Chapter 19: Emelia

I stir when I feel the presence of someone in the room with me.

I was so tired last night that I fell asleep the second my head hit the pillow. As I open my eyes, my gaze lands on the man I was thinking about before I drifted off.

Massimo is sitting by the window just like he was last week. The only differences are he’s fully clothed and, instead of watching me, he’s looking through the window at the oncoming sunrise. He’s got something shiny in his hands that he circles between his fingers.

I’m not sure what to say to him when he looks away from the window and gazes at me, so I sit up and try to guess why he’s here.

Is it to play with me again?

Or make me crazy?

God knows I’ve been going crazy wondering where he’s been. I don’t even think there’s any point asking the question, because now I don’t want to hear the answer.

“Good morning,” I say, cutting through the silent tension.

“No,” he replies, and I narrow my eyes.

“No to what? I was saying good morning. I guess it’s not quite morning yet, though.” I glance out to the dark sky and the red streaks of the oncoming sun threatening to pierce through.

“I know what you were saying, and I meant it’s not going to be a good morning.” He points out the window and shakes his head. “Red sunrise. It means the day ahead will be dangerous. Red sky at night, sailors’ delight; red sky at morning, sailors take warning.”

I stare back at him not knowing which door of this crazy alternate dimension I’ve just walked through. He’s talking to me like a normal person and I can’t feel that angst that normally hangs in the space between us.

As he watches me, I feel like we could just be two people…talking.

“I’ve never heard that before.”

“It’s true. It’s a sailor’s rhyme.” He looks away and tosses up a coin. That was what he had in his hand. It doesn’t look like a normal coin, though. It looks more like a rune, of sorts.

Something draws me to him and I find myself getting off the bed. When I walk over to him, I have his attention again and his gaze travels over my body, bringing back that sexual vibe I can’t resist.

I feel like I’m approaching a beast with every step I take, but I continue toward him anyway and sit opposite him on the ledge.

“What’s that?” I ask, referring to the coin. “Is it a rune?”

“Yes. My mother gave it to me. It’s like a talisman that’s supposed to protect you when you’re out on the waters.”

“When do you sail? You’re always at work…or out.”

“Last Sunday of every month. I’m away for the week and I take the big sailboat out.”

“Do you take people with you?”

“Yes.”

My cheeks burn as I imagine him with Gabriella on the boat.

“Oh,” I rasp and look away.

“My brothers,” he says and I look back to him. “Women are not allowed on that boat. It’s bad luck.”

I smirk. “Do you really believe that?”

“I haven’t tested it yet, and I don’t plan to. I’m an old-fashioned mariner. I don’t believe in challenging the sea…or fate.”

“So you’ll just disappear for the week and I won’t know where you are?”

“Are you going to miss me?” He asks the question like a challenge.

“No,” I answer, but even I don’t believe that answer, and it’s clear that he doesn’t either.

His face becomes stern and we stare back at each other. His eyes are so guarded I can’t tell what he’s thinking.

Massimo breaks the connection by placing the coin in his pocket. When he looks at me again, the same lust that brimmed in his eyes the other day comes back, allowing me a glimpse into his thoughts.

“Come here,” he says, putting out his hand to beckon me to him.

My breath hitches. Once again the path opens for me to gain his trust, but that’s the last thing I’m thinking about when I move to go to him.

He reaches for me and pulls me into his lap. Then, before I can take my next breath, he smoothes his hand up the back of my neck, lacing his fingers through my hair and cupping the back of my head so he can guide me to his lips.

Remembering how he tastes, I go as willingly as I did that first time.

As our lips meet, my brain empties. Our tongues tangle and tease and I want him to take me. Our bodies touch, and I get that feeling again of never wanting him to stop touching me.

When he pulls away, I worry he’s doing the same thing he did the other day, but he’s not.

“Relax, Princess, I want more from you this morning. So much more,” he taunts and I know this is it. He wants to take the last part of me he can take. Steal.

Take…

Steal…

He can’t steal something that’s given to him.

He picks me up and takes me over to the bed where I allow him to take off my clothes.

Massimo removes his shirt and returns to my lips. I run my fingers through his hair. He travels from my lips to my breasts, suckling on my nipples and, with his free hand, pushes his way into my pussy with two fingers.

“I’m going to fuck you so hard you won’t be able to walk,” he promises and a shockwave ripples through me.

He’s about to undo his belt when the door opens and a very shocked Priscilla stands there watching us.

Quickly, I grab the sheet to cover myself and Massimo’s hands still on his belt.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry, I wouldn’t disturb you, but it’s urgent,” she says. “Nick and Cory are here and they need to speak to you.”

“Okay, I’ll be out in a minute,” Massimo answers and Priscilla leaves us, locking the door.

Massimo backs off the bed and grabs his shirt. When he shrugs into it and looks at me, my whole body heats.

What I see in his eyes is the same fear I feel for wanting him.

The difference between us is that he has power over me and I have none.

I feel even more helpless when he walks away, leaving me once again with nothing. Nothing but the desire for him that weakens me and all that I am when I’m with him.

I thought I was stronger than this.

But, I’m not.

It’s just gone mid-day and I’m not going to spend the day wondering where Massimo is or spend it waiting for him.

I’d decided the other day that I wasn’t going to be a ghost in the house or become the animal waiting for its master to return. I certainly won’t do it today; definitely not after this morning.

It’s been two whole weeks since I was pulled from my life. Two weeks I should have spent in Florence. I would have started the summer school in prep for the official start of the term in six weeks.

Being in this house has thrown me out of sync with myself. Not knowing what to do from one day to the next has forced me into this frame of mind where I’m waiting and counting down. It’s not even like something good is going to happen at the end of the countdown. Like I’ll be free.

At the rate things are going, I’m going to be stuck here for a while. A very, very, long time. I can’t even come up with any form of escape strategy that doesn’t involve landing myself in more trouble than I’m already in. Everywhere I look, there’s a guard.

I’ve just walked down the stairs with my notepad and pen and I’m gazing ahead at two guards in the corridor by the front door. I can see more outside through the glass windows. They’re just standing there, like I’m actually dumb enough to try and run past them.

It’s a foolish thought since I’m sure Massimo didn’t put them there just for me. I know it’s because he has enemies, and whatever called him away this morning is part and parcel of who he is.

This morning was crazy and I won’t try to explain my actions. I won’t try to deny, either, that I wanted him to claim me. And I won’t explain the desire as insanity. I’m not crazy and I haven’t lost my mind. What I’ve lost is control of my emotions.

I make my way into the living room. I wanted to go out on to the terrace and draw the scenery. Nothing special, just the beach. It’s an odd day, looking like it might rain, and a heaviness hangs in the atmosphere with the anticipation of a storm. So I guess Massimo was right. Red sky at night, sailors’ delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning.

When he shared that with me it felt like something more had changed between us, something that drew me to him. Something as dangerous as temptation masked in purity designed to fool me. Like a fool, I went to him.

I take one step into the living room and stop short when my gaze lands on Gabriella sitting in the sofa by the door leading out to the terrace. She’s flicking through a copy of Vogue and looks at home with her feet up.

I glare at her, instant rage filling me at her audacity, and she lowers the magazine to look at me with a cat-got-the-canary smile. Just like the other day, she looks perfect, and now that I’ve seen her close up, I can’t deny that she looks like she belongs on the cover of that magazine.

As she gazes back at me, reality punches me in the gut with warning flags telling me this is the woman my husband-to-be will be spending his time with. She’ll be the mistress. He’ll be in her bed, and I’ll be nothing more than a joke.

The thought strikes me but I steady my heart knowing it would not be wise to show any form of weakness or insecurity around this woman.

“Well look who it is,” she cajoles in a sugary voice. “Aren’t you the darling girl everyone is talking about.”

Bitch.

I dreaded this day and almost knew she’d say something like that. It was a feeling I got when I first saw her on the beach walking with Massimo and she looked at me.

“Can I do something to help you?” I ask, keeping my tone even. I think it’s a reasonable question given the fact that she’s here and Massimo isn’t.

She laughs, to my surprise, and straightens up. “Wow, cutting straight to the chase. I like that. I’m also assuming you must know who I am from the resting bitch face you’re throwing my way.”

“I know who you are; what I don’t know is why you’re here.” There I go again sounding more ballsy than I feel. At least my voice isn’t shaking and I sound believable.

“If you know who I am then you should already know I’m here to see Massimo. He and I have unfinished business we need to discuss. Business I seriously doubt the likes of you would understand.” She flicks her gaze over me with scrutiny, like she’s already made up her mind that she knows me inside and out.

A terrible idea forms in my mind. One that pops into my head and reaches my tongue before I can hold back or think about it.

“Try me. Maybe I could help with that business, seeing as he doesn’t seem to be here.”

Again she laughs. This time her tone is more mocking. “You can’t help me, Emelia Balesteri. The business I’m talking about is in regards to the bedroom. When you’re riding cock for as long as I have, you want to make sure a man like Massimo gets what he wants. It keeps them coming back for more.”

The urge to tell her to get out incinerates my blood. There’s nothing more I’d love to do than that because it would be all I could do, but this isn’t my home. I might live here, but being held captive in a house doesn’t classify it as a place of abode.

Humiliation claws through me that I wish I could bridle, but I have no more control over that than all the emotions screwing with me. And while I’m wishing and wanting, I’m gonna wish that my life was different. A simple wish I won’t get because it’s a snap shot of what is to come.

“You should see your face,” Gabriella taunts. “Look at the princess stuck for a comeback.”

“Oh, believe me, it’s not that at all. It’s just that I don’t usually speak to skanks.”

The smile falls from her face and a surge of triumph races over my skin.

“How dare you—”

“That’s enough,” Massimo cuts in.

Gabriella and I both look over to the other entrance of the room to see Massimo and Candace standing in the archway.

Gabriella rises to her feet with the grace of a swan and a smirk on her face, and I hate that I hate the way she looks at Massimo.

“Hello friend,” she coos and his face hardens. “Don’t worry, I’m gonna head out. I like you better when you’re in the mood to play.”

Friend…

Play…

It’s a juxtapose on words and I’m not sure which is which. I’m not stupid enough to believe he hasn’t slept with her.

“I think that’s best,” he answers, and Gabriella picks up her bag and walks past with her head held high and a broad smile of victory on her face.

I watch her, and I don’t stop looking until she turns the corner and I can’t see her anymore.

When I look back to Massimo, I think of this morning and my skin flushes with the heat of the wild sexual flames that scorched me as he kissed me.

“Candace, please accompany Emelia to wherever it was she was going,” he says and Candace nods.

“That won’t be necessary, I’m going back to my room,” I say before Candace can move, and I turn away from them both with a heaviness in my heart that makes my legs feel like lead with every step I take.

He’s not mine.

That’s what that little encounter showed me. Massimo isn’t mine and I shouldn’t want him to be.

I shouldn’t give into the entity that takes over whenever I’m near him. It’s wrong on so many levels. I know that as much as I know hating him would be easier if I felt nothing for him.

But I do…