5

TIFFANY WEST 

I woke up in comfort. The softness of a delicate pillow cradled my cheek and the gentle press of silk sheets brushed my neck.

I jerked upright, opening my eyes to an immaculate room brightened by lights, and behind thick, elegant curtains was absolute darkness. 

I didn't know this place. I've never seen this type of furniture before. Not the polished dark room dresser. Or the carved antique chair in the corner. 

What was more unnerving than the unfamiliar setting was the realization that I had lost at least a good few hours of the day. It was dark outside and I had been unconscious since morning.

I remembered Lorenzo coming into my suite. We were arguing and the next thing I felt was a stinging pain in my neck. That asshole injected me.

I threw back the covers, rushing out of the bed, my feet hitting the cold marble tiles.

My shoes… I wasn't wearing any but thank fuck my clothes were still intact but someone took my god-damned shoe.

Lorenzo.

I started to open the door but it only led to a long hallway with several turns. To the right, large ornate paintings were spaced along the walls. Some sort of Roman warrior statue stood atop a pedestal, staring back at me from the very far end. To the left, there was more hall, to a break in the middle leading to a light-filled area.

It took me a few minutes of wandering before I heard clattering sounds, and then a clink of cutlery.

Food.

I hoped because aside from the rage consuming my insides, I was fucking hungry. I hadn't had anything since morning.

I followed the sound down the hallway until a young woman came into view. She was standing before a cooktop in the middle of an island counter, a stainless canopy range hood above her head as she gripped a frying pan with one hand and a spatula in another.

I scanned around, and from a safe distance, I could hear the familiar deep timbre of Lorenzo's voice on a call. The asshole had not only drugged me but brought me to his fucking house. I focused my eyes on the front door. From where I stood, I could make a run for it.

Without hesitating, I kicked my legs in motion, ran to the door, and stepped out of the mansion into the night darkness.

The only thing on my mind was getting out of here, without sparing a second glance at my surroundings, I made a run for a pathway that seemed to lead outside the estate.

I hadn't gone far when Lorenzo burst out from one of the corners and I crashed harshly against him, the impact sending me against the ground. 

My eyes fixed on Lorenzo while his dark gaze bore down on me. He looked different— almost unrecognizable in a short-sleeved collared shirt, his dark hair damped and casually mussed.

It was the first time I had seen him without a suit. He seemed almost naked in comparison, his arms holding more muscles than I recalled from our night together.

“Going somewhere, topolina?” The apathetic thickness of his voice was enough to put me up in flames considering my intense anger.

“You fucking drugged me,” I was up on my feet, matching the intensity of his cold gaze with my anger. He stared down at me like I was another species and possibly dull entertainment.

“You left me no choice. Now, follow me,” He grabbed my wrist, but I pushed his hand off me.

“Are you being serious? You injected me with only God knows what, and brought me here against my will. That's kidnapping if you ask me,”

“If I remember correctly, you're wearing my ring aren't you, so unfortunately, it doesn't count as kidnapping,”

“Of course it is—” The sound of gunshots in the night air startled me. “What the hell was that?”

“If you don't get back inside, you'll find out soon enough,”

My lips parted to speak but I jumped at the sound of another gunshot. I wonder where they kept coming from. They sounded so close. Which was beyond dangerous, especially at night.

“Dinner’s ready,” He said, blue eyes watching me as if expecting me to haul myself inside. “Fine,” Dry amusement danced in his eyes as he walked back to the mansion. “If I were you, I wouldn't stay out here long. If the bugs don't get you something else might. It'll be a shame if it were one of those,”

I didn't say a word as he strode away. I remained rooted for a second before another round of gunshots filled the air. I jerked my legs moving on its own accord after Lorenzo as we made it back into the mansion.

It was quiet with only the young girl from earlier. She was done cooking already, placing some containers into the fridge.

“Where's Dario?” 

“He's in bed,” She strutted to one of the couches, picking up what I assume was her bag. “Savio and Ronan are still at Paradiso. Don't think they'll be back soon,” Her eyes shifted back to me. “Wish I could stay a second longer, but I can't. We'll see much of each other tomorrow,” She headed towards the door. “By the way, I'm Leona,” She called over her shoulder, before leaving the mansion.

I glanced around again, as Lorenzo stalked straight to the fridge. He pulled out container after container, placing them on the island, before returning to grab a jug of water and a bottle of juice. “Help yourself,”

I lifted the offerings, glancing inside the plastic tubs to inspect the contents and why he grabbed a plate and glass from the nearby cupboard and placed them in front of me.

“Juice or water,” He placed a hand on both jugs waiting. 

It didn't feel right to accept anything from him. Even a single glass of OJ seemed wrong, but I couldn't be stubborn with my stomach anymore.

“Water,” I reached for the closest container and opened the taco mince. “My phone,” I raised a brow.

“In the bedroom,” He barely even glanced my way, as he snatched the container from the counter, popped the lid, and placed the taco mince in the microwave. The spiced scent filled the air in seconds and sent my stomach into an unending loop of somersaults.

“I won't be able to finish that,” I admitted.

“Eat what you can, I'm not concerned about the waste,”

Of course, he wasn't concerned about anything. Not wasting food or the fact he was already ruining my life with this marriage.

He slid the heated mince towards me, along with tortillas and some opened containers filled with diced tomatoes and thinly sliced lettuce.

A moan dragged from my lips as I took my first bite. It felt like I hadn't eaten in weeks. Every mouthful was euphoric, and all the while, Lorenzo watched me, his attention rarely leaving my face.

After a few mouthfuls, I took a sip of water, meeting his gaze. “Okay, I was frustrated earlier but now I'm ready to talk,”

“Once you finish eating,” His focus turned to my mouth. My lips. Somehow his attention made goosebumps erupt on my skin.

I sighed and finished the first taco in two more bites. “I'm done,” I murmured. “Can we talk now?”

“About what?” There was a tightness in his shoulders I couldn't miss.

“About us?”

“Is that a question or do you have something to say?”

“I have something to say,”

He crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. “Go ahead then,”

I swallowed. “ I know I was a bit hysterical earlier, but you can't blame me. I don't care whatever dealings you had with Francis and my mother that went wrong, but I refuse to be the one to pay for their wrongdoing,”

“Are you approaching a point?”

“My point is, if you give me some time, I can pay up what they owe you and we can put everything that has happened behind us, we'll get a divorce and I'll be out of your hair,”

His gaze turned cold. “Tempting but it's a little too late for that. I needed a wife, and now I have one,”

“We won't do well together,” was what came out. 

“You seemed agreeable enough to me that night,” His expression had Royal Haven and one night stand written over it.

I fought the heat that almost rushed to my cheeks at his crass reminder. “Is that why you pushed for this wedding?”

“Please don't flatter yourself. I didn't even know you were related to them until I invaded your family's lunch in my restaurant,” His eyes sparked with dark amusement. “This is just business,”

“Where are you going? We're not done here,”

He ignored me. “If you're done eating, come, I'll show you around your new home,”

“Home?” I scoffed. “More like my own personalized hell,” He still didn't respond. “Tell me, Lorenzo, aside from the satisfaction of ruining my life, what do you hopeto achieve in all of this?”

He paused and turned to me for a second. I thought he'd respond but he didn't. He walked away.