Ruined in Vows (Marchetti Family #3)

15. Allegra

Chapter 15

Allegra

C hewing my lip harshly, I pace the floor of my hotel suite, burning a hole in the plush carpet. Anxiety crawls under my skin, buzzing in my veins and setting me on edge. I am so overwhelmed, the stress of this whole situation blurring my thoughts until I can’t think straight.

Dante is alive, which is the most miraculous thing that could happen. But there is one small problem we still have to overcome. He doesn’t know who he is.

Overpowering joy followed by soul crushing devastation hits me. What will it take to make him see that I am telling the truth? What could have possibly happened to him to make him forget everything. Forget us. Forget his family. The thought alone has my chest tightening with pain. Though I have my own questions, right now this is about Dante. I want him to make the right decision and come to our hotel so that we can get through to him.

But what if you never get through to him, an irritating voice whispers across my mind making my mood plummet further. I need to do some research, speak to his doctor. Look into memory loss and try to find out what it is I am dealing with. But until I see Dante again, I can’t do any of that.

“You are going to burn a hole in the carpet, sweetheart. Come take a seat.” Mamma’s voice breaks me from my panic induced haze.

Glancing over at her, I find her patting the empty space next to her, a look of concern on her face as she watches me. My gaze shifts to Athena, a similar look clouds her features, and, in that moment, I know I need to relax before they have me committed.

Sighing, I move toward the couch, dropping in between them. My throat tightens as I try to voice my thoughts, but I push through the lump, whispering out some of my fears. “What if he doesn’t come here? What if he is too far gone to ever remember me?”

Mamma wraps her arms around me, pulling me in close as she kisses the top of my head. “He will honey. Don’t ever doubt the power of two souls connected. And you and Dante are connected in the most irrevocable way. Deep down, he knows the truth of who he is, of who you are. He will come. I just know it.”

I glance up at her with blurry, hopeful eyes. A part of me knows that what Mamma is saying is to placate me, but there is another part that wants to believe her when she speaks about souls. I can only hope it’s true, because I know without a doubt in my mind, that my soul would find Dante in every lifetime. Resentment that he doesn’t remember me causes a bitter taste in my mouth. It’s quickly followed by guilt and shame. I need to remember that I haven’t been through what Dante has. I haven’t had my memories erased or forgotten everything I once knew. I just hope that somewhere deep inside of Dante, no matter how deep that connection is buried, he finds it again.

“Valentina is right, Alle. He will come. I saw the questions in his eyes. He was curious if nothing else,” Athena says, rubbing at my arm soothingly.

Glancing over my shoulder, I shoot her a grateful smile. She smiles back at me, with hope in her gaze. She wants this to work out for me as much as I do. And that is a good friend. We both startle when our suite door is pushed open.

My brother steps inside, Romeo in his arms and Ocean beside him. His cold gaze bounces from me to Mamma. He frowns, his brow raising in silent question when he no doubt spots the look on my face. Sighing, I shake my head, telling him to leave it.

“What’s going on?” he demands, ignoring me.

Mamma rises from the couch, looking at Nico. “Your sister is upset about Dante. She is worried he won’t come,” she murmurs, moving toward him and taking Romeo out of his arms. My brother hands him over willingly, knowing full well Mamma loves being around her grandson and that he brings her a sense of purpose.

“Well, then you will like what I have to say then.” My body tenses in anticipation. “Dante, or whoever this man is,” he adds, giving me a look. “Is currently in the lobby with two of my men. They are waiting for my order to bring him up.”

I jump out of my seat, rushing toward him. “Well, what are you waiting for? Bring him up now.” My voice is urgent, filled with excitement and a little apprehension.

Nico sighs. “Look, Leg. I know you said you are one hundred percent sure it’s him, but on the off chance it’s not, I don’t want you to get your hopes up. Please try and go into this with an open mind. I know how devastated you will be if the man downstairs is just some doppelganger and not Dante. You’ve been through enough, mourned his death for months, I don’t want you to have to go through it again.”

My shoulders sag, warmth spreading through me at my brother’s concern. He is a hard man and doesn’t show this side of him often. But what he doesn’t understand is that my whole life is mourning, every second of every day. And whether I made a mistake, and the guy I saw isn’t Dante, that will not change.

“Understood,” I whisper, though right now I don’t understand anything.

Nico searches my face before giving a sharp nod and turning to his second in command, Matteo. “Bring him up but get them to search him for any weapons first. We will meet here instead of the penthouse. I don’t really want him in my space until we know more. I want extra guards on this floor, and some situated around the suite.”

Matteo nods, stepping outside to go do my brother's bidding.

I roll my eyes. “He won’t hurt us, Nic.”

My brother glares over at me. “You don’t know that, Allegra. This could all be part of some ploy to harm me or my family. I will not take any risks. Not with my wife, son, you or Mamma.”

“Thanks for including me in that little protection bubble,” Athena huffs before I can respond.

My brother ignores her, never taking his eyes off me. “Ready?”

I swallow down the lump in my throat, my pulse kicking up to an unnatural speed as my stomach somersaults with nerves and anticipation.

“Yeah,” I swallow again, barely getting that one word out.

“Okay. Just be prepared that this could all be one colossal misunderstanding,” my brother says, putting further doubt in my mind.

Maybe I just imagined him. I shake my head at the negativity. No. Mamma and Athena saw him too. And I know they wouldn’t just go along with this to appease me.

Straightening my shoulders, I clear my throat of any doubt and say in my strongest voice, purposefully saying his name so that it leaves no room for uncertainty.

“Bring Dante up.”