Page 403 of Valentino

“Wherever the fuck it is your moving to,” he spits angrily.

I step back, shocked by his venom. “But ….

I thought?”

“You thought wrong,” he cuts me off.

“What?”

He stays staring out the window, back straight, shoulders squared.

“Look at me?” I whisper.

He turns, “You need to go,” he whispers.

“Why? I don’t understand. We had the most incredible night?” I whisper.

“I know.” His haunted eyes hold mine.

“Then why?”

“Because I can’t give you what you want, much less, what you deserve.”

“It’s okay.” I take his hand in mine and lift it to kiss his fingertips. “We can work out this dating thing together.” I smile softly.

“I can’t marry you.”

I frown, “Well, we just got together.” I chuckle, “Who knows what will happen?”

“I know.” His jaw ticks as it clenches, his eyes hold mine. “I am to marry an Italian girl.”

“What?” I drop his hand.

“My heritage is very important to me. I want a strong bloodline; I want an Italian wife; I want my children’s first language to be Italian.”

I step back from him, the sting from his words cuts like a knife.

“I’m sorry,” he murmurs. “I….” He pauses. “There is no excuse for my selfishness last night.”

“It’s the twentieth century, Gabriel. Why would you think that you need to marry an Italian?” I snap as my anger rears her ugly head.

“Because I want to, Grace,” he snaps. “Because I want to.”

His silhouette blurs.

“So…. last night….” I screw up my face in tears, “Meant nothing?”

“It meant everything,” he whispers, his nostrils flair. “It was a gift that we gave to ourselves. One that I will hold dear forever.” He pushes the hair back from my forehead. “You will never be forgotten.”

And I feel it coming, the pain, like a tidal wave, as my heart shatters into a million pieces. I turn and march up the hall to the bedroom. I rush into the bathroom and see my clothes folded neatly on the chair, and I put my hands over my mouth and sob. When he folded these….. he knew.

He knew that we never stood a chance, all along. He knew.

My god.

I’m such a lovesick fool.

I just need to get the hell away from him.