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As Leo slips the ring on my wedding finger, I smile my thanks and feel a little of my soul slipping away from me. This is all a show, an act of sorts just to demonstrate that Leonardo Ortega gets what he wants and to hell with the consequences.
We leave the store after the emptiest hour of my life, and I want to let the tears flow that hide behind my eyes when there is no one there to see them.
Leo takes my hand and wraps his around mine, lacing our fingers together in another show of possession that is beginning to cut me deeply.
“You need a dress.”
“What for?”
Mrs. English packed many dresses for our trip and Leo says firmly, “We are attending a charity event in town tonight. The whole Ortega family will be there, along with many influential people. I want you to blow them away.”
“What, literally?” I laugh to ease the tension and he nods, not really amused at all.
“I must warn you…” before he even tells me I know what he’s about to say and he hisses, “Carlos Matasso is on the guest list, which doesn’t surprise me given our appointment at the lawyer’s office tomorrow.”
“He will be there?”
My heart lurches and Leo nods. “We must be prepared because I wouldn’t trust that snake if my life depended on it.”
“So, what’s the plan?”
I push aside my own personal feelings and concentrate on the reason I’m here and Leo leans in and whispers, “I doubt you will need to do anything at all. If I know Diana, she will have it all worked out. Just trust no one and search for the ulterior motive in every conversation.”
“What if he…” I stumble over my words. “Knows who I am?”
Leo appears angry and hisses, “Have you ever asked yourself how I discovered who you were?”
I nod miserably. “It did cross my mind.”
“It was from a conversation my soldiers were having with those of my brother. One of them mentioned you and that you’d be up for taking Matasso out, and I am going to find out how he knew as soon as they arrive.”
“Do you think he’s a spy?”
My eyes widen and Leo nods. “He’s got some kind of hidden agenda, I’m sure, and I need to find out if we’re playing into Matasso’s hands. This could be a trap we stand no chance of escaping from, and we must be prepared for that.”
“What do you need me to do?”
It’s a return to business with none of my earlier reservations because despite my feelings I’m a professional first and this time it’s a combination of both because this time, it’s personal.
“Choose a dress, look amazing and observe. Stay by my side and let me know of any weakness in the bastard. Consider tonight an advance reconnaissance mission, because tomorrow we will send that fucking bastard to hell.”
I follow him to the store with mixed emotions because I’m not sure I’ll be able to watch without taking action. There is too much revenge swirling around in my heart but I nod and accept his instructions, not really knowing if I’ll listen to them.
We choose a killer dress that would make demons weep. Black lace and taffeta with a diamond necklace to outshine my engagement ring. The matching shoes would make a deadly weapon and I consider them more like armor than anything else. I must push aside my emotions and forget they ever existed because if I get my chance tonight, Carlos Matasso will not make it out of that building alive.
CHAPTER26
LEO
Ryan is concerned, and I share it. We go over the plan until I can’t think straight anymore and yet all I really want to do is spend what time I have left with Chastity.
She asked for space as soon as we returned, and I must honor her wishes. She told me it’s a preparation of sorts. To get her in the right headspace, but I’m not so sure.
She’s been distant all day and for once I’m afraid to ask why, because I doubt I’d like the answer. I can already sense her slipping away from me and even when we purchased the ring, she regarded it much like a ball and chain. I could see it in her eyes. She hated it and yet I went ahead and flashed my card to the assistant like the fucking bastard I am.
The fact I want her so much is only increasing the more she pulls away and I am becoming desperate, something I never believed would affect me. I don’t run after women. It’s the other way around and yet Chastity is running the other way.
It can only be me. I’m not the man she wants, and that hurts like hell.
