Keeping My Bride by Angela Snyder
Chapter 51
Verona
THE MOMENT WE land in New York, I can sense a change in Luca. Gone is the carefree Luca I had grown to love while we were on our honeymoon. Now, he is back to being his brooding, serious self. But I understand why he has to be that way. You can’t be perceived as weak in the world we live in. Weakness will get you killed.
When we get back to the house, Luca carries our luggage in. There is a large, wrapped package inside the door, and Luca remarks, “Our painting arrived.”
“Where should we hang it?” I ask him.
“Wherever you want to,” he tells me.
“Hmm, I’ll think about it,” I say before I walk into the kitchen to place the magnet that we bought yesterday on the fridge. It looks so foreign on the stainless-steel surface with nothing else around it, but it makes me smile and look forward to our future together. Maybe one day we’ll have the entire fridge filled with mementos of our adventures together.
Warm arms wrap behind me, and I sink into his touch. But when I smell an unfamiliar cologne, I wrench away and spin around so fast it almost makes me dizzy.
“Dante,” I gasp. “What are you doing?”
“I can’t hug my friend?” he asks, trying to play the whole thing off as friendly when it clearly wasn’t. “I missed you,” he says with a warm smile.
Luca enters the kitchen and looks between Dante and me with a frown. “Leave us, Dante,” he says with a severe tone.
Dante gives me one last longing look before he reluctantly leaves the kitchen.
“What’s wrong?” Luca asks, coming to me and pulling me into his embrace.
It’s scary how well he can read me now. “Nothing,” I say, trying to downplay what just happened with Dante. I don’t want to get him into trouble, and I definitely don’t want to ruin Luca’s good mood that he’s been in for days now. “I was just putting our magnet on the fridge.”
He peers over my head, and a big smile appears on his face. “We’ll add more soon,” he promises.
I look down at the floor when I tell Luca, “Maybe I can talk to my father about having Dante return to his house to work for him.”
Luca puts his finger under my chin and forces me to meet his gaze. “Did something happen?”
“No, no, it’s not that,” I lie. Recently, Dante’s actions have been weirding me out, but I don’t want to alarm Luca. I know Dante would never hurt me. But I think his feelings for me are growing, even though I’m not reciprocating them in any way. Maybe it’s because I’m married now, and the whole wanting what he can’t have thing? I’m not sure. “Maybe you could hire someone else to protect me when Benito can’t?” I suggest.
“I’ll make some calls first thing tomorrow morning,” he assures me. He seems happy about my decision. Leaning down, he kisses the top of my head. “Why don’t you go get some rest? I know you were tired on the plane, but you refused to stop looking out the window.”
“I am pretty tired,” I say with a yawn.
“I’m going to catch up on things with Benito. I’ll see you tonight for dinner,” he says before placing a quick kiss on my lips.
“Sounds good,” I agree. I walk out of the kitchen and almost run smackdab into Dante. Was he listening at the door? “What are you doing?” I ask him curtly.
“I’m going to get something for lunch,” he says, but there’s something off about his tone and demeanor.
I walk past him and to our bedroom. I’m even more convinced now that having Dante move out of the house is the best decision for Luca and me. Dante is proving to be like a third wheel when I’m trying to build a relationship with my new husband. Luca and I have come so far, and I’m not going to let anyone ruin our chances at real, forever love. Not even my best friend.
