“It is,” I tell her.
“Why? Why are you doing this to me?” She sounds hurt.
“Would you rather it be someone else? If not for me, your father would have sold you to the highest fucking bidder, Antonia,” I grunt.
“At least it wouldn’t have been you,” she seethes.
My phone rings. I raise a finger. “Hold that thought,” I say as I pull my cell out of my pocket. Seeing Jasmine’s name on the screen, I press the greenanswerbutton and bring the device to my ear. “Hey, sweetheart. Is everything okay?”
“Am I allowed to have ice cream after nine pm?” she asks me.
I chuckle. Not really what I expected her to be calling me about. “You can have whatever you want.”
“Thanks. Are you going to be home to tuck me in?”
“I might be a bit late. But when I get home, I’ll come tuck you in, even if you’re already asleep, okay?” I tell her.
“Okay, see ya.” Jasmine cuts the call.
“Well, I’m so glad you could take a few hours off from whoring to be present at your own engagement party,” Antonia grumbles. “Just so we’re clear, you willnevertouch me.”
“That wasn’t a whore. That was Jasmine.” I should explain, tell her I have a daughter.
“I don’t care who it is. I also don’t care who you fuck or where you get your needs met, because it won’t be with me.”
Before I can get a single word out, Antonia is storming off again.
Well, that went better than I thought. I’m not bleeding.
Chapter Four
Ican’t believe this is happening. I could end this. I could go and tell my father that I already know Carlo. I could tell him what he did to me. It would mean Carlo would be dead within minutes, and the streets of Las Vegas would become a war zone. Which is why I can’t.
There’s no way out. I have to marry the only man I’ve ever loved. The only man who has the power to break me in ways noone else can. Like he already has. It took a long time for me to get over him, to move on with my life. I finally got to a place where I didn’t think about him every day. And now I have to marry him.
I don’t know how I can survive this. It’s one thing seeing him in crowds and pretending he doesn’t exist, but even I’m not naïve enough to believe a wife can pretend her husband doesn’t exist.
“It could be worse,” Georgia says. I’m on my fourth glass of champagne. I’m starting to think there isn’t enough alcohol in the world to make me forget this night.
“How?” I groan.
“I mean, at least he’s hot, and you know he can deliver in the sack.” She laughs.
I glare at my best friend. “I. Am. Not. Sleeping. With. Him. Again,” I grit out between clenched teeth. I don’t bother telling her about the humiliation of having him answer a call from another woman while I was standing right there. He’s not even going to hide his wandering ways. Why would he? It’s not like I can do anything to stop him.
“Well, I, for one, think it’s romantic. And I called it. I knew he’d never let you go marry anyone else.He loves you,” Luna hums.
“He doesn’t love me,” I tell her. “I don’t know what my father is thinking. What kind of deal could he possibly have going on with that crew of misfits?” I lift my chin towards wheremy fiancéis sitting at a table with his two friends, Louie and Sammie. I’ve never actually met them, but I’ve heard Carlo talk about them.
“Who knows? But also, who cares? This is your opportunity, Antonia. You are marrying someone you love. Take it,” Georgia tells me.
“Loved. Past tense,” I correct her.
She’s right, though. It could be worse. As horrible as Carlo is, and as much as I wish I could choke the life out of him with my bare hands, he’s not going to hurt me. At least not physically. I’m pretty sure he’s not going to force me to do anything with him either. He’s not the type.
Or at least, from what I remember, he’s not. I’ve been wrong about him before, though.
The music dims, changing to a lighter tone, and the waiters start piling out with plates of food.
