Page 43 of King of the Bronx

Light coming through the small window woke me up. I squinted out the window and turned in the seat to see Enzo typing away on his phone.

“Did you sleep at all?” I said as I sat up.

“You slept long enough for both of us. We’ll be landing soon.”

The seatbelt light came on, and the pilot came over the speaker, letting us know we were descending.

“Is your mom there already?” I asked Enzo.

“No, she’ll be here tonight.”

The time zone change was already throwing me off. It was still bright and sunny in Italy. The landing wasn’t as bad as take-off, but Enzo still interlocked his fingers with mine when I’d gripped the chair. It was a small gesture, but it was the most affection I’d seen out of him in a while. If I was honest, the feeling of his hand against mine made me want to run my hand over his chest. I missed the feeling of his body against me, but I reminded myself that I was being taken prisoner right now. He was forcing me to marry him and fly to another country when I should be finding a way to protect my girls. The scent of his cologne filled my nose as he got up and grabbed my bag from the overhang.

“You didn’t pack anything?” I asked, realizing for the first time that he hadn’t brought a bag.

“No, everything I need is at the house.”

“House?” I asked.

He winked at me. “You’ll see.”

We got off the plane and walked through the airport. When we got outside, it was like the air felt lighter. I noticed everyone moved slower too. There weren’t many people rushing around to catch their plane. I could tell already that I was going to like Italy. A cab was already waiting for us at the curb. Once inside, I looked out the window as the beautiful city passed us by. The architecture was amazing. Great detail and work were put into every single building. The churches were gigantic and took up the entire block. People walked and biked along the cobblestone streets. We drove through the city until we were far away from the beautiful buildings and people. My view from the window changed to miles of flowers and grass, the greenest grass I’d ever seen. Living in New York, the closer thing to grass I saw was in Central Park, and it was dying by this time of year.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Enzo whispered in my ear. His deep voice was a straight shot to my core. Just looking at the scenery and feeling his breath on my neck instantly calmed me. I was safe here…with him.

“Gorgeous.”

After a long drive, we pulled up to a stunning house. It looked to be at least two stories with a red roof and stucco siding. It definitely matched the rest of the landscape. Enzo got out first and paid the cab driver before opening my door. I followed after him into the home. The tall double wooden doors opened into a grand foyer. The inside of the house was luxurious, completely opposite of his apartment in the city. The walls were painted a dark beige and exposed wood beams complimented the high ceilings. There was also a feeling of warmness to the home despite its size.

“I’ll show you to your room.”

Lost for words, I simply followed behind him up a staircase. The room he showed me was decorated very feminine with a light pink comforter and sheer white curtains that allowed the sunlight to come through. I loved the brightness that the sun brought in. I walked toward the arched window and opened it to let the fresh air in. The breeze blew through my hair, and I took a long, deep breath. It was like after living so many years in the dark streets of New York, I was finally at peace here.

Enzo stood in the middle of the room with his hands in his pockets. “My room is next door. You’re welcome anywhere in the house or on the property, but don’t go too far—”

“There’s a pool?” I asked, catching the sigh of water from the corner of my eye.

He smiled.

“I didn’t bring a bathing suit.” I don’t even remember the last time I swam. I think it might have been when I lived with Toby’s family as a kid. They had a lake house that we went to once.

“I’ll get one for you.” He turned to walk out of the room.

“Thank you,” I said, stopping him in his tracks. I shouldn’t be thanking him. I should be mad at him, but I couldn’t help but feel grateful to be able to see the beauty of Italy. I never would have been outside the country if it weren't for him.

He nodded and walked out of the room. Once he left, I took a shower in my en suite bathroom. There were a couple big windows in there that faced the vast land that the house sat on. I opened those windows too. My body craved fresh air that wasn’t filled with the stench of trash or the sound of homeless people arguing on the sidewalk. After my shower, I changed into some comfortable clothes. I walked out of the room to explore the house and ran into Cal in the hallway. He held a shopping bag out.

“Thank you.”

He grunted in response.

“Do you ever talk?” I ask. Cal was the only one of Enzo’s men that I knew by name. He guarded the apartment door sometimes when Enzo was gone, and he usually brought me the shit I needed.

Cal shrugged. “If needed.”

I looked inside to find a bathing suit and a couple outfits. A genuine smile tugged at my lips, and I turned away from Cal to head back to my room. I put the bathing suit on under my clothes before emerging again. The door to Enzo’s room was shut, and I wondered if he was finally sleeping. It seemed like he was always on the go. I rarely saw him relax. Walking past his door, I came across another room. The door was ajar, so I pushed it so it creaked open. It was an office, similar to the one Enzo had in his apartment. I walked back out, went down the staircase, and took a left. I found a huge kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances, as well as a dining room that could fit at least thirty people. I felt like a princess living in a castle, but Enzo was no Prince Charming, and I had to remind myself that I was being forced to marry him.

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