I step into the shower to not waste more time. I roll my shoulders and neck under the cold water. I tilt my head back, letting the water fall on my face.
The conversation I had with my dad four months ago is playing in my mind.
I feel bad. What if she thinks I am just using her when I actually do have feelings for her?
Maybe she doesn’t remember me like I remember her. We used to train together, she never wanted to know me. I was just someone she trained with.
Maybe her mind was too focused.
48 hours. That is what she gave me.
I can give her all the information in one hour. But I need to make her fall in love with me in 48 hours.
Heading back to my room, I notice the inked back facing me.
Those tattoos made me want to run my fingers against every line. Those wings made me feel how much a person would want to feel free. Maybe you can feel it till you believe it.
His body now faces me but his eyes are closed.
I take a moment to admire his sculpted body. My eyes begin to go lower till I snap out of it and move out of the way, towards my bed.
I hear the water turn off and he emerges with a towel tied around his waist.
I quickly clear my throat and hand him the pair of sweats and a hoodie.
“We can go shopping tomorrow if you want or whatever.”
He takes them while brushing his fingers against the top of my hand.
It sparks the tiniest quiver inside of me, which makes me pull away so quickly.
He opens his mouth to speak but there is a knock at the door, stopping Alessio.
“Ms. Lorenzo, the guest room is ready as you have requested,” Emelda, my helper, announces.
“Thank you.” I give her a smile and she heads back to wherever she came from.
“Martina.” Alessio’s voice is low and almost a whisper.
“What is it you want?” I look up at him and notice he still is in his towel.
“Why aren’t you dressed up?!” I almost shriek covering my eyes.
“You haven’t left the room yet.” He chuckles.
I quickly dash out of the room and head to my office.
Grabbing my phone, I text my friend Vittoria.
She instantly responds with a thumbs up and I await her arrival.
I sort out some papers on my desk and get my head together, not just for what I have to tell Vittoria, but what I am expecting to hear from Alessio.
I hear my bedroom door open and I get out of my chair to meet Alessio.
I give Matteo a nod when I walk past him and grab a hold of Alessio’s sleeve to drag him to the guest room.
“Do not think that just because you’re so freakishly tall means I cannot threaten you, mister.” I have my forearm pressing against him, just under his chest.
“It’s Sir.” He gives me a smirk. He has the audacity to give me a smirk.
“Stop with your stupid comments!” I push his chest and storm away.
“Ms. Lorenzo, Vittoria is here,” Emelda calls out from the stairs.
“I am coming,” I yell back.
“Only when you’re with me,” Alessio says from behind me with his hands in his sweats.
“Fuck off, Alessio. Go stay in the kitchen or something. I am meeting my friend.”
I quickly go down the stairs and hug Vittoria as soon as I see her.
“Where have you been?” She chuckles, hugging me back.
“Busy, as always.” I chuckle and link my arm with hers, taking her to my patio.
We sit down and I ask Eliza to bring two cups of coffee with some truffles and white chocolate.
I lean back in my chair and look up at the purplish sky. The sun is almost out of view.
“What is wrong, Martina?” Vittoria asks, crossing her legs over each other.
“Alexander.” I groan just by mentioning his name.
“He’s coming around again?” She rolls her eyes.
“I shot his knee this time.” I let out a chuckle.
“No mercy...and who is that tall glass of every expensive drink right there?” I see her eyes look up at the man standing outside on the balcony.
“That, my dear, is my prisoner.” It was my turn to roll my eyes.
“A prisoner that hot? And you’re letting him roam around just like that?” She sips on her coffee and gives me an eyebrow.
“It is Alessio Romano.” I sigh and sip my coffee.
“Aren’t you guys like rivals or something?” she asks, looking at me then looking up at him. I look up as well and notice him looking intensely at me.
I quickly look away and clear my throat to respond.
“We are. But we are working together for a bit. If he turns out to be lying or some shit I promised to put a bullet through his head.”
Completely ignoring what I told her, Vittoria pops a chocolate ball in her mouth and tells me,“He looks at you differently.”
“Mhm...okay.” I take another sip of my coffee.
“It is true.”
“So Stockholm syndrome in reverse. Nice,” I mutter.
“So what? You never plan on even getting the D?”
I look at her as she sucks the tip of her finger from the chocolate.
“I screwed my bodyguard. Does that count?”
She gasps.
“It was the old guy, wasn’t it? Mahone, was it?”
I nod my head slowly.
“Oh no...from your reaction, he wasn’t good?”
That’s Vittoria. Get her talking about the deed and she doesn’t shut up.
I don’t respond and take a glimpse of the man standing above me, only to realize he was deep in thought. But still keeping his eyes on me.
“Why did you call me over?” Vittoria asked, finishing off her coffee.
“I do not think he is just here to tell me about Alexander Vogel.” I tap my fingers on the glass table.
She looks at me with a tilted head, knowing that as a sign to continue talking.
“He could have probably made all of this up, just so I end up signing the treaty. The Romano-Lorenzo treaty. Daddy greatest never did.”
“And what if you did?”
“Most of my power would go to the Romano’s. Because there is no male heir to this empire. It ends when I am dead.”
