Queen of Hearts (Wonderland 2)

“We could all go to Wonderland,” Cora suggests. “My men and I can keep an eye on Lyriope there.”

“It’s too risky,” Nick says, leading us both out to the veranda. “An unnecessary risk when you can be safer here.”

He pulls out two chairs and helps us both sit down. There’s a bottle of wine and two glasses waiting for us.

“I have an excellent vintage Chianti for you both to share while I’m away. I won’t be long.” He then leans down and gives us both kisses on our foreheads. “My two most special women. It’s time you get to know each other more anyway.”

He leaves us as the starry night sky and the sounds of nature engulf the awkwardness between us.

Cora is the first to make a move. She pours us each a glass of wine, and then lights a cigarette. “Is this your first time in Italy?” she asks. She picks up her phone, texts something for a minute, lays the phone facedown on the table, and then returns her attention back at me with a smile.

I take the wine and sip from it. “Yes. I hope it won’t be my last. I love it here.”

She glances at the villa. “You’ve both been staying here the entire time?”

“Yes,” I say, deciding to leave out the part about Sasha and her vacation home.

She watches me as she drinks and then smokes. I feel like she’s examining every inch of my body and her stare nearly burns me as she does.

“I’m not sure that I like you,” Cora says as she takes a long inhale from her cigarette.

Yeah, I already know that. She’s made that quite clear.

“I understand that,” I say, focusing on keeping my voice calm and in control.

Her eyebrows rise. “Really? It doesn’t bother you to have a woman sitting across from you expressing her distaste for you?”

I casually shrug and stare out upon the scenery. “I’ve put Nick in a dangerous situation. I can understand how someone who cares about him wouldn’t be happy about that fact.”

She’s quiet. All I can hear is the exhale of her smoke.

I turn to look at her. “Whether you believe me or not, this wasn’t planned. This isn’t some scam, some manipulation, or anything sordid that I’m sure has run through your mind.”

“Then what is it? I still don’t even know who you are.”

“I’m someone who loves Nick,” I confess. Saying the words feels foreign and yet feels… freeing. “I love him and would die before I’d stand by and let him take a bullet for me.”

Her eyes narrow. “He may very well take that bullet regardless of what you want. You did this. You made this mess.” She extends a finger to point at me, a swirl of smoke wrapping around her painted nail. “It’s your job to clean it up. Not his.”

I look out toward the view again and nod. She’s right. It is my mess to clean up. I just don’t know how to do it.

“I left Bishop’s Landing thinking that was the best thing to do. I tried to leave Nick so he wouldn’t have to deal with all this,” I say. “But as you can see, he found me.”

“And do you believe it’s because Nick loves you?” she asks.

“No,” I admit. “I would never assume Nick loves me. I’m just a contract to him. A pawn in his game.”

“But you love him?”

I shrug, shaking off the pain of the reality the best I can. I love a man who does not love me in return. Just as my mother did my entire life. But I refuse to allow Cora to see this pain if I can help it.

“I don’t think Nick is capable of love,” she says. “Admiration for others, friendship, loyalty for sure. But that man broke into a million pieces the day he was driven off that cliff. Bones repaired but nothing more.” She inhales. “Has he told you about the accident?”

I nod. “It’s awful.”

“His mother worked for me as an assistant. When everything happened, it came to light that he had no other family. He had no one left in the world. The last thing I needed was a child in my life, but at the same time, it’s not like I could stand by and watch him fall into the system. There was something about him I liked. He was a fighter. A survivor. Nothing could kill him. Not even doing a nose dive off a cliff into a rocky sea below. I knew the minute I watched him take his first step in full body cast that this boy would be special. I knew that if I gave him enough tools in life to succeed, that he’d rule empires. And he has. He went from pauper to king. And not because of me. But because of him.”

“I’ve never met a stronger person,” I agree.