THE BRIDE CHAPTER 7

THE BRIDE
Chapter 7

Never go on trips with anyone you
do not love.
-Ernest Hemingway
Francesca Marcolini’s POV
“What are you doing here?” I stood
dead in front of the building of my
penthouse apartment when I saw
the familiar figure leaning casually
on the door of his Ferrari early this
morning.
“To pick you up.” He said casually.
As he smiled evilly in my direction
his eyes were concealed by a pair
of black aviator sunglasses to
match his devilishly dark looks.
“Where are we going?” I asked
coldly fighting off the blush that
wanted to spread through my
cheeks. “I know we have no
appointment today.”
Marco Orsini grinned wickedly as if
reading my thoughts. He looked
more of a devil biker today than a
business man with his white t-shirt
that hugged his sexy body with
dark leather jacket and dark jeans.
This devil who wanted to claim my
soul.
I grimaced. Where the heck that
maddening thought came from?
This man—this Marco Orsini
however gorgeous he was with his
attire today will not claim anything
to me.
You already let him kissed you last
night. The voice inside my head had
whispered harshly. Fine, so I did let
him kissed me and that blasted kiss
kept me awake all night wondering
how on earth I’ve permitted him to
take liberties in my mouth.
Despite the fact that I should be
thinking about my husband’s cruel
betrayal to me last night Marco
Orsini’s kiss keep entering my
mind.
“All you need to do is ask.”
My gazed was snapped back to him
dragging me out of my reverie.
“Pardon?”
“All you need to do is ask, tesoro.”
He repeated as he open the
passenger’s door of his Ferrari. “If
you want another kiss from me. I
will be gladly to give you any time,
Francesca mia.”
“When hell freezes over, Signore.” I
replied vehemently. “Last night was
only a moment of insanity in my
part.”
He barked a laugh. “Oh, if that’s the
case. I intend for you to have your
moment of insanity always. I like
the result of it.” His eyes were
obscure by the pair of aviator
sunglasses it’s hard to guess what
was his thinking right now. “Get
in.” He commanded arrogantly.
“I will go not anywhere with you,
Signore.”
A frowned marked on his strong
eyebrows. “Are we back on the
‘signore’ thing again? I thought we
were going to have a first name
basis now.”
“Like I said, I was not myself last
night.” I answered hesitantly, even
though his eyes were hidden from
my view I knew that they were
busy studying me intently. “I assure
you that it will never happen again,
Signore.”
He smiled wolfishly as if taking my
reply as a challenge. “Oh, I wouldn’t
be sure if I were you, my dear.
Because I intent to drag my first
name out from your lovely lips
before this day will end.”
“Will see about that.” I glared at the
hidden eyes from my view.
“Get in.” He said again.
“I’m sorry.” I told him frostily. The
faster I can get away from him the
better. I don’t want him near me. “I
have another appointment today,
Signore Orsini.”
I need to see the real estate agent
I’ve contacted last night. I want a
new house. I don’t want the
penthouse I’ve been living for the
past seven years who happened to
owned by my hus—Lorenzo. I don’t
want staying there thinking over
his hurtful betrayals every time I am
at home.
#
#
“Get in.” He warned, clearly fighting
his temper in check. “Or I will
personally deposit you in this
chair.”
My eyes widened at the bold
statement. “You wouldn’t do that.”
“Try me.”
“But—”
“One.” He started to count.
“I have—”
“Two.”
“Oh, you…” I let an angry sighed as
I reluctantly slide on the expensive
leather of his car.
“Three.” He finished his counting
with a deadly satisfaction on his
voice as he closed the door behind
me.
“Where are we going?” I asked
irately as he slid in the car and
started the engine he let it growled
for a few times before joining the
traffic highway of Rome.
“It’s a surprise.” He said his gazed
was fixed on the road. “You will
love it.”
I snorted and just let my gazed fix
in my window.
Marco Orsini’s POV
I don’t really know what madness
had appeared to me that I bother
to check how my nemesis was after
the bomb she knew about her
adored husband. My conscience
kept me awake last night thinking
that I should never show her the
report just to satisfy my ego. I
twitched with a smile. Who would
have thought that I, Marco Orsini,
have a conscience? I smugly
believed that I was a heartless
playboy as the society dubbed me
to be.
I decided to make sure she’s fine
the first thing this morning before I
visit my grandparents at their
vineyard. But I was stunned to see
her as glamorous as ever when the
concierge opened the glass door
for her—very different from the
distraught woman who cried in my
arms last night like a lost child.
As if nothing happened last night.
But the first thing I notice when
finally she become aware of my
presence and move closer where
I’ve been waiting was that her
wedding ring was noticeably
missing in her left hand. I don’t
know why my heart soared when I
saw that she no longer wore her
wedding band.
My impromptu decision to bring
her with me in my grandparent’s
vineyard was still mystery to me.
Because I’m just worried to her, I
thought silently. Yes, that’s it. I am
just worried about her after the
truth she learned about her
husband it has nothing to do with
the fact that I wanted to
monopolize her time. I snorted,
that’s absurd. I don’t want to
monopolize Francesca Marcolini.
Are you sure that you are just
worried at her? Because you also
took the risk about your nonna’s
expectation now that you brought
home a woman as you never did
before in your thirty-one years of
existence. A devilish voice inside
my head said which I only pointedly
ignore.
“Aren’t you going to talk to me
again?” I asked as I glance briefly at
her direction. We were nearing the
vineyard and yet she didn’t say a
word to me again after she asked
where are going in front of her
penthouse building. I can’t believe
that there’s a woman who hated
my company.
“I’m busy.” She replied frostily her
gaze was still fixed on her window.
I frowned. “Busy? With what?”
“Praying.” She glared at me. She’s
quite pale, actually. “I’m busy
praying that we’ll arrive safely.”
**
**
I couldn’t help but to laughed. “I
assure you I’m a competent driver,
Francesca.”
“Do you always drive like this?”
“Like what?” I asked innocently.
“Like the demons of hell were after
you.”
I laughed again as I adjust the
speed of my Ferrari. “Happy?”
“Not really.” She muttered softly.
She now fixed her eyes in front not
on her window anymore.
I smiled when I saw that we finally
arrived. I parked my car at the front
of the sprawling mansion that
stood proudly for centuries. “We’re
here. Welcome to Orsini vineyard.”
“What the…” She murmured as she
removed her seatbelt and slid out
of the car gracefully. “Why didn’t
you tell me that we’re going here?”
“It’s a surprise, right?” I answered
while guiding her on the marble
steps in the foyer. “Come.”
I led her through the grand
staircase up to the library where
my grandparent’s spent their
morning. I knocked at the wooden
double door before entering with
the overwhelmed Francesca.
“Marco!” My nonna walked briskly
and hugged me tightly. For a petite
woman her gripped was quite
strong. “I’m so glad you came for a
visit. How are you? Last time you
came here you didn’t bother to see
your nonna before you left I plan to
introduce you to my—”
“Nonna.” I cut her off as drew
forward the woman hiding behind
my back. “I brought someone with
me. Nonna, this is Francesca
Marcolini. Francesca this is my
grandmother, Claudia Orsini.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,
Signora.” Francesca said shyly.
My Nonna seem to be stunned for a
moment probably thinking that she
was hallucinating Francesca
because never I did introduce a
woman to her ever. But then she
finally recovered from her shocked
and smile too delightedly in my
direction.
“Oh! I’m so happy that this day had
finally come.” Claudia Orsini
announced with joyful tears
shimmering in her eyes. “Please.
Please call me nonna, Francesca. I
so badly want to have a
granddaughter of my own. Alfonso,
dear. Come and meet Marco’s
special friend.”
I frowned. I knew it. Nonna got the
wrong impression about my
association with Francesca. It was
on the tip of my tongue to correct
my grandmother when Nonno
stood from his table and moved
next to his wife.
“Welcome to our humble home, my
dear.” My grandfather said to
Francesca with an obvious soaring
pride probably thinking that
Francesca Marcolini was my choice
of bride. I am starting to regret my
impromptu decision in bringing
her here. “I hope you will like it
here.”
Was that the subtle way of saying,
‘you will be the mistress of this
house once you married Marco’?
“Come,” Nonna pulled Francesca to
the table where a tea and scones
were waiting. “Let’s have a tea.”
Francesca who remained silent
until this moment briefly glance at
my direction before she let my
grandmother pulled her on the
settee. Alfonso Orsini patted me on
the shoulder with obvious smile on
his formidable face.
“It’s not what you think.” I
murmured before joining the
women in their tea.
“So how long you’ve known each
other?” My grandmother fired the
question as soon as she finished
pouring everyone’s tea cup. “When
do you plan the wedding? I think
it’s better to be grand with at least
five hundred guests in attendance.”
Francesca nearly spilled out her tea.
“Oh, you must be mistaken,
Signora…”
“Nonna, dear.” My grandmother
reminded her thoughtfully.
“Er, nonna.” Francesca blushed
slightly as she obeyed the older
woman’s request. “I am not
Marco’s…well it’s not what you
think.”
“It is not?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I work
for him.”
“Oh, forgive me for my
misconception then.” Nonna said
regally but I knew deep down she’s
still dubious about our association
given the blushed that spread
through her pale face. I bet she’s
still remembering what happened
last night.
I shifted in my seat as I
remembered having the longest
shower of my life.
“Marco.” Nonna said directly to me
for the first time. “Why don’t you
show Francesca the vineyard?”
I placed down my tea cup and
stood as I offered my hand. “Come,
Francesca. I will give you a tour in
the vineyard.”
“Yes. I love that.” She smiled
hesitantly before taking my offered
hand. Her amber eyes seemed to be
telling me You-Have-To-Explain-
This-To-Me look.
Uh-oh. It appeared that I landed
myself a trouble here.

To Be continued