Chapter One
1196 Words
~Valentina~
A satisfied sigh left my lips as I closed my suitcase and fell on my bed.
Eleven days.
Eleven more days for me to leave my home.
To escape the empty void that was now the Morellini family.
To finally have the freedom I had always wanted.
Since I lost my father and younger brother, life had not been the same. The laughter in this home now held hints of pain. People's smiles didn't reach their eyes. Joy had long evaded the Morellini household.
And I couldn't wait to escape it all.
My phone pinged from the bedside and I sat up to get it.
It was a text from my best friend, Mia.
—
Mia: Don't be late for our coffee date, Val. I've got a meeting afterwards.
Me: I'm never late
Mia: Right
—
I could literally hear the sarcasm in that one word.
Standing up from my bed, I rolled my suitcase towards the door of my closet and made my way towards the bathroom to get ready.
♣♣♣
Mia walked into the coffee shop, her eyes glued to her phone as she made her way towards our usual spot. When she finally looked up and saw me, the shock on her face was priceless.
"Why on earth are you early?!", she asked, her surprise evident as she sat down in front of me.
"You didn't want me to be early? I remember your exact words being 'Don't be late for our coffee date, Val.' ", I batted my lashes at her with faux innocence.
She rolled her eyes at me, "What matters is that you're here. And on time".
"Yeah, whatever. I'll be getting my usual, what about you?", I asked as I got up to order our coffee.
"I'll be getting my usual as well", she said, her eyes already glued to her phone.
Typical.
I looked behind me and sighed at the line that had formed since I arrived.
I joined the line and waited. It finally got to my turn and I ordered my coffee and Mia's.
Once it was ready, I collected them and turned but I bumped into a hard chest and lost my footing.
I was mentally preparing myself for an embarrassing fall, when strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me into a chest of pure hard muscle. Preventing me from plummeting to my death.
A little dramatic, I know.
I looked to thank my saviour, when the air was stripped from my lungs by the sight of the man who held me.
He was beautiful. His eyes, despite cold, were like a confluence of many oceans, the perfect shade of blue. They held so much yet told so little. I was scared if I stared for too long I might drown in them. His dark hair was styled perfectly, his jawline so sharp, his lips full and... tempting. The heat of his arm around my waist seared through my top and had my skin heating up.
"You're welcome", a deep voice grunted and shattered my thoughts. The coldness and indifference in his tone was like a bucket of cold water to my heated skin.
My gaze fell away from his as I stepped back and steadied myself. My coffee and Mia's were thankfully still in my hands.
I glared at him, "I never said thank you".
"As you should have", he replied. His eyes skipped away from me as if his interest in this conversation was done.
Who the hell did this guy think he is?
I took a second to look at him again. And this time not his face.
He was in a three-piece suit that failed to conceal his build. He had an air of importance about him. But not in a typical clean cut way. There was something rugged and cold about him. Something dangerous.
I looked back at his eyes and found them already on me. Even the scowl on his face couldn't spoil his features.
"It was nice meeting you, asshole", I said dismissively and saw his scowl deepen as I walked away.
As I went back to Mia, the cheshire grin on her face told me everything I needed to know.
"Your cheeks are gonna hurt soon", I chided, as I took my seat and gave her her coffee.
" What was that?!", she squealed.
" What was what?"
"That thing between you and that hottie", she said, wiggling her eyebrows. Her eyes had a wicked glint in them. This girl was going to be the death of me.
"There was nothing between us. He literally scowled at me the whole time", I said, but the way my heart was beating seemed to tell me otherwise.
"Scowl or not his eyes told a completely different story", she said, looking all smug, "He was literally feasting on you with his eyes".
I blushed at her bluntness.
"There was no way you could read his eyes from all the way here, Mia. And by the way as beautiful as he his, he sure has a sore attitude".
" You think he's beautiful?", Mia beamed, her brain skipped the part about his sore attitude.
"Mia, that's not the point and have you forgotten that I have a boyfriend."
She rolled her eyes at me,"A boyfriend I didn't approve of. You guys barely have chemistry".
"I'm not having this conversation with you again, Mia. I love him, okay. And that's what matters. That's what should matter. Can't you at least get along with him for me?", I pleaded.
Mila had never liked my boyfriend, Adam. She always said something about him didn't sit right with her. Whatever that meant. She was also very much not in support of my choice to school in Denver because of him.
"Alright, alright. Let's not kill the mood", she said, "Anyways, what are your plans for this next week? I can't believe you'll soon leave me to all this s**t".
A smile touched my lips as I began to tell her what I had planned out for the remainder of my time in Las Vegas. As much as I loved my best friend, nothing could make me to continue living in the Morellini mansion. But I'm grateful she understood.
Mia was part of the famiglia too. Her father was my father's consigliere, before s**t hit the fan. I can't remember a time in my life when Mia wasn't around.
Our time together is cut short by a call.
I picked it up and answered it.
"Val", my brother's voice reached my ears,"Your presence is required at home, immediately".
I gulped. No one ever calls for a me impromptu.
"Why the formality?", I laughed trying to ease the tension.
"Be here in five, Val", he said, as he let out a sigh of exhaustion, then he ended the call.
I looked up to look at Mila who had heard the whole conversation.
"What could that be about?", she asked.
"I have no idea", I said, as a cold sensation swept through me. Deep down, I knew whatever Luca had to say could only be bad news.
My gut twisted in suspense. Something was up.
- Writer
