There was no response. The car kept moving forward.
“I’m leaving you, Nicolo,” Aimee said. “Do you hear me? I am leaving you, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”
“I won’t have to do a thing.” Nicolo folded his arms. “Customs will do it for me. You have no passport.”
“I’ll get one. I’ll phone the American Embassy. They won’t give a damn that you call yourself a prince, especially when I tell them that you’re really an arrogant, deceitful, lying—”
“Be careful, cara. It is not wise to add fuel to a fire that is already burning.”
It was hard, bein
g so close to him. Looking into the eyes she’d foolishly let herself believe shone with love for her.
His eyes were cold now. Cold and flat and empty.
Suddenly Aimee felt almost unbearably weary. He was right. He was a prince. A macho male. He held all the cards; she held none. He’d lied to her. Hurt her in the worst possible way but he’d shown her kindness, too.
There had to be a shred of kindness left for her in his heart.
Aimee sank back against the seat.
“Don’t do this,” she whispered. “Please, Nicolo. Just let me go.”
“There was a time you called me Nico.”
She looked at him. His voice was low; the anger in his eyes had been replaced by bewilderment…But he was a good actor. She knew that better than anyone.
“A mistake,” she said. “Everything was a mistake.”
“Cara. I do not understand. I left, you were happy. The next thing I know—”
“The next thing you know,” she said, trying to sound cold, trying not to give way to tears, “the next thing you know, the game’s up.”
“What game? What are you talking about?”
“Your game. This game. You and me.” She took a deep breath. “It’s over. I don’t want you anymore.”
“Why do you not want me? What happened?”
“I came to my senses, is what happened.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning, I realized what a—a joke this has been. You. Me. This farce of a marriage.”
“Is that what our marriage is to you? A joke?”
Another change of tone. There was warning in it now but Aimee was beyond heeding that warning.
“You know it is.”
She cried out as he pulled her to him. His lips crushed hers; his kiss was savage and deep but it didn’t touch her heart.
He had lost his power to seduce her.
He would never have that power again…except, except, God, she was going to cry.
Going to?