Chapter 6
I woke up in the spare bedroom in the morning. The bed felt foreign, stiff and uncomfortable and I cursed myself for even bothering to sleep in this room.
My head throbbed as I sat up, my mind still swirling with thoughts of her but I pushed them away focusing instead on the mundane routine.
I ran a hand through my hair, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep but the weight of last night's events lingered like a bad taste in my mouth.
Why had I felt that sharp pang of disappointment when she rejected me?
I had expected her to submit, to bend to my will. But instead, she had said no and I wasn't sure whether that angered me or intrigued me more.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, stretching my back with a groan. The penthouse was silent as I walked down the hall toward the master bedroom. Pushing open the door I stepped inside, my eyes immediately landing on her.
Alessa was still asleep curled up on one side of the massive bed, her dark hair spilling over the pillow. The soft rise and fall of her chest matched the quiet, steady rhythm of her breathing.
With a slow exhale, I turned and walked past the bed heading toward the walk in closet. There was no need to linger on her.
I pulled out a clean gym shirt and sweats. I didn't look back as I left, the faintest irritation prickling at me for no reason.
The gym was just a short drive away and the familiarity of the place soothed my nerves. The one place where I could block out everything else. And after last night, I needed it more than ever.
The familiar hum of activity greeted me as I stepped inside. It was already buzzing with the rhythmic clang of weights and the steady thud of fists hitting punching bags. The men looked and nodded at me, some amused.
Gavino was by the boxing ring, unlacing his gloves. He glanced up as I walked in, his eyes narrowing slightly before his mouth curved into a knowing smirk.
"Didn't think I had see you this morning." he said tossing the gloves onto the mat.
I grabbed a towel from the rack, keeping my expression neutral. "Why not?"
Gavino stepped closer leaning against the ropes of the boxing ring. "Call me crazy but I figured the groom might want to spend the morning with his bride. You know, the one you married less than twelve hours ago?"
I shrugged, walking past him to the free weights. "Fuck off"
He jumped out of the ring and followed me. "Come on, humor me. You are telling me you left your brand new wife to hit the gym?"
"I didn't realize I needed your permission to work out." I adjusted the plates with a little too much force, the clang loud enough to draw stares.
"You don't. But it's not every day you tie the knot. People might expect you to, I don't know act like a husband?"
"Do me a favor and shut up." I said flatly, lying down on the bench.
Gavino chuckled, dragging a bench over and sitting down like he had all the time in the world. "You are awfully grumpy for someone who just got married. Trouble already?"
I pushed the bar up in one smooth move. "Not your business."
"That bad, huh?" He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Listen, I get it. First nights can be tricky but I thought you had at least fake it for a day."
The bar wobbled slightly as my grip tightened. I racked the weight with a loud clang, sitting up and wiping the sweat from my brow.
I grabbed the towel and wiped my face, leveling him with a cold stare. "I came here to workout, not to talk. So unless you want to spar and get your ass handed to you, I suggest you shut up and pick up some weights."
He held up his hands in mock surrender, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Alright, big guy. Message received. But you know whatever is eating you, It's not going away just because you lift heavier."
I ignored him moving to the punching bag, wrapping my hands. My fist connected with the bag harder than I intended, the chain above it rattling from the force.
????
The thought of stepping out of this room felt daunting. This wasn't my home, it was his. Every inch of the penthouse reflected him, cold and distant. I was an intruder here, nothing more than an unwelcome addition to his life.
I hesitated, my hand hovering over the doorknob, my chest tightening at the thought of what I might find or who I might run into. But staying cooped up here forever wasn't an option. I couldn't avoid him or this situation forever.
Taking a deep breath, I opened the door. The hallway was quiet. My footsteps echoed softly on the polished floors as I made my way out into the living room.
The penthouse was as immaculate as it had been last night. The open space stretched before me, sleek and modern. The leather couch, the glass coffee table, the pristine marble countertops, it all looked untouched.
And Luca was nowhere to be found. Good.
The kitchen was empty too, the counters bare. No sign of breakfast, no sign of him. I ran my fingers along the cool surface of the island.
He wasn't here. Maybe he hadn't even came back after he stormed out last night.
I sighed, glancing toward the stainless steel appliances in the kitchen. The idea of cooking something seemed like a small way to make this situation better, to make this penthouse feel a little less alien. Maybe I had feel less like a guest and more like....something else.
The refrigerator however had other plans. When I opened the door, the cool air greeted me but the shelves were almost bare. A few bottles of water, some beer and a lonely container of yogurt stared back at me. Not exactly the ingredients for a hearty meal.
My fingers drummed against the door as I considered my options. Maybe it was a sign, an excuse to do nothing and crawl back into bed. But the idea of being idle and tangled in my thoughts felt unbearable.
Then my gaze landed on the coffee machine. It sat on the corner of the counter with more buttons than I knew what to do with. I wasn't much of a coffee drinker but at least I knew how to make an espresso.
I pulled the machine closer, fumbling through the cabinets until I found a tin of espresso beans and a grinder tucked neatly away. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the kitchen as i prepared the espresso.
I had just poured the dark liquid into a small cup when I heard the faint sound of the elevator. My chest tightened instinctively.
The door slid open and a moment later, Luca walked in. He was in his workout gear wearing a plain white t-shirt clinging to his frame and gray sweatpants. His hair was damp, evidence of a recent shower and the sharp line of his jaw was set in an unreadable expression.
I froze, my hands gripping the edge of the counter as he entered the kitchen. His eyes flicked to me briefly before moving to the cup of espresso in front of me.
He walked past me toward the fridge. The air around him felt heavier, commanding the space in a way that made me feel small. He opened the fridge, his brows furrowing as he took in the lack of options.
"Not much in here" he muttered mostly to himself.
"I noticed" I replied, my fingers tightening around the warm cup.
"I don't stay here much" he said, his voice dismissive "Just a place to bring women to fuck and leave."
I glared up at him, meeting his gaze for the briefest moment before I forced myself to look away.
"Looks like I have ruined your plans then." I said, my voice quieter than I wanted it to be.
It was the only response I could muster laced with a sarcasm I didn't quite feel but that seemed appropriate in the moment.
Luca didn't flinch, didn't seem affected by my words at all. He simply shrugged, a hint of smirk.
"It's not like I'm complaining" he said, "You are here too, aren't you?."
The words felt like an insult. I wanted to shout at him, tell him what an asshole he was but the words never came. Instead, I walked back to the room, gripping the cup before i could accidently trip it over him.