JANE'S POV
I watched Elena and hazel talking like some parted friends who finally met again. I felt jealous swelling in me.
"I want to show you my room."
Elena grabbed Hazel's hand and dragged her upstairs to her room. Ferracco had disappeared into his study room. I moved purposefully towards the study room. He and l had some serious talk to do. I couldn't believe he was already breaching the contract within the first month.
I entered the study room but he didn't notice me right away. His eyes were focused on the laptop screen in front of him. I guess he was doing some serious work judging by the concentration frown etched on his face. He raised furious eyes at me when l closed the laptop he was using.
"Jane! I have something important to do . Can you please step out for a moment," he calmly said and proceeded to pick a file besides him.
I grabbed the file from him and tossed it across the room. His jaw clenched in anger.
"What's wrong with you , woman?," he growled at me.
I suppressed a bitter laugh. I couldn't believe he was asking me that question when he clearly knew what got me all riled up in the first place.
"You even dare introduce my daughter to your whores! What do you want her to learn from them!," l yelled back at him.
His angry face relaxed a bit and he surprised me by grinning widely. I gasped in disbelief.
"What's so funny?," l asked him angrily.
Ferracco raked frustrated fingers through his dark hair and laughed. He got up from his seat and came to stand mere inches from me.
"I rarely got to see this jealous side of you. I can't believe someone soft like you attacked Hazel," he chuckled with a mischievous glint playing in his eyes.
I plastered a frozen smile on my face.
"Our marriage is fake but l won't allow you to disrespect me like that in front of all the maids."
"The maids are on a weekend leave," Ferracco said with a cocked eyebrow.
He was making fun of me after hurting me like that. He defended that woman in my presence.
I felt tears gathering in my eyes but l blinked them back. I would be damned if l ever cry in his presence ever again.
"Did you sleep with her?"
I asked him the question l have been itching to know. The smirk dancing on his face collapsed and l knew then that my question had hit home. A tear involuntarily trickled down my cheek and the waterworks started.
For a second time, he had betrayed me!
I stumbled into furniture blinded by my tears on my way to the door. Ferracco rushed to me and held back my arm.
"Jane! Don't you trust me?," he whispered in a hurt voice.
Trust!
I couldn't believe that word was coming out of a hypocrite like him!
"What have you done to regain my trust? You betrayed me once ,Ferracco! And l know you will keep doing it !," l forced out the words past a golf ball lump logged in my throat.
I thought l saw a sudden flash of pain in his eyes but then l remembered he was good at playacting.
"I swear Jane that ever since we got married again l have never even..."
"Then why was she wearing your shirt?, " l cut him off in a loud voice.
"She is.."
I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. I didn't want to hear any more lies coming out of his damned mouth. Ferracco stood still holding his reddened cheek.
"Shut the hell up! I am tired of you treating me like one of your other women. I am your wife, Ferracco! Your wife! And the least l deserve from you is respect!"
Ferracco suddenly grabbed my waist and covered my mouth with his. I struggled in his arms until l finally stilled and gave in to his kiss.
The kiss lacked some of the sensuous passion of others we had shared. He kissed me with an aching gentleness . It was like a promise, a covenant being communicated between us.
My hands ran along the hard planes of his naked back and Ferracco released a groan. His hand went into my hair . He pressed me closer to his body and deepened the kiss. His tongue tasted of whiskey and it was intoxicating.
Disappointment washed over me when he finally released my lips and wiped my tears with his thumb . His thumb traced my swollen bottom lip. He rested his forehead on mine. I closed my eyes relishing in the warm feeling between us.
"I will never cheat on you in this marriage , Jane," he whispered huskily and began to massage my scull with his hand.
I closed my eyes again enjoying this moment between us. The door opened and we both looked up startled.
"Umm l .. I am sorry, Lucas ," Bianca stuttered when she saw our current position.
My cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. I hastily removed Ferracco's hand from my waist.
"It's okay, Bianca . What is it?," Ferracco asked in an annoyed voice when Bianca attempted to walk out.
There was a scowl on his face. It was clearly evident that he didn't welcome this sudden intrusion.
"Thank you for picking up Hazel from that club last night. I can't imagine what would have happened if you didn't call her. She is always getting drunk and landing herself in trouble," Bianca muttered in a troubled voice.
Ferracco relaxed his face and then offered her a warm smile.
"Hazel is my little sister and it's my duty as her older brother to protect her," he said in a fond voice.
I raised my eyes to Bianca stunned. The kind and sweet Bianca Morelo was the mother of that rude brat! I looked closely at Bianca's face and l noted some slight similarities to Hazel.
"I have decided to offer Hazel a job in the company. That way she can stay close to us and stop getting in troubles."
The older woman's eyes brimmed with tears. She rushed to Ferracco and embraced him tightly. Bianca started to weep. Ferracco hugged her back and began patting her back murmuring smoothing words.
"I will forever be grateful for what you have done for my family. Thank you for rescuing us from the slums , Lucas."
"You and Hazel will always be my family."
Bianca unwrapped her arms from him and flashed him a trembling smile.
"I will go prepare breakfast."
I was shocked that a swindler like Ferracco could have a heart to take strangers and make them part of his family. Soon after the door close , l turned to Ferracco.
"Hazel is Mrs Morelo's daughter! ," l exclaimed.
A laughter bubbled from him.
"I really enjoyed seeing you throwing that jealous fit, cara mia " he chuckled.
I rolled my eyes at him.
"Are you making fun of me?"
"Last night l called Hazel and it was answered by a bar tender. He told me that the owner had passed out drunk. So l had to drive to the club to pick her up. The little brat vomited all over her clothes when l was tucking her in bed. I couldn't knock on Bianca's room or yours to ask for clothes because you were both dead asleep. So l had the maid change her into one of my shirts. Forgive me querida for not telling you earlier."
I felt heat creeping in my cheeks as l recalled the way l had dealt with Hazel earlier.
"Are you still mad querida?," Ferracco whispered in my ear as he drew me again in his arms.
My lips trembled on the brink of a smile at the use of his endearment. His accent always fascinated me.
"I am curious about something."
Ferracco looked up from sucking my neck. He raised a dark eyebrow in query.
"What did you whisper in Hazel's ear that made her giggle like that?"
His lips drew up in a wicked smile. He leaned forward and whispered in my ear.
"It's my wife. She is jealous. Just play along ," he drawled.
His azure blue eyes locked with mine and l felt my breath hitch in my throat. He reached forward and tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear. A shiver swept through me when he stroked my cheek with the back of his hand.
"So why did she drank herself to a stupor? , " l asked him to get rid of the intense and forbidden sensations that were creeping inside me.
Ferracco gave a slight shrug.
"Man problems! The bastard boyfriend cheated on her with some smoky supermodel."
His words were like a bucket of icy water splashed on me. I instantly woke up from my daydreaming. How could l forget his betrayal of six years ago and willingly indulge his kisses!
I took a step back from him. Ferracco noticed the gloomy look on my face.
"Jane," he whispered , drawing close to me.
I shook my head and took another backward step.
"There will never be anything between us ,Ferracco. It's not fair to my deceased parents," l whispered over the lump in my throat and stumbled out of the study room blinded by my tears.
A/N: Who do you ship Jane with?
1) Ferracco
2)Claudius