Page 46 of Stolen Vows
Sold?How is that possible when I didn’t even see it onstage?
It takes a second for my brain to fully catch up and even longer for my body. Leo doesn’t withdraw, and the longer he remains lodged inside me, the worse I feel.
“Getoffme.” The words are a deadly venom, spewed from my barely open lips.
Leo chuckles. “But I’m so comfortable.”
Grinding my teeth, I snake one leg away from him and use the momentum to drive my heel into the toe of his loafer. He removes his fingers while the rest of him stays in place, pinning me to the table.
I wrench my head to the right, finding the placard he’s holding and my discarded one beneath it. Until now, it didn’t fully cross my mind that I’d dropped the damn thing. I was too caught up in how good it felt to have him touching me.
Frustrated and flustered, I dip my chin forward and rear back quickly, slamming my skull into my husband’s jaw.
Leo curses, pulling away from me in an instant. Ihatehow empty he leaves me feeling—I’m cold and vacant inside now, consuming any warmth left by his embrace and the residual elation of a much-needed orgasm.
He touches his thumb to his bleeding bottom lip as I whirl around, ready to dig my nails into his deceitful eyes.
“I’d think twice before lashing out again,” he says in a low voice, glancing at the crowd. “There are rules here,stellina.You wouldn’t want to get in trouble for being a bloodthirsty siren, would you?”
A few bystanders have turned in our direction, and an auction staff member makes their way over, clasping Leo on the shoulder.
“Everything okay here, folks?” the uniformed redhead asks.
Leo nods, rubbing at the underside of his chin. “Oh, yes, that was merely an accident. My wife has very limited spatial awareness.”
The staff member doesn’t seem entirely convinced, but when Leo turns away from them, it effectively ends the conversation. Still, I can feel dozens of eyes on us, and the knowledge makes my skin crawl.
Leaning against the table, I glare at Leo. “How fucking dare you.”
“You’re complaining about getting off?”
“You basicallystolemy bid. I wanted that goddamn flower, and youknewit. Why would you keep me from buying it like that?”
“I didn’t?—”
Spinning on my heels, I veer through the crowd, leaving him behind. Seconds pass, and he’s hot on my trail, even as I weave through the throng of auction attendees. Red-hot anger burns in my skull, and I realize the last time I felt this way was probablyseven years ago—first when Papà used me to broker a deal with a vicious man, and again when that man rejected my advances.
Stepping out of the ballroom is like waking from a deep slumber. Bright lights shine down, and I squint at the empty hallway, my brain working overtime to formulate a plan—or at least a single coherent thought. One that isn’t about Leopoldo De Tore.
The odds of me getting a promotion are very low if I don’t get that fucking orchid. For a moment, I glare at the wall, wondering if it’s even worth it.
If any of this is truly worth it.
Maybe I should’ve just stayed in Boston. I’m sure someone would have killed me by now out of spite or suspicion. At least I wouldn’t have to keep facing how fuckingworthlessI am.
Sure, I’ve worked my ass off these past few years to make up for everything else that was bought or handed to me because of my family. But I can’t shake the thought that maybe Papà was right in marrying me off. Maybe Mamma was right that all I’m good for is being someone’s imprisoned wife.
I couldn’t even get this orchid for my boss because I was too busy allowing a man to distract me. Because this life I want isn’t one I’m cut out for.
MaybeI’mnot good enough.
“Look, Stella, I don’t know what you think I did, but?—”
Holding up my hands, I turn to Leo with an exasperated sigh. “Please, leave me alone.”
“I don’t want to do that.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter what you want.” Anguish rushes through me like a river, and I groan so loudly that the chandelier dangling above us seems to tremble. “Why couldn’t you just leave me be?”
