Total pages in book: 163
Estimated words: 163540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 818(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 818(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
I’ve never despised him more than I do at this moment.
I hate that he’s hurt me so deeply.
I hope he’s rotting in Hell.
24
Enrico
I stare at the computer screen in front of me. I’ve achieved nothing today.
My mind keeps going over and over my mother’s words from earlier.
Don’t you dare judge me.
Is that what I’ve done? Am I angry with her because she didn’t stand up for herself like Olivia did with me? Does this have anything to do with my mother… or anyone but him? Is my anger being directed at the wrong people?
I exhale heavily and click into the spreadsheet that I’m supposed to be working on. My head is anywhere but here. Like my heart, it’s scrambled.
I’m full of emotion, anger, hate, and sadness. But the biggest, is regret. A man I hero worshipped isn’t who I thought he was… and now he’s gone. I feel like I need to get to know him all over again but I can’t. It’s too late.
He’s dead.
It’s 1:00 p.m. when my intercom sounds. “Miss Reynolds is here to see you, Mr. Ferrara.”
My heart somersaults at the sound of her name. This woman brings me so much happiness. “Send her in.”
The door opens, and my love comes into view. Her beautiful face and high ponytail bring an instant smile to my face.
I stand. “Hello, bella.” I take her into my arms and kiss her lips softly as I study her face. Big blue eyes smile up at me, filled with such love.
“I thought I would come and check on my man during my lunch break.”
“Who brought you here?” I ask as I lead her over to my chair. I sit down and pull her onto my lap.
“Maso. Have you eaten?” she asks, concerned.
“I’m not hungry.”
She pushes my hair back from my face. “You need to eat.”
I bite her nipple through her blouse. “I’ll eat you tonight.”
She smiles as she wiggles away from me. Her eyes hold mine. “I’ve been thinking, and I’ve had an idea.”
I chuckle. “Ah, the real reason you’re here.” I kiss her shoulder. “You didn’t come to see if I’d eaten. Do tell.”
“You know how we haven’t had a very good week?”
“I think that’s an understatement.” Since the day after she moved in, I’ve been in Hell. My entire life seemed to fall apart with news of Angelina.
“Well, the thing is, I don’t really like everyone around us when you’re going through stuff. I think we need privacy.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“There are too many people at Lake Como, and it’s all the time. They walk in and out of the house. They gather out the front, they gather out the back, and it feels more like an airport than our home.”
“It bothers you?”
She begins to fiddle with my tie. “More so now that you have things you are dealing with. I want us to have some time alone. We’re just starting our lives together. I don’t want us to have to share ourselves with anyone.”
I watch her as I listen.
“Can I get a small apartment in Milan for the week?”
“What?”
“I want to get a place for us. Something… different.”
I frown in confusion. “If you want to stay in Milan, we have an apartment here. In fact, we have, like, twenty.”
She shakes her head. “No, I want a place without things.”
“Huh?”
“I don’t want fancy. I want to bring us back to basics, just you, me, and the clothes on our back. I want to simplify our lives completely.”
“Olivia.” I roll my eyes. “I am not staying in a dump just to prove a point.”
“It won’t be a dump.” She kisses me softly and runs her hands up the back of my neck to try and sweeten the deal. “Please?”
“Olivia,” I sigh. “This is unnecessary.”
“Baby… please? It’s just one week.”
“No.”
She bounces on my lap. “For me?”
My eyes hold hers. “Why?”
“I want to show you something, but I can’t do it in a fancy house.”
“It will be unsafe.”
“No, I’ll get an apartment, and the guards can stay downstairs. Lorenzo will check it over.” She smiles, as if suddenly relieved. “Thank you.”
“I didn’t say yes.”
She bounces off my lap. “Yes, you did.”
“When did I?”
“Just now.” She kisses me quickly. “I could see it in your eyes. I’ll organize something and we’ll go there tomorrow after work.”
“You know, most women would be happy with your house in Lake Como and my property portfolio.”
She smiles. “I’m not most women.” She kisses me again. “Oh and, Lorenzo is here to see you. I brought him with me. I think you two need to talk.”
My eyes hold hers.
“You need to make this right, Enrico.”
I swing on my chair, and I exhale. “I don’t like it when you call me that.”
“Why not?”
“Because you only call me that when you’re angry and scolding me.”
“I love you, Rici,” she whispers as she runs her fingers through my stubble.