Except he’d just seen her appalled expression as the reality of their situation sank in. Si. It wasn’t his dream deal either.
They’d get it annulled—just as soon as he’d sorted out the estate and care for Susan.
His phone suddenly vibrated. It was still on silent mode after the chapel. He picked it up. It was a message of congratulations. A moment later another message landed. And then more. An influx of congratulations and confusion and appalling curiosity filled his screen.
How?
He gritted his teeth and did a quick online search. Somehow their wedding video had just been uploaded and it was almost immediately trending.
He scooped up the print from the wedding chapel and quickly scanned the information on the back of its cardboard cover.
‘It seems I neglected to tick the box refusing my consent for the chapel to use our images for promotional purposes.’
His jaw ached from gritting his teeth so hard. How had he not done a better job of this? He’d been so distracted by her distress and his driving need to somehow make things better. Instead he might have made everything worse.
‘Pardon?’ Katie’s pallor had a greenish tinge to it now.
‘The chapel has just posted our wedding video online.’
‘What?’ She paled even more. ‘The video of us...of me...’ She trailed off, but he saw her glance down at her crumpled outfit.
Yes, it was hardly the most stunning bridal attire the world had ever seen, and the online trolls were ripping her to shreds already. Beauty and the Boring was one comment he wasn’t about to show her.
Instead he lifted the hotel phone and rapidly ordered coffee and carbs.
‘How can you possibly want to eat?’ she asked the second he hung up.
‘It’s exactly what we both need.’ Better that hunger than the other one currently tempting him.
His customary headache cure wasn’t on the cards today—no lazy sex between soft sheets, no finding relief in the surge of orgasm. Not happening. He’d crossed too many lines with Katie already.
He got out of bed and paced across the room to the window. At the touch of a button the curtains opened. He glared out through the window down to the vibrant avenue below and tried to get his brain to work.
‘You were going to back out of it, weren’t you?’ she said quietly.
He turned and watched certainty settle in her expression.
‘You weren’t going to go through with it until you found out about the engagement announcement.’
She looked so crushed he had to resist a completely foreign urge to go and give her a cuddle.
‘I thought you’d come to your senses once you got far enough away from them,’ he admitted. ‘That you’d realise getting married wasn’t necessary.’
‘You brought me all this way to give me time to come to my senses?’
‘It looked like it was going to take a while,’ he conceded.
‘But then Brian sprang that announcement on us.’
Alessandro hadn’t been able to come up with a decent alternative at the time. He’d been compelled into action by the fear in her eyes. They hadn’t even arranged a prenuptial agreement, or discussed the amount he was going to pump into the property, or how he’d recover that cost. Or anything.
She drew up her knees, covering herself with the sheet. ‘You think I’m pathetic, don’t you?’
‘I think you’re...’ He paused and tried to think how best to explain the confusing things he thought and felt about her. ‘You’re sweet. Perhaps a little...naive.’
She winced. ‘But you can’t say you’re going to do something and then go back on your word.’ Her temper flared. ‘That’s not fair. Especially something as important as this.’
‘But I did it.’ He gestured to the unfortunate photo on the table. ‘Now you’ve got a husband to protect you.’
She stared at him.
‘Well, wife?’ He eyed her grimly, barely holding back the anger that surged within him. ‘What’s next on the list?’
She shook her head slowly. ‘We can get it annulled, right? You didn’t really want this. We should just...figure out another way. I’m so sorry.’
He was taken aback by her unexpected stand—and the dignity in her apology.
‘Maybe that would make an even bigger scandal?’ she wondered aloud, looking almost hopeful. ‘I’ve run away to Vegas on a whim...created a crazy twenty-four-hour wedding scandal... Brian will hate it.’
Something contrary swirled in his gut. Truth be told, he no longer cared about what her foster father thought or wanted. He was suddenly angry with her for wanting to walk away already, when he’d moved heaven and earth to do what she’d wanted.
He didn’t want to rush into another set of actions that would make things even worse. Because it was impacting on him now.
‘I might have a certain reputation,’ he said coolly. ‘But that’s a step too far even for me. We’re not getting an annulment. We’ll stick with your original plan. Six months, minimum. Even that’s a little on the short side.’
‘But you didn’t even want six days...’ she argued, appalled. ‘Five was enough for you, wasn’t it? You didn’t even mean to use those—you were just stringing me along, patting me on the head and saying sure thing, sweetie—pacifying me like a child.’
She was angry? Well, so was he.
‘I don’t pacify anyone. I just say no. And I’m saying no to the annulment idea. You made this bed, dolcezza, you might as well get comfortable.’
Her eyes widened and her focus skimmed over his body again. Every muscle within him tensed. He shouldn’t be thinking about being back in bed with her. Last night she’d been vulnerable and scared...and so soft. He’d not wanted to leave her alone and distressed. He’d fallen asleep still clothed, waking only enough to shuck his shirt and trousers off before curling around her warm body again.
Now Alessandro stalked back to the bed and scooped up his phone. He needed to get on top of this. And to do that they needed to get away from the scene of their madness before any paparazzi turned up. He was no celebrity, but he had money, and celebrities used some of his properties.
‘We need the plane,’ he said as soon as Dominique answered. ‘Departing in two hours.’
‘Anything else I can arrange?’ Dominique asked.
Alessandro winced at the almost breathless curiosity Dominique was hiding. She’d clearly heard the news too. ‘I’ll message you with the destination and other details shortly.’
‘We’re leaving already?’ Katie frowned as he ended the call.
He felt a perverse need to provoke her. ‘Yes. We’re going on our honeymoon.’
‘Honeymoon?’ Colour flooded not just her face but her neck, and all the skin he could see...
Her wide-eyed gaze dipped to his bare chest again. He could almost feel it, like a caress on his skin, and he suddenly ached for the reality of her touch.
‘It’ll give us time and space to sort out the next six months,’ he snapped, bending to pick up his trousers and turning his back on her.
Going into any takeover, he needed all the ‘i’s dotted and the ‘t’s crossed. He’d get his team to work out all the options regarding the marriage, then he’d get Susan’s care sorted, acquire Brian’s debt and stockpile the ammunition to ensure his compliance. He started mentally drafting emails—anything to stop himself from thinking about getting back into bed and taking up the offer in her beautiful eyes.
‘But I need to get back to Susan—’
‘You asked for my help, Katie. Let me get on with it.’
‘But—’
‘Trust me to do my thing,’ he interrupted again roughly. ‘I’ll explain later.’
There was only one place to go. ‘Okay.’
At the chastened obedience in her voice he swung back to look
at her. She was watching him warily, and then she looked down. He hated it that she’d gone quiet on him.
‘I need a shower...’ She trailed off. Tension surged in the atmosphere.
She also needed clothes.
He struggled to breathe. ‘I’ll get some stuff sent up while you’re in there,’ he offered huskily.
She shot him an embarrassed look as she awkwardly got out of bed and smoothed down her crumpled skirt. ‘Thanks.’
He couldn’t help grabbing her arm as she passed him. The colour in her cheeks deepened as she looked up into his eyes. He needed to get to know her better—slice through this tension enough to get them to a point where they could coexist happily for a while.
But how did they stop the chemical reaction between them igniting?