Page 17 of The Sicilian Billionaire’s Neglected Wife (A Painful Kind of Love #14)

L UIGI HAD MANAGED FORMULA One drivers for forty years.

He’d never seen anything like this.

Aivan Cannizzaro stood at the edge of the Siren’s Loop paddock, tablet in hand, reviewing data from Gabriel’s latest practice session.

The track curved away from them in the afternoon heat, empty now except for mechanics rolling tires across hot asphalt.

The scent of rubber and fuel hung in the air, familiar as breathing after four decades in this world.

But it wasn’t the same anymore.

Six months ago, this man had been chasing his fourth world championship. But now?

The man who was once so obsessed with racing that he wasn’t even aware of his wife flying out of the country...

The man who once told Luigi that emotions were “performance inhibitors”...

That same man was now watching his wife check tire pressures with Gabriel’s crew, and Luigi could practically see Aivan’s pulse jump every time she smiled at one of the younger mechanics.

Giustu, giustu.

God worked in mysterious ways truly.

“Boss?” Carlito, Luigi’s newest engineer, followed his stare. “Is he always like this?”

Six months ago, the answer to that would have been a regretful... no. His former star racer had acted like his marriage was the least of his priorities, and his wife, a part of his staff. But this time, ah...

Aivan had completely caught everyone off guard with his early retirement from professional racing, and when asked why, he had simply said he wanted to devote more time to his wife.

Since then, the Internet had dubbed Aivan ‘the world’s most devoted husband’, and this reputation of his had only grown into legendary proportions in the past several months.

“Did you see the video that went viral last week?”

Carlito’s question drew Luigi out of his thoughts. “No, what about it?”

Instead of answering, the boy handed his phone to Luigi, and his lips twitched as he watched a grim-looking Aivan literally carrying Sienah away, and all because a journalist had stood too close to his wife during an interview.

“Twenty million views and counting, boss,” Carlito said with a shake of his head. “Is he really that in love with his wife?”

Luigi glanced back at Aivan, whose expression had turned forbidding upon noting the way a kid mechanic was now talking to Sienah with an infatuated expression on his face.

“Sit back and watch,” Luigi advised Carlito with a grin, “and you’ll see the answer for yourself soon enough.”

****

S IENAH COULD ONLY SHAKE her head when she remembered the scene from earlier.

It was just so ridiculous (but also secretly adorable), with how Aivan had become so possessive toward her.

Perhaps for some women, such possessiveness might feel stifling.

Maybe in time, she would find it a concern as well, and one worth discussing with Aivan.

In time.

But for now, and for someone like her who used to think of herself as invisible?

His occasional (well, okay, it was more like frequent ) display of jealousy made her feel cherished and seen, and well...

These things will work itself out in God’s perfect time, Sienah thought contentedly.

If there was one thing she and Aivan had learned from that brief time they were separated, it was how God never stopped working even when their lives had hit rock bottom.

It was basically Romans 8:28 at work, and it was actually this thought that served as her inspiration for the new program she had established through Aivan’s foundation.

Speaking of which...

“Ready to share your performance evaluation report?” Adriano asked.

Tomorrow would mark the first month of Call 828 being in operation, and Adriano and Shayla had volunteered to help Sienah as she rehearsed her presentation before the board members of Aivan’s foundation.

Sienah flashed a thumbs-up sign.

“Go ahead then.”

Aivan slipped into the conference room while Sienah was still in the middle of her presentation.

He had hoped he would make in time for Sienah’s rehearsal, and he listened in quiet pride as his wife spoke of Call 828’s mission, which was to offer counseling, therapy, and conflict resolution to any married couple working in the racing industry.

In some cases, the program would cover daycare expenses while a couple worked out their differences with a local pastor.

Other times, it would sponsor events and gift participating couples with their first family Bible.

“The way God has worked through Call 828 is nothing short of amazing.”

With Sienah still facing the projected screen, she missed the way her husband’s lips curved at how a note of exuberance had entered her voice—

“But just as incredible is how God has also worked behind the scenes. Toby Knowles, for instance...”

And after that, she also missed the way her husband’s expression turned glacial the moment she made mention of the other man’s name.

“He was such a huge help with the tax exemption paperwork,” Sienah continued, unable to keep the gratitude from her voice.

“I honestly don’t know how we would have managed without him.

He was so thorough, so dedicated. The way he went through every single document, checking and double-checking everything. ..”

Shayla bit her lip as she glanced at her husband. She’s so dead.

Adriano’s expression turned pained. I know.

And since they were both lawyers who preferred to be neither accessories nor witnesses to murder—

Sienah finally turned to face her “audience” when she was done with her presentation...but had the shock of her life instead when Adriano and Shayla were nowhere to be found, and in their place instead was her husband who was smiling at her rather...

Um...

Could a smile be pleasant and terrifying at the same time?

“Tell me, tesoro. ”

Sienah’s worries instantly faded upon hearing her husband’s term of endearment.

“Was Knowles truly... fast at getting you what you needed?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Sienah assured him. “I’ve never seen anyone work through legal paperwork like that. The way his hands moved over those documents? Just incredible speed and precision. Papa mentioned he’d never seen a lawyer work with such dedication.”

Aivan tried to keep it together as his wife went on and on about another man’s professional...stamina. But his own brain seemed to be working against him, with how it had now pulled up a memory from just a few weeks back, and he had been in a conversation with Miguel and Olivio.

‘You’re keeping him on his payroll?’ Aivan had exploded upon learning about his father’s decision to retain the other man’s services as their legal consultant.

Miguel, however, had only shrugged his words off. ‘Why not? He is not only good at what he does, but he is also exceptionally effective in keeping my sons in check. His continued presence will make sure that neither of you will take your wife for granted.’

‘Is this the time I’m to remind you that I’m not married?’ Olivio had asked dryly.

But this, too, only had Miguel’s dark eyes gleaming. ‘How sure are you about that?’

“—and when I mentioned how much the foundation meant to me,” Sienah continued obliviously, “Toby said he’d personally ensure every form was filed correctly.”

His wife’s words drew him back to the present, which unfortunately still revolved around the saintly traits of another man.

“He even offered to meet with me again—”

“Basta.” Enough.

Sienah jumped at her husband’s sudden interruption, and it was only that moment did she realize that the look on his face was...um...

The right word escaped her, but all she knew was that the moment he started walking toward her...

She also started backing away without exactly understanding why.

“Tell me something, wife.”

Each word dropped like a stone into still water, and Sienah could only gulp at how his tone had turned lazily pleasant...which she knew by now meant she was treading on dangerously thin ice.

“All this time you’ve been talking about another man’s...stamina.”

She was?

“And...his speed.”

Oh no.

She had accidentally backed herself against the wall, cool marble meeting her spine, and all she could do was squeak as her husband’s hands slammed against the wall on either side of her head.

“A-Aivan—”

“Do you not think it is fair that we first put it to the test, if the other man’s stamina and speed are worth raving about?”

“I, um...”

“Yes, tesoro ?”

“Well, uh...”

If she was reading him correctly, Aivan was asking that he be given the chance to overcome the same legal challenges...which absolutely made no sense since her husband wasn’t a lawyer like Adriano or Toby?

Sienah looked at him helplessly. “I have no idea what you’re saying.”

“Of course you don’t.”

His body pressed closer, the heat of his powerfully muscular frame caging her in, and Sienah barely managed to bite back a whimper.

“So how about I show you instead?”

“O...kay?”

“But first, we must ensure that you give me consent.”

Consent to what?

“Repeat after me, tesoro. ”

“I don’t under—”

“Just repeat what I’m saying,” Aivan said cajolingly. “Ready...”

“Ready...” she echoed uncertainly.

“Set...”

“S-Set...” Sienah ended up stammering a little this time, with her husband’s hands suddenly sliding down to her hips.

“Come.”

“Come.”

“Co—wait, what?”

But it was too late.

Her husband had already dropped to his knees, his hands pushing her skirt up her thighs, and...and...

Aaaaah.

So this was what he meant?

To...to...

Ooooh...my...goodness.

The End