Page 96 of Stalking Ginevra

“Where the hell is Reverend Johnson?” I snarl.

He flinches. “He’s in the private dining room performing a ceremony for Mr. Montesano.”

“Cesare?” I snap, my eyes flashing.

The assistant’s face pales. “Mr. Roman, sir.”

I rear back. Roman is getting married, tonight of all nights? What happened to his plan to kill Capello’s daughter after fleecing her inheritance?

Shaking off that thought, I dial the hotel manager, who picks up before the first ring finishes.

“Strawberries and chocolate in the honeymoon suite,” I say.

Silence stretches, the kind that makes my jaw tighten. The kind that makes the pulse between my ears pound.

“What?” I snap.

“The suite’s occupied, sir. Mr. Roman Montesano has it,” the manager replies.

I grind my teeth. “I reserved that suite the day I took control of the casino.”

He clears his throat. “Sorry, sir. I thought you reserved it for Mr. Roman.”

Heat surges through my veins, burning away any patience. Roman just poached my wedding. I ought to wring his neck.

Just as I’m griping over my big brother, the phone in my pocket buzzes. I yank it out, barely glancing at the screen before answering.

“What?” I snap.

There’s another uncomfortable silence before a voice says. “Sir, it’s Vitale. Miss Di Marco refuses to wear the dress.”

My lips curl into a sneer. What happened to the submissive little Ginny who wept on her knees for help? Or the desperate little kitten who humped my leg? If she’s expecting goddess treatment, she’s about to get a shock.

“Tell her this isn’t a fashion show,” I snarl. “If she doesn’t like the dress, she can march across the casino naked.”

Vitale stammers his acknowledgment before hanging up. I shove the phone back into my pocket, my mood darkening. She wanted my protection. In exchange, she’ll give me her submission.

Clenching my fists, I will myself to stay focused. This perfect night is morphing into a series of irritations. I turn to the chapel assistant, who flinches.

“I’ll be in my office. Call me the second Reverend Johnson shows his face.”

“Yes, sir.” He backs away like I’m about to explode.

I stalk out of the chapel and down a hallway lined with wedding photos. The casino’s noise bleeds back in as I push through the doors, but it barely registers. All I can muster are thoughts of damage control.

Ginevra needs to understand that becoming Mrs. Montesano won’t revert our relationship to where it began. I’m no longer that obsessive boy who needed her more than oxygen. She’s insignificant—no more a possession than the anime figurines I keep on my shelf.

Just as I round a corner, I collide into a large figure. I step back, ready to release a barrage, until I discover it’s Reaper. He’s already dressed in a tuxedo and arrived quicker than I expected.

I cock my head, my brows rising. “You got here fast.”

Smirking, he shrugs. “The girl I’m stalking was already in the casino with her little friends.”

“That student?” I ask.

He dismisses the question with a wave of his hand. “You know what it’s like to be fixated on a single woman.”

A bitter laugh escapes my lungs. “Unfortunately, I do.”

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