Page 11 of Inevitable

“Hi Luca,” I finally say softly.

He raises his chin slightly, I think it was in acknowledgment, but that is all he gives me as his honey brown eyes continue to stare me down.

“It is really nice to see you. I’ve missed you,” I whisper, vulnerability tinting my words.

His eyes squint at the corners slightly but again, no words. I don’t get it, if he didn’t want to talk to me why did he want to have dinner? Or why did he bring me here in the first place?

“Do you really have nothing to say to me after all of this time?” I ask, more than slightly agitated.

Luca blinks slowly before he turns his eyes down to his plate and lifts the dome. Laying artfully designed on his plate is a sirloin with roasted asparagus and mashed potatoes. My stomach grumbles at the sight of the food but I push my plate away. I want answers, not food. Hell, I will settle for a smile or for him to just say my name!

I huff and toss my napkin on the table before I push back from my chair. “Whatever. I am not going to sit here and let you treat me like I am a stranger that means nothing to you. Maybe that is all I am to you now but that isn’t what you are to me and it hurts that you would treat me like this. When you are ready to talk, you know where to find me.”

I stand up, turn on my heels and rush out of the room. I’m secretly waiting to hear him call my name, for him to apologize and gather me into his arms and hold me tightly. But none of those things happen. He just lets me walk away as he quietly eats his dinner.

Once I get up to my room, I bury my face into my pillow and sob. He did nothing and here I am crying. That is why I am crying though. He was in a room with me, and he did nothing. I can’t even believe he couldn’t say one measly word to me after all of this time. Maybe I had it all wrong. I guess I really am nothing to him anymore.

-

I am woken up the next morning to a knock on my door. Marisol quietly slips in with breakfast on a tray. I groggily lean up and pat down my mussed hair.

“Good morning. I hope you slept well. I need to inform you that you will be attending dinner in the dining room, I will come get you when it is time.”

I roll my eyes and cross my arms. “Yeah, I don’t really feel like sitting awkwardly across from Luca during a silent meal.”

Marisol looks around nervously like she is afraid to be caught arguing this. “I am very sorry Miss, but it is required. Is there anything else you need?”

I huff a breath and flop back down. “No, just leave.”

She silently moves across the room and out the door. Once she is gone, I pull myself out of bed and walk over to the tray of food. I pick up a piece of bacon as I step into the bathroom. Most of my time lately has been spent taking long baths or showers and doing different things with my hair. It is nice that the room is equipped with everything I could ever dream of needing, but a gilded cage is still a cage. It has become extremely clear that I am not a rescued guest but a prisoner.

As the day goes on my hurt feelings and confusion from last night are quickly morphing into anger. How dare he take me away from my life like this? After 7 years of radio silence, he decided now was a time that suited him. I needed him, desperately throughout the years and he was nowhere to be found. It isn’t even like he came for me so we could be together. I feel more like a pawn in some type of battle between him and my father. The way he looked at me last night, like I was a stranger, like I was nothing… It ripped open an old wound on my heart that I thought had healed a long time ago. Now it is torn, wide and ugly and I am pissed.

A knock at the door interrupts my inner turmoil. Marisol walks in quietly and bows her head. “Miss,” she greets.

“Marisol, my name is Ashlynn. Use it,” I ask exasperated.

She looks a little embarrassed that I have asked her to call me by my name, but I can’t handle all the formalities around here. I’ve lived it my whole life and I am officially fed up. She nods her head in agreement but won’t fully raise her eyes to meet mine. She twists her hands together nervously and seems to be looking anywhere but me.

“I am sure you are excited to have dinner with The Boss again. He doesn’t usually have dinner with company.”

I scoff. “You mean his prisoners? And seriously? He makes you call him The Boss? What an arrogant prick.”

She looks at me with a confused expression and cocks her head slightly. “Everyone calls him that, or Don. It’s respectful.”

Now it’s my turn to look confused. I narrow my eyes at her statement. “Wait, Don? Like what people call Mob Bosses?”

I trail off as all of the pieces start to fall in place. Him practically disappearing without a trace, the house, the henchmen, his complete 180 personality flip. Holy shit.

“Luca is a Mob Boss?!” I practically screech.

“Yes Miss. Don’t worry, he will keep you safe. He is a good man.”

“Where is he?” I demand.

She shakes her head at me. I swear her body is now trembling. I am not sure what her deal is but honestly, I don’t have time for it.

“Where. Is. He!” This time my voice is most definitely a screech as I storm past her heading for the stairs. The goon sitting outside of my room stands abruptly when I barge through the doors.

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