Ruby St. Clair's POV

I felt that everything happened in a blink of an eye. One moment I was aware that I was just cooking breakfast in Roman's state-of-the-art kitchen—then the next I was carted to a foreign destination.

What's worse after his private plane landed in Italy he has only given me an hour to shop for a dress fit for a party we're going to attend. What annoyed me the most was the fact that he kept on reminding me that our hosts were royals that was why I needed to dress properly.

Did I ever dress indecently before I asked him and he answered me with a plain yes? Okay, scratch that—so I was known for not following the dress code when attending the party but who could blame me? Following the dress code is boring one should remember that.

So here I was, standing in the huge living room of the Calvettis surrounded by priceless paintings and gilded things. As I thought before we even arrived here these Calvettis would get along with Daniel St. Clair they never let the opportunity to show other people their immense wealth.

"You look bored, Red."

Roman dragged me out of my reverie. I smiled thinly in his direction. "You have no idea, dear husband. This kind of party bored me to tears within seconds I entered the room. Few more moments and I assure you I will pass out."

He dipped his head and whispered something in my ears. "I know something you might like to keep you awake."

I eyed him acidly. I knew once he opened his mouth there was no good thing that could come out of it. He's a devil incarnate but I couldn't deny the fact that how he's sinfully handsome he was when he's wearing a tux. "Watch your mouth, mister. Or you will not like my retort to your innuendo."

He grinned evilly in my direction, his eyes held deviltry in their depth. "You have such parched humor."

I gave him a fake smile on my face. "I just don't have time for flirtatious conversation with men, that's all. So if you could just save your playful talk with other women who would appreciate it, Roman."

He clicked his tongue, taking a fluke of champagne from the passing waitress. "Ah, but it's my wife that I want to have this kind of talk."

I eyed him cursory lowering my voice. I eyed sideways making sure no one was near us to overhear our conversation. "Your innuendo will not get you anywhere near my bed, Roman. So word of advice? I hate to inform you but I am immune to your charm."

He sipped his champagne leisurely while never taking off his eyes on me. "Ah, but I've been there before, my darling wife, and I intend to repeat the experience sooner."

I gasped at his bold announcement. This man was something else. He's the only man I've known as far as I am concerned to openly admit his campaign of seduction. "Like hell, I will let you do that."

"Oh, you will." He whispered again in my ears. "Soon you will not be able to resist my charm and you will invite me back to your bed. But let me remind you now, you are always welcome to mine anytime."

I gave him a saccharine smile, closing the distance between us. I brushed off the invisible fleck in his expensive tuxedo while gazing adoringly at him. To people who were probably looking at us from a distance, we looked like an ordinary couple who were in love but we were not. "If we are not in this party I will grab your balls and squeeze them as hard as I can."

"Ouch." He said playfully, sneaking his hand at my lower back as he drew me closer to his hard chest. My breath was caught at the unexpected move. "The one you should grab is their brother and I think we will enjoy the consequence of it. That reminds me of what I want to do since we arrived." He eyes my lips sensually. "Did I tell you how beautiful you are tonight? I want to peel off your evening dress right this moment red looks good on you."

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I asked him with a tight smile on my face. I was starting to notice the curious stare we'd been receiving from the other guests.

"I want to kiss you, Red." He said, pulling me even closer to his body as he started to dip his head towards me for a kiss. I braced myself from another onslaught from him but I was saved when a masculine voice interrupted us with an amused tone.

"Will you please get a room?"

We both turned around to look at the man in question. Roman's ruthless face broke into a brotherly smile. "Your timing sucks as always, Your Highness."

"Sorry," The stranger mumbled without a hint of sincerity in his voice. "I'm sorry if I took long before I have the chance to talk to you guys. Are you hungry? There's a buffet table over there."

"I'm starving," Roman replied gravely.

I eyed him darkly catching the double meaning in his words. It seems that I was not the only one who caught his connotation for the host of the party grinned evilly. "I can tell, my friend. Why don't you introduce me to this beautiful woman."

Another charmer spotted. I thought with a sneer.

"Darling," Roman had said, pulling me closer to his side while placing a protective hand on my waist. "I'd like to introduce Prince Francesco Alessandro Calvetti a good friend of mine. Franco this is my Red, Ruby Vasquez, my very beautiful wife."

"My pleasure to meet..." The man who had the title of a 'prince' finally gave his full attention to me extending his hand for a handshake. The ready smile on his face abruptly vanished upon meeting my eyes.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked curiously when I saw how visibly he paled and the naked shock on his face.

The way he intensely stared at my eyes was quite uncomfortable. It was as if he'd seen a ghost from his past. He blinked several times and took a deep breath before the prince gave me a welcoming smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Sorry," he apologized again, this time it was directed to me. "I—I...was just surprised to see the color of your eyes."

I frowned at him questioningly. "Is there something wrong with my eyes, Your Highness?"

He shook his dark head with a self-mocking smile on his lips. "It's just I know someone before who had the same color of eyes as yours, deep green almost close to the color of emeralds to be precise. And she's also somewhat resembled you."

I smiled conversationally at him however awkward I felt. "I hope this person didn't offend you in any way I don't want to be a reminder of him or her."

"I'm afraid that's actually what happened." The prince replied the smile was still there but with rage in his expressive eyes. I could see that he was trying to control his emotions while he was forced to remember the past.

"I hope this person is not a redhead like my wife, Franco." For the first time, Roman joined the awkward conversation. "Or else I would assume that my wife and this person from your past we're the same."

He shook his head laughing at his friend jest. "Of course not. She's not a redhead like your wife I assure you."

Roman pretended to exhale deeply. "Good to hear then. Now I am curious what kind of offense this woman did to you in the past." He raised a knowing eyebrow in the prince's direction. "Played you for a fool, isn't she?"

Prince Franco smirked resentfully; emotion swirled in his eyes like wildfire. "It's far more serious than that, my friend." He looked away as anger evident in him. "That woman stole something from me and I will never forgive her for it."

"Money?" My husband asked inquisitively.

The prince was about to reply when he decided not to share this private information even with his good friend. I knew that whatever happened to him and this woman in the past still affected him even though it probably happened a long time ago. From the looks of him, it feels like it's just only happened yesterday. "Let's not talk about that bitter episode of my past it was irrelevant now. Please allow me to start again. My pleasure to meet you, Signora."

I took the offered hand and shook it briefly. "Nice to meet you too, Your Highness."

He tried to give me a friendly smile but I knew what kind of effort he exerted on his part to remove the awkward start we had. "Will you excuse me? I will just welcome the other guests who just arrived. Please make yourself comfortable around."

We watched him greet the newcomer at the entrance of the mansion. I glanced at Roman who seemed unaffected by the inept encounter. "What a weird guy."

Roman nodded in agreement, sipping the remaining champagne in his glass. "I agree with you." He threw a devilish grin in my direction. "Maybe he woke up on the wrong side of the bed. What do you think wife?"

I eyed him dirtily. Oh, how I wanted to smack that smug look in his face for thinking he was being witty about the whole situation. "Talking to myself is a lot better than bothering myself to make small conversation with you."

If I thought he would get offended by my harsh remark hoping to prick his ego I was mistaken. He threw his head back and roared laughter several heads turned in our direction. "I like baiting you. You are really beautiful when you're mad your eyes spitfire in their depth."

"I'm glad I became your source of entertainment, Roman," I informed him dryly, taking a glass of champagne from the passing waiter and dunking the whole thing in one gulp. I nearly coughed when the bubbles from the champagne went up to my nose.

I was aware of the stare he'd been giving me. There was something in his eyes that I couldn't pinpoint but before I could decipher it fully he blinked them away. I got tensed when he raised my hands to examine them. "For a woman whose family owns a jewelry empire, you are completely unadorned always. Dios mio, even your wedding ring is out of sight."

I tried to snatch back my hands from his touch but he held them fast. "It's not advisable to wear pieces of jewelry when cooking. Besides, for me, they don't have significant value other than sparkling trinkets."

His lips twitched with a slight smile. "Hard to believe that observation came from a woman who is ironically a jewelry heiress no less."

I shrugged nonchalantly, honestly telling him about my views about gemstones. Many women were probably would be willing to do anything just to be in my position as a 'jewelry heiress' as Roman had put it but this wasn't the life I'd choose given a chance. I'd rather prepare to serve tables all day and earn enough to support myself than have my family always under the intense spotlight of the media scrutinizing my every move.

"I want you to wear your wedding ring starting today," Roman stated unaware of my train of thoughts.

I scowled at him, successfully snatching my hand from his. "I left it in New York."

"Then wear it once we get back home."

"What for?" I asked irritably. "We both know we only have seven weeks before our divorce I see no significance of wearing it for a short period."

His eyes were unreadable. "But our time is not over yet and until the ink on your divorce paper is dry you are still my wife, Red. And I want other men to see the proof that you belong to me."

I rolled my eyes at him. What a brute. I thought with displeasure.