Fifteen minutes later, the front door opened and closed. Loulou, who’d been curled up in her basket, stormed into the lobby, followed by Cassio’s disapproving voice.
“Loulou!” I called, grabbing the tumbler and taking another bigger sip. Loulou trotted into the living room and curled up in her basket once more. I quickly tossed my legs over the armrest, so Cassio would see my over-the-knee socks he hated so much. Then Cassio appeared in the doorway, dark and imposing, looking every bit the deadly businessman he was. He scanned me from head to toe, lingering on the glass still pressed to my lips, my flowery overall dress, and the black socks.
His anger was quick, morphing his face into a mask of even sharper edges. Briefly, my stomach clenched with fear, with the knowledge that I didn’t know anything about Gaia’s death, but I didn’t allow this emotion to take over. Cassio hadn’t done anything to me. Still, when he shut the door, my adrenaline spiked. He prowled toward me, but I didn’t move and took another sip from the whisky. It burned a trail down my throat, and heat began to bloom in my belly—not only from the alcohol. Something about the primal disapproval in Cassio’s face awakened my body in ways I couldn’t use right now. We had to talk about Elia, and I wouldn’t let sex get in the way of it.
“I don’t have time for games, Giulia. Was that photo meant to provoke me?” He stopped right in front of the armchair, tall and foreboding. He looked breathtaking and terrifying.
“No,” I said lightly. “I only wanted to keep you updated on my evening activities, considering how eager you are to control every aspect of my life.”
He bent over me, his muscled arms braced on the armrests. The expensive fabric of his jacket brushed my calves, and the friction, albeit distant, sent a thrill through me. Maybe it was the alcohol that made me so sensible to Cassio’s aura. He oozed dominance and primal sexiness. His eyes slid over my crossed legs, lingering on the sliver of naked skin on my upper thighs. Then he cast his gaze up. I swallowed at the intensity of his expression, as if he wasn’t sure if he wanted to devour me or spank me. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Elia. Don’t tell me he didn’t call you today. I bet you expect status updates on his mission every hour.”
His strong palm had somehow found its way onto the small patch of naked skin between the hem of my skirt and my over-the-knee socks. I felt the touch between my legs, wanted his fingers to move higher, but I reined myself in. He took the glass from me and downed the whisky. “I told you I don’t want you to drink hard liquor.”
“Because I’m not old enough.”
Cassio set the glass down on the table, leaning even closer. “Giulia.” The word was a low growl, full of warning. I didn’t care. His hand slipped higher on my leg, under my skirt, and his lips crashed down on mine. For an instant my body arched toward him, eager for the touch, the kiss, and what it promised. But I wasn’t going to let Cassio distract me with angry sex no matter how desperately my body wanted him. I pushed against his chest, ripping my mouth away from his. “No. Stop.”
Cassio’s fingers brushed my panties, soaked from our argument. He groaned. “What are you doing to me?”
Me? What I was doing?
I pressed harder against him. “Cassio, stop.”
His eyes focused on me and his expression smoothed, becoming guarded and aloof. He straightened, robbing me of his warmth, his touch, his scent. “We need to talk about Elia,” I got out.
Cassio stepped back and brushed out the crinkles in his jacket as if nothing had happened. “There’s nothing to talk about. You let your imagination run free.”
Anger coursed through me. I swung my legs down and pushed to my feet. Since he was more than a head taller, that didn’t really have the effect that I wanted. “Just how stupid do you take me for?”
Cassio raised his brows. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I snorted, remembering Elia’s exact same words.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about Cassio, because the moment I confronted Elia, he called you.”
Cassio’s face remained a mask of stoic calmness, and it infuriated me even more.
“You’re being unreasonable and childish.”
Whenever I tried to talk to him or have him relinquish control, he accused me of being a child. But when he wanted to sleep with me, that fact didn’t cross his mind.
“As your wife, I deserve the truth. I don’t deserve being tricked and spied on. What was the purpose of this charade? Did you think I’d throw myself at the first attractive man who smiled at me?”
Cassio narrowed his eyes. “So, you find him attractive.”
I had enough. I walked up to him and glared up. “Are you serious?”
Cassio didn’t deign me with a reply. He unbuttoned his shirt with infuriating nonchalance.
“Look at me.”
He raised his head, but his eyes were hard. No sign of guilt. Did he think his actions were okay?
“I can’t believe you used Elia as a trap to see if I’d cheat on you. We’re married.”
“Marriage never stopped anyone.”
“Is that so?” I asked curiously, trying to figure out if he was referring to himself.
“I’d never cheat.”
“Oh, so I’m supposed to take your word on it, but you can use my bodyguard to test me? Don’t you realize how wrong that is?”
“I do what’s necessary.”
“Necessary? So, you admit that you ordered Elia to flirt with me to see how I’d react? You should trust me.” Hurt rang in my voice.
“I don’t trust anyone.”
My first impulse was to react with anger, with a snappy comment because this day had been hard and I didn’t have a shoulder to unload on, only a husband who treated me like a child and didn’t trust me. But my anger wouldn’t change anything. It would only
