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“Heemailedyou? A man contacted you and you didn’t tell me.”
There it was, the obsessive jealousy I knew will come when I told him about this.
“With everything that happened in the past few days…”
“With everything that happened, the last thing we need is more secrets.”
“Salvatore.” I pushed him away from me to get some breathing room. “Can you be happy for me? This is a big thing. Walsh rarely gives private lessons.”
“And he wants you.”
“He wants to work with me because I’m a good dancer,stronzo[55]! Don’t make it more than it is. Sometimes you’re just driving me insane.”
“You said you love me possessive. You need to make up your mind, Grazi.”
“I want you to be supportive of this. You’re the one I love most,marito, but a close second is dancing. I need you to be proud of me.”
He let out a deep, gusty sigh. “When you dance, Grazia, it’s the stuff of legends. You are so beautiful on a stage, it’s like you’re casting a spell and no one can look away. You think I’m not proud? I’m beaming when I watch you dance.”
My chest got heavy and it was harder to breath.
“You can come and see me dance in two weeks. In Milano.”
“In two weeks?” His voice was leveled. “You can’t go.”
My body jerked. His words might as well have electrocuted me, that’s how I felt.
“Can’tgo? What are you talking about?”
“I can’t take you in two weeks, Grazia. I have business happening in two weeks.”
“Now you sound like my father. I don’t need you to take me.”
His posture changed, almost like he was trying to shadow me.
“But I need you here. Two weeks from now I’ll sign the papers that will make me the owner of that power-plant. There are important people coming to meet me, state officials and important families. You know how this goes.”
“You want me looking pretty by your side.”
“I want you lookingpowerfulby my side. You know this is important. Thefamigliaexpects you to show your face and I do too.” He stopped and his entire body tensed up. “Any other time, I’d be happy to take you to Milano, but not now. This is the beginning of my legacy.”
“And going to Milano is the beginning of mine. You can’t force me to stay here.”
“Yes, I can, but I won’t do it. I won’t force you because I’ve promised you the world and my vow to you is set in stone. But Grazi, I’m asking you to stay with me and be my wife.” I didn’t answer, so Salvatore found a pair of sweat pants and put them on. “If you want to leave, I’m not going to stop you.”
But he wasn’t happy either. He walked out the bedroom, slamming the door so hard, the whole house tremored and so did my heart.
Chapter 26
He said fifty-six words to me in two weeks. Fifty-six words. I counted them over and over again and recited every single one in my head because he starved me. Ever since I told Salvatore I decided to go to Milano and meet Walsh, he turned ice-cold. We slept in the same bed and ate at the same table, but he kept a distance between us on all fronts and it was slowly killing me. Being close to Salvatore and not have his hands touch me was hard and painful, but not having his attention, his eyes, his words, that was too hard of a punishment.
I walked downstairs hoping to see him, but instead, I found Totto waiting by the front door, checking to see if the two suitcases I’ve packed were good for the road.
“Is the driver ready?”
“Yes, Grazia.” The butler told me softly. Totto was aware of the tension in the house and I wasn’t surprised. He was the eyes and ears of this place. “Salvatore has arranged for another driver to pick you up in Milano and take you to the hotel.”
My husband made all the arrangements even if he wasn’t speaking to me. I still hoped he’d be the one driving me to the airport, but it seemed I wasn’t winning that one.
