Clara sat frozen in her seat, not knowing what to do. She was petrified of creating a scene. It was unlikely that he would recognize the subtle change in her body for what it was. Not that he would necessarily care but she hadn't planned on informing him in this way.
"Clara you can take Luca into the study for a talk if you like," Felicity said gently.
She nodded and felt Oliver squeeze her neck reassuringly. Clara bit her lip, taking a deep breath and stood up. It was now or never.
She saw Lucas's eyes narrow angrily at her when she squeezed Oliver's hand. His intense gaze never left her as she walked towards him. "Follow me, Luca, the study is this way," Clara led him down the hallway towards the other end of the house. She opened the door to the study and placed herself on a seat in front of the fireplace. Luca followed her into the room and shut the door, he didn't say anything but sat in the chair opposite her, studying her over the coffee table.
"What are you doing here Luca?" Clara asked, feeling a sense of deja vu.
"I've come to take you home."
She ignored his outrageous statement. "How did you find me?"
"Macy unwittingly shared her phone location with me. I knew she knew where you were."
"Macy won't be pleased when she finds out you've been stalking her."
"She'll forgive me," he said simply.
"And now that you're here you think you can just drag me home? That's extremely presumptuous of you Luca. What makes you think you can order me around?"
"We're still married and I want to talk to you. You left both times without giving me an opportunity to talk and counter your offer. If you want to finalize the divorce papers then you'll hear my terms." He examined her, his expression was unreadable.
"To amuse myself, I'll listen to you. What are your terms, Luca?"
"You give me two months, where we live together as husband and wife. By the end of these two months, I'll give you your divorce if you still want it." He scrutinized her closely, waiting for his words to sink in and for her to respond.
Puzzled and exasperated, she asked, "why Luca? What would be the point when you already have everything handed to you on a plate? What's the point by prolonging the inevitable and why do you think my mind would change? Why has yours?"
He evaded her question, his blue eyes turning stormy grey. "Like I said when we were in Byron Bay, I want us to start again. I also want to know why you disappeared like that?"
"I didn't want to talk to you then like I don't want to talk to you now. I am going to head home at some point anyway to face the music and we could have finalized everything, including our divorce when I arrived back in the UK."
"What is going on with the guy that had his hand on you?"
"Oliver? That's really none of your concern Luca. You have this bad habit of appearing in my life and asking questions you have no right to ask. In fact, all you've done is asked questions. I have questions of my own."
"Ask me then, ask me whatever you want." He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms and waited patiently.
Looking at him directly in the eye, Clara asked again, "why are you really here?"
"As I said, to take you home." He repeated stoically.
"That still doesn't make any sense. Why? What for? What are you hoping to achieve? As I recall, you preferred it most when I was out of your sight." Clara threw the questions at him in frustration as she got up to stalk back and forth on the hearth.
YOU ARE READING
Unrequited
Romance"You've wanted me and you finally got me." He stalked menacingly towards her while unbuttoning his shirt, his eyes never wavering from her. "Does it feel satisfying to have a man who doesn't love or want you?" He taunted. "Are you happy that you'll...
