His Discarded Bride: Lied to from birth. Manipulated into marriage. Does love stand a chance? (13 page)

Leilani allowed her hands to wander across the expanse of his back feeling the ripples of well-defined muscles. She tilted her head back and encouraged his lips to explore hers. With emotions still high he alternated the kiss from a meshing of soft lips to the meeting of their tongues. His kisses like salted caramel, sweet warring salty for prevalence enticing her to pursue one after the other perpetually.

Heat pooled, and she felt the dampness against her cotton underwear. Oh god, she was wearing a pair of bikini cottontails, and there was no way she was going to let him get to a point where they became visible. As hot as she felt for him she pulled away, or maybe it was Renato that pulled away announcing that it was time to move to the dining room for dinner.

They sat underneath an enormous chandelier. “How incredibly detailed and beautiful,” she exclaimed, happy to have found a diversion.

The way Renato looked at her she knew that she hadn’t fooled him one bit as he gave her some much-needed space like a real gentleman. “It’s a Murano piece,” and when she raised her eyebrows looking for clarification he expounded. “Murano is a place in Venice where they make fabulous glass items, miniature glass horses, vases, jewellery and larger items such as this chandelier. Many tourists go to the glass factory where they run tours, and you can see the glassblowers producing work in front of you.”

“It sounds wonderful,” she enthused.

“I’ll organise a trip after we marry then,” he smiled indulgently at her.

For a moment she almost believed it was a regular union rather than a forced business manoeuvre. “Renato, do we stand a chance of making this work?” they were to marry and she wanted to know what sort of marriage they would be entering.

He looked her straight in the eye, “I have not changed my mind. I want to marry you, and I want it to be a life-long commitment. As of next week you will be my wife,” his gaze didn’t waver from hers.

“Yes but in what way. What will my role be exactly? I don’t want a marriage like Lucia and Vittorio had. Will we be happy together?” she implored.

“That’s up to us; we will need to work on it, and I expect it will take time. Today wasn’t so awful, was it?” he questioned.

She didn’t need to think and agreed with him.

“Let’s just allow our relationship find its feet rather than pressuring it to be something that it is not meant to be,” he made no promise of love and realistically she couldn’t expect it. They had only known each other a short time. “I can make you this promise; I will respect you and be faithful to you. I will not humiliate you or hurt you, and I will make an effort to build our marriage,” he committed.

“Thank you and I will offer you the same assurances,” she smiled.

“Shall we eat?” his face lightened up with his smile as they shed the cloak of their deep and meaningful conversations. They ate with gusto; the days tourist events had given them both a healthy appetite and they talked of lighter topics including the sites that they’d seen. She was relaxed and enjoying the moment.

“Right, it’s time you got a taste for the company you are to inherit,” he demanded.

“Can’t we save business lessons for another occasion? I feel too relaxed after all that food to think coherently,” she pleaded playfully. Truly business was the furthest thing from her mind.

Smiling, he instructed the wait staff in Italian. Delicate hand painted shot glasses were placed in front of them, “from Murano?”

“Undoubtedly, and your lesson begins. To start with you will taste Favalli’s finest limoncello. This liqueur is the first type that Vittorio sold, and it has continued to be our most popular variety in Europe. The original recipe was handed down the generations of his family. However, it was Vittorio that thought to capitalise on it.” They raised their glasses to one another and Renato toasted in Italian, “Cin cin.” He knocked back the liqueur in one mouthful.

She followed suit saying the foreign words cautiously, “Chin chin,” she pronounced and gulped down her shot. “Wow,” she exclaimed, the heat of the drink glowing inside her.

Renato nodded his head in approval, and they briefly discussed the merits of the shot before moving onto other flavour variations including a creamy lemon, mandarin, almond and finally a chocolate liqueur.

As the drinks were being removed, they walked back out onto the terrace to view the city sunset. The sun went down so much later compared to back home. They sat side by side on a swing chair with his arm around her shoulders. She was far too relaxed to think of moving or to worry about her unattractive undergarments. If he kissed her again, she doubted this time she’d be able to resist things going further.

CHAPTER Thirteen

Renato smiled to himself, somewhere over the years he’d adopted more than he’d care to admit of Vittorio’s lifestyle. He relaxed in limited spurts, usually with a communication device nearby. Sitting here with Leilani enjoying her company it was a first. The women he’d consorted with were more interested in boosting their profile; they wanted dates in exclusive restaurants and to be seen with him at appropriate red carpet events. Sitting idly, watching a sunset just for the pleasure of it wouldn’t have been high on any of their lists, which at the time had suited him fine.

“Are you having a good time?” he asked casually, stroking her arm.

“I feel wonderfully relaxed,” she lied. Despite the drinks they’d shared, she was acutely aware of him of this he was certain. The evening was warm yet goose-bumps revealed her reaction to his feathery touch, her breath uneven and her rigid posture were all giveaways.

He pressed his open mouth against her cheek and breathing out slowly caressed a path down the side of her neck, savouring along the way. She shivered and turned her mouth towards his, and he didn’t hesitate to fulfil her desire. The kiss slow and sensual built with fervour. Demanding more her hands grew bolder while her body twisted to get closer to him. Her lids looked heavy, lust and alcohol half closing them, “Look at me,” he demanded wanting to be sure that she was with him willingly.

Her eyes widened, and as he held her gaze, he lowered himself towards her breast, his lips pressing against the modest swell above her dress line. Fingering the material he stretched it and the lace below to allow his mouth access to more of her flesh and her rosebud nipple. She pushed him back in denial, her body simultaneously betraying her with a soft moan. Renato had only ever had very willing bed partners, and Leilani would be no different. He journeyed one hand up her thigh, her skin so soft and enticing he hardened painfully at the thought of reaching and removing the lace or satin barrier that would be in place.

She stilled his hand with his and struggled to sit upright. “I’m sorry, I just can’t,” she muttered unevenly.

He looked up at her in disbelief, her flesh was ready for him, he knew with certainty. “I want you and I know your body is ready for mine. Tell me what you want me to do? All I want is to give you pleasure,” his voice soft and reassuring he wanted her in his bed.

“I’m just not ready for this, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have let things progress like this,” she averted her eyes.

She was serious, and it made no sense, but he was not shy about finding out the issue. “What’s bothering you? Is it that we haven’t known each other long enough?  I know it isn’t from my lack of intentions, we are to be wed this weekend, so you know I’ll be sticking around,” he pushed.

Leilani could feel herself glowing with embarrassment not knowing where to start or what to say, “It’s not that. I’m just, it’s just, well,” pausing she finally got it out, “I’m not altogether experienced,” she rushed looking anywhere but at him.

Renato used a light touch to turn her face towards him. “What exactly are you saying? That you are a virgin and you’ve never made love before? I don’t require you to be untouched, and I have to say I’d find it hard to believe at your age,” his puzzled smile only made her feel worse. She should have just got on with it, why had she stopped him.

Knotted up she uttered, “Not exactly.”

“So you are not a virgin, then how inexperienced could you be?” he questioned.

“Relatively,” he was looking frustrated with her lack of clarification. “What I mean is that I haven’t had much experience sexually, really I had to go out and pay for it,” she hoped he would get her meaning. Saying it was just too embarrassing.

He looked appalled. “You hired a gigolo,” he spat out with scorn.

“Oh my god no,” she felt horrified that he had come to that conclusion. Damn her inhibitions.  She finally bucked up and spelled it out clearly. “I bought a vibrator that I have used from time to time.” She had felt confident that his staff had already gossiped about it to him when they’d unpacked her luggage. “I own a toy, and I’ve never slept with a man. And now that I feel completely embarrassed I think I’d like to go to my room if you don’t mind,” and she walked off leaving him standing there stupefied.

Of all the things, he mused. So she had learnt to pleasure herself over the years, it was no crime. If he was honest, he was a little bit impressed, while not technically a virgin his wife came to him untouched by another man. He wasn’t sure if he had ever had that honour before but thinking about it the idea was certainly not unwelcome to him.

He could go and get her. Try to alleviate her feelings, but any continued persuasion to get her to bed would feel forced. He let her be and approached the terrace rail to contemplate his next moves. First thing first he needed an update from Savino. There were things that were still not adding up, such as why Leilani had needed the services of a private investigator to find Vittorio when Rosa knew where to locate him. The older woman had apparently kept tabs on Vittorio’s life; Renato had no need to make an introduction at her doorstep. She’d known full well who he was and she had not been one bit impressed to see him there, resentments still ran high for her even after all this time.

Leilani woke up the morning before the wedding musing on the previous couple of days. Renato had been true to his word in wanting to get to know her better, and they had started sharing breakfast and dinner with each other, continuing their conversations. Their kisses were getting steamier, and she was getting bolder exploring the masculine contours of his body but that is as far as things went. She wasn’t sure if she’d turned him off with her confession the other night, but there had been no further attempt at lovemaking.

There was a knock on the bedroom door, and Renato walked in suited up, clean shaven and scented with a fresh erotic scent, slightly citrus. His mouth would taste of coffee, and the combination would be heady.  He was hot, and she was a rumpled mess, still dressed in her nightwear she pulled the sheet up. He smiled at her modesty, “Leant over and kissed her lightly on the mouth. I have some news for you regarding Vittorio. Get dressed and we’ll talk over an early breakfast,” he kissed her briefly again and walked out the door.

She groaned and pulled the sheet over her head like a teenager. He could heat her up in an instance, heighten all her senses and walk away without glancing back. Renato was made of granite, she determined. While she, on the other hand, was at the mercy of her desires. If only she were bold enough to do what she felt, he would be tumbled in the sheets with her right now instead of waiting for her in the dining room.

“What’s this exciting news,” she reached for the teapot and poured herself a cup adding sugar and milk.

“I’ve spoken with Sav. We don’t have anything concrete yet regarding how Vittorio went in search for you at the same time you were looking for him. However, we may have stumbled onto a starting point,” he explained.

“Really, what did you find,” she questioned eagerly.

“First tell me this, why didn’t your mother just give you Vittorio’s details? You know right before we met I went to her house looking for you and she recognised me on sight,” he revealed.

Leilani’s eyes widened. Her mother had mentioned nothing of the meeting, mind you, their last conversation had been quite rushed, and she hadn’t exactly given her mum her new contact details. “Mum denied everything claiming that Franco was, in fact, my biological father,” she explained.

“Talk me through how it all eventuated. I’ll need all the details possible if we are to have a chance of figuring it out. When and how did you find out about Vittorio, the conversation with your parents and how you came to find Anselmo, all of this information is relevant,” he stipulated.

Leilani thought back to when it all happened, staring at her tea she remembered the exact moment when she found out. Burnt in her memory banks unable to be shelved or denied; it had been a shocking truth almost unbearable. “I was actually on the computer enjoying a lazy night in at home in my apartment. It was just a couple of months ago, and I had been talking to my cousin from my father’s side on Skype. She grew up in Sicily and to this day I haven’t ever met her in person, I only found her through Facebook. I noticed we had the same Davide surname and asked her if we were related. It turned out that we were second cousins or something like that. Growing up in Australia I didn’t have any extended family, so I was somewhat eager to connect,” she mused.

Renato waited patiently her to unfold her story, “Understandable,” he murmured.

“Well, it was a weekend, Saturday mid-morning for me and the early hours of Saturday morning for her. Giulia had just got home from a big night out, drunk and thought it would be fun to chat. I answered her video call. It all started out quite funny with Giulia exaggerating her drunkenness. She was having a good giggle about a couple of men who had tried to hit on her earlier in the night,” she smiled reflectively.

Renato didn’t disturb her train of thoughts and continued to listen just nodding his head, “Mm.”

“Anyhow, the topic twisted from men to cheating men. It then progressed to a story of a girl Giulia knew. The friend was the result of an affair with this person or that, and then she simply slipped up and apologised for talking about what could have been a sore point for me. I remember being a little confused, she was drunk, and I wasn’t sure what she meant but without any prompting Giulia clarified. ‘I can’t imagine growing up with a step-father,’ were her words, ‘I’m so close to my father,’ she’d summed up.”

Renato could see the pain resurfacing and wanted to help her, but he gave her space and allowed her to relive it and tell the story in her way.

Leilani raised her head and looked at Renato, “I didn’t know what to think, so I called my mother and confronted her with the conversation.”

“What did she have to say for herself?” he asked.

“She denied it,” Leilani said flatly. “She denied outright stating that dad’s side of the family had always been jealous of us because we’d moved to the lucky country. ‘Huh, they know how hard we’ve had to work for the little we have,’ she ranted at me effectively closing off the conversation. I knew at that moment that there was no point in continuing the conversation with her. My mother is a proud woman and she wouldn’t be going back on her word anytime soon.”

“You must have believed your cousin though because obviously you pursued the matter further,” he urged her on.

“Yes, to be honest, I believed my cousin the moment she slipped up. My mother’s denial somehow only reinforced my belief. Her firm insistence that Franco was not my father wasn’t convincing to me. After I had hung up the phone the first thing I did, well, I fell to pieces,” a tear slipped down her cheek and without hesitation Renato leant closer and wiped it away. He didn’t want her to feel pain, but his wishes would be futile. All he could do was sit by her side.

“Certain things made sense you know,” she looked at him for understanding.

He nodded but really what did he know. He hadn’t grown up with his biological parents. His childhood was no picnic. However, he always knew that he was an orphaned boy and once taken in by Vittorio he knew without a doubt where he belonged. He never had an ounce of insecurity about his place in the family.

“There was a small feeling of relief, in some ways it was good to lose that blood tie to Franco, he could be a mean ignorant man and we had never gotten along. It made sense that he could be so horrible once I knew that he hadn’t conceived me. The alternative was to admit that my real dad simply didn’t love me,” another tear escaped.

He curled his fists, wishing he could do something for her. He reached out and patted her hand hoping it would be enough, knowing that it wouldn’t.

“I disintegrated that day into a million pieces. Every fragment of my life a lie, can you imagine? Every story that belonged to the fabric of my life ripped out from my false claim on it. Stories of grandparents and cousins all lies, my history a lie, my medical history gone, the whole lot, ripped out shamelessly from me. I became hysterical not knowing what to think and finally after crying my eyes out I repaired the damage in the bathroom and do you know what happened? ” she asked without waiting for a reply. “I looked into the mirror and realised that I didn’t even know my face,” the tears were dripping now.

Renato continued to squeeze her hand, “What do you mean,” he asked gently.

“Features that I thought I’d inherited from him, I no longer knew where they originated. I broke down again and in a world of self-pity I cried and cried for the longest time.”

Unable to bear her pain he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her, dropping his chin to the crown of her head. He patiently waited for her to regather herself, gently stroking her arms in the process.

“I’m sorry, I’m okay now,” she hiccupped and he moved back to his seat.

“I can’t imagine how you must have felt. Do you need a break? We don’t have to continue talking about this right now,” he offered.

“No, really, I’m fine. I don’t know why I gave you all those details; they’re not even relevant,” she deprecated.