Page 30 of The Bonventi Secret
Get it together, Livia, I think to myself. Don't let him get to you. Sure, he may make Jake look like a scrawny little man, but Jake isn't a mobster.
I take a few deep breaths and then ready myself for bed.
I step out of the bathroom, my body still tingling from our earlier encounter. Enzo sits on the edge of the bed, looking at his phone. He glances up at me, our eyes meeting for a split second before I look away.
I glance at the chaise lounge where I napped earlier. I feel it's best to sleep there, putting some distance between Enzo and myself.
But before I can even take two steps, Enzo's deep voice calls out. "And where do you think you're going?"
I pause, my back to him. "I'm sleeping on the chaise," I answer, trying to keep my voice neutral.
He laughs. "I don't think so, cara mia. You'll sleep in our bed."
His tone leaves no room for argument, but I try anyway. I turn to face him. "I'd rather not," I say, defiance rising in my tone.
"It wasn't a request," he says. "This is our room, our bed. You will sleep here, with me."
I know it's futile to fight him on this. Despite my protests, he's made it clear that he's calling the shots.
The thought of being in such close proximity to him is—I'm not sure how to explain it.
I remind myself of the effort he's putting into my studies and realize it's not worth the fight.
With a resigned sigh, I nod slightly and make my way to the bed. Enzo watches as I gather a few pillows and start building a makeshift wall between us. It’s a flimsy barrier, but it gives me a sense of control.
"What are you doing now?" he asks, eyebrow raised.
"Making sure we stay on our own sides," I reply, not looking up at him.
He chuckles but doesn't stop me. I finish my barrier and climb into bed, pulling the covers up to my chin and turning away from him.
The mattress dips as Enzo settles in on his side. I feel him shift closer, almost on purpose, and suddenly his arm brushes against my pillow wall. A jolt of electricity shoots through me at the brief contact.
"You know," he growls close to my ear, "these pillows will have to come down eventually."
I squeeze my eyes shut, willing my body not to react to his proximity. "Not tonight, they won't."
"For now, Livia, for now."
The room falls into silence, broken only by our breaths. I lay there, staring into the dark, unable to shake the image of Enzo’s chiseled body from my mind. I try to think of anything other than the man lying next to me, but it's useless. The way his skin glistened with water droplets, the tattoos etched into him. I can almost feel the heat of his skin, the firmness of his muscles, and then there’s the way the towel hung low on his hips, leaving little to the imagination.
It’s infuriating how much this affects me.
I quickly lean into my analytical side. I tell myself that it's just biology, a natural response to an attractive member of the opposite sex. I tell myself that it doesn't mean anything, that it doesn't have to change anything.
But a rush of heat floods through me, throwing anything analytical out the window. I press my face into the pillow, confused with myself. How can my body betray me like this? I shouldn't be attracted to him.
But I am.
God help me, I am.
I shift restlessly, trying to find a comfortable position. But no matter how I lie, I can't escape the awareness of Enzo's body just inches away from mine.
I hate this,I think to myself.I hate the way he makes me feel.
I lie awake for hours, torn between desire and indecision, unable to silence the war raging inside me. When sleep finally comes, it's filled with dreams of tattooed skin and dark blue eyes, chipping away at my defenses, whether I like it or not.
LIVIA - 10
