I forced down the lump in my throat. When did I stop thinking of Italy as home?
But deep inside, I knew the truth. Italy wasn’t home anymore and for some godforsaken reason, neither was he.
“When was the last time you had sex with a woman?”
Gleb didn’t answer. “Let’s get out of here.” He turned and started walking away, completely ignoring my question.
I followed behind him, my mind swirling with frustration.
As we drove home, my heart grew heavy. Just imagining what the next month would be like... Will I really have to return to Italy? Will I have to forget everything that happened here in the last three months?
I picked up my phone and searched a women’s forum, anonymously asking if anyone had ever experienced something similar to what I was going through.
Without looking up, I muttered, “You won’t even kiss me.”
Gleb scoffed. “Kissing is reserved for people who are intimate. This is a marriage of convenience, and you know we are not intimate. Don’t ask for what you know you can’t get.”
I clenched my jaw. “And sex?”
His fingers tightened slightly on the steering wheel. “Can you stop talking about sex, Anna? Haven’t you always wanted to go back to Italy? If you’re still a virgin, good for you. Whoever you marry next will be happy to take it.”
His words cut through me like a blade. “So I’m that disgusting and repelling, right?”
He glanced at me but didn’t say a word.
When we got home, inside the master bedroom, he suddenly turned to me. “If you want sex so badly, I can give it to you right now.”
I let out a dry laugh. “Really? If I ‘want it so badly?’” I took a slow step toward him, meeting his gaze. “Why should I keep waiting for something you’ll never give me when I get it out there in abundance?”
His expression darkened. In a flash, he closed the distance between us, gripping my waist and pulling me flush against him. His voice was low and dangerous.
“Repeat what you just said.”
I lifted my chin. “You heard me. I don’t need to repeat myself.”
His grip tightened slightly. “Anna, Don’t even think about it.”
I tilted my head. “What will you do? Beat me? Rape me? That’s what your family wants, anyway. Don’t tell me you’ve never been tempted.”
His jaw locked. “I would never do that to you.”
I tried to look away, but he tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his gaze. His lips were so close, so temptingly close, that I felt my resolve weakening. I wanted to lean up and kiss him so badly, even though I hated him, even though he made me feel safe and hurt at the same time.
Tears burned behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.
“My cousins and uncles will be all over you,” he said suddenly. “Do not, I repeat, do not entertain any of them.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “If I were to cheat, it wouldn’t be with anyone in your family.”
“Stop.” His voice dropped, warning.
I snapped. “We’re parting ways in a month. If I don’t sleep with someone now, I’ll do it as soon as we part ways anyway.”
His eyes flashed. He leaned in, his lips hovering so close to mine that I could feel his breath.
I let my eyes flutter shut, parting my lips slightly, thinking, hoping his resolve had finally broken. My pulse pounded in anticipation.
But then he pulled away.
