Chapter 6
RAQUEL
“What do you think of this?” Colleen asks again, holding up another floral dress in the bedroom I now share with Dante.
I’ve tuned her out more than once already, still replaying what happened with Dante before he left. The way he came up behind me. The way he kissed the back of my head.
My body flushes with heat from the memory. I don’t know how I’ll hold out for three months. The more I’m around him, the harder it’ll get. He won’t make it easy, I can already tell.
Right now, I wish I had pushed for separate bedrooms. He needs me just as much as I need him. Maybe he would’ve let me have that one thing.
“Raquel?” Colleen calls, her hazel eyes assessing me as she smiles.
I glance up at her with what I hope is an apologetic expression. “I’m sorry. My mind is elsewhere today. I do love the other floral I tried on. The white with the blue flowers.”
“Great. I’ll add that to the total.” She strides over to one of the suitcases she brought, bending down to put the dress she just showed me back inside.
She rummages for a few moments, then takes out what looks like lingerie.
“Um, I don’t think I’ll be needing those,” I tell her as she drops them on the bed beside me. “I already picked the regular bras and panties.”
“Oh.” Her face falls nervously as she fingers her short blonde hair that’s angled perfectly around her face. “Well…uh, Mr. Cavaleri instructed me to show them to you and to make sure you picked a few different sets. Would you like for me to call him and tell him you’ve changed your mind?”
He what?!
This man is going to drive me to divorce before we’re even married. Why the hell would I need lingerie? What is he planning?
But I can’t have her call him and possibly jeopardize our deal. I don’t have any other options besides doing whatever he wants. Even if that means wearing this damn see-through white lace panty set that’s currently draped over my hand.
I examine the tag.
Holy crap.
Five hundred for one bra is insane, but I guess to him, that’s pocket change.
“I’ll take all eight sets,” I tell her.
Suddenly, her face lights up. “Wonderful. I’m sure Mr. Cavaleri will be pleased.”
Yeah, he sure will be…when I make his ass put it on.
He wants to make me uncomfortable? Let’s see how he likes it.
Okay, I probably won’t do that, but it’s a nice thought. Though I think these panties would probably be a tad too small around those thick, well-built thighs.
And here I go, growing all hot at the thought of his bare body.
Clearing my throat, I fidget with the black dress I’m still wearing, trying hard not to think about the man who saved me from hell.
Colleen removes the lingerie from my bed and adds them to another bag on the floor with the brightest smile. I’ve lost count of how many bags I have. There are at least thirty scattered across the room.
She must be making good commission on these sales. Between the intimates, casual clothes, swimwear, and dressy stuff, plus all the makeup and hair supplies I got, I’ve easily spent two hundred grand. I have never spent this much in one sitting. But hey, if that’s what he wants, why not?
After she folds away all the items I didn’t buy, she gets set to go.
“It was a pleasure meeting you.” She reaches out a hand for mine, and we shake. “Please do call if you need anything else.”
“I will. Thank you.” I open the door for her as she rolls out both of the large suitcases she brought, while I follow her out into the hallway.
One of Dante’s guards walks over to us.
“Let me, ma’am,” he tells her, then grabs both of the suitcases, lifting them up in the air while marching down the stairs before us.
Considering he’s a good six-seven and bulky as hell, he could probably carry both of us on his head too and not even sweat.
Once she’s at the door, she waves goodbye as Dante’s man brings her stuff to the car.
After they’re gone, I decide to run back upstairs to finally take a shower and put on fresh clothes. I strip out of my dress and panties, leaving them on the bed. Finding the bag with the bath accessories, I retrieve all the insanely pricy items Colleen brought and take them with me.
Stepping into a luxurious bathroom, I tread over the sparkling dark gray marble floor and reach the stand-up shower all the way at the far left corner. The jacuzzi on the right is making me wish I could dip inside it, but I’d end up falling right to sleep in it if I did.
Opening the glass door, I turn on the hot water that’s like calming raindrops on a warm, summer day. The steam rises up my body, the scalding temperature washing away the rot.
I fill my palm with the smell of jasmine mixed with a hint of roses and rub the shampoo into my strands, the foam building until I wash it away. Then I finish off with my body.
Once I’m done, I shut off the water. Grabbing two black towels from the rack on the wall, I dry off before coming out and wrapping another towel around my hair.
When I exit the bathroom, I locate a bag with lounge clothes and grab a white tank with gray yoga pants, quickly getting dressed.
I should probably put all these clothes away, but I’m finally feeling tired, so instead, I slip into bed, picking up the remote.
I flip through hundreds of channels, my eyelids growing heavy and the remote jittering in my hand as sleep calls. I let it take me away, feeling relaxed for the first time in a while.
I find myself awake an hour later, according to the large round clock on the wall. My body feels run-down and my head is still groggy with sleep, but I force myself to get up, knowing I’ll never get any shut-eye tonight if I continue to nap.
Flipping my feet out of the warm comfort of Dante’s bed, I make it back downstairs.
I start walking aimlessly around the house, not knowing where I’m going and feeling a bit uneasy as I pass guard after guard at every entry point.
There are two at the door leading to the pool, then more at the other back entrances.
It feels as though I’m being watched every second.
Who needs this many people defending their house? I’m not buying that this is for protection. He has to be involved in something shady. Something I probably don’t want to know about. The less I’m involved in this kind of stuff, the better.
I wanted no part in my father’s dealings, and I sure as hell don’t want anything to do with whatever Dante has his hands in.
All I want is to live my life in peace without being controlled. I know how dirty my father’s hands are, and I’ve always wanted to be far away from that. And Dante, even with all his obvious secrets, can get me there.
I don’t know where I’ll go once our marriage is over. Maybe a small village in a country that can use my medical skills. I might never finish my residency now, but I still have a lot to offer the world. It’d be a waste not to put my knowledge to use.
My dream has always been to become a doctor and help those who need it.
I never imagined my dream would fall short of reality.
But as much as my heart breaks at knowing my hard work will never be realized, it’s a small price to pay for escaping the clutches of a man who’ll drain all the happiness left in my life.
I don’t even have my medical supply bag, the one I never leave the house without. How the hell did I forget to bring it? Then again, at the time, I really did think I was coming back home.
The bag contains all my essentials, from sutures to stethoscope. I don’t feel the same without it. It’s like a piece of me is missing. I guess that’s another thing I’ll have to get used to.
After walking through what feels like the entire first floor and discovering a home theater and a game room with a full bowling alley on one side, I make it back to my room—well, our room.
Removing all the clothes from the bags, I begin to hang them, leaving aside a hot-pink two-piece bikini.
There are two walk-in closets in his bedroom, one completely empty, like it was meant for me.
Like he knew I’d need it, which is obviously a crazy thought.
The closet itself is more like its own room. You could place a king-sized bed in here, plus a dresser, and still have plenty of room to run around.
After everything is put away, an hour has passed, and I’m ready to take a dip in the pool. With my hips draped in a black cover-up, I make it back down, heading toward the garden. The two guards there open the doors as soon as they see me coming.
“Ma’am,” they say in unison with a curt nod, their expressions stern.
“Raquel is fine,” I throw in.
When I see their demeanor hasn’t softened, I smile awkwardly before heading out.
“Wow,” I whisper as the scent of freshly cut grass on the acres of bright green land before me permeates my senses.
The long, rectangular pool to my right is beautiful, but there’s something else that catches my attention. A circular fountain on my left is surrounded by white benches, perfectly placed flowers in bright colors all around it.
It’s so tranquil. I take a seat, my legs raised up and slanted to the side as I breathe in the fresh air. My eyelids grow heavy, and I realize that the hour-long nap from earlier didn’t help at all.
DANTE
While I’m at work, I try hard not to constantly watch her on the cameras I have throughout my property. The app on my cell makes it easy to access them wherever I am. My brothers and I all have them in our homes. We need to be aware of every move the Bianchis try to make against us.
When I return back home so we can have lunch together, I already know she’s outside napping on one of the benches. I had this place made in memory of my mother. She always loved flowers and the water.
We had a lake not far from our home, and it was one of her favorite places. And every week, Dad would bring fresh flowers for her. She’d have the biggest smile on her face. I still see it, even though her face is distant now, washed away with the memories.
I miss her. I always will. I miss all of them.
I pull in a long inhale as I make it to where Raquel lies.