“Very well.”
“If,” Grandma says. “Ifthe two of you are still married in three years, I’ll grant you your inheritance.” She holds up her finger, annoyance flashing through her eyes. “And only because it’s Val. Had your brought home anyone else, that would’ve been the end of you.”
I nod and breathe a sigh of relief. It was a gamble, but I knew the way she favors Valentina would work in my benefit.
“However, this arrangement doesn’t come without its own set of rules.”
I gently rub my thumb over the back of my wife’s hand. I knew she’d be nervous, but I’ve never seen her this way. I’ve watched her hold meetings with world leaders and billionaires without so much as flinching, yet she cowers in front of my grandmother. It’s both surprising and endearing all at once.
“The two of you must truly share a life, so naturally, you must share a home and a bed. You cannot have different bedrooms orlead lives separate from each other, and you may not spend more than three consecutive nights apart for the next three years.”
I try my hardest to act surprised, when truthfully, Ares already warned me about the rules.
“You also must remain faithful to each other, Luca and Val. If, for even a second, I suspect that either of you is disloyal or unfaithful, or that the two of you are in fact attempting to trick me, I’ll take away your inheritance, Luca. Val, if this were to occur, I’ll fire you at once and I’ll ensure you’re blacklisted. You will never work inanyof the industries we operate in.”
Valentina looks up sharply, a hint of fear in her gaze. I lift our joined hands to my lips and kiss the back of her hand, quietly reassuring her. Neither she nor I would ever cheat. That isn’t something I’m worried about with her.
“For the time being, I ask that you keep your marriage confidential,” Grandma says, her eyes falling closed. “It won’t be good if the Ivanovs find out in this manner. Let’s handle this with tact.”
She narrows her eyes. “And if the engagement is dissolved and I subsequently find out that this was all a trick, both of you will pay for it.”
“Understood,” I tell her, not in the least concerned. My contract with Valentina will last a minimum of three years, so none of her worries will come to pass. I’ll successfully receive my inheritance, and Valentina will receive all the funds she could possibly need.
I glance at my wife, taking in the guilt she tries to hide so hard. Three years. She and I just need to get through the next three years together without exposing our pretense.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Luca
I stare at my phone as it rings, unsure what to do. By now, Natalia would have been informed that the Windsors are stepping away from the engagement and merger, but I should have taken a moment to break our engagement personally. I may not like her, but she’s deserving of common courtesy.
Then again, I was never consulted when this engagement was arranged, so why should I be the one to end it? If I’m truly honest with myself, though, the reason I’m rejecting her calls is that look Valentina gets in her eyes whenever Natalia comes up. I’ve hurt her enough, and my wife deserves better. We managed to make up after we told my family about us, and she truly is wearing her wedding ring a bit more often, but there’s still more distance between us than I’d like. It’s odd how I still miss her, even now that she’s my wife. The only times she lowers her guard is when I have my hands on her body, and I want more. I want her smiles, her laughter. I want all of her.
Valentina walks into my office, and I sit up, a tinge of guilt running down my spine as I glance at my phone. “Luca,” she says, her expression guarded. “Natalia called the office andrequested a meeting with you. I granted it. She should be here in about ten minutes.”
“Youwhat? Why the fuck would you do that?”
Valentina pushes her hair behind her ear and looks down. “Because had it been me, I’d want to speak to you too. If what you’re telling me is true, the two of you only saw each other twice throughout the time you were engaged, but you have no idea what both those times may have meant to her. For a few months, she thought you were the one she’d spend her life with, and I suppose you must have thought the same. Don’t you owe her closure?”
I stare at my wife, trying to decipher that look in her eyes. “I owe you a whole lot more.”
She looks down at her feet before pasting a shaky smile onto her face. “Then do this for me,” she pleads. “I don’t think it’s right to leave things unsaid between you two. I’d much prefer it if this became a clean break.”
I smile then, intensely fucking pleased. She’s not offering Natalia closure. She’s ordering me to end things properly, once and for all. “I like that you sugarcoat your words for me now. Is this an exclusive perk reserved for your husband?”
Her eyes flash with surprise, and then she smiles, her cheeks turning rosy. She didn’t think I’d catch on, huh? She underestimates how well I know her. “You truly are exceptionally aggravating,” she tells me.
I smirk at her. “So I get under your skin? How about you let me get under your clothes instead? You haven’t let me do much more than kiss you lately. I’m dying, you know? If nothing else, I need another taste of your pussy.”
Her lips part a little, the way they do when she’s about to snap at me, but then she shakes her head and chuckles. Fucking stunning. The way she looks, standing there in that black dress,her long dark hair falling in waves over her body. Fuck. “Maybe,” she says, her eyes twinkling. “If you’re lucky.”
Fuck.
I rise to my feet in a rush, intent on pulling her into my arms, but before I can even reach her, the door opens, and Natalia walks in. Goddamn it.
Natalia glances from me to Valentina, her expression different from usual. The few times I’ve seen her, she’s looked spoiled and entitled — to me, my time, my attention. Today, she looks at me politely, not a hint of malice in her gaze.
Valentina glances back at me as she walks out of my office, and for a moment, I’m convinced I see insecurity in her eyes. Is it crazy that Iwanther to be at least a little bit jealous?