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Alessandra showered and pulled on a cami and stretchy pajama pants. As she got comfortable in bed, her phone illuminated on the nightstand. There were several missed calls and a single text from Drake.
Drake:Please talk to me, Alessandra. I’m sorry about Riley. I’m sorry for everything.
Alessandra:Leave me alone, Drake. If you have anything to say, contact my lawyer.
Alessandra shared Jenny’s contact details before shutting off her phone. Burying her face in a pillow and forgetting how her marriage had fallen apart in the last few hours was all she wanted to do, but instead, she stared at the ceiling for hours, trying to figure out how to break free of her cage and move on with her life.
***
Chapter Nine
Drake broke into a cold sweat as he watched his wife walk out the door. Despite Riley’s protests, he quickly threw on jeans and a T-shirt. By the time he reached the lobby and ran out to the street, Alessandra was nowhere to be seen.
He pulled out his cell and called her immediately, but it went straight to voicemail. He tried again before cursing and kicking at a pebble on the sidewalk. He thrust his hands through his hair as he had a tendency to do when frustrated.
He gave up and returned to the building. The concierge shook his head when Drake asked which way Alessandra had gone. He’d royally fucked up, but it wasn’t what Alessandra thought. If only she had given him a chance to explain.
When Alessandra returned, he would place a tracker on her phone so he would always know where she was if she left again. He hoped she was somewhere safe. A night to cool down might be what she needed.
He dreaded riding the elevator alone, knowing his night was far from over. When the doors opened and he stepped off the elevator, he saw Riley stripped down to white lingerie and posed seductively on the couch. The set was similar to what Alessandra wore on their wedding night. His cock twitched at the memory of tearing the sexy lace from his wife’s body.
“Come to me, lover,” Riley beckoned. Her voice was an ice bath on his fantasy.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Drake roared. “That’s my wife you chased away.”
Riley rose from the couch and slowly approached Drake, swinging her hips. She stroked his arm and said, “No darling, she’s not your wife. I understand your need for toys but don’t forget we had an agreement. This is far from discreet.”
Drake shook her off his arm and stepped back. “You broke our arrangement when you called off the wedding last month. I told you I would cancel the wedding, but you begged me to reconsider. You left me standing at the altar like a fool. I thought we had an understanding. If you didn’t want to marry me, you shouldn’t have accepted my proposal in the first place.”
Riley sighed and approached Drake again. She crossed her arms and tapped her manicured nails against her elbow. “I care about you, Drake, but I had cold feet. You, of all people, should respect that. All I needed was a moment to sort my feelings.
“I was packing for my flight when Anthony Russo’s men showed up at my Paris flat. They forced me to write that letter rejecting you. I told them it wouldn’t stop me, and they took my passport for good measure.
“It took me time to get an expedited replacement. Imagine my dismay when I found out you married someone else! I’m the one who should feel betrayed here. Look, why don’t we have a drink and talk about this….”
“Fine,” Drake snapped.
He poured himself a generous whiskey and a glass of rosé for Riley. When he came back with their drinks, she was still in her underwear.
“Put your clothes on, Riley. Let me assure you that nothing will ever happen between us. We’ll have a drink, and then you need to pack your shit and get out.”
“I don’t even have a car, Drake. I only just arrived back yesterday. I’m staying in a hotel.”
“Then I’ll hire movers, and you can rent a storage facility. From what I heard, you’ve come into some money recently.”
“Now, don’t be like that, darling. Surely we can work out some other arrangement.” She rubbed his bicep. “I’m a bit strapped for cash at the moment.”
Riley began listing the things she had spent her money on, hoping to elicit sympathy from Drake. But he didn’t give a shit. He would never care about Riley again. After Alessandra left, he realized how much he’d come to care for her. And what a fool he was for letting her walk away.
“We can work this out, Drake. Why don’t I just move into the guest room for a while? That was always the plan, and I had to give up my flat in Paris.” She grinned like a Cheshire Cat.
“There’s no way in hell that’s going to happen. My wife shouldn’t feel like you’re a ghost in our relationship. What you’re doing isn’t fair to her, Riley.”
Riley narrowed her eyes and replied mockingly, “Don’t tell me the infallible Drake Walker caught feelings for a little girl. Who is she? Surely you knew it wasn’t me walking down the aisle. I didn’t change that much in a year. Be honest and tell me why you married her. We agreed to have an open marriage. You could’ve fucked her.”
Drake shook his head. “You know I would’ve been faithful in our marriage.”
“If there was anyone else underneath that veil besides Alessandra Russo, would you have said ‘I do’?”
