Chapter 2

I lay in the hospital bed, staring blankly at the door.

It was three in the morning, and Elio still hadn't come.

It was as if he'd forgotten I'd been in a crash at all.

I didn't sleep all night.

In the morning the doctor said nothing was seriously wrong, and I checked myself out.

I left the hospital and just walked, with no destination in mind.

My feet carried me toward the club without my deciding it.

Fine, then. I'd go to the club and have it out with Elio for good.

Halfway there, the sky opened up.

I was covering my head with my hands, a sorry mess, when a red Maserati pulled up beside me.

I knew that car.

The window rolled down, and there was Fiona's pretty young face.

She was wearing Elio's sunglasses, and she covered her mouth in surprise. "Donna, it's really you. I thought I had the wrong person."

I looked past her, to Elio in the driver's seat.

He met my eyes, a little uncomfortable. "Danielle..."

Fiona stuck a hand out the window to catch the rain and said, all worried.

"It's really coming down. What'll the Donna do? And this car only has two seats."

My husband's car, and she was the one reminding me it only had two seats.

I looked at Elio.

He took in the sight of me, soaked through, and set his jaw.

"Go wait under cover up ahead. I'll send a car for you."

I stiffened, and my ribs began to ache again.

Before I could answer, Fiona rolled the window back up.

The car pulled away and splattered mud all over me.

Soon enough the car Elio sent picked me up.

The driver handed me a towel. "Where to, Donna?"

I dried my hair, my voice muffled. "Back to the Moretti estate."

Elio, there's nothing left for us to talk about.

By the time I'd showered and come back out, Elio was there.

He studied my face carefully as he spoke.

"The driver told me last night you were fine, and then something came up at the docks I had to deal with, so I didn't make it to the hospital. I'm sorry."

He reached out to hold me. I stepped back out of reach.

"Elio. Let's get divorced."

His jaw tightened, but he kept the smile up.

"Baby, that joke isn't funny."

"I'm not joking."

I gave a cold laugh. "I'll stop standing between you and Fiona."

He looked genuinely surprised.

"You've got the wrong idea. Fiona came to New York from a small town in the middle of nowhere. It hasn't been easy for her."

"I'm her boss. I look out for her a little, that's all. There's nothing else to it."

"Nothing else to it?"

I crossed my arms and let out a cold laugh.

"Elio, I've told you before. I don't like her clinging to you all the time."

"You never let anyone into your space. What, Fiona's the exception?"

Seven years, and he'd never broken a rule for anyone.

He would force me to live by his rules and, in the same breath, apologize to me and mean it.

"Danielle, I'm sorry. I know it's hard on you. But I can't change."

It hurt me to see him like that, so I gave in.

Only now did I realize he could change after all.

I just wasn't worth changing for.

Elio gave a low whistle and waved it off.

"Fiona is only my assistant. A nobody, really."

"She's decent at her job, and she has no one in the city, so I'm a little kind to her."

"Sweetheart, you're my Donna. There's no need to bicker with her over things like this."

He was the one playing favorites, and now somehow I was the one making a fuss.

I had nothing to say, and nothing I wanted to say.

We were still at a standstill when the butler pushed the door open.

He glanced at the two of us and stammered out, "There's... a visitor..."

Elio nodded. "Show them in."

A moment later Fiona poked her head in and smiled sweetly at me.

"Donna. Sorry to intrude."