Unrequited

13 - Control freak

Clara threw her keys on the kitchen counter and flopped down on the sofa in the sitting room. She was tired from a restless night and an early morning wake up to drop Macy at JFK. Luca, being the egotistical maniac he was, no doubt couldn't stomach another humiliation of her taking flight and had insisted on coming to the airport. Now he sat opposite her, watching while she blazed daggers at him.

"I hope you don't intend to be stuck to me twenty-four seven Luca. I won't let you, it's absurd. Who's running our companies while you play babysitter?"

"I'll work from here and I have people looking after various things, including Mr. Thomas. I want your word that you won't try to do another disappearing act on me. I agree that it's absurd if I need to watch you like a hawk."

"You don't need to watch me like a hawk. You can just go home and we carry on as we were."

"Let's not rehash this. We now have an agreement. Do I have your word that you won't take flight? I will see it as a breach of our contract and you know the consequences of that."

"Fine!" She huffed in exasperation. "You have my word. You're a class act asshole you know that? I can't believe that I gave so many wasted years to you."

Luca got up from his chair and came over to sit next to her. "Why did you continue for so long?" He asked gently.

Clara turned to face him, trying to determine whether he was mocking her or being genuine with his question. "I was naive and stupid. I'm not either of those things now and won't be again. I won't make the same mistakes twice. Just so you know, I plan to continue my life here as it was before you arrived last night. Don't imagine for one second that I will allow you to disrupt my plans and interfere with my friends."

"If those friends involve Oliver then you can forget it. I saw the way he was with you and your parting kiss. Friends don't behave like that."

"You're not going to stop me from seeing Oliver. He is my friend and I couldn't have survived without his and Bella's assistance in the last few weeks."

"If you see Oliver alone it's a breach of the contract. I would see that as cheating. No good wife does that to her husband," Luca gritted, his voice low and menacing. "You can see him in my presence or if Bella is with you in a public place, but never alone."

"No good husband cheats on his wife - but you can't say that's been true of you can you Luca?" She bit back with all the sarcasm she could muster. "And your demands only highlight what a hypocritical chauvinistic pig you are."

"I've not been with another woman since we married - I'll admit I've dated a few." He responded looking at her, waiting for her reaction.

She looked at him, squinting her eyes in disbelief. "When pigs fly. Whatever - I no longer care but as long as this agreement lasts, I'll honor monogamy and I expect the same from you. I won't stop seeing my friends - in fact, we have intentions to go out tonight." Clara threw out the last line, hoping that both Bella and Oliver didn't have other plans.

"Not a problem, I'll be heading out with you."

"Whatever suits." She headed to her room to send a text to Bella and Oliver, relieved that Oliver was OK with her plans and Bella could join them later. Tired and uneasy, she crawled into bed and fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~

"You're looking ravishing Clara." Oliver stepped back to take a proper look at her. "Wow! You really went to town tonight. It's a shame that it's for him." Oliver threw a baleful stare at Luca who was standing at the bar looking at them over her shoulders.

"No Oliver this was for me. I haven't had a chance to get properly done up in a while and what better city to do it in than New York." She looked down at the dress that she had spontaneously bought at Bloomingdale's while out shopping with Macy. It was a white figure-hugging, shoulderless dress that accentuated her tan and stopped at mid-thigh. She'd left her hair loose and paired it with knee-high boots.