CHAPTER 59

“Can you ride a bike?”

“I don't know, I stopped riding when I was nine”

“Think you still have it in you?

Sharon sat on the bike, and adjusted her right foot on the paddle

She used her left foot to propel herself, and began to ride the bike along the sidewalk, carefully maneuvering through people

She marvelled at the ancient structures, the scenery, the people

Everything about it seemed unreal to her.

She rode the bike to where Luca was standing. A smile was plastered on her face. Her hair was scattered.

“I want to go again!”

She screamed, like an excited little girl. Luca walked to her, and tied her messed up hair with a strip of fabric

He raised her chin with his index finger

“You're so fucking beautiful”

Sharon scrunched up her nose

“Sounds like a cheesy line from a cheap rom com”

She rode her bike around him, and in an instant she disappeared. She was obviously having fun

And Luca was beginning to regret suggesting she rode the bike in the first place

Sharon rode until she reached a dark alley, that could only be manoeuvered by foot. She heard the faint click of a camera

But when she turned to see who it was, nobody was there

There was an eeriness about the place. She felt like she was being watched, stalked—

No, she was in Italy

She rode her bike away from the place, and but she couldn't find her way back to him, to Luca

All the streets locked similar, and she couldn't exactly remember which one she came from

To make matters worse, she had left her phone with Luca

She didn't know anyone, didn't speak Italian, didn't know anyone—

She felt the hairs at the back of her neck stick, felt a dangerous aura surround her

Goosebumps covered her skin, and she grew deathly cold

It wasn't Luca, she knew what she felt whenever he was around her, and this wasn't it

But she had felt this before, on a certain day in Luca's mansion

When she started to his territory—

“Be careful little red riding hood, you don't want to get lost now”

Sharon froze. She turned, but she could only see his back. He was tall, built, and dangerous

He wore a hat, and a coat

She blinked, and he was gone. Was she seeing things? No! She heard the motherfucker

Her enthusiasm left her, and she was no longer interested in bike riding anymore

She was scared, she might've just stared at death

And she wanted to feel safe—

********************

“Gosh, I've been looking all over for you”

Luca rushed to her side, but he could sense something was wrong

Her face was downcast, and her smile had faded. A blank expression replaced it

“Riann”

He called, making her look up at him

He reached out his hand, expecting her to take it

But she hugged him instead. He could feel her shiver beneath him. He didn't ask questions. He just patted her back gently

“Let's go back”

He said

“No, I don't want us to stop because of me”

“If you're not comfortable—”

“Please Luca, I can handle my shit”

“I know”

He gave her a wry smile

“You know you hugged me—

Should I take that as a sign that you're beginning to get comfortable around me?”

Sharon rolled her eyes

Don't take it personal, I just like hugging people

She swayed her hips as she walked away from him, backwards

“Come on, I'm dying to see what this place has in store for me”

She climbed the bike again, and rode as fast as he could. Luca was running behind her

And just like that, she forgot about the mysterious man who was stalking her

And taking her pictures—

That evening, they stood by a water fountain, watching the moonlight. All of Luca's plans to cook for her, and possibly seduce her in the process went down the toilet

She was having fun, and he wasn't selfish enough to take that away from her

He was going to take his time, wait patiently for as long as he could

He knew she was going to break eventually

There's only one coin

Luca said, his voice so low it sent vibrations through her.

His hands were planted on the concrete of the fountain, caging her between himself and the barrier

But that was as far as it went

“Make a wish” he whispered, slipping the coin into her palm

Sharon threw the coin into the water, with her eyes closed. He looked at her with curiosity. If he could take a guess he would say she wished for him to disappear real quick

But Luca wasn't going anywhere

“What did you wish for?”

“Nothing”

“Really, I could've made a wish”

“What would you have wished for?”

He bent down to whisper in her ear

“It's naughty”

“Okay I don't want to hea—”

“I would have wished to see you In your lingerie, one of my favourites”

“Ugh! You're insufferable!”

She turned around and pushed him, but her palm hit something hard

“Ughhh!”

He leaned in closer, so that she was pinned between him and the concrete barrier. Their foreheads were almost touching, and his eyes were glued to her lips

“Kiss me goodnight Riann—”

“No thanks, I'd rather fall into the fountain—”

He feigned a pained expression, and moved away, to lean against the barrier just as she was doing. He was respecting her boundaries

There was a brief moment of silence, and for a time they both admired the stars

“Asshole”

“Yes Riann”

“On the plane— I didn't mean what I said”

“It's fine Sharon, I was out of line”

“Still, I shouldn't have acted that way”

She looked at him

“We're cool, right?”

Luca thought for a few seconds. “Let me see—”

He bent down, and before she knew what was going on, he had sneaked a kiss to her cheek. She gasped as her cheeks flushed red. He smiled down at her

“Now we're cool—”