Chapter 9

Lorenzo's pov

I never thought I would crave her lips that bad.

I couldn't stop thinking about how she panted through the kiss, how her body gave in to me.

Waves pulsed out of my manhood, I needed a quick swim.

I left the room for her, I knew she won't get out of the bathroom until I go, her flushed cheeks and trembling legs didn't need much to show me, I changed into my swimsuit, in a matter of minutes I was in the backyard of the house, where a large rectangular-shaped pool,which I liked when I was buying this mansion, the sun was gleaming orange and the heat was rising, in two seconds water splashed as I felt jolts of refreshing cold water bathing my body's temperature.I swam a couple of laps, released all the extra heat.

After getting dressed, breakfast was ready.

Freya called Lana, after five whole long minutes I saw her coming down all dressed up in a vibrant yellow dress that hugged her tempting curves perfectly, her hair fell to its own length, gorgeous !

Her eyes avoided nothing but my eyes,

Whilst I avoided everything but her.

She grabbed the chair next to mine, sat quietly while reaching for the raspberries and yogurt on the table. I kept looking at every move, every gesture.

I broke the silence.

- Good morning to you, too

She looked at me cautiously and didn't speak.

- Any plans for today

- Yeah, I am going out.

- Really ?

- Yes, really.

She rolled her eyes mockingly, my anger rose in seconds, I growled

- Don't you fucking roll your eyes on me.

- Or wh-

I hit the table with a fistful hard punch, she flinched in startled.

- I said don't fucking provoke me, Lana.

I ghost of tears ran through her eyes, but she swallowed hard her toast bite.

- I need a car and a driver to get me to my grandmother's old house.

- Why ?

- I need to get something from there.

- What is it ?

- It's personal.

- I will drive you there myself.

- No, I don't want you with me.

I stood up throwing the napkin on my plate hesitantly,

- This conversation is over, be out in five minutes.

I left knowing she is still looking at my back angrily. I can't believe that she could actually argue with me, something I never gave the permission to do, not a single soul.

The ride to the house was quite most of the time, she only spoke for directions, my mind was full of words I wanted to tell her, all the plans and reasons were begging my tongue to elaborate everything to her, she's deeply hurt, I can't stand it. I wanted to shake her sadness away, I wanted to lock her up in my arms forever. I just don't know how.

How to comfort someone.

In boarding school, the boy who cried is either being bullied for it, or beaten up.

The one time I remember I cried when I was nine, I got beaten by my supervising teacher because I fell and hurt my knee. He kept on hitting my leg with a thick cudgel and I kept crying, until eventually I understood moments later that holding my breath and screams would make him stop.

Since I was five, boarding school was my father's decision after noticing the attachment I had with my beloved mother, the only person I loved on this planet. It was hard for me to adapt. I hated my father at that point for so many years. She only visited me once a year, I never went home even on national holidays.

As much as I wanted to, my father's approval never seemed to be on my side.

He wanted me tough.

I grew tough.

Right after graduation, I stayed home for twenty days and then was sent to study in Oxford university in America, graduated after four years, came back and decided to have a house of my own, I worked for my father for years building the company's name.

"LINES", the first suggestion I have made to mio padre, as the firm's name. He didn't ask for an explanation or a story behind it, he just agreed. I guess that was a sign of him actually thinking about me as a grown up, our relationship has always been distant and formal, Right after graduating business school, his commands only wishes, I grew strong and impassive. I stood for my own decisions, he ruled the mafia, I ruled the company.

He made me a cold man out of me, he was one.

One year before he died, he gave everything he owned to me, he stepped out of being a Don, his last command was to make sure I don't become a Don myself, he wanted to avoid the loses, the wars, the blood. But that was out of the question. Being a Don was in my blood, but I played it differently.

I was never a publicly known Mafia leader, I ate my prays in the dark.

We arrived at her nannah's house, that's how she called her, spoiled. I called my own father Sir.

It was an old, Italian styled villa with a vast sea view, the only thing that was special about it.

It was the only house on the hill,now abandoned and uninhabited.

We reached the doorstep, noticed lana leaning down the dusty doorstep rug, picked a key from under it, Cliché.

She roamed around the first floor, the air was humid and thick, I saw old paragraphs on top of a shelf by the fireplace, a beautiful woman looked exactly like Lana was carrying a new born and beside her was a little girl grasped on the woman's dress. Lana.

- Wait for me here, I am going up stairs to get something.

- Don't be late.

She climbed the marbled stairs in seconds and I took the photograph out of the frame and buried it in my pocket. I strayed for a bit in the living room, kitchen, and backyard.

The villa radiated cozy vibes, I found toys on the floor layered in dust, I saw many spider webs on the corners of the ceilings, the floor made squeaks whenever I stepped. The one large window by the view was beside a big rocking chair, the best spot in this place might I add.

I decided to go upstairs, it has been ten minutes since she went up, the first floor was the same in conditions as the ground one, I walked through the long hallway, three rooms in each side of me, until I reached the last one on the right with its door open, I saw lana sitting on the edge of a queen sized bed, with tulle white curtains draped from every side of it, the sun rays penetrated through the thin fabric, surrounding Lana in a halo effect, she looked angelic !

She was sitting there quietly, tears running down her cheeks, reading what appears to be a letter, with a box of other letters besides her.

A pearl necklace was in Lana's hand as well.

Before I opened my mouth to speak, she looked at me and said with a crack in her voice she thought she hid it,

- These are my mum's letters.

- She wrote them to you ?

- Apparently

- What do they say to make you cry like that ?

I moved towards her slowly, sat beside her. Giving enough space between us to make sure she doesn't scoot over out of fear, she replied.

- I never received those letters.

- How come ?

- My nannah never gave them to me

- Why ?

- She told me right after my mother passed away, that whenever I feel unsafe, for whatever reason, I must come to her old house, look for her old accessories box, and I will find answers to all my questions in it.

She sighed heavily, wiping droplets of her tears away and said,

- She knew that my father would do something to me. They knew.

- They didn't tell you because he threatened them, Lana.

- How could he do this to me ?

She began crying again, I took her hands, pulled her towards me,I didn't know to make her stop, she was too weak to fight me back, I sat her on my lap, She immediately throw her arms around my neck and whimpered uncontrollably. I remained still. I enveloped her with both of my arms.

I waited until she was done, she breathed out heavily trying to catch her breathe, she raised her head and looked at me softly and said,

- My dad never loved her..he married her for her family's name and wealth.

- I know

- You know ?

She looked at me questionably.

-Yes

- How ?

- Lana, I know almost everything about you.

- But you don't know me.

- We will establish and get to that point eventually.

She gazed at me in silence, then said.

- For how long have you been planning all of this ?

- About five years ?

- Why ?

- Why what ?

- Why me ? You could have had any other girl. I am your enemy's daughter. You knew that ?

- I didn't know that once I saw you at the gallery in Venice, once I knew you're Salazar's daughter I had to make sure you're safe from him, and that you'll be safer with me than anyone else.

- That doesn't answer my question,why me ?

- I can't give you an answer to that.

- Okay, how about this one. What did my father do you to be become your worst enemy ?

I didn't reply, she proceeded.

- How about another one, When am I gonna be free ?

- I can't let you go anywhere alone.

- I can't live my life like this, Lorenzo. This is too much for me to handle..I won't tolerate this.

- There's no other way.

- When am I gonna see my little sister ?

- Never !

-What ?

- I said never, she helped your father to set you up with Luca.

Her eyes grew wide and tears began to form again in her swollen eyes,

- I hate to tell you all of this, Lana. If you need proof I will get you one. Just give everything time. If rush to find answers all at once, You will lose everything all at once.

She got off of my lap, her body stiffened as she put back the letters in the box along with the necklace.

- Can we leave now ?

- Sure.

I followed her down to the car, she slept like a baby all the way back to the mansion, between the little glances I gave her, her chest inhaled and exhaled steadily, her chocolate colored hair fell on her cheek, her lips parted a little, that's how I know how she was really exhausted.

I focused on the road, not giving my mind a three second break, I called Mattia, informing him to cancel any plans I had for the next two days, I knew I would come up with a new game plan, I just needed time and small adjustments.

I am taking everyone who hurt her down to hell to meet my demons.

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