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‘Serafina.’ I heard my name hiss through his teeth. His anger was rolling off him in strong waves, tremors that were virtually vibrating through the room. ‘Explain! What did he mean by more?’
‘I will…’ The tremor in my voice was audible, but I pushed on recognising I deserved an answer, ‘When you’ve explained to me why you cast me aside, knowing how fragile I was after losing our son.’
Then I was aware he was moving, and all my senses focussed wholly onto him.
‘You are my wife... you should never bemoreto another man.’
‘And you’re supposed to be my husband. As my husband you’re supposed to love and comfort me… I needed both from you, Salvatore.’
I felt his anger increase at my accusation. This time though, I could tell he was angry at himself.
‘Serafina.’ He spoke my name in warning, ‘Serafina, Serafina,’ and then again wrapped up in the pain he felt.
I heard the fall of his shoes on the carpeted floor as he slowly walked around the room. I smelt the scent of his citrus cologne tied up with a masculine aroma that was all Salvatore as it travelled on the breeze of the air-conditioning and heard him exhaling deeply as he attempted to calm himself down.
All these things fed my desperation to feel his arms wrapped around me.
We could say how sorry we both were and move on together.
I absorbed the tension between us in the small space and appreciated that my need to be with him was about to be taken care of. However, I comprehended that after what had happened between us, the apology I wanted might never be forthcoming. I might have had a romantic soul, but I couldn’t ever be blamed of being unrealistic.
The sound of the metal of his gun banging against something solid, let me know that he’d shrugged his shoulders out of the holster he always wore, and I was aware that he must have already lost the jacket to his blue suit.
In response, my body went on to high alert. My core tightened as I discerned that Salvatore had taken another slow step towards me, deliberately stalking his pray. My nipples hardened as I heard him blow out a long breath between his teeth and over his full lips, the same lips I loved to feel worshipping my body.
Instantly, I recognised what he was doing. Him using our undoubted chemistry had always been the way we’d dealt with any disagreement. A different woman, one who had not missed him so desperately over the past few years, might have been able to tell him no. But I wasn’t about to deny what I knew we both needed.
Wobbling slightly on my four-inch heels in anticipation, I steadied myself to wait for what was undoubtedly coming next.
‘I know what you’re doing, Salvatore. But know this… we will eventually talk.’
A deep growl left his throat at my statement.
Then the sound of his tie being unceremoniously ripped away from his neck and whipping through the air in the room made me gasp, as adrenalin released around my body.
‘Remove your robe and hold your wrists together in front of you.’
Without turning around, I did what I’d been ordered, feeling the heavy black fabric float over my bare legs and around my feet. His arms came around me, not touching me and subsequently driving me wild with a desperation I hadn’t thought I would ever feel again. I opened my eyes and watched as he secured my wrists together with the tie he’d just removed. I relished my sudden loss of control and relaxed into the heat that was coming away from Salvatore’s body.
‘When he fucked you, did he do it gently?’ His question found me, and I winced.
I shook my head gently in response.
‘Answer me!’ he shouted.
‘He never fucked me,’ I answered and hung my head forward in resignation. ‘Salvatore, you and I had separated.’ I had done nothing to be ashamed of, but I felt he needed a reminder of the part he’d played.
‘No, not you and me, little bird… we’re until death do us part, remember?’ His voice sounded menacing as his large hands pulled the tie tighter around my wrists, pinching the sensitive skin and causing me to moan in a strange mixture of pain and pleasure.
‘I always thought so… but I waited years for you, Salvatore and you didn’t come for me. I needed…’ I tried hard to explain myself, but for an educated woman I couldn’t find the right words to explain to my estranged husband just what Nick and I had been to each other. ‘I needed comfort and I was lonely. But he wasn’t you.’ A small sob escaped my mouth, and I forced the rest that wanted to follow to stay inside, until the pressure in my chest was almost too much to bear.
‘No, you’ve got that fucking right. The asshole I saw out there was nothing like me. It took everything not to wrap my hands around his neck and slowly watch him choke to death.’
‘He doesn’t deserve that. He did nothing wrong,’ I added, suddenly worried about where Aldo and Bruno were now. I breathed again when I remembered the orders he’d given them about guarding the room.
‘He took my place.’ Again, the words were hissed through his teeth.
‘He did nothing but care for me… it wasn’t like you think.’
