38. Margot
Chapter 38
Margot
A fter the events of last night, the house feels different, like it can finally breathe. I might not have been around when all this mess started, but even I have a lightness in my step—a near giddiness. I guess that’s what happens when you realize you’re in love.
It blows my mind that I’ve fallen for the man who forced me into this marriage, who tore me from everything I knew. But looking back and seeing how far we have come, even in such a short space of time, I wouldn’t change a thing.
I dart down the corridor that leads to Massimo’s office. His door is open ahead of me and a smile that I can’t contain pulls at the corners of my mouth. As I approach, voices drift out and my heart skips a beat. I keep going, picturing the look on Massimo’s face when he sees me.
I’ve visited him in his office a few times over the last few days, and each time, we’ve been consumed by each other. Our mouths always collide before we’ve barely said our first words.
When I reach for the doorknob, I freeze, my hand hovering in midair at the sound of voices on the other side. I listen intently, my curiosity getting the better of me.
“Something needs to change, Massimo. I told Luigi and I’ll tell you; your wife is a distraction. You need to get her in line before you draw more attention to yourself. I am aware of what happened at Aces with your soldier, and then for you to leave our dinner in the manner that you did.”
Antonio .
I’ve only met him once and even then it wasn’t my behavior that needed questioning. Yes, I pushed Massimo, but I was certain nobody else was aware of my mood.
I listen, waiting for Massimo to defend me, to tell him that he’s wrong, or to mind his own business.
“I know.” Massimo sighs, like I’m a burden that he knows he must deal with.
I stumble back, my jaw going slack. Everything that I thought we had burns to ashes around me with those two little words. I thought we’d found peace, that we could make this marriage work, and that after last night, maybe he felt the same way I do. Was it all a ploy to … God, I don’t even know what he would hope to achieve by using me.
Tears prick my eyes before movement on the other side of the door has me rushing back the way I came. I need a plan . To put my armor in place so that he can’t manipulate me with sex to get his own way. In fact, I won’t let him touch me ever again. I can’t believe I fell for him, that I thought we had a future.
Within minutes, I push through the door into our bedroom. The bed is still unmade from our morning sex and I slap a hand over my mouth to muffle the sob that weaves its way up my throat and spills from my lips.
How could I have been so stupid? To think that a man in his position could feel anything close to an emotion such as love is laughable. But what’s worse is that I love him.
Well, not anymore.
Now, I’m no longer suffocated by the fog of my delusions. I can see everything so clearly. I thought I mattered to him. How could I have been so wrong?
Stalking into the closet, I pull out a duffel bag, throwing things into it without really looking. My vision blurs and I force myself to stop, staring at the ceiling. I will not cry . Not over a man that should never have meant anything to me in the first place. Ethan deserved my tears. He did nothing but love me unconditionally. Massimo, well, he deserves my wrath.
Sniffing away the hurt and allowing my anger to seep in, I stare down at what I’ve packed before tipping it all back out. I’m not taking a single thing he’s given me . He can burn them for all I care.
Footsteps in the bedroom raise the hairs on the back of my neck, and I stand, sweeping the mess I’ve made on the floor out of sight under the bench in the middle of the room. The closet door opens, and Massimo stands on the threshold.
“Want to join me for lunch? Alma said she would set us up in the garden as it’s not raining and there’s no forecast.”
I glare at him, my anger bubbling beneath the surface. No . I’m not just angry, I’m furious. At him but more importantly at myself. I let him make me feel safe .
Without thinking, I curl my top lip in disgust and spit, “I wouldn’t have lunch with you if you were the last man on Earth.” His brows tug low. Inhaling, I snarl, “I want a divorce.”
Massimo pushes away from the doorjamb, a dangerous glint in his eyes. A muscle in his jaw flexes, the only sign of his own anger as he prowls toward me.
“Don’t you dare touch me.” My voice trembles, betraying me at the same time as moisture pools in my eyes. “I heard you talking to Antonio about how much you need to get me in line.”
He halts, his features transforming and a mask sliding down, hiding the darkness from me. I realize now that I don’t know this man, not really.
Folding his arms over his chest, Massimo blocks the only exit, and for a moment, I wish I’d had the forethought to confront him somewhere else, somewhere where I could run from him.
He lets out a short, bitter laugh. “I suppose I only have myself to blame for not setting you straight about eavesdropping, but in this case, it might have helped if you’d stuck around for the whole conversation.”
He’s annoyed that I’ve overheard his conversation? The bastard . He doesn’t get to be mad at me when I haven’t done anything wrong.
My anger erupts, consuming me like a fire and burning any sense of self-preservation I had as I scream, “I shouldn’t have been a topic of conversation. Full stop . I am your wife.”
Pacing, I scrub my hands over my face in an attempt to calm myself. It’s only when I’m sure I can sound like a reasonable adult that I speak again. “Our entire relationship has been built on the foundation of you getting whatever you want, and I’m tired of conforming to your wishes. If you give me nothing else, give me this. I want a divorce, Massimo.”
A muscle ticks in his jaw as he regards me. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he replies, “If that is what you want, then I will give you your divorce.” Elation crashes into me, my entire body relaxing before he adds, “If you win.”
My brows pull low and I wrap my arms around my waist before I catch myself and drop them to my side. “What do you mean?”
Whatever he says next, I know that I’m going to have to have my wits about me. Massimo is a smart man, and I wouldn’t put it past him to fix whatever it is so that he wins. He bares his teeth in some semblance of a smile, but I can’t help feeling like I’m Red Riding Hood walking straight into the wolf’s trap.
“We play a hand of poker. You win and I’ll have the divorce papers drawn up and signed for you by morning. But if I win, we remain married.” He prowls toward me, coming to a stop when he’s inches away. “You will give me all of you.” He runs a hand down my chest, stopping over my heart. There isn’t a chance that he can’t feel the erratic beat as it pounds. “ Every last part.”
Stepping back, I put some distance between us, lifting my chin as I reply, “Fine. But I won’t let you win. You’ll never have me again.” Even if I don’t know how to play poker.
With a chuckle, he leans in close. “We’ll see.”