“I don't know,” I muttered emotionlessly. “ I think I ate something bad.”
“Did you throw up again?” He frowned, creating worry lines on his forehead.
I swallowed hard and shook my head. “No. Not today.”
“I'm getting worried about you,” he murmured gently, brushing his fingers over my hair. “You seem really upset. Did something happen?”
“No,” I said, keeping my face downturned. “Not that I can think of.”
He gently caught my chin and made me look at him. “Why are you lying to me, Olivia?”
I released a shaky breath. “Alessandro, please...”
“You don't have to pretend because Lorenzo told me,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone.
A heavy lump constricted my throat, and I thought I would pass out from fear and shock.
“He told me you always act like this around my men,” Alessandro explained, and I looked at him in utter bewilderment, letting out a sigh of relief. “I can understand you never quite warmed up to the idea of your husband being surrounded by killers, but I can assure you every single one of them would put their life on the line for the sake of your protection. You have nothing to fear. I would never let anyone hurt you, Olivia. They'd be dead before they even tried.”
He gazed at me with one brow raised, as though expecting some sign of affection, or at the very least, appreciation. But where Alessandro was concerned, I had none. Besides, if he ever discovered the truth, he wouldn't use his army of killers to protect me, but quite the opposite. I nodded curtly, keeping up an emotional wall.
“Okay,” I said in an even voice. “I will try to be more relaxed around Lorenzo the next time I see him.”
Alessandro smiled and brushed his thumb against my lips. “Good. And while you're working at it, tesoro, you might want to think about extending the same courtesy to your husband.”
My eyes widened and I wanted to say something in my defense, but Alessandro cut me off. “No need. Get some rest. We'll talk later.”
He laid a soft kiss on my forehead and then, he left.
I remained staring at the door long after he was gone. Why Lorenzo Moretti chose to protect me now when he didn't hesitate to betray me in the worst manner all those years ago, I had no idea. All I knew was that I could spend one more day in the bubble where I was protected from Alessandro's unpredictable animosity. Tomorrow, when his cast came off, everything would change.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The Present
The next morning, I helped Alessandro get dressed for what would be the last time before they took off his cast at the hospital. The entire time, I could feel him watching my every move down to the smallest detail, and hated how his attention still made me feel clumsy and awkward. I buttoned up his shirt, my eyes focused on his chest.
“You know, I’m ashamed to admit it, but having you dress me every morning holds a certain appeal. I’m going to miss this, cara. But not as much as I'll miss those evening showers. I was hoping we could keep those. For all times sake...what do you think?” he asked in a flirtatious tone, the corners of his mouth quirking upwards.
I reddened to the roots of my hair, mortified by the thought of him forcing me to continue undressing and showering him every evening. It sounded crazy, but I would put nothing past Alessandro. If he wanted something, he would have it no matter how insane or humiliating it was for me. He tilted my chin and laughed softly.
“You just cannot hide your enthusiasm,” he teased, uttering a sarcastic remark.
At that moment, stress turned to sudden nausea. I tore myself away from him and fled to the bathroom where I threw up into the toilet. After, I remained kneeling on the floor because my stomach was still heaving and I was trying to bring my breathing back to normal.
Alessandro approached me and flushed the toilet. Then, he took a piece of toilet paper to wipe the traces of vomit around my mouth. In the beginning, I always protested when he had done that, but he insisted I was being ridiculous and it was his duty as a husband to care for his wife.
“That stomach flu just keeps on bugging you, doesn't it, cara?” A quizzical smirk played on his face.
I nodded slowly and avoided his gaze. Stomach flu...It was getting ridiculous. Alessandro was no fool, but what