The Wallflower's Revenge

Chapter 9: The Town

People get really caught up in their own trips. 

-Max Cannon 

Tatiana Rostova's POV

I am now officially Tatiana Rostova-Cavelli.

Mrs. Lucca Cavelli, Duchess of Caprielle, the legal wife of the powerful Italian duke. Never in my wildest dreams I thought would become a duchess someday—let alone entering a loveless marriage.

I still couldn't believe that I married an entirely different man when only a few days ago I was planning on marrying the man I thought I loved with all my heart but betrayed me in the worst possible situation.

Now, I stood with my new husband in the foyer of his villa and watched Mr. Felipe's car driveway made his way to the official home of the Duke of Caprielle for centuries where he served as the butler for decades.

"So, mia moglie, what do you want to do on your wedding day?" Lucca asked me after Mr. Felipe's car left the villa.

"Mia—what?"

Gray eyes smiled down at me. "Mia moglie, means 'my wife' in Italian."

"Oh..." I still couldn't get used to those endearments. Do all Italian men like to use endearment so much? Even Paolo used them more often—I frowned. Why should I need to think about that bastard on my wedding day? Not that this is my real wedding, but still I don't like to think about him anymore. As far I am concerned, he's nothing to me but a distant bitter memory.

His smile deepened. Evidently, unaware of my trails of dark thoughts. "So, what do you want to do? It's our wedding day, after all."

"I want to go to town." I said without hesitation. Since I resurfaced, I always wanted to stroll in town but circumstances kept me in Lucca's villa. Well, apart from our trip in Rome two days ago when I vulgarized my own home.

"Town?" He asked indecorously. He obviously didn't expect me to say that.

"Yes." I answered enthusiastically. "I've never been in Amalfi before. You could act as my tour guide."

A reluctant laugh escaped him. "No one must have told you that I'm a bad tour guide, tesoro."

"Oh, you'll do." I told him dryly. "They say that it's better than nothing."

"Are you mocking me, Duchess?"

"Who? Me? Mocking a duke?" I asked innocently, fighting back my smile. "You must be thinking of someone else, Your Excellency."

"Hmm..." He flashed a seductive smile that made my heart skip on my chest.

"Are you seducing me?" I raised my eyebrow as I stared straight in his smoky eyes.

"Is it working?"

"No."

"Liar." He purred and his eyes glowed like mercury. "About the trip in town you want." He eyed me from head to toe. "You might wish to change your wedding gown first...unless you want to hit the town with style. I'm fine either way."

I couldn't help but laugh at his suggestions. Maybe marriage to Lucca Cavelli wasn't that bad. If we could just be friendly towards our marriage everything will be fine. "You're incorrigible."

"Go and get change." He commanded. "Or else I will leave you alone. Fifteen minutes."

"You can't leave me!" I told him with a laugh. "I was the one who asked you to take me to town."