Black Widow | 18+

16 | Ashes to Ashes

I could be a ruthless bitch when I wanted to be, and given the sickly feeling in my stomach when I realised Leo was getting married regardless of what we had, I decided that now was the best time to get back in touch with that part of myself.

We got out the car and Romulo placed an arm around my waist, chatting to me about how he wanted me to meet a distant cousin who was here for the wedding. I hummed in agreement as I glided through the house with him, his hand tightly gripping my waist and his lips finding the crown of my head every thirty seconds.

"They're here," he mused, remaining none the wiser, and my heart dropped. I didn't know what our cover story was, let alone how to even speak to him. I felt totally out of control.

I heard his voice as soon as we stepped outside, and my eyes drew to his figure immediately. He stood there in a linen shirt and olive-chinos, his hair swept back and sunglasses on, with a cigarette between his lips.

I damned the fact that he looked so attractive in my head as we walked towards the group, and did my best to control my beating heart. I just needed more time, more time to compose myself and get control back.

Luckily an excited Carina gave me that time. Her eyes were wide as she approached us.

"Do excuse Arté and I for a couple of moments," she smiled to Romulo, "I just need to talk to her about something."

"Of course," Romulo chuckled, and I didn't have time to say anything else before she was dragging me away back into the main house.

"Oh my fucking God Artemisia," she exhaled, "you never told me about the thing in the past, but it doesn't even matter now! He's here!"

"I know," I groaned, collapsing onto the sofa

"Does Romulo know about you two?"

"No! What could I say? Yeah, I'm in love with your Boss? Please forgive me for lying to you, i'm also the reason why--"

"You're in love with him?" She interrupted, which was a good thing as I was absentmindedly about to expose my entire history with the Torromandi family.

I stayed silent for a moment, I'd never said it out loud before but now that I had it felt so right. Like it was the absolute truth, and there wasn't anything that could change it. But then I remembered that he was getting married, and I couldn't afford to be thinking this way. 

"Maybe not love," I muttered

"Bullshit Artemisia, you're the most calculated person I know, you don't say anything unless you're absolutely sure. It is love and you know it." She retorted.

I groaned, shutting my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose.

"He's getting married in three days. There's no use of being in love with him." I muttered, and as Carina was about to speak her phone started ringing.

"It's Pietro, we better go back out. We will talk about this later." Carina sighed, pulling me up off the sofa and linking my arm in hers. "I'll support you through this, I'm here for you."

"Thank you Carina, it means the world." I sighed, feeling some comfort in the fact that I wasn't totally isolated in this incident anymore. It didn't get rid of the nauseous feeling in my stomach however.

My eyes drifted to over to Leandro, and at the calling of Carina's name alongside some comment about a disappearing act, Leandro turned over to face us.

Leandro

I'd been waiting for this moment for three weeks, but in no way was this the ideal situation.