eyes are puffy and bloodshot from crying last night, my hair a tangled mess. I look as wrecked as I feel.

Shaking off the thought, I step into the shower, letting the hot spray wash away the dried tears and lingering disappointment. But no matter how much I scrub, I can’t wash away the emotions twisting inside me—anger, hurt, loneliness.

Part of me wants to confront Matteo and demand answers, to make him see how his actions affect me. But another part of me is terrified of being vulnerable, of giving him even more power to hurt me.

As I step out of the shower and wrap myself in a fluffy towel, I smell the bacon coming from under my door. Emily is here.

After I change, I make my way downstairs and into the kitchen. I find her busy behind the stove, making an assortment of things for me to choose from. Normally, I would be salivating at the thought of food, but for some reason, my stomach knots and a wave of nausea hits me.

Emily spots me and gives a sympathetic smile. “Good morning, Maria. How are you feeling today?”

I force a tight smile in return. “I’m fine, thank you.” The lie falls easily from my lips.

She eyes me skeptically but doesn’t push. “I’ve made some breakfast if you’re hungry.”

The smell of bacon and eggs turns my stomach. “Thank you, Emily, but I’m not very hungry this morning.”

Emily frowns, concern etching her features. “Are you feeling all right? You look a bit pale.”

I wave off her concern. “I’m fine, just tired. I think I’ll just have some tea, please.”

As Emily makes tea, I sink onto a stool at the kitchen island. My head is foggy, my body aching—like I’m coming down with something. Is this situation really taking such a toll on my body like this?

“Here you go,” Emily says, placing a steaming mug in front of me. “Some ginger tea to settle your stomach.”

I wrap my hands around the warm mug, inhaling the spicy aroma. “Thank you.”

Emily leans against the counter, studying me. “Mr. Davacalli called earlier. He said he won’t be home until late tonight.”

I nod, unsurprised. Of course he wouldn’t be home. Why would I expect anything different at this point?

“Did he say why?” I ask, trying to keep my voice neutral.

Emily hesitates. “There was some kind of incident at one of the clubs last night. He’s dealing with the fallout.”

My brow furrows. “Incident? What happened?”

“I’m not entirely sure of the details,” Emily says carefully. “But from what I gathered, there was a shooting. Some people were hurt.”

My stomach drops. A shooting? No wonder he didn’t come home. Still, a small selfish part of me wishes he had at least called to let me know. And none of that negates the fact that he said this isn’t a real marriage.

“I see,” I say quietly, sipping my tea. The ginger does help settle my queasy stomach a bit.

Emily watches me with sympathy. “The dinner didn’t go as planned, did it?”

I shake my head. The tears prick my eyes and I hate myself for being so emotional.

“I just don’t understand him. I understand that we are arranged and there is no reason for us to form a connection.

We are bonded for life, until death, that is what we vowed.

And to make matters worse, he was my first.”

Emily’s eyes widen slightly at my admission. She pulls out the chair next to me and sits down, reaching out to gently squeeze my hand.

“Oh, Maria, I’m so sorry. That must make this situation even more difficult.” Her voice is soft, filled with compassion.

I nod, blinking back tears. “I just… I don’t know what I expected. But I thought maybe after we…” I trail off, unable to say the words. “I thought things might change between us. That he might see me differently.”

Emily exhales. “Matteo is… complicated. He’s been through a lot, and he doesn’t let people in easily. But that doesn’t excuse his behavior.”

I catch how she calls him by his first name but I think nothing of it.

“I know he loved his first wife deeply,” I say quietly. “I’m not trying to replace her. I just want…” I struggle to find the words. “I just want to matter. To be seen as desirable in his eyes.”

It’s stupid, but I can’t help wanting him. When he touches me, it’s electric. Like a storm brewing beneath my skin, waiting to strike. An out-of-this-world kind of feeling.

Emily leans back, tapping her nails against the countertop like she’s thinking. Then, a slow smile spreads across her face.

“Okay,” she says. “Do you trust me?”

I frown. “Yes? Why?”

She grins. “We’re going shopping.”

I barely get a word out before she’s already pulling me to my feet.

“We’ll get you some sexy lingerie, and then I’m teaching you Seduction 101. If you want something, you take it.”

I blink. “And by ‘something,’ you mean Matteo?”

She winks. “Exactly.”

This is a bad idea. A really, really bad idea.

But at this point, what do I have to lose?

I can’t believe I let Emily talk me into this.

I stare at my reflection in the mirror, my breath catching at the sight. The red lingerie clings to my body, leaving little to the imagination. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d do this, but here I am—ready to seduce my own husband into wanting me.

I shake my head. Matteo is the only man who has ever touched me like that, the only one to kiss me with such force that it feels more like a branding. I crave him in a way that defies reason, making me reckless.

“He’s going to lose his mind when he sees you,” Emily says, stepping into view behind me with a knowing smile.

Heat creeps up my neck. “You think so? I just feel…”

“It doesn’t matter what you feel right now,” she interrupts. “You want your man? Then go and get him. Sometimes, a woman has to play the game to win.”

I nod, but the doubt lingers. “But what if he rejects me? Like he did at dinner?”

Emily scoffs, disappearing into my closet. “If that man turns you down looking like this, then he’s blind. Just be bold, Maria. Tell him what you want. You don’t have to fall in love tonight, but you can at least get an orgasm or two along the way.”

I let out a breathy laugh, but my nerves refuse to settle.

Emily returns, tea in hand. She sets it down on the vanity, stirring it absentmindedly before meeting my gaze in the mirror.

“You have the kind of beauty that could launch a thousand ships,” she murmurs. “The kind of woman men go to war for. Own your power. You wear his ring. You carry his name. If you want his heart, fight for it.”

Something shifts inside me. A slow-burning confidence I didn’t know I had.

“Okay,” I say, straightening my shoulders. “I can do this.”

Emily grins. “That’s the spirit.” She lifts the tea. “This will calm your nerves. Or I can make you a dirty martini.”

I arch a brow. “Both?”

We laugh together.

I didn’t have many friends growing up, but Emily feels like the first real one. And for that, I’m grateful.

The evening slips into the night as I sit on the couch in the sunken lounge. I watch the hours tick by until the clock finally strikes 11:00. It only turns to 11:05 when I hear him come in. His heavy footsteps hit against the marble floor, and I look back and see him.

My breath catches in my throat. He is walking sex on legs, and it’s criminal that one man should look this good. The room immediately becomes supercharged.

We haven’t had a conversation since last night. The last thing I told him was that this was not a real marriage. And I walked up the stairs. Now here I am in a silk robe with red lingerie underneath.

Christ.

“You’re up.” His husky voice fills the room. “I thought you would be asleep by now.”

I gulp and stand from my seat. I place the empty martini glass down and turn slowly so I’m facing him. My robe is closed, concealing the red underneath.

My heart pounds heavy in my chest.

“I was waiting for you.” My voice comes out rough. Laced with passion and lust all over it.

Matteo’s eyes roam over my body, lingering on the silk robe that barely covers my thighs. His gaze darkens as it travels back up to meet mine.

“You were waiting for me?” he asks, his voice low and gravelly. There is something dark and enticing in his tone. He takes a step closer, his presence filling the room. “And why is that, Maria?”

I swallow hard, gathering my courage. “I wanted to see you. I don’t like how we left things last night. It was… rough. I wasn’t aware what happened to your men.”

He blinks but says nothing.

I take a deep breath and shake whatever fears I have.

“I forget that this is the world I live in now. Every time you walk out that door, there is a chance you may not come back. This life you live is filled with blood and gore. You see darkness every day. You have become accustomed to it. The closest I have gotten to it was seeing my dead brother in a casket.”

I play with the strands of my silk robe. “I am sorry for not being considerate last night. But I do feel like we need to talk, so I stayed up to see you for this specific purpose.”

Another step closer. He’s only a few feet away now, close enough that I can smell his cologne.

“See me for what purpose?” His eyes are intense, burning into mine.

My heart is racing. It’s now or never. With trembling fingers, I reach for the tie of my robe.

“For this,” I breathe, letting the silk fall open to reveal the red lace underneath.