Her venom started to fade away. “I don’t understand…”
“We have our differences, but we’re a team. We need to act like it.” I would always resent her for what she did to me, but it was time to leave the past behind us. If I wanted any chance to have something real with her, I needed to put all my cards on the table. “This isn’t just a marriage. It’s a partnership. Your success is my success, and that’s a two-way street. You will be the mother of my children. I want you to have all my power in your hands to do with whatever you want.”
For the first time, she was speechless. She stared at me like she had no idea what to say. “I still don’t want your money, but I appreciate the gesture. And for that, I’ll do the same with you.”
“That wasn’t my angle. Keep your money. I’m your husband. I’ll provide for you and protect you.” Her assets were marginal compared to mine. I wouldn’t even notice they were there. She probably had no understanding of just how rich I really was. If she knew, she’d probably lose her marbles. “I want to start moving your stuff over. My men will come back and collect whatever you want to bring.”
Her eyes dropped to the surface of her desk. Her expression was easy to read; she was dreading this, like she’d made a deal with the devil. “Alright.”
“Do you want to go on a honeymoon?”
“No. I have too much work to do.”
We could have our honeymoon in the bedroom.
She lifted her gaze again. “I’ve known you for years, but I feel like I don’t know you at all.”
“What do you want to know?” I’d never discouraged her from asking questions. I’d been an open book from day one. But she’d wanted our relationship to be nothing but sex, so all the deep conversations lovers usually had were missing. She tried to keep our relationship sterile so I would never mean anything to her…but she ended up with me anyway. It was ironic.
“I don’t know where to start.”
“Have dinner with me tonight. We’ll talk then.” I couldn’t wait until she was mine, until I could rip off her clothes and take her as my wife. Fantasies played in my mind on a nightly basis, dreams so vivid I could actually feel her pussy around my dick. Other women felt like trolls compared to the woman I actually wanted. I was committed to a woman I wasn’t even fucking, and it caused me to lose my mind.
Maybe dinner and some wine would loosen her up, would get her to drop her walls and let me in. Maybe she wouldn’t make me wait until our wedding night. Maybe she’d let me have her sooner.
It was the longest I’d gone without having sex…so I was hard anytime I was around her.
She took her time before she answered. “Alright.”
I always had shit to do, so I walked into the meeting late.
Members of the board were talking to each other quietly even though Sofia stood at the front, going over different ideas she had for the hotel. The energy in the room was chaotic, with people’s thoughts in different places. It had a casual feel—like no one was taking it seriously.
Sofia continued to do her best, even though only two men were paying attention. “Most of our restaurants are outdated and designed to attract an older clientele. I think we need to breathe new life into this place, possibly turning the main bar into a hipper space. There’re a lot of locals who would love a new hangout spot.”
One man made notes on his paper, while Charles and Tim spoke about golfing this weekend. It wasn’t Sofia’s fault this was happening. For several decades, they’d been dealing with authoritative men, and Sofia was a poor substitute in their eyes. She belonged at home, taking care of the cooking and cleaning.
Sofia had never had a chance to be successful…not on her own.
“Charles.” I stopped at the head of the table, making my presence known. “Tim.” I stared at them both for a few seconds, my irritated tone conveying my displeasure at the situation. “Gentlemen, maybe you haven’t heard the news yet, but Sofia has agreed to be my wife. After this Saturday, you will address her as Mrs. Lombardi.”
Sofia didn’t cop an attitude like she normally would.
“We had no idea,” Charles said. “Congratulations.”
I buttoned the front of my jacket. “Thank you.”
“Does that mean you’ll be running the hotel from now on?” Tim asked, unable to mask his eagerness.
“No. My fiancée can do a much better job than I ever could.” All she wanted was her family’s legacy, to take pride in her work. Her gender had made that impossible, but that was all about to change. “If anyone has a problem with that, I suggest you sell your stake in the company and excuse yourself. Otherwise, your family can inherit your share instead. Do we have an understanding, gentlemen?” They knew exactly what I was capable of, and death threats weren’t handed out as jokes. I’d killed men for much less. I scanned the faces of every single one of them, seeing them go rigid as my threat seeped deep into their bones. “I asked you a question.”
“Yes,” Charles barked.
Tim straightened in his chair and pivoted his body toward Sofia.
One by one, they took their attention off me and focused on my fiancée at the front. With eager eyes, they waited for her to continue her presentation.
I crossed my arms over my chest and looked at the beautiful woman standing at the front, so sexy in her jeans and blouse that it was hard to take her seriously. How could a woman so stunning be so intelligent? Be a strong leader for a company as big as this? But she could. I had no doubt about it.
Now Sofia could witness my influence firsthand, how I could step into a room and make shit happen. If she had cold feet about marrying me, I was sure those doubts disappeared. I could give her exactly what she wanted.
She gave me a slight nod then turned back to what she’d been saying before I’d stepped inside.
Like I’d never been there at all, I walked out.
I sat on the balcony and watched the sunset. A bottle of wine sat in the ice bucket, and there was a single red rose in the small vase in the center of the table. I was in a black t-shirt and jeans, my muscular arms stretching the fabric. She liked me in a suit, but I knew she preferred this dressed-down look, where my ripped physique was truly noticeable. If it weren’t completely inappropriate, I would be naked.
Helena let Sofia into the bedroom a moment later.
She was in jean shorts and a black tank top, choosing to go casual too. At work, she dressed more formally, but this look was much sexier. The shorts went all the way up to her thighs, showing off her sculpted muscles and her tanned skin. Her curled hair hung down her shoulders, and her black tank top showed off her nice cleavage and her flat stomach.
Fuck. I could picture her in just that tank top, getting fucked with her ankles locked around my waist.
She stepped onto the balcony, her posture rigid like she was recalling the last time she’d been there. She probably noticed the bed had been changed out and that some of the furniture in the room had been replaced. She looked at the splashes of color in the sky before she took a seat.
I didn’t get up and greet her, and I didn’t make small talk either. It was nice that we didn’t have to do that, that we could survive the heated silence without getting unnerved by it. I opened the wine and poured two glasses right before Helena came outside and dropped off the appetizers.