I stare at my phone as it rings, unsure what to do. By now, Natalia would have been informed that the Windsors are stepping away from the engagement and merger, but I should have taken a moment to break our engagement personally. I may not like her, but she’s deserving of common courtesy.
Then again, I was never consulted when this engagement was arranged, so why should I be the one to end it? If I’m truly honest with myself, though, the reason I’m rejecting her calls is that look Valentina gets in her eyes whenever Natalia comes up. I’ve hurt her enough, and my wife deserves better. We managed to make up after we told my family about us, and she truly is wearing her wedding ring a bit more often, but there’s still more distance between us than I’d like. It’s odd how I still miss her, even now that she’s my wife. The only times she lowers her guard is when I have my hands on her body, and I want more. I want her smiles, her laughter. I want all of her.
Valentina walks into my office, and I sit up, a tinge of guilt running down my spine as I glance at my phone. “Luca,” she says, her expression guarded. “Natalia called the office and requested a meeting with you. I granted it. She should be here in about ten minutes.”
“You what? Why the fuck would you do that?”
Valentina pushes her hair behind her ear and looks down. “Because had it been me, I’d want to speak to you too. If what you’re telling me is true, the two of you only saw each other twice throughout the time you were engaged, but you have no idea what both those times may have meant to her. For a few months, she thought you were the one she’d spend her life with, and I suppose you must have thought the same. Don’t you owe her closure?”
I stare at my wife, trying to decipher that look in her eyes. “I owe you a whole lot more.”
She looks down at her feet before pasting a shaky smile onto her face. “Then do this for me,” she pleads. “I don’t think it’s right to leave things unsaid between you two. I’d much prefer it if this became a clean break.”
I smile then, intensely fucking pleased. She’s not offering Natalia closure. She’s ordering me to end things properly, once and for all. “I like that you sugarcoat your words for me now. Is this an exclusive perk reserved for your husband?”
Her eyes flash with surprise, and then she smiles, her cheeks turning rosy. She didn’t think I’d catch on, huh? She underestimates how well I know her. “You truly are exceptionally aggravating,” she tells me.
I smirk at her. “So I get under your skin? How about you let me get under your clothes instead? You haven’t let me do much more than kiss you lately. I’m dying, you know? If nothing else, I need another taste of your pussy.”
Her lips part a little, the way they do when she’s about to snap at me, but then she shakes her head and chuckles. Fucking stunning. The way she looks, standing there in that black dress, her long dark hair falling in waves over her body. Fuck. “Maybe,” she says, her eyes twinkling. “If you’re lucky.”
Fuck.
I rise to my feet in a rush, intent on pulling her into my arms, but before I can even reach her, the door opens, and Natalia walks in. Goddamn it.
Natalia glances from me to Valentina, her expression different from usual. The few times I’ve seen her, she’s looked spoiled and entitled — to me, my time, my attention. Today, she looks at me politely, not a hint of malice in her gaze.
Valentina glances back at me as she walks out of my office, and for a moment, I’m convinced I see insecurity in her eyes. Is it crazy that I want her to be at least a little bit jealous?
“You were near impossible to contact,” Natalia says, a hint of annoyance in her gaze. “So it’s safe to assume you didn’t want to see me, but I’d like to thank you for meeting with me nonetheless.”
I sigh and glance at my glass wall to find Valentina staring at her screen. I thought she’d be curious, but she doesn’t seem to be. Why?
“Thank you for coming here, Natalia. I’m sorry for breaking off our engagement so suddenly.”
She stares at me and shakes her head, a rueful smile on her lips. “To be honest, Luca. I’m glad you followed your heart. If we’d gotten married, we’d both have been trapped in a loveless marriage. I knew it from the moment I first saw you together, but I was stubborn, and if you hadn’t called things off, I’d have paid the price for it.”
I glance at Valentina again, fierce protectiveness rendering me immobile for a moment. “Our engagement was broken because I think we’re incompatible. In addition, we couldn’t come to an agreement about the terms of the merger,” I say carefully.
Natalia laughs and glances at Valentina. “Sure, that’s the official reason that was given, but we both know better. You have no idea how much trouble you’ve put me in, do you? My father thinks I’ve done something wrong, but I’d much rather have it that way. If he knew the truth, it would complicate matters, and my dad’s ego wouldn’t be able to take it.” She hands me a document and smiles. “If he knew you left me for someone else, he’d have felt offended on my behalf, and he wouldn’t have allowed me to offer you this.”
I stare at the documents in my hands, surprised. “You propose a partnership?”
She nods. “We need a good financial partner, and that hasn’t changed. If I’m not mistaken, oil still is something the Windsors want to get into. This way, we both get the best of both worlds. I will not be involved with this beyond today, so it shouldn’t cause any friction.” She glances at Valentina through the glass again and smiles. “Honestly, she’s terrifying, yet inspiring all at once. You couldn’t have found a better match. From the moment I learned of our engagement, I’d been comparing myself to her. Everyone knows she’s the one that’s always been by your side, and I knew I could never compare. I should’ve known better than to even try. I made a fool of myself in front of her, purely because she intimidated me.” She grins at me then. “Do you think she’ll forgive me if I ask?”
I glance back at my wife and nod. “Yes,” I murmur, knowing that this one single word is instantly an admission of guilt, too. “I think she will. If not for her, you wouldn’t be standing here at all.”
She nods, and I rise to my feet to walk her out. Valentina stands up, that irritating smile of hers on her face. I’d give the world to know what she’s thinking right now, but her expression doesn’t even reveal a hint.
“I’ll see you around, darling,” Natalia murmurs, a mischievous smile on her lips.
I shake my head, and she chuckles as she walks up to Valentina’s desk. I lean back in my doorway as I watch my wife.
“I apologize,” Natalia says. “The dinner reservation, the way I spoke to you every single time I’ve seen you. It was all unwarranted, and not an accurate reflection of who I am.” She glances at me then and smirks before looking back at Valentina. “It’s odd, because I genuinely admire you, and under different circumstances, I would’ve hoped we could be friends. Maybe someday, huh? In the meantime, I hope you two are happy together. I mean that.”
She smiles at both of us and walks out. I stare at my wife while she watches Natalia walk away, a frown on her face.
“She knows about us. Is that going to be a problem?”
I glance in the direction Natalia walked toward and shake my head. “No, baby,” I murmur. “I don’t think so.”
Perhaps Natalia isn’t quite as bad as I thought she was. I could never have made her happy, but I hope she finds someone who does. I was reluctant to meet with her, but ultimately, my wife was right, as she always is. Letting go of any remaining guilt I felt toward her felt good.
