“Because there’s nothing to tell, Bastian. I told you they left now and then. You didn’t ask much else and so I didn’t share much else.”
“They left you.”
“So what? Everyone leaves when they die.”
“They left you over and over again, you said. And you thought that was your fault. You don’t think that’s something you should share with the person you’re in a relationship with?”
“A relationship?” Her eyes flared, burning blue fire as she suddenly paced past me, box under her arm, toward the front of the building. “What relationship?”
“We’re married.”
“Are we?” She shoved the box away. “Is that why you let some woman rub herself all over you and whisper in your ear?” She whipped the fire of her words at me fast, and with her hands on her hips, I knew she was ready to burn me down.
Fine. We would end this now.
“You started that with your snide comment about a public separation on the way over.”
“Oh my God. Do you make all our marriage decisions on your own now?”
“As if you would want to plan any of those decisions,” I grumbled, pissed that she was right.
“That’s bullshit. I’ve gone above and beyond in this stupid arrangement. I’ve listened to you about oil and green energy and terminals and gone to visit the company. I’ve done the board meetings. Don’t act like I’m not involved.”
“I’ll agree to that. You’ve done great.” I nodded, ready to let the whole thing go. “We need to just keep working together.”
“Work together? Right. Work together.” She shook her head like she couldn’t handle it. “Bastian, Bastian, Bastian. What a guy. Always working with everyone. Too bad he doesn’t know how to make a goddamn real move and risk it with me. So, I get you in the dark when no one’s looking, like I’ll forget in the morning. It’s bullshit.”
“What?” I whispered, sure I heard her wrong.
“I don’t want Bastian. I want Sebastian Armanelli, the man who knows how to take what’s his and claim it. But if you’re not him, then fuck you.” She spat the words at me, and turned to leave.
She shined the light on my flaws, cut them up, and handed them to me on a platter. I wanted to punish her for it and then fuck her quiet while I made love to her for calling attention to what no one else could. She stirred the devil and the sinner in me, the man who was the head of the mafia. I didn’t want to hide him with her. Not anymore.
My hand shot out.
Bastian was gone.
33
Morina
The man pulled me to him and ravaged my mouth, devouring my anger.
He gripped my face in his hands like he wanted to hold me forever and then he kissed down my neck where he scraped his teeth over my skin like he needed to inflict pain to remind me I was his.
“You’re driving me insane,bellissima.”
Italian flew from his lips as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, trying to steady myself. His body was firmly against mine, his hands on every part of my back and my ass.
We lost ourselves as we clawed at one another, trying to make up for weeks of frustration and wanting.
“Please, please, please,” I begged, not sure what I was begging for.
He pulled back, holding me at arm’s length as he searched my face in the front office’s dim light.
Before I could say another word, he threw me over his shoulder.
“What are you–where are we going?” I stuttered out, now upside down as his hand stroked my thigh. I wasn’t fighting it. I wanted to have him.