Made of Steel

17. Confused

I finish undoing the bun and as best I can, I adjust the strands with my fingers to reposition the comb in a half updo. It's not what I had, but at least I'm presentable again.

The woman in front of the mirror looks back at me with a confused expression.

I almost fall for him... In an office! And worst thing is that I don't regret it...

I like hik. I like Italian and that terrifies me.

I take a deep breath before leaving with more doubts than before.

"Adriano, I..."

"We must go before my mother comes back for us", he cuts me off without any delicacy. "We'll finish this later."

'Finish?'

I don't have time to ask, since he takes my arm to practically drag me towards the exit.

I shake hands with hundreds of guests I don't know and send them off with a smile.

"Too bad you won't have a honeymoon."

I have never hated anyone, but I am beginning to develop an irrepressible contempt for Carina Fabri.

"Who said such a thing?", my husband questions to my surprise. "The fact that we do not travel does not deprive us of our honeymoon."

"You can rest easy, dear", I add. I stop this one before she gets wrong ideas. I didn't stop being the runaway daughter to become the cheated wife. "We will enjoy our night to the fullest. Besides, we have our whole lives to travel, don't we, honey?"

The Italian gives me a penetrating look with his darkened blue eyes, making my hair stand on end. There is an aura around us charged with tension and desire that I'm afraid I won't be able to resist, not even in front of others.

"Right", he finally follows me.

The farewell with my parents is short and dry, as always. I have no idea when I'll see them again, but I can almost guarantee that I won't miss them. Twenty-seven years by their side and I still haven't gotten used to their coldness. Therefore, I prefer to keep them away.

Once Di Lauro's family is the only one left, we go to the living room for a small toast.

"For you", my father-in-law proposes, raising his glass, "and for the family you will create together."

"Cheers", the rest of us reply in chorus as kids jump around us.

"Cassie?". I hear the adorable tiny voice of the little one.

"Tell me, bambina."

"Are you my new mommy now?"

The room is plunged into a deep silence. She has known me for a little over two weeks, how is it possible she just accepts me? Our conversation that morning remains vivid in my memory and sends chills down my spine.

It's weird... too weird.

I try to bend down to answer her, however, her brother's flight stops me.

"Federico!". His father goes for him, but I intercede halfway.

"Leave him", I place a hand on his chest and immediately an electric shock shakes me.

This is absurd. How can I feel this way just touching him?

I swallow hard to ward off illogical thoughts before refocusing my eyes on him.

"I will go."

I don't have to go very far to find him, because I find him sitting on the floor of the same corridor that leads to the entrance of the mansion. I follow his gaze and bump into a shocking image.