Page 10 of Inevitable

I reach over and drink greedily from the glass of juice she brought up with breakfast. When I trust that my voice will work properly, I set the glass down and turn to Marisol.

“Where is Luca?” I try to sound demanding and in control, but it falls flat and is tinged with vulnerability.

“Is there anything else you need Miss?” She replies, dodging my question.

Great, we are back to the no one can hear me thing.

“Where can I find him?” I probe again.

“Do you need anything else Miss?” She sidesteps again.

I open my mouth to ask her another question but sigh, she doesn’t seem to be budging. I shake my head and she scurries away quickly, shutting the door behind her. I step up to the door and try the handle, locked. Great, so I guess I am officially kidnapped.

I walk over to the balcony doors and open them slowly. As I step outside, I notice beautiful vines are wrapped around the stone railing. When I look around, I see a nicely manicured lawn surrounding the house and just beyond that is thick forest as far as the eye can see.

Maybe if I can get outside then I can make a run for it in the woods. Honestly though, who am I kidding? I am not afraid for my life here. Luca seemed to be calling the shots and even if we haven’t spoken in 7 years, I can’t imagine him ever letting anything happen to me if he can help it. Plus, me in the woods on my own? Yeah, that right there is laughable itself.

A little later in the day, Marisol comes in with what looks like lunch. Almost as soon as she steps foot in the room, I begin berating her with questions again.

“Where is Luca? Why am I here? Get Luca in here now!”

Her timid brown eyes widen at my questions, but she doesn’t speak. She just stares at me for a minute, I think my yelling spooked her.

“Sorry,” I say softer. “As you can imagine I am feeling a little uneasy and have more than my fair share of questions.”

Marisol’s eyes relax slightly, and she seems to be more comfortable with my talking in a low and calming tone. She nods her head in agreement of how I am feeling.

“He will not be back till later tonight Miss. You will be having dinner with him in the dining room. Do you need anything else in the meantime?”

I shake my head and she hurries out the door. I am having dinner with him tonight? Why does a sudden thrill run through me at the thought of that? I have been dreaming of seeing him again for years, so as crazy as it sounds, I am actually excited to have dinner with the man that just kidnapped me.

I look around for my phone, I need to message Kiki. She usually expects me the morning after a date with Andrew to talk about how horrible the date went and laugh at the ridiculous things he does or says while we are out. I pull out every drawer and lift up every throw pillow in the suite but see no sign of my phone or clutch. Honestly, I can’t even remember if I grabbed it when Giovanni grabbed me. Okay now I definitely feel like a prisoner.

I spend the day stuck in the room, which definitely could be a lot worse, I guess. I have a walk-in closet that is bigger than most people’s bedrooms and an adjoining bathroom with a deep claw foot tub. My favorite spot so far has been the balcony. There are two chairs sitting out there, overlooking the property. Luca said that this is his house. He has come so far, to own all of this. How did he do it?

When the sun starts to set, I find that my unease and vulnerability at seeing him again are at an all-time high. I don’t know what I am more afraid of, to see him and risk my heart being broken all over again or to see him look at me with as much disinterest as he displayed at my father’s house. Okay, I pick the last one. That is definitely what I am most afraid of.

Later that evening a soft knock that I have come to know as Marisol’s sounds through the door.

“Come in,” I shout from the balcony.

She quietly slips in and folds her hands in front of her black uniform. “Hello Miss. Are you ready for dinner?”

I look down at my outfit that I put together. I slipped into a red cocktail dress that I found in the never-ending closet, coincidentally all the clothes are in my size. I nod and step into the room to follow her.

Marisol unlocks the door and there I see a new guard standing outside of my door than the one that fell down the stairs with me last night. I wonder if he is okay? I know I am still feeling pretty sore.

As we make our way down the stairs, I get a better chance to admire the house. Everything is classily elegant with vintage details throughout. The shiny marble floor announces my arrival with each click of my red pumps that I also found in the closet.

Marisol opens a set of double doors that open to what looks like a dining room that has a table large enough for at least 16 people. I look around to see the staff hustling out of the room, except for my guard who stands on the outside of the door.

I slowly slide in to one of the set places at the table and wait. The plates are covered with silver domes and the table is draped in a rich ivory tablecloth. It feels like I am more at a fine restaurant than someone’s home.

I fold my hands across my lap and try to appear more collected than I really am. My palms are sweaty, and my limbs feel like they all weigh an extra 10lbs. I worry my bottom lip through my teeth when I hear the door click open.

When I look up, I see Luca standing in the doorway, watching me. He is wearing another expensive suit that looks like it was custom made for him. The most I ever saw him dress up was a pair of cargo shorts and a polyester polo. Now here he is, dripping in Dolce & Gabbana 7 years later. It is crazy how things can change over time.

I smile tentatively at him. I am not really sure what to do or say, so I wait for him. Only he doesn’t speak, doesn’t even offer a smile. Luca stares at me blankly before striding over to his side of the table and sits down rigidly without letting an ounce of genuine emotion bleed through.

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