012

Caterina.

That feeling when it seemed like someone was hacking away at your brain with a machete... that horrible, brutal thing.

That was how I felt.

I had woken up with a sharp inhale, my entire body stiff as I blinked rapidly at the ceiling above me.

There was a soft mattress beneath me, while a blanket offered me warmth while being draped over me.

I did not remember falling asleep here.

I was on the floor last night, screaming and cussing at that asshole so he would open the door... then I curled in on myself and allowed the exhaustion take me.

How...

My eyes flickered toward the open door.

Open?

Someone had been in here. Someone had come in while I was completely vulnerable and...

I sat up too fast, a dizzy spell washing over me, but I steadied myself with a breath.

No.

No one had done anything to me. I was still in my clothes, my shoes had been taken off, but that was all. I searched around, looking for any sign of who had entered, though the answer was obvious.

Luca.

The little powerhouse would do something like this.

I shoved off the blanket from my body, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. Dwelling on what happened during the past few hours wouldn't help me now or ever.

All I needed to do was freshen up, clear my mind, and most of all... get the fuck out of this room.

The moment I stepped into the dining room, my stomach grumbled loudly as the rich aroma of coffee and warm food curled around my senses. Luca was already there, of course, seated at the long table, eyes fixed on his phone.

There was a fresh cup of coffee beside him, a thin stream of steam rising in the cool morning air.

There was something off about him today, though. Faint shadows beneath his eyes. The subtle tension in his jaw. This man hadn't slept much.

Why did that even matter to me?

I had no intention of speaking to him today so without a word, I took a seat at the far end of the table, and one of the maids immediately set a plate of food in front of me. I picked up my fork and started eating, ignoring the weight of Luca’s presence.

"Damn!" I moaned without thinking. The meal was good... too good.

I hated the way my body welcomed the nourishment, how every bite settled the unease lingering from the night before.

But I was still pissed.

And if there was one thing I wasn't known for, it was keeping my mouth shut.

I took a slow sip of water before finally speaking. “You should keep your women away from the estate.”

Luca's head lifted slightly, his dark eyes locking onto me. "Excuse me?"

I shrugged, doing my best to keep my emotions in check. "The one from yesterday. The brunette."

Luca sey his phone down, leaning back in his chair with that air of amused curiosity. "And why does that concern you?"

Who does he think he is?

“It doesn’t.”

“Are you sure?” He smirked. “Because it almost sounds like jealousy.”

I stopped, my fork now hovering midair.

Luca tilted his head, watching my little reaction. “I wouldn’t have pegged you as the type to develop Stockholm syndrome so quickly. Are you falling in love with me already?”

Heat rushed to my face instantly, a stream of embarrassment now curling through my veins. "Don't flatter yourself," I bit out. "It doesn't work well for whatever relationship you have with the blonde woman, does it?"

Luca chuckled. “Oh, you are entertaining in the mornings.” He took a sip of his coffee, seemingly unbothered. “Don’t worry your pretty little self about the women.”

My grip on my fork tightened. “Don’t talk to me like I’m some naive little girl.”

“Then don’t act like one.”

My jaw clenched.

I hated how effortlessly he got under my skin. If I didn't switch the topic now, find a way to regain control of the conversation, he would make me do something I might regret.

So, of course, I went for the one thing that had kept me up before exhaustion finally claimed me.

“The auction.”

Luca blinked. “What about it?”

“You said...” I swallowed. “You said you were taking me there.”

Luca stared at me for a long moment before exhaling, shaking his head slightly. “Did I?”

"What? Yes, you did."

“No, I don’t think I did.” He took another sip of his coffee, his tone frustratingly casual. “Perhaps you misheard me.”

My fingers dug into my palms beneath the table. I knew what I'd heard. But the way he dismissed it so effortlessly, like it had never even left his mouth...

My stomach twisted.

What kind of game was he playing?

I didn't realize I was breathing heavily until Luca spoke again. “If you’re so desperate to go outside, I have a party you can attend.”

“A party?”

He nodded. “One of my closest friends is having a birthday celebration. You’ll fit right in.”

“I’m not going.”

Luca smiled, but there was something mocking about it. “That’s adorable. But you don’t really have much say in the decision, do you?”

“You’re disgusting.”

He lifted his cup in a mock toast. “I’ll have your attire sent to your room later.”

I clenched my jaw so tightly that it hurt. The thought of being paraded around like some trophy made me sick.

Who the hell did he think he was?

Luca pushed his chair back, preparing to leave when something in me snapped. I stood abruptly, my pulse hammering.

"You can't just decide things for me."

He barely spared me a glance as he adjusted his cuffs. "This is how this works, sweetheart."

No, this wasn't how it worked.

Red-hot rage took over my senses. Before I could think, I moved... my feet carrying me forward, my body lunging toward him with reckless determination.

I barely registered the moment my body collided with his. The next thing I knew, the momentum had sent both of us tumbling.

The air rushed from my lungs as I landed on top of him.

Neither of us moved for a hot minute.

Then Luca exhaled sharply, his fingers pressing into the small of my back as his body adjusted to the impact.

Silence.

The heat of his body, the firmness of his chest beneath my palms... it all hit me at once.

I couldn't breathe properly anymore.

My hair had fallen forward, a few strands curtaining my face. Before I could jerk back, Luca lifted a hand, gently brushing them aside.

My heart stuttered.

His fingers ghosted over my cheek before tracing downward, barely grazing my lips. A smirk curled his mouth.

"Did you just fall for me, my amorino?" He murmured.

I couldn't breathe.

Until Luca chuckled, a sound so low and deep. It showed me that he knew exactly what he was doing to me, shattering the moment instantly.

Heat rushed to my face, a mix of fury and something far more embarrassing clawing up my throat. I pushed myself off him hastily, scrambling to my feet, and hating the way my body still tingled from the contact.

"Don't forget to dress up like the pretty princess you are, amorino." Luca called after me as I walked out of the kitchen.

Arrogant bastard.