Page 143 of When She Tempts (The Fallen)
“Uh-huh. And how does she know you won’t change your mind again and say something else tomorrow?”
“Because I won’t,” I mutter, but in truth, I’m starting to see her point. “I’m trying to fix it.”
“By going to her brother instead of tellingherhow you feel?”
“What would you have me do?”
She pokes my chest, making me back farther away from the office. “Give her space, for one. She survived another attack on her life, agreed to an engagement, had it cancelled, and now she has another proposal to consider? I know made men aren’t strong on empathy, but can you imagine how she feels for one damn second? She’s got whiplash from it all.” She pokes me again. “Let. Her. Breathe.”
Something else shatters in Damiano’s office. Valentina glances over her shoulder and shakes her head. “Dem isn’t any better than you at the moment. He was so angry about catching the two of you, he didn’t think at all about how he should deliver the news, so he just dumped it on her.”
Just then, the door bursts open. Mari flies out, giving me nothing but a glimpse at her tear-streaked face.
“Mar—”
She whirls around on me, her nostrils flaring, and her eyes throwing daggers. “You. Howdareyou? You told me it was over. You broke my fucking heart!” Her palms shove against my chest. “And you know what? I was dealing with it. I chose a new path. Maybe it wouldn’t have given me a perfect life, but it would’ve given my life some meaning. Who gaveyouthe right to take that away from me?”
Her anger makes the blood drain from my face. “Mari, you shouldn’t need to compromise. You deserve a perfect life.”
“And that’s a life with you?” She throws her arms wide. “This? Does this seem perfect? Fuck you, Giorgio.”
She whirls around and flies in the direction of her room.
I move to follow, but Valentina jumps in front of me.
“Don’t,” she hisses. “She doesn’t want to talk to you right now.”
I watch her hurry after Mari, and when they disappear, I glance over my shoulder at De Rossi.
He’s staring at me with a mocking smirk, and I can practically read his thoughts.
You’ve lost control.
Now what?
CHAPTER36
MARTINA
My second marriageproposal is followed by some of the longest days of my life.
I don’t leave my room.
I don’t allow anyone except for Sophia and Vale inside it either.
My sister-in-law somehow knows exactly what I need. She doesn’t force conversation or share information I have no interest in knowing.
Which includes everything to do with Giorgio.
We don’t speak his name. We don’t even allude to his existence.
But erasing him from our conversations is much easier that ridding him from my mind.
I do my best not to think about him, but it’s a difficult task. How is it possible to destroy something that we build over the course of weeks in a matter of days?
He wanted me, then he didn’t, then he did again. And Dem just let him toy with me like that?
What do they all think of me? That I’m just some game piece they can move around the board at will? A few months ago, I may have let them get away with it, but not now.
