Matteo leaned through the open window, closer to the speaker mounted on the gate post.“I’m here to see Mirabella.”
“That’s very nice.Who the hell are you?”
“For God’s sake,” I spat.“I invited him over while you and my father celebrated this afternoon.Don’t tell me that’s against the rules when you said yourself this isn’t a real marriage.”
“Matteo Lamberti.I’m only here to see Mira.”Matteo tipped his head back to look up at the camera mounted above the gate.The overhead light made his sandy hair gleam.I saw the confusion written across his face, and it made my heart ache.
Clay didn’t share my opinion.“That’s very nice, Matteo, but my wife is busy at the moment.Good night.”
“Wait a minute!”My voice echoed loudly, but he didn’t seem to care.“Don’t just dismiss him like that!Let’s get one thing straight.I am not going to live locked up like this, unable to see anybody from my actual life.You know, the life nobody seems to give a shit about.”
He folded his arms, leveling a hard, unblinking look at me.Something about it reached deep into my chest and made me lift my chin to meet the challenge.“I didn’t go to all this trouble for you to fuck things up by having a man come over not nine hours after we signed the marriage license.You don’t think your father is going to keep an eye on us, at least at first?I thought you were supposed to be intelligent.”
Fuck.He had a point, the bastard.“You don’t know just how intelligent I am.”
“Finally, we can agree on something because right now, I’m ready to call you a dumbass.”He held up a hand to silence me before I could snap.“I don’t care who you want to fuck.We’re married on paper, but you clear visitors with me first.”
My body warmed all over again but for a different reason this time.“Like hell I will.”
“Then you’d better be prepared for a lot of long, lonely nights, princess,” he warned.
The heartless bastard.He deserved so much worse than a single slap.“My father might treat me like a child, but I’m sure as hell not going to put up with it from you.”
His hard gaze moved over me, and I’d be damned if my body didn’t respond in the worst way.This was not the time for my pussy to throw a party, but things were getting downright chaotic with every moment he spent sizing me up.
“Don’t act like a defiant child,” he gritted out, moving close enough that I forgot to breathe.“And I won’t treat you like one.”
“Newsflash.”I stood as tall as I could, though being barefoot didn’t help.“Just because my father gave me to you or whatever doesnotmean you’re taking his place.Don’t talk to me like that again,” I warned.
One eyebrow slowly lifted, and with it, the fine hairs on my arms.The air crackled.What was he going to do?What did Iwanthim to do?Why the hell was that even a question?
By the time he released a long breath and looked back toward the monitor, I was almost swaying on my feet.“Looks like your friend left,” he observed.“That’s for the best.You’ve got packing to do.”
“Unpacking, you mean.”It was such a relief when he turned away and started back toward his suite.I could control myself when he wasn’t looking at me.
“Don’t tell me what I mean, princess,” he called out over his shoulder, grabbing his sandwich from the kitchen counter.“You weren’t paying attention during lunch, were you?We’re going on a tour, you and me.You’re going to show me all of my new properties.”
Heading for his wing, he gave me one last smirk before disappearing.“Pack your bags, princess.We’re going on our honeymoon.”
7
CLAY
“It is such a pleasure having you both here!Chef says he can fix anything you want for dinner.”The beaming woman standing beside our table was the perfect mix of warm, friendly, and professional.That was no surprise.The first week of our would-be honeymoon had given me an abundant understanding of the standards Rinaldi set for his employees.From top to bottom, I’d found nothing but efficiency, competency, excellence.It didn’t occur to me until now, sitting in the restaurant of my new hotel in Sonoma, that I’d been looking for a dent in the armor, a hairline crack in the façade.So far, I hadn’t found any.
“Thank you so much, Bridget.”Mira was generous with her radiant smile when it came to the people working around us.I, on the other hand, was a different story.“You know I can never resist his steak au poivre.Could we have a bottle of red suitable for pairing?”
“Of course.You can have whatever you want.”Bridget hurried off, tugging the sleeve of a passing server and murmuring a message while I watched, slightly gobsmacked at being ignored.
Mira’s clear, hazel eyes found me.“Oh, were you thinking about ordering something else?It’s the best thing they offer, trust me.”
Charming.This was some sort of power play, a way of getting back at me for how helpless she felt.She’d been playing that game all week, finding little ways to jab at me, to antagonize me.Would she ever admit it?Of course not, and neither would I in her place.
“I defer to your expertise.”When her nostrils flared, I added, “Careful, princess.You’re supposed to look like the blushing bride, remember?”
I hadn’t expected to enjoy irritating her, but she had brought out a side of me I didn’t know existed until now.It was one thing to bust balls with my friends, to get a little enjoyment out of making them squirm.We all did it to each other.
This was different, knowing she wanted nothing more than to unload on me, to scream and stomp her feet at how unfair it was.If there was one thing our kiss in the kitchen had revealed, it was the ease with which I could set her off.The passion she contained so close to the surface I hadn’t been able to get it out of my head.
