“Where is Bianca?”
With a shrug of my shoulder, I replied, “Probably hooking up with some guy.”
“Like you were about to,” he muttered under his breath.
My eyes bulged at his accusatory tone. “Don’t you dare judge me!”
“You’re an engaged woman,” he countered.
“Oh, I’m fully aware of what I am. Just as much as I’m aware of how my fiancé has been spending his time.” Cocking my head at him, I countered, “Or maybe I should say withwho.”
Leo’s face paled slightly. “You saw them?”
I nodded. “It was nice to finally put a face with a name.”
“How long have you known?”
“Since your Father’s funeral, when everyone was whispering about them.”
Leo grimaced as he dragged his hand through his hair. “Jesus.”
“So yeah, I’m an engaged woman who is about to marry a man who will never, ever look at me the way he does her.”
It was one thing to internalize the truth about Rafe and me. Saying those words out loud twisted my stomach. As bile shot up my throat, I clapped my hand over my mouth while throwing a panicked glance around the room. To my surprise, Leo grabbed my other hand and pulled me across the office. He threw open the door to the bathroom. I barely reached the toilet before retching violently.
When I finished, I swiped my hand across my mouth. “Maybe those four shots of vodka were a bad idea,” I mused sheepishly.
Leo didn’t respond. Instead, he took a washcloth out of a cabinet and turned on the cold water. After wringing it out, he squatted down beside me.
To my utter shock, he began to gently swipe the soft terry cloth over my face. After a few moments of silence, Leo said, “I didn’t think you gave a shit about Rafe.”
“I don’t.”
He cocked his brows at me. “No offense, but your reaction says otherwise.”
I shook my head. “I’m happy for Rafe.” At Leo’s dubious expression, I held up my hands. “I swear.”
“Then what’s with the tears and puke?”
A laugh burst from my lips. “Regardless of what Idon’tfeel for Rafe, it’s still hard seeing someone so happy and in love, especially when you know you’ll always be denied love because of an arranged marriage.”
Leo exhaled a ragged breath. “The truth is Rafe and Maeve are fucked. They started something when they knew there was an expiration date.”
“Why can’t he be with her after he marries me?”
My remark caused Leo’s jaw to unhinge. “Damn, you really are a dream bride, aren’t you?”
“Rafe and I came to an understanding the day we signed our marriage contract.”
“He told me about that, but I thought he was just blowing smoke up my ass to justify fucking around on you with Maeve.”
My heartbeat sped up at Leo’s declaration. “You cared he was cheating on me?”
For a moment, Leo froze like a deer in the headlights. After recovering, he said, “Well, uh, yeah I did.”
“That’s really decent of you. I know Aurelio wouldn’t give two fucks if Antonio was cheating on his future bride.”
“That’s because I’m a man of morality,” Leo responded with a grin.
