THE BRIDE CHAPTER 19

THE BRIDE
Chapter 19

In politics, everybody is free to
choose his friends and allies.
-Lalu Prasad Yadav
Francesca Marcolini’s POV
For the second time I woke up in
the arms of Marco Orsini. What I
have done? I asked myself silently
pulling the cover to my chest. I
glanced at the sleeping man beside
me.
You just tumble in bed with him
again, answered by a sly voice
inside my head. After you got home
from the party you didn’t protest
when he scooped you to his arms
and laid you to his massive bed…
I blushed furiously. So okay I didn’t
want to revisit what happened last
night. Carefully slipping off the bed
I intend to get out of here before
Marco woke up.
I nearly escaped the bed when I
heard his sexy sleepy voiced. “You
do have the habit of slipping off my
bed during early morning, aren’t
you?”
I closed my eyes as I slowly faced
him. He was breathtakingly
handsome with his five o’clock
shadowed jaw. He looked
dangerous devil. “It’s already
morning, Marco. We need to get
up.”
“The least you could do wait for me
to wake up, darling.” He stretched
languorously in the bed. I averted
my gaze when the sheets slide off
his waist. “You wounded my ego.”
He said. “I feel so thoroughly used
by you last night. After you violated
my body you just slipped off like
nothing happened.”
I shook my head in resignation.
“You are impossible. I didn’t violate
you last night. You were the one
who—”
“What, darling?” Marco grinned
sleepy. “What did I do to you last
night?”
“Nothing!” I ignored his gloating. I
snatched my dress that discarded
on the floor. “I don’t want to talk
about it.” I fought back the pink
stains that wanted to space in my
cheeks. I wore my dress rapidly as I
exit to the door.
“Francesca,” I heard him called
after me. “Come back here. I need
something to start my day.”
He is crazy, I muttered to myself,
praying that no housekeeper will
collide at me in the hallways I don’t
want to them to see that I just been
in Marco Orsini’s bed.
Thankfully, I finally arrived at my
own room. I rushed to the
bathroom and stare at my
reflection in the mirror. I almost
didn’t recognize the woman who
stared back at me. My hair was
rumpled it needs a good brushing.
I unconsciously touched my lips
they were swollen from Marco’s
kissed last night.
But the most alarming were the
eyes, they looked vulnerable yet
they sparked with passion?
I shook my head. I must be
thinking too much. I removed my
dress and hit the shower I savor
the feeling of the water that slide in
my body. Maybe after breakfast we
can finally go back in Rome. I have
tons work left in my office. In
addition, I need to ask for
forgiveness to Claudia Orsini for
stood-up her visitor, Matteo
Constanzo.
Once I finished my shower I went
around the huge mansion to find
the terrace overlooking the azure
ocean filled with bountiful
breakfast.
“Morning, beautiful,” Marco
breathed behind me, I nearly
jumped when I felt his lips graze
my neck.
“What are you doing?” I hissed
looking around if some
housekeeper were around.
“Can’t I kiss my woman a good
morning?” He asked as he strode to
the terrace to start his breakfast.
“Come. Let’s have breakfast,
darling.”
“Your woman?” I asked with a
frown as I near the table. “Who is
your woman, sir?”
*
“You.”
“Since when?” I inquired, fixing my
gaze of his Roman face.
“Since the night of the auction.” He
said simply, pulling out a chair for
me. “Sit.”
I reluctantly slide in the offered
chair. But I glared at him when he
sat across to me. “Let me clear this
to you, Marco. I am not someone’s
—”
“Do you like fresh fruits?” Marco
offered sweetly, as usual completely
ignoring my lecture. He placed a
healthy amount of variety of fruits
in my plate.
“Marco…”
He grinned at me. “Yes, my
Francesca?”
I sighed. This man was really
impossible. Sometimes when I
argue with him I just want to
smack my head in the wall with his
snarky comebacks. “Why are you
only wearing your pajama pants?
Why are you walking around bare-
chested?”
He leisurely sat back in his chair
and shrugged. “I am completely at
ease with my body.”
“What about the maids around?”
Marco grinned rakishly that never
failed set my heart to jolt. “They can
only stare because you own this
beautiful body, my darling. You
have the right whatever you want
to do with me.”
I nearly spilled out my coffee.
“Marco!”
“What?” The devil asked innocently
yet his eyes glowed like mercury.
“It’s true. Eat. We have a trip in
town we will buy you new clothes. I
don’t trust your taste with
clothing.”
I stopped drinking my coffee
halfway. “Aren’t we going back to
Rome yet?”
“No.” He answered swiftly, his eyes
were unreadable. “I decide to
extend our vacation.”
“How long?”
He shrugged, rubbing his unshaved
jaw. “A week, maybe.”
My eyebrows snapped together as I
searched answer from his face.
“What about your work?”
“I am the CEO I can take a break
whenever I want.” He declared
without an ounce of remorse in his
voice.
“I’ll just take a shower.” He stood
up from his chair. “Care to join me
in the shower and have a quickie?”
My eyes widened at his audacious
invitation. He was the only man I
knew that will ask a woman boldly
for a quickie in the shower. The
man has way with his words.
Suddenly, I want to laugh. “No,
thank you.”
“That might be enjoyable.” He said
wistfully. “Maybe another time. We
have so much to do today.”
One hour later, Marco Orsini sat in
the sofa of the private showroom
of a well-known brand of clothing
and I was paraded in front of him
with variety of outfits I wore for his
inspection.
Tatiana Cavelli’s POV
I looked at my peacefully sleeping
angels when a light knock sounded
in the nursery.
“Pardon, Your Excellency.” The maid
whispered softly. “You have a
visitor. She said she was Claudia
Orsini. Marco Orsini’s
grandmother.”
Marco’s grandmother is here? What
does she wants from me? I asked
myself silently. Though this surprise
visit, I have to admit it made me
curious.
Placing light kissed on each
forehead of my twins I tiptoed
from the nursery to meet Marco’s
grandma.
*
“Your Excellency,” The elegant old
lady greeted in perfect English as
soon she saw me approaching. “My
name is Claudia. Marco’s nonna.”
“Please call me Tatiana, ma’am.” I
smiled warmly at the woman. “Have
a sit.”
“Thank you, Tatiana.” She smiled
back sitting at the settee across to
me. “I’m glad that you can meet me
with my impromptu visit.”
“What can I do for you, ma’am?” I
asked when the maid finished
placing tea in the coffee table.
“I need cohorts.” Claudia Orsini said
without preamble.
“Cohorts?” I echoed. I couldn’t help
but to raised my eyebrows at the
announcement. Now I knew where
Marco got his boldness. I poured
our tea cup some hot tea. “You
think I fit the criteria, ma’am?”
“Si.” She answered. I think I liked
the spark in her eyes. Deviousness
was visible in their profound. “You
see, I have this plan of mine to have
my stubborn grandson to be
wedded before the year ends.”
I couldn’t help but to smile at the
thought. Marco’s grandmother
playing matchmaker on him I
wonder if he knew anything about
it. But then again, if he has any idea
I’m sure he will tell Lucca about it
and Lucca will tell me. Thoughtfully,
I asked. “Do you want me to look
for a potential bride?”
“Actually,” Claudia Orsini picked up
her tea cup and sipped it serenely.
“I already found the bride.”
“Oh, really?” I said making sure she
didn’t suspected that I am too
eager to find out about Marco’s
prospective bride. “Who is the
bride?”
“Francesca Marcolini.”
I nearly spurted the hot tea I’ve
been drinking. “Forgive me.” I
apologized, wiping my mouth. “I
think I misheard you, ma’am.”
Cunning flashed in the elderly
woman’s eyes. “Oh, you heard it
right, Tatiana. The young widow is
my choice of bride for my
grandson.”
“Do they even like each other?” I
couldn’t help but to raised an
eyebrow to her confidence. She’s
one heck of a woman.
Claudia nodded with a private
smile. “I can see it. The chemistry
that sizzled between them,
Tatiana.”
Now that she said about it. I can
also see that there were more of
them than meets the eye. It seems
that beneath their bickering there
were more to it. Like the time at the
charity auction Marco bid one
million Euros for Francesca. The
money racketed sky high due to his
donation. But the highlight was
their grand exit. It seems that after
my abduction over a year ago they
appear to be closer than ever.
Thinking about it now, I am sorely
tempted to create another charity
auction and sell Francesca again.
“Are you going to help me?”
Marco’s grandmother asked,
dragging me out my reverie.
“Of course,” I couldn’t help but to
grinned at this woman. I think I like
her slyness. “I will help you with
those hardheaded people.”
Claudia grinned evilly. “I knew you
can help me, duchess. I am hoping
that your husband will be able to
help us to our work.”
It was my turned to smile evilly.
“Signora, it was a common
knowledge here in Italy that the
duke was dancing in my tune.”
“Great!” Claudia Orsini beamed at
me. This is going to fun.
“When it comes to deviousness you
can count on me, ma’am.”
She raised her tea cup. “To Marco
and Francesca’s happy life
together.”
“To their happy life together.” I
echoed raising my tea cup in
return.

To be continued