Chapter 5

LUCA

As the lights went out in the room, I stood there staring aimlessly out the windows. I could hear breathy moans coming out from the television. 

Fuck. 

There have been many attractive women dangling themselves in front of me over the past few weeks, but I haven't been able to work up even the slightest interest in having sex with them. Now, however, skinny Holly Hopkins in mediocre clothes has me swooning.

Swoon. I never swoon.

Holly is not really skinny— she's just too lean for my liking. But his plump breast and firm buttocks just won't leave my mind. Adding her beautiful face in the equation is enough to drive me insane. And look where it got me? I am living in the same building. I asked Dante to have someone move out and offered them the triple amount of their rent so I can move in last night. 

I figured if I stayed the night near her place and ate breakfast with her in the morning, the strangeness would go away. But as we ate, she switched into full-on flirt mode and turned up the heat on me without even trying.

I faced away from the window, walked over to the desk, and turned on my computer. Before I could enter my password, my hands went limp. Even though I don't feel like it, I should probably get to work on one of my business deals before I start daydreaming about Holly and wind up at her doorstep. God knows what's going to happen then.

But I stared blankly at the screen. I asked for a few days to do whatever I want. As a Don, I get to do whatever I please but this time— it's different. Talking to Holly briefly about her family and childhood, her desire to travel and not settling in one place appeals to me. 

However, Sicily has always been home for me.  Even though Adelina has been my constant, I occasionally went on business trips abroad and had flings with local women. She travels frequently for work as a fashion model, but when she is in town, we spend every waking moment together. 

But I've never felt like this with Adelina. Holly is the first and I don't understand this sorcery.

I have made up my mind. Even though I really like Holly, she doesn't belong in my world. She's too fragile and I don't want her to be hurt. Besides, if she's with me, she won't be able to do a lot of things that she likes. I'm leaving tomorrow morning and that will be the last time I see her. 

***

"You know what to do." I told Dante. He shot the man on the head. The man stole from— he pays it with his life. 

I have not seen Holly for fourteen days, three hours, and eleven minutes. I've tried to distract myself with work and pending transactions, but that damn woman keeps popping into my head. I didn't even care that Adelina was due to arrive today.

It's weird how Holly didn't even ask for my contact number or anything. I know her number at work but I don't want to seem eager. Damn it. She should be the one swooning over me, not the other way around. When we got back at the casa, I went straight to the library to do more work. But I couldn't seem to finish anything and it's all Holly's fault. 

I heard a knock and Dante walked in.

"Would you like some tea?" Dante asked.

"Tea?" 

"The hibiscus tea you bought. It seems to put you in a good mood." Dante is not just an employee— he's a good friend of mine. We grew up together and his father served mine until their deaths. 

"What hibiscus tea?" I pretended that I don't remember it when it has Holly written all over the damn hibiscus tea. 

Dante laughed as he closed the door behind him. It was just the two of us in the library. 

"You've seem to lost your touch." I shot him a threatening glance, but his grin went even wider. "If you want to see Holly Hopkins, all you have to do is go to the tea shop. She's at work everyday from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon except Saturday and Sunday."

"Who said anything about Holly Hopkins?" 

Dante sat down on the couch and folded his arms. "So you're telling me you're no longer interested with her?" I didn't answer him, but he cleared his throat. "You know, I was driving by the tea shop the other day and she was talking to—"

"What's his name?" 

"How am I supposed to know?"

"The name, Dante." I insisted. 

"Santino, your cousin." 

Fuck it. If it was another man, I'd say kill the man. But Santino is my cousin from my mother's side. He's a freaking doctor who loves different kinds of tea. 

"What time is it?" 

"Half past four. They keys to your car are in the ignition. The tank is full and the unit at Portorosa is still yours."

I felt like strangling Dante's neck for not telling me about Santino and Holly the other day. I know I said I won't see her again but hearing about her being friends with my cousin is something I don't want to hear.  I'm a very territorial man and when I make a claim on someone, that someone belongs to me until I say otherwise. 

I drove so fast to the tea shop that I beat all the lights to get there on time. I parked my car and walked towards the door. I saw her fixing the displays and when I opened the door, Holly immediately glanced at me. 

"Luca?" She looked surprised to see me.

I walked right up to her without saying hello and grabbed her nape to kiss her. I felt her hands on my chest as she returned my kiss after a moment. 

"Missed me?" She asked while smiling. 

"I certainly did."

**

Adelina always arrives like a storm dressed in silk. She doesn’t knock. She doesn’t text. She just shows up — suitcase in hand, sunglasses on, and a smile that says she expects champagne and trouble.

I hear her heels before I see her.

“Luca,” she purrs, stepping into the lounge like she owns it. “You didn’t tell me you missed me.”

“I didn’t,” I reply, sipping my espresso.

She laughs, tossing her coat onto the nearest chair. “Liar. You always miss me. I’m your favorite bad habit.”

She’s not wrong. Adelina is easy. Beautiful. Predictable. She never asks questions I don’t want to answer. She never stays longer than necessary. She’s the kind of woman who fits into my life without disrupting it.

But lately, I’ve been craving disruption.

She pours herself a drink, curls up beside me on the couch, and rests her head on my shoulder.

“I saw your name in a magazine,” she says. “Something about a new property deal.”

“Old news.”

“You’re so modest,” she teases. “I’d brag if I were you.”

“You do brag.”

“Exactly. You should try it.”

I smile, but it doesn’t reach my eyes. Because while Adelina talks about fashion weeks and yacht parties, my mind drifts to Holly — to the way she furrows her brow when she’s suspicious, to the way she laughs like she’s trying not to.

Adelina is champagne. Holly is whiskey.

And I’m starting to realize I’ve developed a taste for burn.

“You’re distracted,” Adelina says, tracing a finger along my jaw.

“I’m tired.”

She sits up, eyes narrowing. “Is it her?”

I don’t answer.

She scoffs. “The tea shop girl?”

“She has a name.”

Adelina rolls her eyes. “They all do.”

I stand, walking to the window. “She’s different.”

Adelina follows, arms crossed. “Different how?”

“She makes me think.”

Adelina laughs. “That sounds exhausting.”

“It is.”

She finishes her drink and grabs her coat. “I’ll be at the hotel. Call me when you remember how fun I am.”

I nod. “Safe travels.”

She pauses at the door. “You’re not built for love, Luca.”

I meet her gaze. “Maybe I wasn’t. But I’m starting to wonder.”

She leaves without another word.

And I’m left with the silence.

Later, Dante shows up again. He’s carrying a bag of pastries and wearing a grin that means he’s about to say something stupid.

“You look like someone just told you your dog died,” he says, flopping onto the couch.

“I don’t have a dog.”

“Exactly. That’s how bad you look.”

I take a pastry. “Adelina came by.”

Dante groans. “The model?”

I nod.

“She still thinks she’s your future?”

“She knows she’s not.”

“Does Holly?”

I pause. “No.”

Dante leans forward. “You’re playing with fire.”

“I know.”

He smirks. “You always do.”

We eat in silence for a while. Then I ask, “Is Santino still dropping by the tea shop?”

Dante snorts. “That guy? He practically lives there.”

I tense. “Does Holly talk to him?”

“She talks to everyone. She’s polite.”

“Too polite?”

Dante laughs. “You sound like a jealous boyfriend.”

“I’m not her boyfriend.”

“Sure you’re not.”

I glare at him. “She’s part of something bigger.”

“She’s part of your heart, Luca. That’s the problem.”

After Dante leaves, I sit alone in the lounge, staring at the empty glass in my hand.

Adelina is my constant. But Holly is my chaos.

And I’m starting to think I was built for chaos.