“Right, well… I’ll leave you two.” He offers Carmela a conciliatory smile. “My apologies for the interruption. I’ll try to be more careful about walking onto our balcony in future.”
An awkward silence descends in his wake. I sigh and run a hand through my hair. So much for the passionate night I had envisioned with Carmela.
I watch as Carmela pulls away from me, her eyes hardening. The passion that had consumed us mere moments ago dissipates, replaced by an icy chill.
“I’m tired,” she says, refusing to meet my gaze. “It’s been a long day.”
I reach out to touch her arm, but she flinches away as if burned.
“Carmela...” I begin, but she cuts me off with a sharp shake of her head.
“Don’t. Just… don’t.” Her voice is strained. “This doesn’t change anything, Silvo. I didn’t ask for this marriage, and I certainly didn’t ask for you.”
Her words are like a slap to the face. I clench my jaw, trying to rein in my temper.
“You think I had a choice in the matter?” I growl, my frustration getting the better of me. “I’m as trapped in this arrangement as you are.”
Carmela scoffs, finally meeting my gaze with a defiant glare. “Spare me the self-pity. You hardly have to adjust much to our situation. You still live in your home, in your city! And you are enjoying this far more than me.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
She throws her hands up in exasperation. “Oh, please! You’ve been all over me since the moment we met. Don’t try to pretend like you’re not enjoying this on some level.”
I take a step closer. “You weren’t protesting a few minutes ago,” I remind her. “In fact, if I recall correctly, you were begging me not to stop.”
Carmela’s cheeks flush with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. She jabs a finger into my chest, her eyes blazing. “That was a mistake. One I won’t be making again.”
I catch her wrist in a firm grip, holding her in place. “Keep telling yourself that,piccina. But we both know the truth.”
She wrenches her arm free, taking a step back. “The truth is that I want nothing to do with you or this sham of a marriage. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to bed. Alone.”
With that, Carmela turns on her heel and stalks off toward the house, leaving me seething in her wake. I watch her retreating form until she disappears inside, my hands clenched into fists at my sides.
This woman will be the death of me. But even as the thought crosses my mind, I know I’ll never stop chasing her. She’s a flame I’m drawn to like a moth.
One way or another, I’ll make Carmela mine. Body, heart, and soul.
10
CARMELA
Iwake up alone in the sprawling, opulent bedroom, sunlight streaming through the gauzy curtains. Silvo is nowhere to be seen. Typical.
I slide out of the plush bed, my bare feet sinking into the thick carpet as I pad over to the closet. I select a simple sundress and slip it on, running my fingers through my sleep-tousled hair.
Restless and curious, I decide to explore the lavish De Luca estate. I wander down the hallway, trailing my fingertips along the smooth wood paneling. Portraits of stern-faced De Luca ancestors line the walls, their eyes seeming to follow me.
I come to a set of heavy double doors and push them open. My breath catches. It’s a library, with soaring ceilings and rows upon rows of leather-bound books. Mahogany shelves reach up to the ceiling, rolling ladders allowing access to the upper levels. Plush armchairs and reading nooks are scattered throughout.
I walk along the shelves, running my fingers over the spines, breathing in the scent of old paper and leather. Classics, first editions, rare volumes—it’s a book lover’s paradise. At least there’s one bright spot in this suffocating arrangement of a marriage.
I select a book at random and sink into an armchair by the window. As I begin to read, I finally feel a small measure of peace. At least here, among the pages, I can escape the reality of my unwanted marriage, if only for a little while.
I’m so engrossed in my book that I don’t even hear Silvo enter the library. It’s only when his shadow falls across the pages that I startle, looking up to see him looming over me.
“Carmela,” he says. “I’ve been looking for you.”
I snap the book shut, setting it aside. “Well, you found me. Congratulations.”
