The Duke's Willful Wife (12 page)

He stepped into the room a bit more and looked around.  “I know
my mother
was rude and inconsiderate during dinner and I’m sorry.  I’ll talk to her.”

Sasha smiled
, relieved that he wasn’t bringing up the issue with Cristolo right now
.  “
D
on’t do it on my behalf.
  I’m used to it.  If she were nice I’d start to worry.
”

He stepped closer.  “I think I’m seeing a bit more clearly what you were trying to tell me a year ago.” 

The darkness of the room and the late hour made the conversation feel intimate and a new kind of tension rolled over the two of them. 

Her voice was soft as she tried to understand Riasa’s point of view. 
“She loves you a great deal.  She just wants you to be happy and didn’t think I could give that to you.”

He sighed and ran a finger down her cheek, sending sparks flying. 
“You’re being very generous.  I’m starting to understand more now.”

She looked into his eyes, searching for answers.  But all she saw was the darkness.  “I don’t think you do.  But I appreciate your apology.”

They were practically whispering now and Sasha knew where this was going.  They’d been in this kind of position too many times in the past, a fight never being resolved because their desire for each other overrode everything else. 

“I’d better get some sleep,” she said and was grateful her legs followed her brain’s instructions to step back.  She walked out of the room and made her way to the room she was using.  When she was
finally
behind closed doors, she leaned against the wall and took a deep breath, trying to get her body under control.  Right now, she could feel the blood pounding through her, throbbing and demanding that she go back and take what Dante was obviously offering. 

But this time she remained strong.  She couldn’t just fall into bed with the man, hoping that things would magically change.  She couldn’t go back and she wasn’t sure how to go forward. 

Oddly enough, that was actually progress, she realized as she washed her face and brushed her teeth.  For the past year, she’d been ignoring the issue, pushing the pain away and just getting through one moment at a time, one day at a time.  She might not have the answers, but at least she was now asking the questions.  Or at least realizing that there were questions that needed to be asked. 

So yes, that was progress.  And as she slipped into the bed, pulling the soft sheets up to her chin and snuggling against the pillows, she smiled and relaxed with the knowledge that she was feeling now.  She wasn’t a captive of the pain, but a for
ce that could get through it at least
. 

The next morning, after tossing and turning in that large bed and her whole body aching to feel Dante’s touch, she showered and went right back up to her studio
, needing an outlet for her frustration
.  Putting down the canvas she’d been working on
the day before
, she took another one and started stabbing at the material.  She was angry and frustrated and her body was still desperate to feel Dante.  The colors in this painting were bright, almost toxic as she tried to work the desire for that man out of her system. 

An hour before visiting hours were scheduled, Sasha cleaned up and showered, changing
into yet another pair of jeans
before rushing off to the hospital. 
It occurred to her that, for the first time in a long time, she was truly sick of jeans.  No matter how comfortable they were, she wanted something different.  She smiled at her reflection as she realized that, even though this visit was difficult on several levels, it had definitely helped her.  Even her paintings were much more vibrant, more passionate.  Although some of that passion was anger! 

She made a mental note to try and find some shops during Rennata’s nap time today.  Maybe she could find some fun clothes to wear.  She had an entire closet full of clothes that Riasa had purchased for her, but none were her style and she felt uncomfortable and irritable when she wore the stiff, formal outfits that Riasa deemed appropriate for Dante’s wife to be seen. 

At the hospital, s
he stopped by the gift shop and cursed under her breath at Riasa and her comments
the previous evening
as she selected yet another book, plus several magazines that Rennata might like
to hear read to her. 
She was disappointed that they couldn’t continue to read the short stories, but if Rennata hadn’t liked them….It was pointless to try and figure out if Riasa was being evil again, or if maybe Rennata had mentioned not liking the book.  Regardless, she was here to help Rennata in any way she could. 

Rennata was asleep when Sasha walked in so she simply sat beside her, holding her hand and praying that God would give this woman just a little bit longer to live.  She was such a kind and gentle soul and perhaps Rennata could figure out how to get Cristolo through his troubles.  It hadn’t worked out for her and Dante, but someone in the family needed to be happy. 

She spent the day talking, reading and laughing with Rennata
and Sasha thought she saw a bit more sparkle to her eyes as they
chuckled
at the questionnaires in the magazine or the Italian politics.  It was a small sign that maybe she was
getting better.  She had much more color to her skin today than she had previously and that gave Sasha hope.  But at five o’clock, Rennata told Sasha it was time for her to go and get ready for her big night out.  Sasha promised to tell her all about it the next day and kissed her gently on the cheek. 

Back at the palazzo, Sasha spent a great deal of time trying to
fix herself up
.  It had been so long since she’d actually dressed up for anything
so
she was
definitely
out of practice.  She had to redo her eye makeup twice before she could get it right.  That’
s what happened when one didn’t
put on mascara for over a year, she chided herself as she slid on her shoes.

Once she was done, she looked at herself in the mirror and surveyed the overall effect.  “Not bad, old girl,” she said to her reflection. 

She was just stepping out of her room when Dante walked by her door.  “Where are you going?” he demanded, looking at her up and down, noting the
sexy
sling back shoes and
gorgeous
new dress.
  He was startled by her appearance and an instant jolt of jealousy stabbed at his stomach.  Was she meeting another man?  Was it Cristolo?  He would have sworn she spent her days painting, rarely even leaving the house.  He knew she visited Rennata but suspected it was only occasionally.  So how had she met someone so quickly?  Was it one of the doctor’s at the hospital? 

He wouldn’t doubt that any single man would jump at the opportunity to have Sasha on his arm.  She was astonishingly beautiful although he thought she needed to put on more weight. 

He couldn’t deny she looked delightful in the dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. 
 

“I’m going out.  A friend invited me to a dinner party and I accepted,” she said, wishing she didn’t sound so defensive. 
Then
she noticed his dark suit and silk tie.  “Where are you going?” she asked, her voice no longer defensive, but had turned weak, almost angry. 

“Believe it or not, I too have friends.  Tonight is a business dinner.”

Sasha was about to accept that and let it go, but something niggled in her mind.  She was about to turn around and walk down the stairs, but she stopped suddenly.  Dante almost ran her down and she would have fallen if he hadn’t reached out to steady her. 

She eyed him suspiciously, wondering about the insane possibility that they might be going to the same place.  Could it be possible?  Jenna had mentioned a bunch of boring financial types and Dante definitely fit into the financial category, although there had never been anything boring about the man. 
“Tell me your friend isn’t Hector Christoph!” she gasped.

His eyes narrowed at her reaction and his stomach muscles tightened.  Hector was his friend and newly married.  And Dante also knew that the man was madly in love with his young wife so the idea that Sasha was seeing Hector just didn’t make sense. 
“It is.  How do you know Hector?” he demanded.

“I don’t know
him personally
but he’s married to a college friend of mine.  Jenna and I went to school together!”

She watched as the lines in his face changed from tense to amused.  “It would seem we have mutual acquaintances.  Perhaps I could drive you to our dinner party?”

Sasha seriously considered calling Jenna and telling her she couldn’t make it.  But that would be rude and she really did want to meet Jenna’s husband.  Maybe if she only stayed for a little while, she could slip out before dinner started.  Jenna would understand after their talk yesterday afternoon. 

She took a deep breath to steady her racing heart and looked at him as calmly as possible. 
“I guess it would be silly to catch a cab while you’re in your own car.”

“Exactly.  Shall we?” he asked, gesturing towards the stairs. 

Sasha descended slowly, painfully aware of Dante’s eyes on her back.  She could actually feel them moving along her body and wished she’d worn something else.  Something more substantial. 

“
I’ll
get our coats,” Dante said and moved to the closet. 

Sasha was standing in the middle of the marble foyer, wishing she hadn’t just agreed to even the short car ride over to Jenna’s house with Dante.  What was she thinking?  She knew from experience what happened when she and Dante were alone. 

“Where do you think you’re going?  And where did you get that horrible dress?”  Riasa’s shrill voice sounded from the living room.  “Dios!  Didn’t you learn anything about how to dress appropriately when you lived here before?  Did nothing sink in when I lectured you?”  She stepped forward and looked up and down at
Sasha
’s
dress and shoes.  “You’re not leaving here in that outfit,
”
she said
as if she had the authority to do anything about it
.  “If you’re going to insist on going out, then I must insist you wear one of the dresses I bought for you before.  You’ve gained weight obviously, but I’m sure you could squeeze into something.”

It was at that moment that Riasa noticed Dante
by the closet,
holding Sasha’s coat as well as his own
and looking at his mother as if he’d just seen something disgusting
. 
Riasa
was startled, horrified actually, to be caught berating Sasha like that
where Dante could witness the comments
. 
She
had always been so careful to hide her maliciousness from Dante, appearing helpful and considerate in his presence.  But this was the second time Dante had seen
the truth, even though Sasha had complained about the issue on previous occasions
.  And this time, he’d gotten the full power of Riasa’s
vitriol
. 

Riasa glanced between her son and Sasha, obviously trying to figure out how much he’d heard. 
“Dante!  I didn’t see you there.  What are you doing hiding in the closet like that?”

“I was getting our coats.  We’re leaving for a dinner party but I think you and I need to have a long
conversation
in the near future
.”

Sasha could see Riasa sputtering, trying to figure out how to take back the words or to at least mitigate Dante’s obvious anger.  “You don’t understand…”
she started to say.

He cut her off with a slash of his hand and a furious glare. 
“I think I do.  And I believe I owe Sasha a very large apology,” he said and put the coat
gently
over her shoulders, letting his arm fall around her as he led her out the door to the waiting limousine. 

Once they were underway and the car
was
moving away from the palazzo, Dante turned to angle towards her.  “Is that the way she’s always been?”

Sasha placed her hands carefully over her dress, nervously fingering the fabric and trying to push it down to cover her knees.  What had been an adventure with a pretty new dress that made her feel wonderful and liberated, now felt like she was awkward and gangly.  “Is the dress really so bad?” she asked, whispering because she couldn’t find her voice.

Dante cursed and pulled her towards him. “You look incredible!” he countered, gripping her hands with the intensity of his feelings.  “I never felt embarrassed about you.  Ever!  In fact, the complete opposite is the truth.  When you would descend the stairs or meet me for dinner, I was always struck by how beautiful you were.  You could wear the most daring outfits and make them look like you were royalty just by the way you held yourself.  No matter what you wear, you were always lovely.”

She looked at his features in the dim light passing by from the streets
lamps
, trying to see if he was being honest.  “Really?” she asked, feeling pathetic, but needing reassurance.