I’ve never seen her so rattled. She’s always overconfident, even in situations she shouldn’t be, yet here she is, insecure and worried, because of that fucker. I cup her face and smile at her. “Did you forget who you married? I once promised you I’d put every single one of my resources at your disposal, so use me. You don’t have to be the bigger person anymore, Valentina. That’s only for people without the power to make a difference. You’re a Windsor now. You’re my wife. Anything you want, baby. Just tell me, and I’ll make it yours.”
She smiles at me then, genuinely, some of her unease fading away. “You really would, wouldn’t you?”
I nod. “I’d do anything for you, Valentina.”
“Why?” she whispers, her gaze once more reflecting pain.
Does she really not know why? I run a hand through my hair and sigh. “Valentina, you make me wish it were possible to pluck a star from the sky, just so I could make you smile. You make me do things I’ve never done before. Surely you know that? Maybe you truly have driven me insane, at last. You must have, because how else would you explain the fact that I’d start a war for you?”
In many ways, the words I just spoke to Miguel truly will start a war. The media coverage will be a bloodbath, and his company is about to become the biggest casualty. I can’t bring myself to regret it though. Valentina deserves this much. She might not ask for it, but she deserves revenge. No matter the cost.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Luca
My heart skips a beat when my wife walks out of the dressing room, a long red gown highlighting every delicious curve. “We should stay home,” I murmur.
Valentina chuckles, and my heart skips a beat. She hasn’t smiled that way in a while. Witnessing her grandmother have an episode took its toll on her, and seeing her father in my office just made things worse. I suspect that Ben constantly being around her at work doesn’t help either. Everywhere she turns, there are reminders of the past, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t eliminate them all.
Hopefully, she’ll be able to relax a little tonight. I know we’re technically attending this charity event for work, but I’m definitely sneaking in a dance or two with her.
“What’s wrong?” she asks, twirling around slowly. “Weren’t you the one who picked this dress? Raven told me you called her and kept grumbling about how you wanted me wearing red for you this time. Don’t tell me you’re still mad about Theo? How can you be so petty, Luca?”
Heat rushes to my cheeks as I mentally curse my sister-in-law. Damn Raven. I should’ve kept my mouth shut around her. Of course she went and tattled to my wife straight away. “Stay right there,” I tell her when she walks toward me. “Let me take a photo for your grandmother.” Abuela has been calling me every so often ever since Valentina and I stayed the night at her house. In part, I think, because she’s trying to make me feel accepted. I think she feels bad for the way she hit me, and I’m not sure how to convince her that it’s completely fine. It’s easy to see why Valentina loves her so much.
My wife’s eyes widen a fraction, and she smiles broadly as she poses for me. For a moment, I just stare at her, frozen in place.
“Luca?”
I snap out of it and take a couple of photos, my heart racing. She’s so beautiful, it’s unreal. When she smiles at me that way, I become utterly useless. I truly think she’s slowly driving me insane.
“Let’s go, Luca. We’ll be late.”
I quickly set the new photo of her as my phone’s background and send it to Abuela, feeling oddly pleased with myself. Abuela and I have been getting on great lately, and Valentina doesn’t know it, but I now know all kinds of embarrassing childhood stories. Her calls have become something I look forward to. Sometimes it’s simply to ask me if Valentina and I have eaten yet, and other times it’s to tell me stories of the past. Valentina’s mother won’t warm up to me, but Abuela definitely has.
“You really look far too beautiful,” I grumble as we walk into the venue the charity ball is being held in. With each passing day, it becomes harder to keep this marriage hidden. I want everyone to know that she’s mine, that touching her will invoke my wrath.
She smiles at me, her eyes twinkling. “Thank you, husband.”
Damn it. That’s fucking foul play, and she knows it. “You’d better remember,” I murmur.
“Remember what?”
“That I’m your husband.”
She chuckles and straightens out the lapels of my tux. I bite back a smile when I see the diamonds in her wedding ring glittering in the light. “How could I ever forget?” she asks me.
“Fuck,” I growl. “You’re such a good girl, baby.” Looks like she didn’t take her wedding ring off after I put it on her this morning, and the sight of it on her finger brings me such intense fucking pleasure. “Let’s wrap this up quickly so we can go home. You deserve a reward for wearing your ring to an event like this one.”
Her gaze darkens, and she looks away. “I’ll hold you to it,” she murmurs, her voice low.
Fucking hell. Should I just take my wife home right now and bribe the Kennedys?
“Oh, there they are!” Valentina says, her hand wrapping around mine. She pulls me along before abruptly letting go, her cheeks heating when she realizes she was holding my hand. I love how she’s slipping up lately. It’s clear she’s warming to the thought of us being a couple out in the open. Just a little longer. If I can hold on a little longer, I’ll be able to convince her to publicize our marriage. I can’t rush anything when it comes to her.
“Luca?” Alec says, surprised. “I haven’t seen you in a while. How are you?”
We shake hands, and Alec’s wife, Elena, hugs me tightly, much to her husband’s chagrin. He pulls her into him and wraps his hand around her waist possessively, making me chuckle. I always thought that he was overly obsessed with his wife, but I finally get it.
“Alec, Elena, you must have already met my wi—” I pause and catch myself in time. “My… wildly intelligent Executive Secretary,” I end up saying, my expression stony. What the fuck did I just say?
Valentina looks at me, her expression flustered but surprisingly, not angry. Just a few weeks ago, she’d have been furious over a near slip-up like that. Maybe she really is warming to the idea of truly being my wife.
I stand back as she charms Alec with her knowledge and professionalism. When she’s like that, I can’t take my eyes off her. I love every version of her, but this one is my favorite. Valentina on a mission, filled with passion and confidence, is a sight to behold. It took her weeks to put together a proposal for Alec, and I have no doubt he won’t be able to deny her. When my wife wants something, she never fails. Truthfully, she didn’t need to try so hard. I’m not at liberty to disclose it to her, but I know which client Ben brought in. Even if Alec says no, Valentina still won’t struggle to beat Ben. Anyone she would bring in will be better than what that jackass can accomplish.
“You’re in love with her,” Elena says as she moves to stand by my side, a few steps away from Alec and Valentina.