Chapter 7

Amelia's POV. 

I tried to wrap my head around the room but I just couldn't. If one wasn't told, they could easily assume that this room belonged to me. 

That had me wondering, what if this was all some strange game? What if Don Mateo was trying to use me just like his son? 

My legs grew weak, threatening to give out, so I took a seat on the queen-sized bed. 

But my mind didn't stop racing with different thoughts. The rush of adrenaline made me restless and I soon found myself on my feet, pacing back and forth.

What if accepting the Don's proposal was a mistake? And my mom…

Fuck.

I didn't even know her state right now.

The thought of that made me bolt out of the room, wanting to ask him about my mom. But the scene I met outside made me freeze, clutching my fingers around the railing. 

“You had just one job,” Don said, his tone low and dark.

The worker he's holding trembles unreasonably under Don's grip, sweat greasing his entire body, like he's been drenched by rain. 

“Don, please–please I promise it won't happen again. I pro–”

“AHHHH!” the agonizing cry of the worker shot through the air, and I flinched, closing my eyes as Don clamped down on his finger. 

Dread engulfed my skin so much that I felt my head spin. I couldn't move, couldn't do anything but stare at the man crying while wiggling his finger. 

My eyes widened so hard that they threatened to fall out of their sockets. Don Mateo had no flicker of remorse running through his face, he just wiped the blood off the device he used, like he was cleaning dust off a table. 

Then his eyes met mine, and I forgot the basics of respiration right there. My body trembled as he started walking towards the stairs. 

My mind screamed at me to run but my body found it difficult to move. In a couple of minutes, he was standing in front of me, and God help me–my skin simmered with heat. Heat that I had no business feeling. 

“You must be tired from the journey. Why don't you join me for dinner?” He offered, already stretching his hands towards me. 

I should refuse. Hell, I should tell him that I wanted to end things right here. Instead, I nodded like a little puppy obeying its master. 

He took my hand in his, and my stomach knotted tightly, leaving me with no choice but to feel anxious with every step. This man just chopped off someone's finger in front of me, yet he was so soft with me. 

Why was that? 

I had no idea. 

We soon got to the dining table and from the way each worker contributed to setting up the table, I could tell that they've been doing this their whole life. 

Don sat at the head of the table, giving me a place to sit on his left. The aroma of different delicacies wafted through the air, and my stomach rumbled, making heat crawl up my neck in embarrassment. 

“Eat,” Don ordered, and I quickly took a spoon, not wanting to get on his bad side. 

I soon began stuffing my mouth with food, while trying to adjust my posture every time I caught those green orbs staring at me. 

Don chewed so carefully, and nicely that I found myself staring longer than I should. I'd never found anyone's eating so sexy until today, and I don't even know how to explain it. 

As I swallowed the last bit of food in my mouth, I finally recalled why I'd come here in the first place. 

“How–how’s my mom doing?” I asked, waiting for a reply from him. 

Don’s fork paused mid-air, and then he lowered it to his plate, before darting his eyes towards me, “She's responding to treatments at the moment. You have nothing to worry about.”

Relief washed over me after I heard that, and I held onto those words like it was worth it to trust him. I resumed eating my food, and as seconds ticked into minutes, I lost my appetite.

Though,I wasn't sure if it would be okay to stand up and leave, especially since Don was still at the table. 

So I stayed there, watching him eat…and then my eyes dropped to his black rolled-up sleeve. Tattoos snaked his hands in a way I found far from disgusting. Heat raced across my lower belly as a faint memory of him plunging into me came to mind. 

My cheeks flushed as my eyes moved up to his well, sculpted chest. I had no idea if playing the role of his woman included touching him, but I strangely felt the urge to curl my hand around his neck. 

Just then, Don swiped his tongue over his lower lip, and the sight of it made my heart stomp with excitement. 

“What are you staring at, Margherita?” Don's voice made my heart skip a beat. 

I quickly shook my head, lowering my gaze, “No–nothing.” 

The silence between us conveyed the words I couldn't speak. He caught me admiring him, and I was too ashamed to admit it. 

“If you say so, Margherita.” 

His deep voice made my ears tingle and though I had no idea what Margherita meant, I liked the sound of it. When Don rose from the chair, I rose up too, though my legs felt weak. 

Don raised a brow, “Did you wait for me?”

I nodded, not knowing how to put my words together at the moment. He stared at me for a while, and then I saw the corner of his lips turn up. For a moment, I wished he weren't an evil man. I wished he were my Prince Charming. 

“Come with me.” 

My heart hammered against my chest as his order snapped me out of my thoughts. 

 I had no idea what he planned to do to me, but I followed him anyway.