05| Ever Been This Right

05|Ever been this right.

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Valentino cups the back of my neck, pulling me closer in a motion, his eyes whisper on my whole face, lingering on my lips. “ I can make you stay, but I won't.” He states. “ I want it to be your choice, I want you to want to stay.” He squeezes and I throb with need. “Be a good girl for me, Purple, stay until the party.” His lips press on my temple, I almost melt at the physical touch. “ I will let you go after that.”

his lips press to the spot under my ear.

I gasp, feeling like I am under a spell. “What's in it for me?” I look into his eyes.

“ Your safety.”

“If I go to this… party with you, will I be able to return to America safely?”

“Yes.”

“ I will need some time to think about it.”

Valentino releases me, only then does my breathing return to normal. “I will be in my office if you need me.”

I watch his back as he leaves, breath still heavy, tigh still pressed together.

My ankle still hurts, reminding me that even if I intended to leave soon, it must heal first. It seems I can't avoid staying for a while. I guess it wouldn't hurt to say yes. I leave the kitchen and return to my room.

When I get to my room, I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. I remember the day I first met Valentino like it was yesterday.

My parents had promised Valerie, my elder sister to Russell Orsini, my husband. At the time, he was just a teenage boy, Valentino had not left the family or joined the mafia then, and I was still the second child of the family who had all responsibilities on her shoulder.

I remember Valerie smiling happily that day, we had not drifted apart then, she was a good elder sister and I did my best to help with her responsibilities when I could. Finding the chat of the adults boring, I remember sneaking away to the balcony for fresh air.

That was the first time I met Valentino Orsini, he was already an adult then, and he was by the railing too, smoking. I found the smell pungent, so I hid away and watched his back from afar.

He was hot, even at that age.

But I knew we could never be together.

My sister was about to marry his nephew, and the ten years age difference was a jarring slap to my face.

“Come out, little Purple, I know you are hiding there.” That was the first time anyone called me that nickname. I did love wearing purple as a kid.

I remember being scared, if he was anything like my older cousins, I would be in deep shit for sneaking out on an important day. But he wasn't, instead, he made me sit beside him while he smoked.

I couldn't look him in the eye, his gaze was cold and deep, but he was soft and kind.

It was peaceful, quiet, and he didn't demand anything of me, nor did he force me to speak, we just enjoyed an hour of silence and tranquility until Valerie came for me.

Since that day, I looked forward to meeting with the Orsini family just so I could see him.

And I did.

Almost every month.

I knew he was danger back then too, even though he had not joined the Mafia, he was… ruthless, cold and emotionless.

Perks of being the one keeping the Orsini empire from falling.

I didn't care.

He never spoke to me, but I was content with just standing beside him in silence.

Until the day he spoke to me. And I wanted more, I wanted more than just watching the sky with him while telling him of my dreams or my latest characters.

I didn't just want him consoling me with his soft actions. Or his awfully blunt words.

I wanted more.

But I was wrong, because the next time I went to our meeting place, it was just me. Valentino was gone, banned from the Orsini family, no one in my family wanted to hear his name.

And the day I made the mistake of telling Valerie about my feelings, she changed. That day, I lost my sister, my parents and the girl I used to be.

I had sworn to never think of him, to erase him from my memory.

I thought I would hate him if we met again, but I thought wrong.

Now, eight years later, here I am, in his house, seeking his protection. I sigh, pushing myself up the bed. If staying until the party means I will survive, then I might as well stay.

Once again, I force myself out of bed, using the wall as support till I find his office. I knock more than once but he doesn't open the door, so I head to his room instead. When I get there, I find the door wide open.

My mouth twitches. “He's still the same as before.” Always leaving his door open when he's inside. I knock slightly. “Can I come in?” As always, he doesn't reply, so I enter.

His room is almost the same as the one at the Orsini mansion, except the large painting hung on the wall and the bedside lamp. I limp over to the painting.

It's a painting of a man's back, as he faces a purple sunset, it looks crooked and blunt, clearly painted by an amateur. Recognition dawns on my face. “He still has this.” I whisper, caressing his lonely back in the painting.

It was during his engagement party that I snuck up on him and painted this, I recall showing it to him but getting no comment from him.

My face had dropped in disappointment at his lack of comment, until he came a few days later and took away the painting.

“You like it?” I shriek, turning back to see him, a towel wrapped around his waist, chest bare. I was so lost in my head that I didn't hear him coming out of the bathroom. I swallow the lump in my throat, quickly averting my gaze from his body, back to the painting.

“I didn't expect you to still have this.”

Valentino comes up behind me, his body so close to mine, his hot breath fans my skin. “It wasn't my intention to leave you. Little Purple.” His voice sends a vibration to my core and I throb with need, making me gulp.

Yet his ridiculous words make me want to punch him in his stupidly attractive face.

“Then why did you leave?” I spin, looking into his eyes. “Why didn't you keep your promise to come back?”

Valentino moves closer to me, pinning me against the wall. “I broke my promise.” He says, then his hand cups my neck. “But I am here now.” His voice is dangerously low, my breath hitches, I can feel myself throbbing with need.

“It's too late.” I whisper.

“No, it's not.” His eye moves to my lips and he leans in, dangerously close, my heart races, I want to push him away, but my hand refuses to move from his chest.

“This is wrong.” I mutter.

“Nothing has ever been this right.” he cups my chin, running his thumb on my bottom lip.

“Valentino…”

“Yes, Purple?” he takes my small hand into his big one, then he kisses my wrist, right where my pulse is throbbing.

I don't say anything.

Instead, I allow him to wrap his other hand around me, drawing me to his muscular chest. This makes me gasp, loving how small I fell in his arm.

This isn't right, I should tell him to stop.

But I can't.

I am fighting a war, and I am losing badly.

Valentino Orsini is the temptation I have been warned against, I am wrong for coming here.

This war hasn't started.

Yet… I have already lost.

~P- Lia~