56. Daniela

I’m lying in bed, trying to sleep, but all I can think about is that bizarre conversation this morning with Antonio. Even after thinking about it all day, it still makes no sense.

He’d moved past the cold, calculating, mean-spiritedness as a way to gain control—at least with me. But the minute things got too hard, that’s the first place he sought refuge.

It’s what he knows.

No excuse.

I haven’t heard a word from him since he left, nor have I tried to contact him. I’m willing to work through whatever this is, but I won’t beg him to lie beside me.

The outer door to the suite clicks while I’m flipping my pillow for the tenth time, so the cool side will be against my cheek.

I hear voices in the sitting room, before the bedroom door opens, and the overhead light comes on. My hand flies to my face, shielding my eyes from the sudden brightness in the room.

When my eyes adjust, I look up to Antonio and an attractive redhead in the room—maybe six feet from the bed.

I sit up, pulling the covers around me. “What’s going on?”

“I have a friend with me,” my husband says, like we’re in the garden in the middle of the day and he invited someone for a cup of tea. “Lisbet, this is Daniela. Daniela, Lisbet.”

The redhead clings to his arm, even as I glower at her.

“Where are your manners? Aren’t you going to say hello to my beautiful friend?”

There is something so awful about this that’s impossible to describe with words. But I don’t shrink from the moment. I won’t.

“Get out of my house, right now,” I warn Lisbet. My voice is shrill, and my blood pressure is skyrocketing.

“I thought you said she liked to watch?” she whispers to Antonio.

“I thought so. I mean, she’s still here, even after I warned her I was done with her. What did she expect?”

I get out of bed and plant my feet firmly on the floor. “What I expect is that you’ll be a man about it, and not drag every whore who offers you a blowjob into our bedroom.”

“I’m not a whore,” the whore says, indignantly.

A part of me recognizes this isn’t her fault. It’s his. Although she’s not off the hook. She wasn’t at all surprised to find me here.

“My daughter is asleep in this house. If you don’t leave immediately, I’ll consider you an intruder and I’ll blow off your empty little head.” I move toward the gun safe.

“Wait in the car,” Antonio tells his friend, without a glance in her direction. “I’ll join you shortly.”

To her credit, Lisbet leaves without a fuss.

“What are you doing?” I stomp toward him and beat furiously on his chest, until he catches my wrists.

“I gave you a choice: the easy way or the hard way. If you’re still here tomorrow, I’ll tie you to this bed, and make you watch as I fuck whoever catches my attention for the night. It’s over between us.”

I wrest my hand free and slap him in the face so hard it leaves a red imprint on his cheek. My hand stings, too—almost as much as my heart.

Antonio doesn’t say a word. There are no threats. There’s no angry flare in his eyes. He’s happy I slapped him. He deserves it, and he knows it.

“You are a heartless son of a bitch. But I’m not a fool.” I swipe the back of my hand over his lifeless cock. “You get hard at the mere thought of me taking off my clothes. Yet you wanted her so bad you were willing to rub my face in it, but your dick is soft? You’re going to have to do better than that if you expect me to buy your bullshit.”

Maybe I’m imagining it, but I swear there’s a glimmer of pride in his eyes, as he strides toward the door.

You’re not going anywhere, before you hear me out.

“I don’t give a damn where you lay your head tonight, but you will not sleep in my bed, again, until I have a sincere apology, and your word that you will never pull this kind of disgusting stunt again.”

“An apology?” he snickers, not bothering to turn around. “I’m just getting started.”

After he leaves, I pace the room until I’m exhausted. Then I climb back into the bed that smells like him—like us—and cry myself to sleep.

I don’t cry because of some bimbo with striking red hair. She’s nothing. I cry because he might be too far gone for me to reach. It might really be over for us.

Whether it is, or isn’t, I won’t allow him to disrespect me this way. I don’t care how much he’s hurting. And I sure as hell won’t allow Valentina to witness any of it.

I’m going to have to fight this battle from Quinta Rosa do Vale. That much is clear.