Chapter 26

GISELLE

"You two had sex? What happened to him hating you?" Raquel asked after I relayed everything that happened last night to her.

I needed someone to talk to about it, and I felt like Cara was too young to talk about my sex life with me. It didn't matter that she was already eighteen. She was still my baby sister. Plus, it'd be embarrassing.

I shrugged. "I don't know. It just kinda happened. Nothing was planned."

"It just kinda happened? Were you guys casually talking, and you were like, 'hey, wanna fuck?'" She burst into uncontrollable laughter at her joke.

"Raquel," I hissed, my cheeks flaming up in embarrassment even though she couldn't see me. "It's not funny."

"Sorry. I couldn't resist making fun of the situation."

"Yeah, yeah. Just know I'm returning the favor when the same situation arises in your life."

"Hate to break it to you, but that's not possible, Elle. Me getting married to a mafia boss who hates me is out of my realm of reality. Same thing with a broke guy thinking I'm with him because I'm a gold digger. There's no gold to dig."

I couldn't help but laugh at her outburst. "We're never not gonna stop the Ciaran slander, are we?"

"Never," she agreed. "A girl being with him just for money is a problem he never has to deal with."

Raquel and Ciaran dated for two years, and she caught him cheating days before a mini vacation they planned together. His excuse for cheating was that she was a gold digger. According to him, if they weren't really in love with each other, he didn't see the problem.

That was months ago, and Raquel swore off relationships since then. She had been in love with him, and he cut her badly. I wouldn't want to experience such heartbreak for a second time if I were in her shoes.

"Well, maybe he has a sparkling personality?" I teased.

Raquel snorted, and I could just imagine her eye roll. "Sparkling personality, my ass. He's an ass, and he still lets his mom coddle him like he's five. I wonder how I was blind to all of this."

"He was packing down there?"

She laughed. "Well, take this as advice to never stick around for dick."

It was my turn to snort. "There's no dick to stick around for."

"I believe a certain man whose name starts with an N and ends with an S would beg to differ."

"That's never happening."

"Why not?"

"I think he regrets it."

"Why? Did he say that to you?"

"No."

Raquel inhaled deeply. "Oh, my God. Have you even seen this man this morning?"

"No. I haven't left the room yet."

"So, why do you think he regrets it?"

"Why not? I feel pretty awful about what happened last night, too. He's…"

"Your fucking husband. I hope to fuck that is what you're about to say," Raquel growled.

"No."

"It seems you need me to remind you of something that happened years ago. I'm not trying to be insensitive here, but Gianna is dead. Gone. You're never seeing her. Neither is Nicholas. So, she was dating Nicholas before she died. It's not like you cheated with him when she was still alive. You didn't even go seek him out. It was the other way around."

"Wow," I said after a few minutes of silence, a smile on my lips. "That was a pretty passionate speech."

Raquel let out an exasperated sigh. "Elle! I'm not joking here. Don't put your life on hold because of something that happened years ago. Something you didn't do. If Gianna truly loved you like you claim, she'd want you to move on. Stop letting the past cast a shadow over your relationship with Nicholas."

"There is no relationship between Nicholas and me. He's made it clear on several occasions that his only reason for marrying me is to…"

"Make you suffer," she cut me off. "Yada, yada, yada. Tell me how that's going for him. So far, he has done nothing cruel to you."

"He's never around to do anything cruel to me."

"The night he spent with you could've been spent with another woman. That would've hurt you. There are plenty of opportunities."

"No, it wouldn't have hurt me," I lied, even though the thought of what she said made me sick to my stomach.

"This isn't even a Nicholas thing. This is a 'you' thing, if that makes sense. If it were another man, you'd feel the same way."

After watching my parents have affairs with different people, I knew I never wanted a marriage like that. That was the entire purpose of escaping the Family. I was dragged back into it when I married Nicholas, but I still had the same views.

"Anyway, what happened to your plan to drive him insane?"

I rolled my eyes. "It was ruined before it even started. I threw in the towel when I thought he cheated with Lenny after."

Raquel chuckled. "What's with you guys coming up with plans that eventually get dumped before their completion?"

"I can't exactly drive him crazy if he's constantly busy and out of the house."

"Hm. I suggest you observe the sex situation for a few more days. If he says nothing about it after those first few days, return the favor. It is probably going to drive one of you crazy, and if that isn't you, it will be him. That is, of course, if he's ever around, or says he regrets what happened."

"Why do I feel you're speaking from experience?" I asked with a small smile.

She laughed. "Or maybe I'm just plain intelligent. Experience isn't always the best teacher."

"Well, have fun in Santorini."

"Actually, I'm in the Bahamas. Beautiful island."

My eyes bulged out of my head. "No way."

"Yes, way. Gotta go, Elle. These expensive foods aren't gonna eat themselves. Okay, so maybe I might have been insensitive to the Gianna situation, but I don't care about Gianna. She's not my friend. You are, and I care about you. Live life to the fullest. You deserve to be happy. Fuck what your parents have fed you over the years. You're an amazing woman, and I love you."

"Love you more. Be safe out there." 

"Always."

Before I left the bedroom, I ended the call. I checked Cara's bedroom first, but it was empty, so I headed for the kitchen next. I was starving after skipping dinner last night.

I found Nicholas, Matteo, and Cara in the kitchen when I walked in. Cara and Matteo were deep in a conversation with their breakfasts abandoned, while Nicholas stood next to the coffee machine, scrolling through his phone. Shocker there.

"Matteo, stop talking to her about guns. You just might be the next person Giselle slaps because of Cara, and so help me God, I won't say shit," Nicholas said, his eyes still glued to his cell phone.

"Good morning, everyone," I said, announcing my presence in the kitchen. "And no, I'm not slapping anyone. Those come with consequences. Rather interesting consequences," I added when Nicholas's eyes met mine.

He smirked, his eyes raking down my body with appreciation, and for a second, it felt like I was naked.

"Buongiorno, cognata," Matteo said with a smirk of his own. "And I agree. It seems interesting consequences follow situations like this."

My eyes widened in surprise when he winked at me. Did he figure out Nicholas and I had sex, or did Nicholas tell him?

"Good morning. You must have been tired last night. You're usually an early riser," Cara said with a knowing smile.

Did she know, too? Cristo, did she hear us last night?

I ignored her, making a beeline for the counter. "Sara made pancakes?" I asked, stacking my plate with food. "She said she was going to make her infamous carrot cake bread this morning."

"Sara didn't make breakfast. She's sick, so she didn't come in." Nicholas placed his phone on the marble countertop, filling his plate up before he took his seat next to mine.

"So, you cooked. You know, pancakes aren't the only things you can eat for breakfast. Couldn't whip up something else?" I teased, drizzling some syrup on my pancakes.

"It was originally going to be Frech toast, but Cara wanted pancakes. Take it up with her."

Did my heart melt a little that he considered Cara before making breakfast? Yes. Yes, it did.

It also reminded me of last night after the aftershocks had subsided. God, why did he have to be so gentle after we had sex? He'd spent minutes with his face buried in my hair before he carefully carried me up the stairs and into the bathroom. He helped me clean up before we both retired to bed, with his arms wrapped around me.

I almost doubted all that happened when I woke up this morning, but I could still smell him on my skin, and the ache between my legs helped seal the entire deal. 

I had sex with Nicholas last night.

I looked up from my plate to find Nicholas already looking down at me, his eyes dancing with amusement. He knew what I was thinking about. Gosh, could I be any more embarrassing this morning?

I cleared my throat before asking, "Were you saying something?"

"Yes. Do you have somewhere to be?"

"Why'd you ask?"

He shrugged. "Never seen you wear make-up around the house before. And the dress too."

I rolled my eyes at him. "I always dress nicely."

"In sweats and baggy tees, not silk dresses."

"Well, maybe I just felt like it." I took a bite out of the pancakes. "Mine tasted better than yours."

He nodded. "Good for you."

"Why, thank you. And I slept well last night. Thank you very much for asking."

"I didn't ask."

No shit, Sherlock.

"I know," he added, his tone smug.

I shook my head at him, digging into my food in silence.

"I heard you used to see a therapist when you were younger. Do you still remember her name?"

"Yes. Marina Gonzales. She's a great woman. Is there something you need her for?"

"Nothing. I think I might need to see a therapist."

"And what are you two gonna talk about? How much you enjoy torturing people?" I mocked.

"Very funny," Nicholas said, dryly. "I don't enjoy torturing people, but yeah, shit has to be done." He rose to his feet and grabbed our now empty plates, before walking over to the sink where he took care of the dishes.

He returned a few minutes later to grab his phone before starting for the door. "Let's go, Matteo. Ho il nome del suo terapista."

(I have the name of her therapist)

"Ti sei innamorato di tua moglie," Matteo said with a smirk, looking at me over his shoulder, so I knew they were both talking about me.

(You've fallen for your wife)

I didn't understand Italian, neither did I know how to speak the language. I knew a few words here and there, but I never mentioned that to Nicholas. My parents. They must have told him, and he used that card against me.

"No, quindi chiudi il becco."

(No, so shut up)

Matteo snickered before hurrying after Nicholas. Their footsteps had barely disappeared before Cara hurried over to me.

"Really, Elle?" She asked, plopping down next to me. "I thought you two hated each other. I should have known after all the noise I heard last night."

"What do you mean?" I asked, fighting to keep my face neutral.

Cara rolled her eyes at me. "I heard you screaming, so I assumed you and Nicholas got into a full-blown argument. Suddenly, I couldn't hear the noise anymore, but seeing the way you two were being all cute, I know that wasn't a fight. You had sex with him."

"Cara!" I hissed, my face heating. God, I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. "Don't say that."

Cara burst into laughter. "Don't say what? I'm an adult."

"You're my baby sister, and no, I will not talk about my sex life with you."

"I don't even want to hear it because that's just… yuck. I just find it funny, is all."

"Yeah, let's talk about something else. When are you returning to school?"

"I don't want to go back to my old school. Eduardo's son goes there, and he knows his father wanted to get married to me. He's a jerk. I don't think I can face him."

"Okay, we can change your school. I'll look into some options, and you can start on Monday after you pick the one you like."

"Thank you." She hugged me tightly. "What would I do without you?"

I hugged her back. "I'll talk to Nicholas about it after I grab your things from Father's house."

"Do you think it's a good idea for you to go there? Mother and Father aren't pleased with you at the moment. You took their cash cow away from them."

I snorted, rising to my feet. "When have they ever been pleased with me? I'll call Nicholas and hear what he has to say before I go there."

I'd have to face my father, eventually. I couldn't run from him forever. From the look of things at the ball, everyone was obsessed with making peace with everyone, so I knew he wouldn't harm me to keep that peace going. At least not physically. Words did more damage than violence sometimes, and that was the only thing I was dreading during my visit.