Her heart pounded on the verge of an attack. “I decided I wouldn’t let that bastard take away who I was. I dressed the way I wanted, and I controlled who I had sex with from that time on. When I wanted, where I wanted, and how I wanted. But sometimes, when a man is on top of me, something flashes back to that time and I panic. I hate it, but I can’t seem to control that part of my memory. Until now.”
Michael reached out and tucked her head against his chest. Strength and heat and safety wound its way through her with a seamless grace that took her breath away. “I am so sorry, cara. I didn’t know. If I had, I wouldn’t have pushed in such a way.”
She shook her head hard. “No, I’m glad you did. Now, I’m not afraid.”
He sucked in a breath, and she realized he trembled beneath her. Slowly, she raised her head to look into his face.
Fierce pride and raw fury shimmered in his eyes. His hands were as gentle as a butterfly as he stroked the hair back from her face. “For someone to hurt you like this makes me question what is fair and right in this world. But you, mia amore, took such an event and gained strength. You made your life on your own terms with no one to help. You humble me.”
She bit her lip and lowered her head back on his chest. His words echoed in the silence of the room and exploded the last brick of the wall guarding her heart. He didn’t comment on the tear that fell upon his chest.
That made Maggie love him even more.
Chapter Twelve
Two days later, Maggie lounged on the back terrace, sipping a glass of wine and stroking Dante. He lay on the table, basking in the heat of the sun, grunting softly. He flipped over and exposed his massive belly, his favorite place to be scratched. Every time her hand got tired she’d stop, but then he’d hiss at her in pure menace that she now knew was completely fake.
“You’re such a drama king,” she admonished.
Those huge green eyes stared at her with implacable demand and crankiness. She let out an impatient sigh and put down her glass. She raked her nails lightly over his belly and he went back to purring so loudly he sounded like a chain saw. “Fine, fine, here, happy now?”
God, she hated cats.
Of course, like Dante, she was a big fat liar. This feline had worked its way under her skin. A cheap thrill skated through her that the stray wouldn’t let anyone touch him except for her. In a wacky way, she felt as if they belonged to each other. Two stray, bad-ass loners who didn’t know how to handle people.
What was she going to do?
Michael loved her. Ever since his shattering admission and her shattering confession, they’d silently agreed not to discuss the topic further. Maggie wanted to believe him, craved the ability to say the words back, but something held her prisoner.
Her past.
The sunlight struck the two-carat diamond on her ring finger and shimmered in mockery.
She needed to make a decision soon. She agreed to stay a few days longer while they made sure Mama Conte was okay, and they could get Venezia’s wedding plans solidified.
She had never told anyone except her mother about the rape. Her mother’s betrayal killed a trust deep inside of her, and Michael brought it back to life. Goose bumps lifted her arms at the memory of his hands and mouth and tongue on every part of her body without the ability to do anything but surrender. Damn, now she knew why that bondage stuff was so widely read.
Dante leered as if he knew her thoughts, kicked her hand away, and stretched into a different position. “Yeah, I bet you’re a male stud, knocking up all the helpless females around town,” she pointed out to him. “Take some responsibility for your actions, buddy. I think I need to take you to the vet and get you fixed.”
“Are you talking to the cat?”
Maggie turned her head and fought a blush. Carina stood with her arms crossed, laughing at her. “Of course not,” she denied hotly. “You’re hearing things.”
She snickered. “Yeah, sure. Hi, Dante.” She took a few steps closer, her hand held out, a low, soothing tone wrapping around the cat. He watched her slow approach and Maggie and Carina held their breath.
With a disgusted hiss, he jumped up, swished his tail, and disappeared into the bushes. Carina’s mouth dropped open. Maggie hid her satisfied expression and sipped her wine. “Why doesn’t he like me?” she whined. “I love animals. I feed him. You insult him and he adores you.”
Maggie shrugged. “Men are fickle. What’s going on?”
“We’re going into town to look at flowers. Wanna come?”
Maggie wrinkled her nose. “Boring. I’ll pass.”
Carina giggled. “I know, I’m not a flower kind of girl myself, but since you’re still new to the family, you can get out of these things.” She let out a sigh. “Fine, be a brat. I’ll see you a bit later. Mama’s resting but doing fine.” A confused expression flitted over her face. “It’s really weird, too. As soon as you guys left, she had all this energy, was back to her old self, and seemed fine. The doctor came again and said the whole thing must have been a false alarm.”
“Huh. Weird, but at least she’s better.”
“Yeah, you’re right. See you later.”
Carina left and Maggie sat for a while longer, basking in the heat and the silence. She needed to find Michael. With the house empty, it was time they talked. She drained the last of her wine for liquid courage and went inside the house.
She peeked through some of the rooms, then caught his deep voice from the study. She stopped outside the door and paused before knocking. Maybe she’d wait outside until—
“No, Max, she didn’t marry me for my money. She makes enough on her own. You are like an overprotective mama, mia amico.”
He paused, then spoke with a coldness that gave her a chill. “You did what? Hiring a private detective to check on her background is unacceptable. Yes, I know about her past. She is unlike her parents. Merda, do not challenge me on this; she is my wife now.”
More silence.
“No, I don’t think children will happen for a while—she needs some time. She is not the typical woman I wanted to marry but things change. I can wait.” Maggie heard his footsteps back and forth. “This is my decision and I no longer want to discuss it. I will make this work.”
The conversation went on a bit longer while she hid in the corridor. Humiliation burned until her skin actually prickled. Max didn’t believe she was good enough for his best friend. What had the detective told him? That her parents were a joke and she had no experience with a healthy relationship? Within minutes of meeting her, Max realized the truth she’d been desperately trying to hide.