Her Venice Affair (The Albury Affairs) by Christina OW Page A

she had just slapped him. In
fact, she had, with her words. No one had ever questioned his integrity, ever,
and she wasn’t going to be the first!
    He rose from the table, pulled money out of his jacket
pocket and dropped it on the table. The entire time his eyes holding hers in a
livid gaze. “You don’t know me, Riana Albury . And
having sex with me when the urge warrants doesn’t entitle you to question my
integrity. You can take the limo back to the hotel. Don’t bother waiting up for
me; I’ll be using the spare room tonight.”
    Her expression grew stricken. “Allan, I didn’t mean—”
    “I don’t care,” he said harshly. “Goodnight, Miss Albury .”

 
    * * * *

 
    Riana felt her body tremble at Allan’s anger. She
fought the urge to stand up and run after him as he stomped away. She’d never
seen such anger in his eyes before and the fear of rejection kept her where she
was. She didn’t even turn around to watch him leave.
    She just sat there, with her head bent and her shaking
hands in fists on her lap. She hadn’t meant to offend him, she just found his
line of work and what it did to people inexcusable and had hoped what Loraine
said wasn’t entirely true.
    But when she’d practically called him a vulture
feeding a pack of hyenas and he’d responded with ‘it’s nothing personal just
business’ something inside her just snapped. She had been one of those families
that were left stranded when the textile factory her mother worked at was taken
apart. Allan may not have had anything to do with it, but from the cold way
he’d said ‘it’s nothing personal just business’ she couldn’t help but let him—a
member of the vulture clan—have all that anger she’d felt when she was just
twelve years old.
    The two years following had been some of the worst out
of their lives. Her mother had had to work three jobs just to keep the roof
over their heads and Reno, still in high school, had had to get a job
exclusively to put food on their table. She was left to look after herself,
only catching glimpse of her brother and mother when they came home. Mom to change her uniform for another and
Reno to get something to eat and leave his books before they left me alone
again .
    Riana blinked rapidly to keep the tears at bay. It was
a long time ago but she still felt the pain, the loneliness, and the guilt. It
was for her they were working themselves to the ground. So she learned to
always smile and laugh the few moments they were together and she cleaned,
cooked, and washed dishes to spare her mother. And once she was engulfed by the
dark loneliness again, she would cry out her frustration, cursing their father
for not caring enough to help.
    Nothing had changed. She still felt the same pain,
guilt, and loneliness.
    Riana drew in a strangled breath, a tear escaping and
running down her cheek as it dawned on her. What
have I done?

 
    * * * *

 
      Riana paced in
the living room, wringing her fingers worriedly. It was midday and Allan wasn’t
back yet. All the worst possible scenarios had already filled her mind and
she’d spent half the night crying and praying he was safe wherever he was.
    She’d come home and gone straight to the spare room to
find it empty. A spark of hope filled had her as she rushed across to their
room only to find it empty. So she changed out of the dress and wore one of his
shirts, hoping to seduce him into forgiving her. She’d waited, battling sleep
until it won only to wake up a few hours later, curled up on the couch alone in
the suite.
    Disappointed and hurt, she packed their few belongings
into a suitcase, leaving out an outfit for him to change in to once he came
back. Then it occurred to her that maybe he didn’t want to continue with the
trip, that he may come back to the suite to announce he’d booked her a flight
back to the States and she was to leave immediately. The thought frightened her
and made her tear up but she prepared herself just in case he