Grabbing the bottle of champagne they had not bothered to use, he headed to the silk chaise lounge positioned against the window. The air conditioner had frosted the glass, giving him a foggy view of the towering buildings and the lush green trees waving in the nearby park. He had not belted the robe and it laid open, revealing the contoured skin covered by the hairs lying against his chest and further down. His sex was still slightly swollen and soaked in their climaxes and he could smell her on him, making it obvious how much he still wanted to sink himself deep inside her. Plucking a thin specially made cigarette from the handmade box, he struck a light to it and inhaled the fragrant smell. He did not indulge often, except when he was in a contemplative mood and had a lot on his mind. His new wife did not know of this habit of his because he had chosen not to tell her. He had not chosen to tell her a lot of things and supposed that she would find out eventually.
Leaning back his head against the cushioned rest, he blew smoke towards the ceiling, his eyes squinted in thought. He and Sophia had shared something hot and heavy; a love affair that had been natural and uncomplicated. She had graced his arm at functions and had been confident in the fact that eventually, when he was ready, she would become Mrs. Piero De Luca. He had of course given her that impression because it had been something he had been thinking about - settling down and cutting back on his travels so that he could produce the much-needed heir or heirs his parents expected.
The De Luca brand had always been his life, ever since he had been a little boy and could appreciate fashion and the making of it. His father was in charge and he was second in authority, but he was the one who made the bulk of the decision. He had brought the company forward into the twenty-first century, introducing things like online shopping and virtual fashion shows. He loved what he did and resented anything that took him away from it. He had also ignored the many hints his parents kept on making about him settling down and starting a family. They had approved of Sophia at first, but not after she had gotten involved with someone else. His eyes snapped open as he heard the ping of his phone vibrating on the table where he had placed it. A glance at the clock showed that it was after midnight and he wondered who would be calling him at this hour on his honeymoon.
Turning the phone over, he stifled an impatient sigh as he saw the name and contemplated letting it go to voicemail but decided against it.
“This is not appropriate.”
“I know.” Her voice was whisper-soft. “I know how you have a habit of not going to bed early and I took the chance that you were still awake. I am here in my room and aching for you, Piero.”
“You should not be saying things like that to me,” he ground out, looking towards the doorway to see if, by chance, Lauren was awake. “Is that why you came to the wedding without your husband? You thought that perhaps I would leave my wife on our wedding night and come to your room?”
“I just want to talk.”
“About what?” he whispered impatiently. “I think we have exhausted whatever we have to say to each other.”
“Do you love her? Do you make love to her the way you did me?”
“I am not going to answer that, Sophia. It would not make any difference how I feel or what I do with her. We are the past and you are going to have to learn to accept that.”
“What if I cannot?”
“You are going to have to try.” He heaved out a breath and stubbed out the cigar. “Lauren is my wife and you are the wife of an associate and a friend of the family and I respect that. I would like you to respect that I am now married, and I have another life. Please do not call me again.”
He hung up from her and turned the phone off, burying his head inside his hands.
*****
“So, I take it that the honeymoon is over?” Lauren sat on the side of the bed and watched him knotting the tie around his throat.
They had spent most of the Sunday afternoon in bed, only just leaving to go downstairs to have dinner with his parents and sister, something that she had wished she could have avoided. The meal had been uncomfortable, dotted with pregnant silences as the conversations petered off into nothingness. She had endured the resentful looks from the thinly beautiful dark haired girl who seemed to exist in her handsome brother’s shadows and the autocratic looks from his parents. She knew that they did not like her, and she was certainly not who they would have chosen to be their son’s wife, but she was trying not to let it bother her. He glanced at her in the mirror and continued knotting the tie.
“Just some meeting to tie up before Mother and Father leave. You said you had some things to tie up at the apartment as well,” he reminded her. “I will be sending one of the men with you.”
She started to shake her head, but he turned around and gave her a look that stopped her gesture.
“It was not a question Amore mio. As my wife…”
“Please don’t remind me.” She got off the bed and looked around for her robe. “What are we doing later?”
She had not heard him approaching and gasped as his hand clamped on her bare arm and he spun her around.
“You do not like being my wife? You are having second thoughts, perhaps?”
“I would say that is your line.” She pressed her lips together before continuing. “It’s starting already, Piero, and I can feel it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The busy executive whom I will see just a few nights a week, and we are not even in Italy yet.”
“You knew of this when we started seeing each other. You know the responsibilities I have, and it never bothered you before. What of it now?”
She sagged against him and closed her eyes. “It is just hitting me now, what I am up against. What if I disappoint you? Say and do the wrong things? I will be placed under a microscope and I am not sure I will be able to bear under the scrutiny.”
He pulled her against him roughly, one hand cupping her cheek. “I will be there to guide you.” His lips brushed hers lightly, but she opened her mouth and his tongue darted in, his hands wrapped round her waist as he pulled her in for the deep drugging kiss. He pulled away from her after a few minutes, his forehead mashing against hers, his body hard and spinning out of control. “I have to go; I cannot be late. We have a function at seven.”
“I remember.” She leaned into him and stayed inside the circle of his arms until he let go of her and strode from the room.
*****
The woman was waiting for her in the lobby as she made her way down. She had an entire day planned. An idea for her YouTube video, which was in its last segments, and then an early supper with her parents afterwards. She had agonized over the scanty items in her wardrobe at the hotel before deciding on a deep blue linen shorts and a simple light blue shirt and sandals. Her hair was scraped back from her face and was done up into a simple bun. Big silver hoops were at her lobes, and in defiance to her husband’s family, she added colored stones into the other two piercings on either lobe.
“Excuse me?”
She turned to see the stunning dark-haired woman coming from the direction of the restaurant.
“Yes?”
“Could I speak to you a minute?”
She looked vaguely familiar and the accent there was like Piero’s, which told Lauren that she was Italian.