No loving and respectable man would ever make a woman feel insignificant and disposable. It wasn’t like this was my first rodeo.
But I felt it deep in my heart; he was self-sabotaging out of fear. His mother had been killed by his father’s enemies. The same happened to his brothers’ and sister’s mothers. Knowing as much should have made me end things on the spot with Ciro. Heeded his warning that I would be in dangerif I was with him. But I loved him with every cell in my body and stayed until he’d finally pushed me away for the last time.
How could I allow him to waltz back into my life like he hadn’t shattered me? Because I desperately wanted to believe he regretted letting me go and wanted a second chance.
Why else would he find me after all this time? Why did he touch me and look at me like I meantsomethingto him? We had sex. And that kiss good-bye…
Well, the whys didn’t matter. The kiss, the intimacy, and the look of undying love had all been fake. Perhaps this was the painful dose of reality I needed to get my head screwed on straight.
You deserve better.
Not only me, but Pippa too.
“Welp, lovebug. Our days of living like princesses are over. It’s time we go back to our humble abode.” A tear slipped down my cheek as she kicked her feet excitedly. “Yup, let’s go home.”
Of course, Paolo might try to force me to stay or insist he guard us at the apartment. I honestly didn’t care if he stood outside my door so long as he let me leave this five-star hotel.
Get everything in order before telling him you’re leaving.
Good idea!
It didn’t take long to pack our clothes and the few toys I’d brought for Pippa. I debated whether or not to tell Alba I was checking out. She was enjoying her mini-vacation, courtesy of Ciro. After everything she’d done to help me the past year, paying for her stay was the least he could do, like a gift of thanks for taking care of Pippa.
Alba should enjoy herself for a couple of more days. I’d call her after I put Pippa to bed. Now to tell Paolo I wasleaving… I inhaled a deep breath and opened the door to the suite.
He whirled around with a surprised expression.
“Sorry. Did I startle you?”
“No. Do you need something?” he asked and slipped his cell phone into his pocket, appearing slightly off.
“Yes, a ride home.” I smiled down at Pippa in her car seat to avoid his severe gaze, for a brief moment, to steady my resolve.You’re doing the right thing.I looked up at him. “We’re ready.”
“Excuse me?” His hands went on his hips. No question he was intimidating but I wouldn’t back down.
“You heard me. We’re going home.” I slipped past him, asserting myself, and briskly walked down the hallway. I wasn’t stupid in thinking he’d allow me to leave by myself, so I had to take control of the situation. “Grab my things.”
“Isla, you can’t leave.” His voice boomed and echoed off the walls, yet he stayed put instead of chasing after me like an Italian barbarian. He was taller and broader than the Remotti brothers. I sometimes wondered where his formidable size came from. Certainly not his father if he was a Remotti. I supposed it could be from his mother’s side.
Whatever. I didn’t have time to think about Paulo Remotti, nor did I want to.
“But I am,” I replied over my shoulder without making eye contact.
“Ciro will be furious.”
“So?” I popped up my shoulders and stopped at the elevator. “I’m a grown woman, so unless you’re keeping us here against our will, I’m going home.”
“But you agreed to stay until Ciro returned. Hassomething happened?” he asked. Clearly, he hadn’t spoken to his boss.
“Yeah. I changed my mind.” I sighed when the gold-plated doors opened and pushed the hold button. “Are you coming or should I send for my things?”
He mumbled going back to collect my bags, probably cursing me in Italian, but I couldn’t be sure. I didn’t know many words in Italian. It was such a beautiful language. Perhaps someday I’d take an online course so I could teach Pippa.
On the way home, Paolo kept peering at me in the rearview mirror like he wanted to say something. Considering he wasn’t much of a talker; I figured he was trying to form his thoughts to speak coherently. The kind thing to do would be to open the dialogue to help get him started…
“Just say what’s on your mind, Paolo.” I caressed Pippa’s cheek. She’d nodded off minutes after we’d left the hotel.
“Did Ciro do something?”
