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"Of course," I get out through gritted teeth, forcing myself to smile at Gustavo. "If you'll excuse us."
My brother leads the way as we walk out to the quarters they've assigned him. Everything here is so damn gaudy and expensive. Ryder's room looks like something in a hotel that someone with no taste decorated.
"Is Gustavo always like this?" I demand as soon as Ryder closes the door and locks it.
"Unfortunately," he grits out. "The man's mood swings by the second and Nicoletta usually bears the brunt of it."
"She's an only child, right?"
Ryder nods. "He dotes on her as much as he punishes her. It's hard to witness most of the time."
"Have you gotten to know her well while you've been staying here?"
My brother's face darkens even more. "Not that well."
His behavior makes me wonder what he's hiding. "But is she a good person?"
He hesitates before nodding. "She is a good girl."
"Are you coming back with us tomorrow?"
"No," Ryder says. "Gustavo wants one of us to stay here. Collateral."
"In case of..."
"You fucking up with Nicoletta." Ryder shrugs.
"Fucking up how?"
"Not marrying her?" Ryder stares me down. "You are still planning on marrying her, right?"
"Don't worry about it," I mutter. "Either way, I have to take her back with me. I just don't know what the fuck I'm going to do with Marzia. The two of them under the same roof...You just know it won't end well."
"Just keep them separate." Ryder shrugs. "And don't fuck them both."
"Trust me, I have no intention of that," I mutter. "I'm sorry you have to stay behind. I'll make sure nothing bad happens."
"I can take care of myself."
I look at my brother, trying to see him without a biased point of view. He's tall now, as tall as I am, and he's grown up. He's handsome—he's had as many women as I have at least. But there's something different about him, something I can't quite explain.
Something tells me if I ask him, he won't tell me the truth about this sudden change.
20
Marzia
I've been waiting only for a day. The next morning, I see a limousine pulling up in front of the house. Adrian exits the car and buttons his blazer while I hide with my back pressed against the wall, so he won't notice me prying, hidden in the curtains at my window.
I don't want him to have the satisfaction of knowing I've been waiting for him. He would be so smug if he knew the effect he already had on me. I tried so hard to resist at first, but now all of that's gone out of the window. I need him. I crave him. I can't be without him. I tell myself as long as he doesn't find out, I'll be fine. And I can hide it. Well... I can at least try.
I have to.
Since he left yesterday, I've completely shifted from my passion-crazed person. The fact that I begged for him to come inside me is far away from my mind now, because he chose to put this distance between us. I didn't ask him to leave. He decided to go all by himself, which makes it especially hurtful.
Waiting for Eleanora to show up, I start to sketch again. This time, my inspiration takes me to my past and I sketch out a scene from the docks where I first met Adrian. I remember that day so clearly, as if it just happened. But a lot has changed in the decade that's passed. I can never trust Adrian or myself again. Not after we slept together... And I just let it fucking happen. I didn't even try to stop him.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I peel my back away from the wall as my maid enters the room.
"Is he back?" I breathe. "Did he come? Is he alone? Did he miss me?"
Eleanora smiles tersely.
I can tell there's something off.
But she can't tell me. Instead, she shoves another letter into my hands.
The paper holds my brother's handwriting. Right now, I don't care about the letter. I'm too obsessed with Adrian to care about my brother's news. I stuff it in my pillow to read later, ignoring Eleanora's advice to chuck it in the fireplace. I go back to the window to look at Adrian again, but the driveway is empty now. I wonder when he will come see me.
I wait and wait, but he doesn't show up.
Hours later, Eleanora appears with a cream card on a silver platter.
I tear through the envelope to read it as fast as I can.
I'm back. I'll see you at dinner tonight. Eleanora will escort you downstairs. There will be guards, so don't try anything stupid. -A
My eyes widen as I read those words. He's actually going to let me have dinner with the family? I'm so desperate for human contact even the thought of seeing Bruno again, doesn't worry me. All that matters is that Adrian will be there and I won't be locked between four walls again.
