Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 86325 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86325 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
"What happened on their wedding day?"
"Livia, Ryder's fiancée and bride-to-be, pulled a gun on Father."
"What?" My mouth gapes open as I stare at him. "I can't believe it. But why?"
"Some vendetta. But she didn't get to go through with it," Adrian mutters. "She died before she could –"
A rap on the door interrupts us. Adrian sighs, calling out for the intruder to come in. Ryder and Adrian's youngest brother, Julian, stands at the door, pale as a ghost.
"What?" Adrian asks, picking himself up right away. "What's happened? Is Father alright? What about Marzia?"
My lips thin out. Of fucking course he's asking about her again, it seems like the pretty captive is the only thing on my fiancé's mind.
"They're fine," Julian nods gravely. "But you should come back to the dining room. We just found out something and... it might change everything."
Adrian and I exchange glances before following Julian back into the dining room. Everyone is waiting for us, and Bruno paces the room until we sit down. All of our attention is focused on the Bernardi patriarch, and we eagerly await the news he's about to tell us.
"We've gotten word from the Giordanis," Bruno speaks up gravely. His eyes dance over us – Adrian, Marzia, me, Ryder. "Something upsetting has happened... Someone is requesting an audience with us. Someone we thought was long gone."
Adrian and I exchange glances. Bruno doesn't need to say it out loud. I already know what he's going to say.
Bruno's gaze is now focused solely on Ryder and he says, "Livia... Livia isn't dead."
Ryder stands up. His hands form fists at his sides, the knuckles going from a pale pink to a ghostly white, he's clutching his hands so hard. "Livia?"
"Yes," Bruno nods. "She wants to speak to me. Alone."
"Ryder..." I try to reach for his hand, but he pushes me away, hurting my pride and my feelings.
"I need to be alone," he mutters. "I... I can't deal with this right now."
He storms out of the room, slamming the double doors behind him. If I thought the room was tense before, it's nothing compared to right now.
And deep down, I already know – this is the beginning of the end.
Livia's reappearance is going to ruin everything.
16
Ryder
I know Nicoletta is upset, but it doesn't even compare to what I'm feeling right now.
Before I met my principessa, I was convinced Livia was the love of my life. But now... I don't know how I feel anymore. I just know I need to get away.
I head out into the gardens where it’s starting to get dark and the fairy lights and lanterns strung around the maze are lighting up. I find myself heading there, where nothing but my own conscience will trouble me. Livia's memory is so fresh in my mind, despite my best efforts to push her to the back of my memories and erase her from existence. But she's back with a vengeance now – literally.
I'm really un-fucking-sure how Father's going to deal with this news. And Nicoletta... my poor principessa must be torn apart.
I step into the maze, feeling relief when I turn the first corner, out of sight and so glad to be alone. I quicken my pace, intending to reach the halfway mark and the metal bench I can sit on while I figure this shit out.
I don't want Nicoletta to think I still harbor feelings for Livia, because I don't. If anything, principessa being here has only taught me how fake my relationship with Liv was. I thought I was in love, but now I know it was all a lie. The feelings I felt were always accompanied by the soul-crunching fear of doing the wrong thing. I've never felt that way with Nicoletta Carlucci. From the moment I laid eyes on my brother's fiancée, I knew she was meant to be mine – no matter what her papa and my father had to say about it.
But with Livia, I was fighting my instincts. I was eager to marry, eager to start a family, but I wasn't ready for it at all. And now I know that our wedding being cancelled was the best thing that could have happened to me, otherwise I'd be stuck in a loveless marriage with a woman I'd end up feeling nothing for.
Life with my principessa will never be like that. She's meant for me, destined to be my wife. Livia could never compare to my Nicoletta. And yet my head is swimming with thoughts of her as I pace the garden. I find myself heading for the maze again – the only place where I can truly clear my head.
I'm halfway through the maze, and there’s the metal bench. I’m about to sit down when I hear running footsteps. Moments later, Nicoletta crashes into me, her eyes searching my face for answers. I can't bring myself to say a word, and I look at the ground, unable to handle the weight of her gaze. She looks so beautiful under the glow from the fairy lights and lanterns, but Nicoletta doesn't seem to notice – she's livid.