Page 27 of Bride of Betrayal
And, Angelica realised, she didn’t hate Leo. Not even after he couldn’t love her, because he’d never promised that. Not even after he wanted to punish her. What she did feel was tangled and complicated and too much to think about right now.
But as if a little devil had taken control, she heard herself blurting out, ‘Why did you dump me?’
He tensed. She felt it. He said after a long moment, ‘Because I never promised you anything more than what we had. I didn’t want a long-term commitment.’
She stayed silent. As if the words were being dragged out of him, he said, ‘You know my background, so similar to yours. I never wanted a relationship, family. When you said…what you said, I knew things had gone too far.’
Too far. Meaning she’d lost the run of herself and had been building happy-ever-after castles in the air. It was small comfort that she knew Leo didn’t believe she’d meant it when she’d told him she loved him, and the last thing she needed now was him reflecting on that. But before she could say anything to deflect him, he was saying, ‘No, I don’t hate you, Angelica, but I do want you.’
They’d started dancing again, which was causing a far too distracting friction between their bodies. Especially considering that Angelica’s dress was gossamer thin. She could hardly deny she wanted him—it was out in the open now, like an electric current that couldn’t be switched off. Any attempt to maintain a cool facade was fast melting like snow on a hot stone.
Almost as if musing aloud, Leo looked down at her and said, ‘You say it’s not my business but I think it is.’
Angelica was having trouble thinking straight. ‘Your business about what?’
‘Why you went to Aldo if it wasn’t to get back at me or get your hands on his, that is,my, money.’
Angelica’s brain was suddenly crystal clear again. She could feel herself tensing. She really didn’t want Leo going down this route of looking at her motives because she had no defence except the truth about her family and now that she was so close to seeing them she really didn’t want to jeopardise anything.
Instead of an answer she couldn’t give, she said, ‘Now that you have everything back in your name, are you sure you don’t want to divorce and be rid of me?’
Leo pulled her closer as a couple nearly collided with them, and when they’d passed by he didn’t loosen his hold. Angelica was sure she could feel every ridge of every muscle, and one in particular, hardening against her. She flushed.
Leo seemed oblivious to what was happening below their necks but she could see the heated look in his eyes. He shook his head. ‘Three months minimum. You’ve proved to be very valuable at diverting attention away from the danger of speculation as to my ability to protect myself from future attack.’
Angelica couldn’t begrudge Leo this. Even if it did mean her little plan to attract the wrong sort of attention had backfired spectacularly. And thankfully he wasn’t insisting she tell him the truth of her reasons for marrying Aldo.
‘I’ll start dressing like a nun.’
‘No doubt that’ll only send them into further paroxysms of delight. There’s nothing you could wear that would dim your beauty or sensuality.’
Angelica’s insides flipped. This man was the one who had opened her eyes to her own sensuality. She’d never considered herself a very sexual person until she’d slept with him. He’d awoken something primal inside her and she could feel it now, clawing for release. It had been so long.
Feeling a little exposed all over again, she said, ‘Careful, that almost sounds like a compliment.’
‘You don’t need me to tell you how beautiful you are.’
Angelica shook her head. ‘I’m well aware that I’m lucky enough to photograph well and fit into the current beauty parameters but there are far more beautiful than me.’ She looked to her side and said, ‘See that woman there?’
Leo looked. ‘The older woman, with the grey hair?’
Angelica nodded. ‘She’s stunning. You can tell she’s had no work done. All of those beautiful lines on her face tell the story of a life lived. She looks happy.’
‘Were you always such a romantic?’
Angelica’s face got hot. She was losing it. Proximity to Leo was scrambling her brain cells. This time when she pulled back he let her go. ‘I need the bathroom.’
She walked off the dance floor, aware of looks and whispers as she went. She felt a little unsteady, as if she were on a ship. When she got to the bathroom she sat in a stall and got her breath back.
She had been a romantic. Right up until he’d told her their relationship was over. And then Aldo and his toxic cruelty had further eroded any belief in romance. But it hadn’t been fully decimated in spite of everything that had happened and now Leo was seeing right inside her to where she was still vulnerable. And that was a shock, to fully acknowledge how much she still hoped, and wanted formore. How she wanted to imagine a life with someone again, having a family full of love and security. Longevity. Growing old together. Not cut short by violence. A life full of meaning and satisfaction, in the small everyday things. Nothing outrageous.
Perhaps it was the prospect of finally getting to see her mother and brother, exposing her vulnerabilities. But she knew it wasn’t. It was him.
Something had shifted between her and Leo. She hadn’t been expecting him to apologise for last night. To admit that he’d felt exposed. She couldn’t arm herself against him when he was like this.
But she had to. If she slept with him, she’d never be able to protect herself and emerge from this marriage arrangement intact.
He’d broken her heart into a million pieces once already. She wouldn’t survive if he did it again.
