Wife By Force(57)

She scanned her father's face and saw only solid truth. "You're kidding."

"Why would I kid about such a thing?" Shaggy eyebrows rose. "Your Dante was adamant. He swept every one of my objections aside."

"That's typical." She was amazed she could enjoy some humor at this moment.

Her papa chuckled. "Yes, your husband is forceful. But he did it all for you."

An aching joy mixed with hope blossomed in the pit of her stomach. "You think so?"

"Again, I know. He told me he didn't want you to worry about anything.   He still wanted to marry you, and he told me he would continue to try   and convince you. However, either way, he would make sure Andy's problem   was solved and I would keep the house."         

     



 

Her heart thudded in her chest as the information sank in. "I'm … I'm … "

"Speechless?" Her papa's mouth curved. "That's unusual. Especially since you were very verbal that day."

"I was angry."

"An understatement. I'd assured him you wouldn't be around, yet there you were."

"I had a right to know what was going on."

Her father chuckled. "I suppose."

"Papa."

"In any event, he had it well in hand." His gaze sparkled as he met her own. "As he always does."

"I'm not something to be handled."

"Yes, yes." Waving her objection aside, he continued. "But you must admit, muffin, he had you convinced by the end of the day."

Convinced he wouldn't help if she didn't comply.

Convinced he was a monster.

Convinced he was forcing her.

But it had all been a lie. Why had he done it? She frowned in deep concentration.

"I was happy for you. Dante is a man I can admire, a man I can trust with my daughter's happiness."

"I'm not happy right now."

"Well," he said. "Marriages have ups and downs. Notably in the early   going. Still, Dante isn't one to walk away from his promises."

"No. He's not." Not unless he was driven past the point of no return.

"Whatever's happened, it can be fixed. He won't want to lose you. He loves you too much."

Was that the reason he had done something so rash? So crazy? Had her   cool cucumber of a husband lost his head, lost his temper, and forced   her because he truly loved her? A battalion of emotions poured through   her: hope, fear, love, pain.

"I need to find him. I have to find him."

"I think that would be a good first step." Her father's voice was mild,   yet firm. "Find him and tell him you love him as much as he loves you."

A flush of embarrassment warmed her skin. "How did you know?"

"Papas know their daughters." Wise eyes met hers. "You've loved Dante for a long time."

Tears threatened once more. "Yes."

"Go find your husband." He patted her arm. "And whatever you did, make it up to him."





Chapter 22





By the time she arrived at the apartment in Florence, exhaustion weighed   down every bone in her body. Not too late in the day to start   contacting members of the Casartelli family, though. Now, it was even   more imperative she find him and not only confess her love, but solve   the mystery of why he'd let her think so poorly of him. If what her   father said was true, Dante had allowed her to misjudge him for months.   Years.

Why?

Curiosity blended with love inside her and it powered her on. Someone in   his family would know where he was and she would make them squeal.   Slumping into one of the leather couches, she focused on what she would   say, how she would explain this mess without alarming everyone and   raising too many questions.

The intercom buzzed. "Signora Casartelli?" The disembodied voice of the doorman echoed through the living room.

Could this be another missive from her husband? Perhaps he'd had second   thoughts abut the divorce. She raced towards the intercom. "Yes?" she   cried, holding her breath.

"There is a Tomas Casartelli here to see you."

Her heart stuttered. Tomas could be here for just a friendly visit and   she didn't have it in her to pretend everything was fine. Or maybe,   Tomas was here in his brother's stead. Her heart picked up its beat.   This was worth the risk to her pride. "He can come in."

Pacing over the gleaming hardwood floors and colorful oriental rugs,   Lara waited impatiently for the knock that finally came. She ran to the   door and threw it open. "Tomas."

"Si." His eyes reminded her of his older brother's at his worst. Distant   and dark. He'd learned his brother's tricks in the facial department  as  well. Bland and blank.

She suddenly wanted to shake him. Shake the information out of him.   Because she'd gotten good at reading between the lines of the Casartelli   control.

Tomas was here for a reason. And that reason was Dante.

"Come in." Restraining herself by a thread, she stepped back.

He walked past her, his Armani jacket smooth, his tie knotted discreetly   and perfectly under his chin, his entire body language one of subtle   power. His older brother would be so proud.

Again the urge to shake her husband's whereabouts out of him nearly overcame her. "Tell me what's going on with Dante."

"That's not why I'm here." He turned from his contemplation of the   Florence skyline. "I'm here to pick up some papers he sent you. He was   going to send his solicitor, but decided a family member should do   this."         

     



 

Her heart stopped. "Papers?"

"Si." His mouth thinned. "He said you would want to expedite the proceedings."

"You've talked to him." Hope surged through her, swamping the momentary   pang of knowing her husband believed she wanted a divorce.

"Briefly."

"What did he say?" she snapped.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Tomas grimaced. "He wants to be done with this. He said you would readily agree."

"Done with my marriage?" She stuck her hands under her armpits to stop their trembling. "Your brother is wrong."

"Lara-"

"Listen to me." She paced up to him and got in his face. "Your brother might be a god in your eyes, but he can be wrong."

"I don't want to get in the middle of this." His cool demeanor was   slipping away, and his glare now held frustration and a hint of pain.

"You put yourself in the middle of this. Or in reality, Dante did."

Swearing, the younger man walked toward the kitchen. "I need a drink."

"You can have anything you want." She followed him with tenacious intent. "As long as you tell me where he is."

"Dio." Whipping around, he stared at her in astonishment. "Do you want to see me killed?"

She gave him a pointed look. "I doubt your brother will kill you for telling his wife where he is."

"You haven't seen how he is." He paced to the refrigerator, yanked out a   dark beer and popped the top. Taking a long swig of the brew, he at   last met her glare. "He's not himself."

"Where is he?"

Another long tug of the beer. "Lara. He's … he's … " Shaking his head, he stopped.

"He's what? More importantly, he's where?"

Silence descended as the young man openly struggled with his words and   emotions. "What happened?" he erupted. "You both looked so happy the   last time I saw you."

"We were." Sorrow lanced through her for what she'd so easily taken for granted.

"I don't get it." Slamming the beer bottle on the counter, Tomas paced into the living room again.

She followed, sensing a crack in his desire to do his brother's bidding.   "You don't have to get it. You merely need to tell me where he is and   let me take care of the rest. You do know where he is?"

Her brother-in-law's broad shoulders sagged. "Si."

"Tell me." She put one hand on his arm and prayed. "I'll make it right with him."

Turning, he glanced at her, black eyes blurred with worry. "I've never seen him like this."

"I'll make it right."

"He's out of control," he whispered the words as if this was worse than having the plague.

These Casartelli men and their need to hide their emotions. As if by   hiding them they could deny how deeply and fully they cared for their   family. She stared straight into his face. "I love him and he loves me."

"Of course he does." Tomas's eyes widened. "He would never have gone off   the rails if he didn't love you to distraction. He says he wants to   quit the company and have me take over."

The horror in his voice would have been almost comical if it hadn't   matched her own horror at his words. Evidently, her husband was in a   complete tailspin. Not only had Dante lost control of his emotions, he   was also contemplating leaving the Casartelli empire? She could   understand the male disbelief vibrating before her because she felt the   same emotion. "He needs to see me. I'll calm him down."