13. Chapter 13
13
Before Elyse could interrogate Alessandro about the shit left unsaid between them, he started ushering her around the room to meet his acquaintances. Over the next hour or so, Elyse trailed alongside Alessandro as they mingled with the wealthy and the elite from a wide range of backgrounds. She introduced herself to several board members from a top Chinese international tech firm. She shook hands with the Mayor of Marseille. She smiled and made small talk with the CEO of a large German pharmaceutical company.
"Your fiancée is a breathtaking woman," the Mayor drawled to Alessandro as he raked his eyes over Elyse's curves.
"Thank you, Hubert," Alessandro replied as he slid a protective arm around Elyse's waist, drawing her closer. "She also happens to be a gifted surgeon. It would seem that my beloved can cut a man open as easily as her beauty can bring another to his knees."
The Mayor guffawed a bit too boisterously at Alessandro's remark. It made Elyse want to cringe.
The German CEO eyed her with renewed interest. "Is this true, Ms. Romero? Or should I call you— Dr. Romero? I must admit, I am taken aback. You seem young for a surgeon."
She smiled coolly. "You're right, Mr. Weber. I am young for a surgeon. I became certified at twenty-nine. Most of my colleagues didn't complete surgical training until their thirties."
The CEO's bushy gray eyebrows rose skeptically. "For the sake of your patients, I hope you did not cut any corners."
"Of course not. I simply worked harder. I graduated from high school in three years and managed to complete my undergraduate degree a few semesters early as well."
"Impressive," praised one of the Chinese board members. "Which hospital do you work at now?"
Elyse's smile froze. "Unfortunately, Mr. Zhao, I'm not employed in a hospital at the moment."
The Mayor chuckled derisively. " C'est dommage! At least, you still have your looks."
She side-eyed the Mayor as though he was an unruly child. "Clearly, they're all I have left."
The Mayor laughed heartily. Her sarcasm had flown right over his head. Alessandro cast a wary look in her direction.
The CEO challenged, "So, Dr. Romero, you are no longer a practicing surgeon?"
"No," she answered quietly, "I'm not."
"A shame."
Then, the men lost interest in her and moved on to discuss other topics. Alessandro kept his gaze on Elyse, though. He dipped his head to her ear and murmured so that only she could hear, "Do you miss it?"
She whispered back, "Miss what?"
"Slicing up bodies and sewing them back together."
Elyse clicked her tongue. "You make me sound like a serial killer."
"Do not change the subject," he chided. "Answer me. Do you miss working in hospitals?"
She shrugged. "Sometimes. A little." All the time. A lot.
Alessandro dropped a light kiss on her shoulder and promised, "Once my business dealings are settled in a year or two, I will buy you a hospital to do with whatever you like."
She glanced up at him in shock. "What?"
He smiled down at her. "Would it please you?"
Elyse didn't know if she would be around in a year or two. She also doubted that Alessandro would follow through on such an extravagant promise. He probably promised the moon and stars to all of his ex-lovers. Still, the fact that he noticed her unhappiness was quite sweet. She pecked him on the cheek. His face flushed ever so slightly.
"That's kind of you to offer," Elyse said softly, "but unnecessary."
"As I have said before," Alessandro grunted thickly, "I would move mountains for you."
He then whisked her away to meet some of the other guests. Elyse greeted Morocco's Ambassador and Australia's Ambassador to France. Afterward, Alessandro introduced her to a pair of sharply dressed but intimidating-looking gentlemen from Colombia who seemed to be cut from a slightly different cloth from the diplomats. Se?or Garcia and Se?or Castillo claimed to be involved in the agricultural industry.
Alessandro seemed to know the Colombians quite well. Suspiciously well. This prompted Elyse to pay extra close attention to Se?or Garcia and Se?or Castillo . When the two men talked amongst themselves, in terms of accent and slang, their Colombian Spanish differed a little from her Mexican Spanish, but their conversation wasn't difficult to follow. The word nieve stuck with Elyse. She knew it translated directly to "snow," but the word could also be interpreted as slang for cocaine. When Elyse finally found a moment alone with Alessandro, she couldn't contain her suspicions any longer. She glanced his way. "May I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Do those men work for the cartel?"
He paused. "It is possible."
"Are they the ones who want to hurt you?"
He sighed, "No, they are friends."
She arched an eyebrow. "Is there anyone around us who isn't friendly?"
Alessandro's expression darkened significantly. He obviously didn't want to answer.
"I'm in a room full of killers and criminals tonight thanks to you," Elyse pointed out. "The least you can do is tell me who I need to stay away from."
Finally, after a long moment of deliberation, Alessandro nodded toward a small cluster of dark-haired men standing across the room. "They —are not our friends."
"Who are they?"
" Stidda ."
This was all Elyse could pry out of Alessandro before they were approached by some French bankers. As Alessandro fell into a deep conversation with the newcomers, Monte and Luca began to converse in Italian behind her. Their voices were hushed, and her Italian was still on very shaky ground, but a single word kept jumping out at Elyse. They said it three times.
Malattia— as in illness .
Elyse thought she also heard Monte mutter the word cancro , but she couldn't be sure. It meant cancer . As chatter continued to flow around her, Elyse gave nothing away with her expression, but she desperately wanted some peace and quiet. Just a few minutes to figure out if the tidbits she'd eavesdropped from Monte and Luca added up to anything significant. Were they talking about an acquaintance who had been diagnosed with cancer? Or was it mafia code for some nefarious activity that she didn't understand?
The whole evening was giving Elyse a migraine. She'd been surrounded by members of the Colombian cartel and Italian mafia for the past few hours. She'd also been forced to smile and simper at intolerable, old men all night. A few minutes later, she excused herself to the ladies' room. Just to catch a breather. Alessandro was too involved with the Frenchmen to accompany her, so he, very reluctantly, sent Monte in his place after Elyse promised that they would return within ten minutes. Monte waited outside in the hallway for her.
"I'll be out soon," Elyse told him as she entered the restroom.
Monte merely grunted in response.
The interior of the ladies' room was as lovely and extravagant as the rest of Hotel Imperial. There was even a goddamn chandelier dangling from the ceiling. With a heavy sigh, Elyse sank into one of the tufted velvet chairs to decompress. She inhaled a few breaths in and exhaled a few more out. When her nerves finally felt slightly more settled, Elyse rose from the chair to gather her thoughts. Malina had advised her to watch and learn if she didn't know how to help the situation.
What was the situation? Elyse tried to replay each piece of information that she had gathered so far. Alessandro was likely working hand in hand with the cartel. Was he involved in drug trafficking? Cocaine, perhaps? The Stidda was probably a rival syndicate. Did they want to steal from Alessandro's business? Or had they become adversaries for another reason? Then, there were the businessmen and politicians whom Alessandro had been in contact with all night. Were they involved in the mafia's criminal activities as well? As Elyse paced and paced around the ladies' room, she soon came to realize that there was an adjoining lounge connected to the restroom. It had a separate and unguarded exit. Her heart rate sped up. All thoughts of Alessandro, the cartel, and the Stidda disappeared. Opportunity called to her like a flame to a moth.
Run .
Elyse's heart and her mind went to war with one another. Half of her wished to stay, stay, stay with Alessandro. He might still be in danger, after all. He might need her help if someone tried to hurt him. Yet, her other half screamed to run, run, run . Common sense told Elyse that an impromptu escape was a terrible idea. Downright stupid. This shit needed to be planned out ahead of time. It seemed utterly insane to expect to stroll out of this hotel, undetected, into the streets of Paris in a goddamn evening gown. Monte was waiting at the other exit for her. It wouldn't take long for him to discover that she had slipped away.
However, she might not chance upon another opportunity like this one before the wedding. Instinct overrode everything else. A panic attack hastened her to act. Like a fugitive on the run, she started hurrying toward the exit. So muddled was her mind at the moment, Elyse didn't even know if she intended to follow through with this crazy foolishness.
She was just thinking about turning back when a soft, feminine voice called to her, " Pardon, mademoiselle! I think you dropped your lipstick."
"It's not mine," Elyse growled over her shoulder. She didn't slow her stride. Maybe she simply needed to step outside for a minute. Some fresh air might calm her nerves.
The same voice asked pointedly, "You are Dr. Romero, no?"
Elyse halted in mid-step. How did this bitch know her name? Elyse turned around. Annoyance wrinkled across her brow, but then her green gaze widened as she came face to face with a statuesque blonde woman with angelic blue eyes. The blonde beauty smirked at her. "Pleased to meet you, Dr. Romero. I have heard so much about you from Alessandro."
Trepidation arose as Elyse scrutinized the woman standing before her. For some reason, this stranger looked familiar. A sense of foreboding settled over Elyse. Her green eyes widened as, suddenly, she recognized the woman as the blonde from the clinic. The night Marcello was shot. Could this woman also be—
The blonde extended her hand and introduced herself, "I am Valentina Rizzo. Alessandro's stepsister."
Elyse's jaw tightened by a fraction. It would seem Malina had been right again. Valentina had, indeed, made the first move. With a strained smile, Elyse accepted Valentina's hand. She shook it firmly. "A pleasure, Ms. Rizzo."
"Congratulations on the engagement, by the way," Valentina cooed. "I have known my dear brother for almost ten years now, and I have never seen him settle for only one woman. You must be quite a catch, Dr. Romero."
Malina's warning crept through her head. Keep your friends close but your enemies closer. Elyse feigned a smile. "Thank you, Ms. Rizzo."
"I must commend you for being such an understanding woman," Valentina remarked with a shrewd expression. "Many brides-to-be would not be so forgiving in your position."
Elyse eyed the other woman warily. "I'm not sure I follow? I didn't realize there was anything that needed to be forgiven."
She wondered where Valentina was headed with this backhanded compliment. She didn't need to wait long. The blonde's gaze soon locked onto Elyse's ringless hand. Valentina scoffed as though offended for Elyse, "What in the world was Alessandro thinking? Proposing without a diamond? You should not have agreed to marry him without securing a ring."
Technically, Alessandro hadn't proposed to her yet. Not officially. She hadn't agreed to marry him, either. But Valentina didn't need to be privy to this information. Elyse sighed, "I don't need a ring to be happy."
In fact, she'd be thrilled if Alessandro called off their wedding altogether. Valentina seemed oblivious to Elyse's true feelings about the matter of marriage. She tittered sweetly, but her expression turned feral. "Such a diplomatic response. What a good wife you will be. I do wonder, though—"
Elyse eyed the blonde with caution. Valentina glanced toward the second exit, grinning much like a triumphant fox cornering a hen when she trilled, "Where were you headed earlier? If I had not stopped you, would you already be on your way to the nearest airport?"
So, Valentina figured it out. She knew that Elyse had been trying to slip out the back door. Anxiety bristled through her. Was this bitch going to tell Alessandro about her laughable, lame-ass attempt to run away? How would Alessandro react once he found out? Dios , she was such a fucking idiota . Elyse released a silent train of expletives. She should've never tried to walk out of the restroom in the first place. Unease bled into a heady mix of dread, her face grew hot with embarrassment, but, miraculously, Elyse managed to keep her response relatively dignified. She touched her temple. "I had a migraine, so I was hoping to get some fresh air. I would've come back after a few minutes."
Elyse stared down her blonde adversary, daring the other woman to challenge her claim. Valentina's gaze on her didn't waver. "Do you still need the fresh air, Dr. Romero, for your migraine?"
"I took aspirin a while ago, and I'm feeling better. Thank you for your concern. Now, if you don't mind, I don't want to keep Alessandro waiting."
"Of course not," Valentina drawled in mocking tones. "Enjoy the rest of your evening, Dr. Romero."
"Likewise, Ms. Rizzo," Elyse returned with a curt nod.
Just then, Monte burst into the ladies' room with a look of panic plastered all over his scarred face. His hand was tucked under his blazer as though getting ready to draw out a firearm. "Dr. Romero?"
His expression relaxed once he sighted Elyse and Valentina.
"Va tutto bene, Monte," Valentina fired at him in Italian, "Tuttavia, potresti voler portare Luca la prossima volta per gestire la seconda uscita. La buona dottoressa stava quasi per scappare..."
Judging by the deep scowl that appeared on Monte's face and the murderous look he was now casting in Elyse's direction, it was safe to assume that Valentina already informed him about the second exit.
"Venga," he barked at Elyse. Come. Valentina cackled in delight. Elyse cast her a dirty look. With her cheeks still burning, Elyse followed Monte out of the ladies' room and back to the ballroom. The moment they rejoined Alessandro and Luca, Monte hurried over to his boss' side. To Elyse's dismay, he murmured something inaudible to Alessandro. Alessandro gave Monte a quick nod of understanding before shifting his attention to Elyse.
His piercing gaze bore into her accusingly. "Dr. Romero?"
Elyse shrank a little. "Yes?"
Alessandro reached over to cup her cheek, his touch felt loving and gentle, but his eyes were hard as stone. Quietly, he asked, "How am I to trust you now?"
It seemed Monte had ratted her out as well. Elyse looked up at him with an alarmed expression. "I can explain."
Alessandro's hand fell away from her face. His expression turned to ice. "Explain later. For the time being, I only wish to get through the rest of this evening without another incident."
Elyse glared at Alessandro, but she didn't argue with him. She didn't want to cause a scene in front of the other guests. To an extent, Elyse could comprehend why the man might be upset. She'd wounded his ego by challenging his authority, but, in truth, there was no reason to apologize or feel guilty. Elyse did nothing wrong. He was the one who was treating her like his prisoner. Even if Valentina hadn't intervened, Elyse doubted that she would've carried out her ludicrous scheme.
Fuck him.
The next hour dragged like an eternity as Alessandro charmed his way through the crowds. He continued to tend to her with respect, but gone were the stolen kisses and lingering touches. A quiet storm now raged beneath Alessandro's facade as her doting fiancé, and Elyse wasn't sure if she would be able to weather the force of it.
They left the ball shortly after midnight. Much to Elyse's relief, no one got shot. Despite being confined in such close quarters for such a long time, members of the mafia and the cartel had been on their best behavior. The drive back to the flat, however, was painfully silent and strained. Alessandro refused to look at Elyse, let alone speak to her. She pretended not to see him either and kept her eyes glued on the window. Glowing storefronts and tree-lined avenues flew by in a blur as tension billowed between them. Once they reached the apartment, Alessandro stopped to help Elyse out of the car, but the bastard didn't fully acknowledge her presence until they were back in the privacy of their bedroom.
Alessandro positioned himself by the bed while Elyse strode to the other side of the room. He watched as she started removing her jewelry. He watched as she stepped out of her heels. He watched as Elyse tried to remove her gown. The zipper in the back, however, was giving her some trouble. As she struggled, footsteps padded across the room. A moment later, Elyse felt Alessandro's larger form sidle up behind her. His fingers brushed against her neck as he reached for the clasp, helping her pull it down with a quiet, muffled zip.
"Thanks," she muttered.
Alessandro remained silent, but his stillness said more than words ever could. He didn't walk away. The chill from their car ride was beginning to thaw. He chose to stay at her side, and his nearness provoked a foolish, fluttering response in Elyse. From the quickening of her pulse to the rising heat across her skin, every cell in her body became aware of the tall, dark, and beautiful man who loomed but a few inches behind her.
Boldly, Elyse shrugged out of her gown. The silken fabric peeled away from her curves, whispering down her long, shapely legs to pool at her feet. She was now standing before Alessandro completely naked. No bra. Or underwear. The dress hadn't allowed for it. His hands found the flare of her hips. He slowly turned her around to face him. He was still fully clothed in his tux. Elyse's nudity made her feel vulnerable and self-conscious, but she refused to show any weakness in front of him.
She glowered with fire in her eyes. "I have nothing to apologize for."
With a sigh, Alessandro reached over to palm her face in his hand. He grazed his thumb, lightly , along Elyse's lower lip. An unwitting quiver of pleasure ran through her. "I was not looking for an apology."
Elyse studied him closely. "Then why are you upset?"
"Because," he explained, "you do not understand the consequences of your actions."
Sparks of anger and frustration ripped through her. How was she to know about the fucking consequences? Elyse snapped, "The only reason I don't understand is because you insist on keeping me in the dark."
His jaw ticked with irritation. "I will tell you this much. Valentina Rizzo is not our friend. She does not want me to wed you, but, instead of letting you escape tonight, she chose to send you back to me. Do you know why?"
Elyse's brow pinched with bewilderment. "Why?"
He scowled. "The bitch wants me to know that she is aware of my weakness."
Cautiously, she probed, "Which is?"
Alessandro snapped, " You do not want me . If I cannot even control my woman, how am I to run an empire? She intends to use this information against me. Against us . Soon, my rivals will know that you and I are not a united front."
"I see."
As understanding settled into Elyse, agitation began to fade. Her expression grew somber as she recalled Alessandro's claims from earlier in the night. When they were still on good terms. Before that fucking exit tempted her better judgment. His words rushed back at all once to haunt Elyse.
I want to trust you as my woman.
"I'm sorry about causing problems with your stepsister," she supplied grudgingly.
I cannot fuck around with loyalty.
Alessandro grunted sullenly in response, "Do not apologize. Just do not be so careless from now on. Every situation is more complicated than you think, and every choice carries an irreversible consequence. My enemies are always waiting for me to fuck up."
It is a matter of life or death in my world.
She admitted, "I didn't know Valentina would catch me. I never meant to cause you trouble. I only wanted some fresh air to clear my head."
Being surrounded by a room full of criminals had been nerve-wracking as hell. Yet, it'd been the pompous, old men who managed to rattle Elyse even more. Their patronizing attitudes had reminded her of the little value she carried in Alessandro's world. As a woman shaped by her professional accomplishments and years of independence, tonight had been a bitter pill to swallow.
His expression softened. "I can see how this evening might have overwhelmed you. I am sorry for throwing you into the deep end without warning. It will not happen again. Please believe me. Next time, things will be better for you. I will make sure of it."
Elyse gazed at him with wonder and longing. She wanted to trust him. Alessandro started nudging her toward the bed. As the back of her legs hit the mattress, he pushed her onto the soft surface. Then, Alessandro removed his clothing, crawled over to lay beside Elyse, and drew the covers over them. With an air of defeat, Alessandro searched for her eyes. The raw emotion that glimmered from him broke something inside her. Elyse felt her walls begin to crumble.
He whispered hoarsely, "Why did you try to leave me tonight?"
Emotions clashed within her. At the time, the desire to stay with him had been nearly as strong as the desire to run from him , but she didn't know how to organize the complexity of these thoughts into words. Her answer faltered at first, "I..."
Alessandro waited for her to find her voice. With uncertainty etched across her face, Elyse mumbled, "I guess I was scared of what might become of me if I… stayed."
His eyes flashed intensely. "I would never let anyone hurt you. You are part of me now. I would sooner carve out my own flesh than let you suffer a moment of abuse."
"Believe it or not," she specified, "I'm not afraid of getting hurt. It's the thought of losing myself that scares me more."
"Why is that a bad thing? I want you to lose yourself in me. As I am lost in you," he returned in heated tones. "I have wanted you from the very beginning. The moment I opened my eyes in Queens and saw you, I knew , I would never be able to look at another woman the way I look at you."
"You have the privilege of wanting me because you hold power in our relationship," Elyse argued, "but I can't give too much of myself. I don't know where I stand. There are too many limits placed on me. I can't even step away from the fucking restroom without Monte sounding the alarm. I don't have control over anything."
Alessandro laughed harshly. "You wield more agency than you think. Especially over me."
"In order for this partnership of ours to work," she insisted, "you must share your power with me."
He eyed her with suspicion. "What do you mean?"
"Knowledge is power."
His expression darkened. " No, knowledge is a burden that I do not want you to carry."
Elyse's eyes grew sharp and shrewd. "If you withhold the information I need to keep us safe, then I'll always want to run, I'll always be afraid of the unknown, and I'll always fuck things up for you— like I did tonight with Valentina —simply because I can't predict what the consequences might be. If I'm to become your woman, you need to treat me like your partner. Not some trophy to be kept out of harm's way."
At this moment, her argument finally seemed to sink into his skull. A glimmer of realization passed over his handsome features. Alessandro warned, "Once I bring you in, you will not be allowed to leave."
Elyse's heart began to thunder as her mind swirled with discontent. The Graviano blood in her veins only tightened the noose around her neck. The mafia had a chokehold on her now. The possibility of escaping her fate had become a fantasy. It wasn't like she would've gotten far tonight. Even without Valentina's untimely appearance, Monte would've tracked her down soon enough.
With a small, sad smile, Elyse finally gave in to her fate, "I understand what's at stake, and I choose to stay with you."