would be difficult since my room was located on the second floor. Loneliness wasn’t the most difficult thing to bear. It was the thought I would never see my little sister again. At night, I had nightmares in which I relived the moment Alessandro had shot that giant man, and I’d wake up in a sweat, devoured by the shocking memory of everything that had happened to me in such a short span of time.
A few more days went by with this gnawing feeling of uncertainty. Then, one night, Henry informed me Alessandro had returned from his business trip and wanted me to join him for dinner. Although the thought of seeing him made me apprehensive, I knew this was my chance to reason with him and make him realize he had to let me go.
Henry escorted me to the dining room and ushered me inside with a sly smile on his face. The bastard could tell I was confused and distraught. But I wouldn’t let it show, so I mustered all of my strength into appearing confident and composed.
The extent of my determination changed the moment I set foot in the room and saw Alessandro Damiani. He stared out the window, observing the vast blackness that matched the shade of the custom made suit which clung to his body, accentuating his strong physique.
Alerted to my presence, Alessandro whirled around, and his shimmering dark eyes locked with mine. In an instant, my knees grew weak and it became difficult to breathe. Before me stood a man whose poise and beauty could be matched by few others and—despite everything—I found I was not immune to the effect of his commanding presence. For a few moments, he stared into my eyes, then slowly lowered his gaze down my length. He made no secret he was assessing my body, and his bluntness made me blush in sudden discomfort.
Suddenly, his eyes returned to mine, and he smiled. “Good evening, bellissima. I see that you are already doing much better. The last time we spoke, you were as white as a sheet.”
“I was in shock,” I admitted in a quiet voice.
“That's understandable," he murmured, his black eyes boring into mine. "You've been through a lot.”
I swallowed at the remark, turning bothered and serious as the suppressed awareness of what had happened swept over me with the force of a tsunami. Alessandro smiled again like he could read my thoughts.
“Forgive me for my lack of tact, tesoro. I didn’t mean to make you upset,” he said softly, gesturing toward the table. “Come, let's not spoil the evening before it even begins.”
Hypnotized by his piercing dark gaze, I proceeded toward the chair where he waited. Keeping that charming smile glued to his face, he pulled it out for me like a true gentleman. When he took his own seat, he reached for his glass of wine and looked at me expectantly.
“I know you’re not old enough to drink, but a few sips of wine can do no harm,” he encouraged softly.
I gazed at him with wariness, wondering if there was a sinister purpose behind this.
“What if I get drunk?” I probed with caution.
Alessandro smirked and gave me a knowing look. “Then I’ll let you go to sleep. You have nothing to worry about. I prefer my women conscious and sober.”
His remark made me blush to the roots of my hair, and his eyes flashed with amusement. Adamant not to antagonize him before making my demand to be set free, I did as told and raised my glass to toast. Once again, he grinned as I took a few sips of wine and settled the glass back onto the table. The alcohol heated the blood in my cheeks, and I pressed the back of my cold fingers to my warmed flesh. Alessandro’s eyes followed my every movement, willing me to look at him. When I honored his silent demand, he smirked with mystery.
“So tell me, how do you like the estate?” he asked in a conversational manner, as he cut into his steak. “Henry tells me you’ve spent quite some time gazing outside the window.”
I swallowed, tasting the underlined meaning of his seemingly innocent remark.
“It’s beautiful,” I admitted quietly, turning to my own food. “The little I have seen of it at least.”
He smirked. “We are going to do something about that as soon as possible. I know I’ve been absent for a while, but now that I have the time to assume the role of your host,