Seven Minutes in Hell

I stared at him, my heart turning to stone. Not a single person in this room had a shred of decency.

I had completely underestimated Luca. In the three years I’d known him, he’d played the role of the steady, reliable heir perfectly. He always told me he loathed betrayal. Turns out, he was just a hell of a liar.

I looked up, my eyes raw as I met his gaze. Seeing the sudden coldness in my expression, he faltered.

"Angelina? You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."

He reached out to touch my forehead. He smelled like Fiona’s perfume. I flinched away.

"Luca, I think we need to postpone the wedding."

The color drained from his face. He grabbed my arm. "Angelina, what are you talking about? What’s wrong?"

I pried his hand off me, my voice trembling. "Nothing’s wrong. Don't worry."

"I’m just worried that getting married so young will tie you down. We’re both young. Maybe you should play around a bit longer before we settle down."

Luca let out a relieved laugh. He pulled me into a hug, burying his face in my chest. "I knew you were the sweetest. Thank you for always thinking about me, babe."

He had no idea I was already done with him. He shot a smug, triumphant look at Fiona and the boys.

"Damn, talk about a hopeless romantic!"

"I wonder if her family knows she’s this naive."

They were all laughing at me, treating me like a fool. I bit my lip. Let them laugh. Because whoever tries to make a joke out of me is about to become the punchline.

I turned and went into the storage room. The second I left, I heard them practically pouncing on each other.

"Man, you’re living the dream. Getting served by two women at once? Only you, Luca."

"Shut up. You’d do the same if you could."

"Whatever, I’m out. My goddess is waiting for me at the hotel."

I hurried away, the hem of my dress cutting through the air. The storage room was pitch black. I flicked on my phone light and headed for the sofa.

As I bent down to pick up the scrap of black lace, I glanced at the window behind the sofa. It looked out into the back alley.

Luca and Fiona were already out there, tangled together. Fiona was still in that rumpled dress, and Luca was hiking it up to her waist.

"Let’s go to the private dock in Long Island tomorrow," I heard Luca growl.

"Ugh, I don't know. I'm tired."

"Riding a speedboat on the water won't be tiring, trust me," Luca laughed.

Fiona rubbed her leg against him, and Luca let out a low groan.

"By the way," Fiona whispered, "your American fiancé... she won't find out, will she?"

"Please. She’s an idiot. I could sell her and she’d help me count the cash."

"Hahaha! I almost feel bad for her!"

Their voices faded, but every word was etched into my brain. I took a deep breath and walked out. I made sure to make enough noise with my heels before pushing the door open.

"Did you find it, Angelina?" Fiona asked, feigning concern.

"Got it." I handed the bra to her, my face a mask of calm.

Fiona blinked, clearly thrown off by how composed I was. "Oh... uh, thanks."

"You're welcome." I smiled thinly and sat back down.

The next day, Luca took me out, just like he said—to the private dock on Long Island.

When we arrived, his crew was already there, cracking jokes. "You guys are bold. Bringing Angelina here while you 'play' on the boat? Aren't you worried she’ll catch on?"

"Who’s gonna tell her? Not us."

"That’s the point. The thrill of getting caught is half the fun!"

Luca ignored them and led me toward the speedboat. After a few minutes, he claimed he needed to check the engine at the end of the pier. He told me to stay by the boat and make sure nobody touched it.

My throat felt tight. I looked at the bag he was carrying—it was stuffed with toys and lingerie. He’d snuck out of bed last night to pack it while I lay there awake, listening to him whisper to Fiona about what positions they were going to try today.

I hadn't slept a wink. Instead, I had texted my father. I was moving to Miami to take over the family’s hotel business. I was leaving today. And I was never seeing Luca again.