Page 70 of Ruthless Lord

“You don’t feel like that though.”

“No, not at all.”

“Which is why you fight. To try to get back the old you.”

“Pretty much.”

“How’s that going?”

“Not great. Doesn’t last for long.” He lets out a long sigh. “Maybe it’s time to accept I’m not the same young man I used to be.”

“That’s not so bad, right? Everyone changes. It’s just what happens in life.”

“You’re right.” He looks down at me and kisses me softly. “How are you changing, Charlie?”

I don’t answer. I’m not sure what to tell him. Guilt hits me again, followed by a flood of shame.

I didn’t come here today because I wanted to get to know my husband better. I came here to spy on him.

My plan was to get as much information as I could, or at least to get a good idea of where I need to go looking later on.

But the more time I spent here talking to him, and later following Giorgio around, the more that guilt festered and grew rotten and septic. I couldn’t stand what I was doing, and in the end, I stopped looking. I decided to be what I was pretending to be: just a curious wife and nothing more.

I’m still a filthy spy. I’m a traitor and a liar. Stefano’s done nothing but follow my rule and tell me the truth, while I’ve been maneuvering behind his back this whole time.

And the sickest part is I like being here with him.

I don’t want to find a way out of this marriage.

Not right now, anyway.

Maybe we’re not perfect together. God knows Stefano was never my type and he’s way too old for me. But as I get to know him, I see a man of experience, a man who knows what he is and desperately needs to find a way to get back to himself. I can deeply sympathize with that.

In so many ways, I’m going through the same thing. He’s struggling to get back to himself while I’m fighting to find out who I really am.

“We should get dressed,” I say eventually, ignoring his question.

He grunts in reply. “I’m the boss. Nobody’s going to say shit.”

“I know, but?—”

“But I’ve been starved of touching you for too long and now I’m going to gorge myself.” His fingers run down my back and I shiver slightly. “You’ll move when I say you can.”

For once, I decide it’s better to play along.

Since it happens to be what I want too.

Chapter 21

Stefano

I’m barely home for a few hours before Davide’s blowing up my phone. “There was another break-in,” he says breathlessly. “Security got here before I could, but they said nobody was on the premises.”

“That was fucking quick,” I snarl, frustration filling my chest as I grab my clothes and yank them on. Charlie watches me from the bed curiously. She’s only half awake and squinting through the dark. “I’ll be there soon.”

I hang up the phone and finish getting dressed. It’s ten minutes past two in the morning and I should be deep asleep. Instead, I’m already going back to fucking work.

“What happened?” Charlie asks, sounding sleepy. “Are you okay?”