Page 11 of Reckless Games

“Good,” he murmured, his gaze darkening with an emotion I couldn't quite decipher.Good?What did he mean by that? “I like to learn, by the way.” My eyes knitted at his response. “My hobby—I like to learn things.”

“Learn? Like what?” I asked.

“About you,” he replied, suddenly catching me off guard.

“Me?”

“Yeah. You. I like watching when you look so damn gorgeous; it takes my breath away. I love staring at you until I feel you are etched into every corner of my soul. I like to think about you until I feel like my soul has finally found heaven in the hell of a world. Knowing everything about you, just seeing you exist—that’s my hobby.”

Before I could voice my thoughts, a knock interrupted us. I watched as he closed his eyes momentarily, his jaw tensing with annoyance. With a resigned sigh, he moved back, creating a distance between us, and called out for the person to come in.

Giovanni entered the room, his presence radiating unease as he carefully wheeled in a small suitcase. His posture was stiff, as if he expected Lorenzo to unleash his wrath at any moment with the pissed look he had on his face.

“I was able to find a few photo frames and... well, a couple of stuffed toys and shoes that escaped the fire.” Giovanni’s words tumbled out in one breath. “Everything else turned to ashes. I didn't think it was right to leave these items in the hallway, so I brought them up. I didn't realize you would be here, Capo. I'm sorry if I interrupted anything.” Giovanni's anxiety was visible as he spoke, his eyes darting nervously between Lorenzo and me. If not for the dangerous look on Lorenzo’s face, I would have laughed in this situation.

Lorenzo's expression darkened at the mention of the fire, though he seemed to rein in his temper with a visible effort. With a single curt nod, he dismissed Giovanni, who lingered awkwardly in the room, seemingly oblivious to the unspoken cue to leave.

“Will you kindly leave now?” Lorenzo's tone was clipped, a hint of annoyance lacing his words, though it was tempered with a measure of restraint. Despite his irritation, it was evident that Giovanni held a significant place in Lorenzo’s life. And Lorenzo really cared for him.

With a murmured apology, Giovanni finally took the hint and exited the room, leaving Lorenzo and me in tense silence.

Lorenzo rose from the couch, his hands slipping back into the pockets of his sweatpants. "You look tired. Take some rest. I'll see you tomorrow," he stated. I offered a weary nod in response as he turned to leave, but a sudden impulse made me call out to him before he could depart.

“Lorenzo?” My voice was soft, almost hesitant, and he immediately pivoted to face me, his attention fully captured.

“Could you... take me to my place tomorrow?” My tone was tinged with a hint of sadness. “I just... want to see it myself.”

“You don't have to,” he replied, knowing the emotional weight the visit would carry for me.

“I want to.”

"Alright." Lorenzo relented, his expression softening as he agreed to my request. “Now sleep.”

***

Chapter 5

Angela

My breath hitched as I struggled to contain the flood of emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. Despite my efforts, a tear or two managed to escape, tracing a path down my cheeks. Stepping through the yellow warning strips that cordoned off the burned remains of my house, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow at the sight before me. The once pristine white walls were now marred by the blackened scars of fire, and the air was heavy with the scent of charred wood and ash.

Lorenzo followed me as I made my way to what used to be my room, the creak of the door echoing in the silence. Moving to the wall adjacent to my bed, which somehow managed to escape the worst of the damage, I ran my hands over the surface, feeling for the signs of a hidden compartment. As my fingers grazed a small cut in the wallpaper, a sense of relief washed over me.

Tearing away the damaged wallpaper, I revealed the hollow space where I had hidden a small rectangular box that held the most precious thing to me. I couldn’t have cared less about the things that Giovanni retrieved. But when last night I was unable to find this box amongst the things in the suitcase, fear enveloped me as I thought of the worst case scenarios. Retrieving it with trembling hands, I turned to face Lorenzo as he observed my every movement.

"We can leave now," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. Lorenzo nodded in silent understanding, offering me a comforting presence as we made our way out of the place.

The ride back to his mansion was enveloped in a heavy silence, the only sound punctuating the air being the soft hum of the engine. Despite the lack of conversation, there was an odd sense of comfort in the air. However, my mind buzzed with the realization that I needed to begin the daunting task of finding a place to rent. I couldn't impose Lorenzo's hospitality forever, no matter how tempting the thought may be.

As he brought the car to a stop in front of the grand entrance to the mansion, I was so lost in my thoughts that I barely registered him stepping out and opening the door for me. Offering a murmured 'thank you' in response, I followed him inside, feeling a flutter of surprise as his hand settled gently on the back of my waist, guiding me forward.

Once we were seated on the plush couch in the living room, Lorenzo wasted no time in loosening his tie and undoing the first two buttons of his crisp white shirt. The casual gesture only served to accentuate his allure, leaving me momentarily spellbound as I watched him.

Giovanni entered the room, exchanging a meaningful glance with Lorenzo before handing him a rectangular box. He started talking to Lorenzo in Italian, and although the conversation was brief, their expressions hinted that it was important. Once Giovanni departed, Lorenzo approached me, his face unreadable as he took a seat beside me, extending his hand with the box resting on his palm.

As my eyes fell upon it, I realized it was a sleek, brand new phone. A surge of temptation coursed through me. Yet, I knew I couldn't accept such an expensive gift, especially considering the circumstances. “For you,” Lorenzo muttered.

"But I can’t take this," I began, my voice betraying a hint of reluctance. "It's far too generous. You've already done a lot for me, and I wouldn't be able to repay you for something so costly."

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