14. Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fourteen
Vincenzo
I stand outside of the gallery, a bunch of blemish free red roses in my hands. I stare at the doors, deciding if this is a good idea or not. Especially after our last encounter. I couldn’t get this woman off my mind, no matter what I do.
I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever reaction Emmy might have to my sudden appearance. Pushing open the gallery doors, I step inside, scanning the room for her familiar figure.
Emmy is standing near a painting, her back to me as she examines it. I take a moment to admire her. The soft light from the gallery's overhead lamps cast a warm glow on her; enhancing the auburn tones of her hair.
I approach her slowly, clearing my throat to announce my presence. Emmy turns at the sound, surprise flashing in her eyes before a mask of indifference falls into place.
"Enzo," she greets me coolly, raising an eyebrow in question. I hold out the bouquet of red roses towards her, a small smile playing on my lips.
"These are for you," I state simply, watching as confusion and disbelief flickers across her features.
Emmy hesitates for a moment before tentatively accepting the flowers, their vibrant colour contrasting beautifully against her porcelain skin.
“You should probably consider locking the doors when you are here alone.” She looks back at me, and I give her a smile.
“You’re right, never know who could walk through those doors,” she mutters and looks away from me. “These are beautiful, thank you,” she indicates the flowers in her hands.
“I felt as though I owe you an apology for the other day.” I study her carefully, awaiting her response. Emmy's eyes search mine, a mix of emotions swirling within them.
"An apology?" she repeats, her voice soft but guarded. I nod, trying to convey sincerity through my gaze.
"Yes, I realise I may have come off too strong during our previous encounters.
I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," I explain, my words carefully chosen. “I am not good with emotions.” I let out a frustrated sigh. “Clearly, I don’t know how to act around beautiful women.” Emmy’s lips twitch, suppressing a smile at my admission.
“I would love it if you would consider another chance? I want to show you that it’s not just about the gallery.
Maybe I was just looking for an excuse to spend time with you?
” I let the question hang heavy in the air, waiting for her response with bated breath.
Emmy studies me intently, her eyes narrowing.
“I don’t know what game you are playing here Mr. Rossi-”
“No game here, Miss Walters. I just wanted you to know that I think you are beautiful, and I would love the chance to get to know you. The ball is in your court now.” I turn and leave the gallery, letting out a deep breath as I get in my car. I’ve made my move; it’s now up to her.
Emilia
I stare at the red roses now in a crystal vase on the coffee table in the apartment.
After our disastrous meeting earlier, my parting words have played on repeat in my mind.
I know I shouldn’t have lost my temper, not that it was the first time my fiery nature got the better of me, but I had just been so frustrated with Enzo’s evasive responses.
The encounter had been an unwanted distraction while I had been frantically working on the Monet.
I am desperate to get it finished and make things up to Si.
I am also pretty keen to get this job done and never have to deal with the buyers again.
It wasn’t the first time I had been threatened.
You can’t work in illegal circles without a little argy-bargy, so to speak, but these people seemed to genuinely have Silas worried, and that meant that I was right to be a little afraid.
Thinking back on the awful meeting with Enzo, I have to admit to myself that it wasn’t just how poorly things had gone that had me thrown.
I was distracted by thoughts of the man himself.
There is something captivating about him that keeps drawing me in.
A force that I can’t resist. He’s handsome, of course, but I’ve met plenty of handsome men before and never been so affected.
I’m also intrigued by the tattoos on his hands and wrists.
The matching skull and snake tattoos on his hands were a little predictable, especially now that I knew he is the heir to the Italian mafia here in Australia.
But the thick slashing lines going up his wrists that hinted at something beautiful.
They had me fighting the urge to push his cuff and sleeves up his arms to expose the rest of the pieces.
In fact, I had obviously been so damn distracted by the man, I had forgotten to lock the gallery door!
Truthfully, I wasn’t even sure the last time I checked it was locked, though I am usually pretty careful about that sort of thing.
I had been working away in the studio all morning and needed a break to stand and stretch.
I had also needed to check the tones on a similarly aged piece on the gallery wall downstairs.
But the light had been hitting just so, and my mind was a whirl, such that I didn’t even hear him enter until he cleared his throat and just like a dream, the object of my thoughts magically appeared.
It actually took me a second to realise he was really there.
You could have blown me over with a feather when he offered an apology and the beautiful red roses still filling my current view.
But the flirting, compliments, and asking me out?
Well, that was currently blowing my mind.
I am so distracted by my thoughts I don’t look at my phone when it rings before I answer with a breathy’ hello’. My mind wanders into dangerous territory that started with me tracing those tattoo’s up a certain dark mafia heir’s arms with my tongue.
“-Emilia, are you listening to me at all?”
“What? Sorry, who is this?” I missed the first part of the conversation.
“Truly, Emmy, at this point I don’t know why I’m bothering anymore. You either don’t take my calls, or when you do it’s like you aren’t even there!”
“Javier? Oh, I am so sorry. I have just been-”
“Distracted, yes, you have said this. Many times now. But there is distracted, and there is rude. Now, you are just being rude.” Javier’s tone hits like a bucket of ice water being thrown on me and my sinful thoughts.
“I have been nothing but understanding, yes? I have not made demands of your time or attention. I stayed away when you asked. It has been weeks now and you are still not home, and I had to find out from Silas that there is no set date for you coming home. Another man! That is how I had to find out you were not coming home!”
I sit in stunned silence. Javier has never spoken to me like this before.
“You’re right, Javier, you deserve better than I am giving you right now,” I say slowly, an idea forming as I speak, “in fact, I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to end things all together.
I don’t know when or if I’ll even return to Perth.
Things with my father’s estate are messy and taking up all of my time and energy right now.
And a worldly man like you can’t be left in a corner to wait, you deserve to be enjoying all life has to offer.
” I cringe at my own words. I am laying it on a bit thick, but if a boost to his ego might just be my ticket out of this.
“No, no, Emilia, my love. I don’t want that at all.
I need you in my life. I am just aching to be with you.
Thinking of you being in that cold apartment with no one to lean on, to feel comfort from.
I just want to gather you up, sweep you down the stairs and out of that awful place, bring you home where I can provide you with every comfort.
But I understand you can’t come home just now.
It would take a little time, but I can move some of my business out there and fly over with some things in a week or so.
We can make it work. I just needed to hear that you were willing to put in the effort with me.
Forgive me for the dramatics, I didn’t know how else to get through to you. ”
Well, fuck.
“Actually, Javier, I have been thinking about us, and I just don’t think it will work out.
I’m still so driven by my career, and I just can’t give you the time and attention you deserve.
It’s completely unfair of me to ask you to wait while I sort out my life to be able to give you what you need.
I have enjoyed our time together, but it isn’t the right time for us at the moment.
Maybe in the future, but not now. I hope you understand. ”
The phone is silent long enough I pull the device away from my ear to make sure the call hasn’t disconnected, but sure enough the timer was still going.
“Javier? Are you still there?”
“You will regret this, Emilia. Mark my words.” His cold response punctuates the end of the call.
I’m shocked at his harsh reaction. I turn my phone off and set it on the coffee table. It might not have been my smoothest break up of a non-relationship, but at least it was over now.
I get up and go to the fridge to heat up some leftover Chinese takeout for a quick bite before I can head back to the studio to get a few more hours of work done on the Monet.
I’m still really pressed for time, but the piece is coming along nicely.
I stand in the kitchen and just eat from the box once the food is hot, my mind going back to the source of my greatest distraction.
I’m about halfway through my chicken and cashew meal when an idea comes to me.
Enzo’s interest in me seemed genuine, and he made an offer for us to get to know each other.
Maybe this is the opportunity to dig for the answers I needed.
And not just about whether or not his family had something to do with my father’s death, but also on the gallery deal.
And let’s face it, given the way my thoughts about Enzo kept running where they shouldn't, it's not like it would be a hardship for me to flirt a little and just enjoy the view of those bedroom eyes focused on me.
There is a darkness in Vincenzo Rossi that I am drawn to, so why not kill two birds with one stone.
I just had to remember that our dating would be fake and not let the man of my dirty dreams get under my skin before I got the answers I so desperately needed.