“See? It’s nice out,” he said with a small smile. “We’ll have a grand time.”
I wished I believed him. The very sight of my handsome husband made me sick to my stomach. If only I could rewindtime to where I had overheard him talking to his father. I should never have listened, then I wouldn’t have heard Alessio talking about going out and being discreet.
“I’d rather spend time alone,” I muttered with my face turned away from him.
“What was that, Bellissima?”
“Please call me Giovanna. It’s my name after all.” The stables appeared and I rushed toward them, out walking Alessio.
“Slow down!” He trotted and caught up to me. “As your husband, I can call you anything I want.”
“Not if you want me to respond to you.” The gall of this man. As my husband, he should respect my wishes.
“Are you serious? What woman doesn’t like being called Bellissima?”
“Me.”
“But why?”
I stopped abruptly and turned to face him. “What do you call your lover?”
His right eye twitched and I assumed he finally registered why I wasn’t thrilled to be called Bellissima, which was commonly used as a term of endearment.
“Listen, Alessio. Let’s stop trying to force ourselves to like each other. We’re legally married. There’s no changing our situation, so let’s just accept it. I’ll go riding alone and you can go do whatever it is you do.” I waved and said, “Addio!”
I headed toward the stables and couldn’t hear him following me. Honestly, I was glad he gave up. The audacity of that man thinking I wouldn’t care if he had a woman on the side was absurd. Infidelity was a deal breaker for me. A line I would never dream of crossing out of respect for my husband. But apparently, Alessio didn’t have the same morals and values as me.
Times had sure changed since my parents were married.
“Can I help you?” a man asked.
“Ciao, I’m Giovanna Amano.” I smiled at the older man.
“Remotti.” Alessio’s angry voice came from behind. “Giovanna Remotti. My wife.”
“Sí, Signore.” The man nodded rapidly. “The horses are ready for your ride.”
“Grazie, Louie.” Alessio took my hand and led me down the aisle. “You did it again,” he said in a stern voice.
“Did what?”
“Ran from me.”
“I didn’t run. I merely left.”
He whirled on me and pushed me against a wooden gate. His nose touched mine and his dark eyes bore into mine. “Do not leave me again, without my permission.”
4
Alessio
This woman would be the death of me; I was sure of it. And why did she keep walking away from me? I was Alessio Remotti, heir to my father’s empire, and Giovanna didn’t seem to care.
I admired her grit and tenacity, but she was pissing me off.
Like a lost puppy I followed her to the stables. We were riding together whether she liked it or not. In four days, a massive wedding celebration would take place at my estate, and we needed to appear familiar with each other. If we could also like each other, it would be grand.
“Ciao, I’m Giovanna Amano.”
