Page 23 of Vow of Desire

“Then that’s a good start. I told you last night that I think you’re beautiful. There doesn’t need to be this coldness between us.”

“I don’t know how.”

“You’ll learn. In time. Just stop faking everything. I want to see you smile for real.”

That’s not something I can give him right now.

He leans close to my ear. “Remember: I can make you feel better than you could ever imagine. Just give in to it.” He lingers by my neck and I hold still, not wanting to pull away for once. But then Matteo stands up, ending the moment. “I’ll give you time to adjust to your new life here. I have work to attend to.”

“Isn’t this our honeymoon?” Can I not even do a honeymoon right?

“Yes but I have work. I couldn’t take it off. Mafia business doesn’t just go away when I want it to.” He hesitates for a moment before leaving the room.

The urge to cry hits me again. Why can’t I do anything as I should?

Spending hours in Matteo’s house is frankly boring. I lived my life going out to shop and dine with Sienna and getting my hair and nails done but I’m worried Matteo won’t like me leaving. He told me not to run but living my life isn’t running, is it?

Besides, I do have a nail appointment scheduled for today. I had it booked weeks in advanced before I was told I’d have tomarry Matteo and I forgot to change it. Some normalcy in my life would be good.

I leave the house and am immediately confronted by a man. “Where are you going?” he barks at me.

I stumble back with a gasp. “Who are you?”

“Matteo’s guard. Your guard now, Mrs. Marani. I am Enzo.”

“Oh. Well…” Once my heart calms down, I can speak. “I have a nail appointment to get to today. Would you mind driving me?”

“I wasn’t told to drive anyone. I was told to watch the house and you and make sure you don’t leave.”

So Matteo doesn’t fully trust me yet. Hypocrite.

“It’s just a nail appointment. I already had it booked. And Matteo is at work. Please. Can’t you drive me? I had a driver take me everywhere before I married Matteo.”

“No. I was told to not let you leave. You’re not running away, Mrs. Marani.”

“I’m not trying to run away,” I snap. “I just want to get my nails done.”

He doesn’t budge. With a sigh, I turn around and head back inside. The moment I’m alone, I let out a piercing scream that helps get rid of only a little bit of my anger. It’s impossible to get rid of all of it.

I refuse to just sit around and wait all day for Matteo to return home. Yes, it’s what a perfect wife would do but so far, I have been nothing but perfect. So what even is the point?

I want to get my nails done and I’m going to get them done.

Despite having been driven around all my life, I do have my license. My father made sure I had it in case of an emergency.Tom would sometimes let me drive the car instead of him just so I could practice.

When Matteo gave me a tour of the house, I saw he had multiple cars in the garage. All I need to do is take one and go to my nail appointment.

Fortunately, he keeps the keys on a ring by the front door. It’s surprisingly easy to find which key goes to which car and then pick one – a white Ferrari. The garage door opens achingly slowly. By the time it does, I notice Enzo standing in the way with his arms crossed.

“You can’t leave Mrs. Marani,” he says.

But I ignore him.

I pull the car out of the garage and he jumps out of the way to avoid getting hit and then I take off. I will not be held prisoner in my own home.

I make it to my nail appointment right on time.

“You look flushed,” Josie, my nail stylist, says to me as I sit down in the chair across from her. “You’re always early. It’s a surprise to see you cutting it so close.”