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Chapter 23 - Vittoria
I can’t believe what he said. I know I shouldn’t have pretended to be asleep, but I didn’t want him to ask more questions about why I’m upset. I find lying to him difficult, but I know Leonid brought the contracts back. I stayed in bed when Ivan got up, and I’ve been too scared to have breakfast in case he’s waiting for me for an explanation.
He loves me. Oh my God, he loves me. He trusts me with his heart. And I fucking love him. I love him so damn much that I feel like I can’t breathe. And I haven’t even told him about the baby. Oh God, what if he finds out how I screwed him and kills the baby and me.
I touch my belly protectively. I can’t let anything happen to my little one. I’m seriously considering having Alessandro pull me out of the situation, but leaving Ivan would break me.
I don’t know what to do, and I’m craving cheese so fucking badly.
I eventually drag myself out of bed and go to the bathroom to shower and freshen up. I wear a loose-fitting cardigan over some tights and my sneakers.
As I walk out of the bedroom, I see the office light is still on and go over there. Ivan is pouring over the paperwork, and I knock softly. “Hey.”
Ivan smiles when he looks up. “You’re looking cheerier.”
I give him a small smile. “I’m always happy when I see you,” I say, and I mean it.
I walk further into the room and stand by him. “Is there anything you need me to explain?” I try to sound as casual as I can.
He chuckles. I love his smirk and his damn chuckle. He looks up at me. “You’re so shy, but you really shouldn’t be. You’re seriously intelligent and will go far in life, Tori. You just need a little self-confidence.”
I blush slightly and stroke his hair back. “I’ve always been overshadowed in my family. I fought to prove that I had a place there and was worthy, but I still felt like an outcast. I still can’t find my voice.”
Ivan strokes my hand with his thumb as he holds it. “I’ll help you find your voice, and until you do, I will be your voice. Don’t ever be afraid to speak to me or in front of me about anything.”
I consider telling him to scrap the contracts, that he’s being swindled, but I can’t bring myself to betray my flesh and blood like that. Yet Ivan feels like family too. I’m torn between two worlds.
Ivan shifts his chair so that I can sit on his leg. “You like me sitting on your lap, huh?” I tease him, running my fingers through his neat beard.
“I like having you close to me,” he murmurs. “Any part of you. I will never let you go.”
I shiver as he caresses my back, and I lean down to kiss him softly. “You have been so good to me.”
“It’s about to get better, quick, jump up and stand by the door,” he tells me.
I do as I’m told and wait.
“Close your eyes,” he says, and then I feel him tying something over my eyes. “Ivan?”
“Don’t stress. I want to surprise you,” he assures me. “I’m going to escort you out of the house to the car, okay?”
“Okay,” I say shakily.
He guides me forward, but all I can think about is how he’s taking me somewhere to kill me, that he found out I betrayed him, and this is it. I’m going to die.
I try not to whimper. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he scares me.
We reach the car, and we get in slowly. He’s trying hard to avoid bumping my head.
I can feel when the car starts, and we’re moving, and I won’t lie, being blindfolded in a moving car does nothing for my morning sickness. My stomach turns, and I fidget with my fingers. God, I am so scared. I pray silently that it’s quick and that he won’t torture me for what I’ve done.
The drive feels like it takes forever, and when the car stops, Ivan sounds amused when he announces we’ve arrived.
He helps me out of the car and guides me to stand facing a certain way.
“Okay, Tori, now you’re going to get what you deserve,” I can’t tell from his tone what he means, but I’ve resigned myself to this being the end.
He takes off my blindfold, and I blink in the bright sunshine. We’re standing in front of an empty office building. I look at the building, then at him, then at the building, and then back at him. “I’m confused, Ivan.”
