“Maybe he’s trying?”
“I don’t want to be naive.” But I did want to believe it. It would make things bearable.
“Give him a chance.”
“How can I do that when I know the reason for this is my inheritance? He’ll marry me for it, keep me prisoner, and then what? What will happen after three years?”
“Three years, then you’re free. A marriage in name only. I’ll even make sure you’re not out on the street afterward, if you’re a good girl.”
“No one knows what will happen in the future. You’re the one who always told me that when I was down.”
“He wants me to wear his mother’s wedding dress.”
“What?”
“I don’t get it, Lina. I think he likes messing with me, but that’s just weird. Why would he want that?”
“Sofia, I don’t like him for taking you away. I don’t like what he’s doing to you, to us. But he could be really awful to you. He could lock you up and throw away the key. It’s not like Grandfather could stop him if he wanted to—”
“I know he can’t.”
“My point is, give it a chance. You don’t know him. He’s been through hell and back. Maybe he’s searching for something too. Maybe he’s trying to find his peace.”
“Or get his revenge.”
“You have to give it a chance to figure it out. Figure him out.”
“Whose side are you on?”
“Yours. Always yours. But for the next three years, you’re stuck. I don’t want it to be hell for you.”
“I wish you were here.”
“Grandfather will never agree to that. You know that.”
“I know.”
I heard her teacher’s voice calling for her. “Just a minute,” she called out. “I have to go,” she said to me. “I’ll call you back after the lesson, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Hey, don’t be sad.”
I nodded, but tears filled my eyes.
“Send me photos of the puppy. What did you name him?”
“Charlie.”
“Like our Charlie.”
“You remember him?”
“I remember losing him,” she said.
“I’m sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault. You were five.”
“I know.”
“I have to go, Sofia. I love you.”
“I love you.”
We hung up, and I climbed out of bed. It was close to five in the afternoon, and the heat was oppressive today. I dug through my suitcases, found my bikini, and slipped it on. I’d check on Charlie and go for a swim. A little exercise would clear my head. Then I’d focus on getting Lina photos of everything.
She was right. I didn’t know him. I only knew he’d been through hell. I just didn’t want him to put me through it now. But for the next three years, I was bound to him.
I grabbed a towel from my bathroom and stepped out into the hallway. At least he wouldn’t expect me to share his bed. That should have been a comfort, a relief, but for some reason, it only made me feel a little…less. Like I wasn’t good enough.
After checking on Charlie, who lay sleeping on the cool tile floor in the kitchen, I went out to the swimming pool. I didn’t see Raphael until it was too late. Until he’d seen me, and I couldn’t sneak away.
He leaned against the edge of the pool at the far end. I guessed he’d been swimming laps, because he looked to be breathing hard. The muscles of his arms and back flexed as he pulled his body out of the water and climbed out. He wore tight swim trunks, and sun glistened on his wet skin. I quickly looked away, forcing my legs to move as he picked up his towel to dry off while watching me.
I sat down on the chair farthest from his on the opposite side of the rectangular pool. The water sparkled in the sun. I longed to submerge myself but felt self-conscious as he approached, stopping just in front of my chair. Water dripped from his wet hair onto me. I hadn’t worn anything but my bikini and had wrapped the towel around myself on my way out here, so now I perched on the edge of the lounge chair, holding the towel tight to me.
Raphael sat with an exhale, then stretched out on the seat.
“If you clutch that towel any tighter, you might pop a knuckle.”
I softened my hold on the towel and turned to him.
“Where’s your puppy?” he asked.
“Sleeping in the kitchen. It’s probably too hot for him out here.”
“Too hot for anyone. Get in the pool and cool off.”
“I’m fine.”
“So you just came out here to sit and watch the pool?”
I shrugged a shoulder.
He chuckled and lay back, closed his eyes, and turned his face up to the sun. “Suit yourself.”
I turned my attention back to the water and, after a few minutes of silence from him, I undid the towel from around myself, checked that his eyes were still closed, and quickly walked to the edge of the pool. Testing the water with my toe, I stepped in, descending the five stairs before floating out, ducking my head under and swimming to the far end before coming up. I glanced at Raphael, who now sat watching me. I went under again and swam, coming up for air only to find he’d joined me in the water.