24DANTE

Where is Ilaria?

The party started over an hour ago and I haven’t seen her once in that I know she is here because my mother has remarked how beautiful she looks and how she is getting along so well with everyone.

Which I would love to see for myself.

“You didn’t warn me, Dante.” Francesco is by my side, looking at me like he has a secret and I hate the smug smirk on his face, “When you mentioned Ilaria was different I didn’t know you meant she’s sensational.”

And now this moron has met Ilaria without the safety net of me. This night couldn’t get any worse.

“You didn’t scare her?”

He looks into the glass of whiskey he’s drinking, taking a deep sip that worries me.

What the hell did I miss?

“If anything, she scared me.” His eyes are looking into mine and there’s something serious in his gaze that makes my palms sweat and my fist clench like it needs to connect with his face, “Do you realize what sort of woman you’re dealing with, Dante?”

I’d break his nose later because I finally spotted her, the white dress she is wearing clinging to her curves. The curl of her hair straightened, hanging down her back as she smiles at a waiter taking a glass of champagne.

Do I know what I’m dealing with?

A goddess. Helen of Troy. The woman was sent down from heaven to destroy men.

Ilaria.

My Ilaria.

I ignored Francesco as he gazes at her, looking away as if he can’t stand the sight of her and that worries me all over again.

What happened?

My body moves to where she is standing alone, wrapping an arm around her. She looks up like she’s surprised to see that it’s me touching her and I rearrange my plans for the night to torture Francesco and find out what he did to the top of my list; the idea of her expecting someone else to be beside her other than me triggers something primal in me.

Ilaria is mine.

Not only should she know that but no one should be foolish enough to even think otherwise.

“I’ve been looking for you, princess.”

Her lips press together at the nickname and her displeasure at the pet name I’ve been teasing her with since meeting, throws me off my game as I scramble to try and find solid ground to stand on with her.

What is happening?

“Not hard enough.”

Three words.

She is short with me. A small tantrum maybe because I didn’t give her enough attention? Or she is still annoyed with me from earlier.

If she hadn’t quit her job she would have gotten the flowers and an apology a lot sooner. That could have smoothed out some of the tension that she was obviously carrying.

Which reminded me…

“I sent flowers to-“

“We should say something to everyone who came.”

She doesn’t even look at me as she starts to move away before I can reach out for her. Interrupting me and pulling away from me all at once.

Ilaria wants to drive me crazy and she’s succeeding.

She stops at a small area that is set up for a band to play live music and looks at me with that sweet look. All smiles and adoration in her eyes. Something about it, knowing how fake it is makes me sick as I come up beside her, letting Ilaria wrap an arm through mine and give me a squeeze as she stares up with glassy eyes.

She’s drunk.

I realize it as I’m grabbing the microphone, smelling how prominent the champagne scent of hers is lingering.

And I like that she’s drunk even less knowing that some how my cousin is involved in something that happened with her tonight.

“Thank you to everyone who has come out tonight.” I start the speech, watching our guests turn to face us, “As we start our lives together the support of our family and friends is so important to the both of us. Ilaria and I are grateful for each and every one of you. We look forward to celebrating again with you in just a couple weeks as we exchange our vows.”

There is polite applause and I’m surprised that as I look down at Ilaria she tugs me down into a kiss.

It’s meant to be short, sweet but I can’t give her that right now. All I can give her is the need to control and desperation. The way I need to claim her in front of everyone.

Maybe Ilaria is playing a game with me but she still opens her mouth, turning her lips to welcome my tongue and kiss me back. Making that soft little whine she does when she likes something, which causes me to break away to look at her, fire in my eyes.

“My office.”

She nods, weaving her hand into mine as we start to make our way through the crowd.

Someone stops me and I’m furious as she bumps into my back, ready to tell whoever it is that they can get lost. My scowl is prominent as I look at my father and instead of being her usual composed self Ilaria lets out the cutest giggle I’ve ever heard.

My head whips around as she looks at me, all smiles now as her giggles take over and I can’t help but smile back at her, foolishly letting it take over my entire face as I watch the joy that she had written so clearly across her features.

This, right here, is how I want her to always be.

Happy.

Her happiness matters to me more than anything else and I realize with remorse that some of my stress I’m holding is from the fact I had taken some happiness from her this morning and the idea that Fransesco got to share in any of it had made me jealous.

“Leave them alone.” My mother gives us each a smile and I think she loves Ilaria more than me already.

But she turns my father away from us before he can give us whatever warning that he wanted to give me, letting us continue on our path to my office.