Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
ISABELLE
T he house was a mini paradise. If not for the situation I was in, I would have loved to stay there. It was kind of sad that I couldn’t properly appreciate it because of the circumstances.
I was now at the dining table, sitting across from Vincenzo in what was arguably the most beautiful dining room that I had seen. If there had been an image attached to the definition of lavish, it would have been this room.
The ceilings stood high and proud, towering over everything and everyone. The room was elegantly furnished with antique wooden furniture that had the most intricate carvings. Each piece of furniture probably cost thousands of dollars. They were that beautiful.
The only thing ruining the beautiful dining experience was the tension between Vincenzo and I as we sat across from each other at the long, polished dining table. The air was so thick with it that it was almost hard to breathe.
I stared down at the intricately designed breakfast served in front of me. I had no appetite. It was probably the most beautiful and mouthwatering breakfast spread I had ever seen, but right then they just looked like pretty colors on a plate. I was neither in the mood nor the state of mind to touch anything that was laid out before me.
What was I going to do? How had my life changed so much in just a handful of days? I tried to think back to how it had begun. If only I had kept my mouth shut at the airport, I wouldn’t be in this situation.
One minute I was a normal girl and the next, I was in the newspapers with one of the most handsome and dangerous men I had ever seen.
There was no denying that I was attracted to him, he was dangerous in a way that excited me. I was so angry at him, but at the same time I just wanted to fuck him. Around him, I felt helpless and dependent, and that wasn’t me.
“I’m leaving, whether you like it or not,” I said, folding my arms across my chest. Vincenzo continued to eat, ignoring me. I was fed up at this point, I did not want to be a part of Vincenzo’s world of crime and deception. There were too many unknowns. I couldn’t keep up with his lifestyle, I didn’t want to. And if risking my life was the price for freedom, then so be it.
The undeniable attraction between us added to my frustration. Why wouldn’t he listen to me?
“I can’t stay here, Vincenzo,” I said, my voice firm. I intended for it to be me standing my ground, but it sounded more like a plea. “It’s dangerous, I can’t stay here. I have work, I have commitments. I refuse to be a prisoner in your world.” I raised my voice a bit at the end, and it was then that he finally looked up.
Vincenzo, who was seated at the head of the table, leaned back in his chair, his gaze steady and unyielding.
"I'm offering you protection, Isabelle. You will have access to my life and all the luxuries that come with it. You wouldn't be a prisoner. You'd simply be under my protection,” he said in a final tone. He was staring at me, daring me to talk back.
My eyes narrowed. "I don't need or want a sugar daddy. I value earning my own way."
Vincenzo smirked, and in that moment he looked like a lion, about to pounce.
“Sugar daddy, uh? Is that what you think this is?”
“Call it whatever you want,” I said, crossing my arms, “I refuse to be bought.” I stared at him, maintaining eye contact.
I feared that if I didn’t speak my mind to him, I would lose my voice. My voice had been something I had worked hard to find. I wasn’t willing to lose it now or ever.
We continued to stare at each other for a while, basking in the tension. Before either of us could say anything, my phone rang from Vincenzo’s pocket.
“You know the rules,” he reminded me as he handed my phone to me. I picked it up and glanced at the caller ID. When I saw that it was my boss, I sighed. I knew that I wasn’t ready for the conversation we were about to have, but I knew that I had no choice.
I was allowed to have phone calls and emails only if I allowed Vincenzo to control them. Every call I made had to be put on speaker and every email and text I wrote would be detected by a virus that he made his clan hacker put into my phone.
It was very intrusive, but I was looking on the bright side. I was at least allowed to keep my phone.
I stared at my cell in dread, ready for my boss to start berating me. With everything that had happened so far, I hadn't been able to perform any of the tasks she had assigned to me. Under Vincenzo's watchful eye, I finally got the nerve to answer the call, only to get the shock of my life.
If I was going to tell anyone about my current situation, it wouldn't be my boss. The woman only thought about herself and anything that inconvenienced her usually pushed to the side. I was still annoyed about her assignment getting me into this mess, but that didn't mean I wanted to lose my job.
My boss was a selfish person, but she made up for it by being exceptionally good at her job. She always had her finger on the pulse and had a way of pumping out articles that were well received. That made it easier for us to endure the stress that came with working for her.
“Isabelle darling!” My boss started out. I felt my jaw drop at that, my boss rarely ever sounded so excited and happy to speak with me.
Nonetheless, I didn’t feel happy about it, it only made me feel more worried. I had spent enough time with her to know that her moods were extremely changeable.
“I saw the photos. Who would have thought that I practically had to twist your arm to get you there. Now who is that handsome Italian boyfriend of yours?” Her loud excited voice filled the room. I found myself looking around in shock. Vincenzo looked amused by the whole thing.
She continued talking but I couldn't hear her, it felt like my ears were ringing. The words “Italian boyfriend” kept echoing in my head..
“He's not… he's not…” I found myself stuttering in response. My real life was colliding with the mess I got myself into in Palermo. I could feel the walls closing in around me, but I couldn't let my boss sense my distress, and even if she did, I suspected that she would not care.
“This is perfect! I always thought you were a bit boring, darling, but this, we can use.” She interrupted me, sounding excited.
“Use?” I asked, my voice still shaky.
“Yes. Stay in Palermo and write about your relationship with your Italian boyfriend.” She proposed, and I found myself frowning.
“He's not…”
“And we can finally talk about that promotion,” she interrupted me once more. Her words made my eyes widen again. I had been angling for a promotion for over a year now, so the thought of it finally being within reach was too tempting.
“Do you mean…?”
“Yes! Make sure the details are juicy,” she cut me off. I could picture her sitting in her office, with her hair done up in whatever ridiculously intricate hairstyle she had picked for the day, tapping at her computer.
I felt torn. All I had wanted to do for the past few days was get as far away as I could from Italy, but this offer was too tempting.
I could feel Vincenzo’s gaze on me even without looking at him. In the little time we had spent together I had somewhat gotten used to his mannerisms, so I knew he was smirking.
A promotion was something that was hard to come by in my place of work. My boss was so hard to please that she rarely thought anyone was worthy of getting promoted. I knew that if I let this opportunity slip, I would probably not get another one for years.
“I'll… I'll think about it.” I stuttered. I didn't refuse because I was still stunned by the prospect of getting promoted, and I could tell that Vincenzo had something to say.
“Don't think about it too long. You know how fast a story can get old. We'll talk later darling!” My boss' excited voice filled the air once more before she hung up.
My boss was right, online trends were like shooting stars; they burned bright and were gone just as quickly as they came. If I was going to make anything of this, I had to be fast.
I wanted a promotion desperately, but I also wanted to distance myself from Vincenzo's world. I knew I had some uncomfortable feelings for him, and I was afraid to even try to figure out what those feelings were.
Before I could continue thinking about this, Vincenzo's voice interrupted my thoughts.
“There's only one logical answer, and we both know what it is,” he said.
“Oh, really? And what is that?” I fired back.
“You heard her. This could be a beneficial arrangement for the both of us. I get elected, you get your promotion, it's a win-win.” He said, leaning in closer with each word. His voice was low and magnetic, and it sounded like he was making me an offer I could not refuse.
Vincenzo raised an eyebrow at me, as if waiting for a reply. He was still close to me, close enough that if I moved forward by one inch, we could kiss.
Despite how scared I felt, I knew that I was blushing. After the night we had spent together, this level of proximity to him made me want to spring away. However, the teasing look in his eyes felt like a challenge, and I knew that if I ran away, I would lose.
I was panicking. It felt like I was being drawn further and further into the criminal underworld.
If I was openly known as someone dating Vincenzo, that would follow me when I finally went back home. Vincenzo must have seen something in my eyes because the playful look on his face quickly disappeared, replaced by the steely look I had gotten used to.
“That's what I want. And in return, you get your promotion and safety. It's a fair trade.” His tone was as hard as the look on his face.
His voice and words were tough but I could feel something else. As he spoke, there was something about the way he looked at me, even when he was angry, that pulled me in.
He looked at me like I was the only one in his world. It was an intoxicating look, and I found that if I continued to indulge in it, I would agree to things without thinking them through.
I snapped out of it, and tried to find a way out of this mess. I had to stay safe, and I wanted the promotion. After thinking for a while, I began to see Vincenzo's point. He had told me about the upcoming election, and I realized that my connection to him put me in danger.
“Fine. I'll stay until the election. But I'm not happy about it.” I finally said.
“I wouldn't expect you to be. But you'll see, Isabelle. This arrangement might be more beneficial than you think.” He spoke with a smile, but I scoffed and got up.
With those words, the dynamics of our relationship shifted.