Love and Shadows

4

Chapter 4

Luca Romano

I don't know why she required my help to escape when she pretty much did it all on her own. I'd simply given her a rope to slither down the window of my room and the moment after, she'd disappeared. There was no single trace of her at all. Like it was a dream and she'd never been here. Even the guards were confused when they came.

The chaos of last night won’t leave my mind. Even here, in my office, it clings like a stubborn shadow. How close I had come to meeting my maker. But for some reason, she'd spared me, leaving me with an unsettled. The feeling's like an invisible thread tethering us, pulling me in despite my better judgment.

I look at the files in front of me, not surprised at how my eyes glaze when I try to read them. I can't string the words together anymore. And I know that forcing myself would only lead to me making crap decisions about the company I've worked so hard to build.

I'm distracted. But I need an even bigger distraction if I'm going to finally get my razor-sharp focus back. I sigh as I take my phone and call in the secretary. Dumping all the work in her hands, I stand up, deciding it's high time for a break. One look at the clear sky outside and I know it's high noon, high time. I send out a text, arranging a meeting now. I walk straight up to the door about to leave, but suddenly it opens before I can touch it. I frown, seeing a lady standing there and one that I know so well.

She looks bold and strong, her dark jacket covering her torso, making it impossible to see any skin, and her tightly fitted jean trouser giving her the impression of a fashion stylist.

"Elena? Here?" My voice is sharp, masking the unease her sudden arrival stirs. I step back, unsure whether to let her in or bar the door.

"I just came to check up on you," she responds, slowly looking around curiously. I shake my head, knowing she's not really interested. She hardly cares what I do, what I build, unless it has some personal connection to the family—now that's something she doesn't play with at all.

We take seats before I present my case,"what's the real reason you're here?" I asked, leaning back, arms folded. "It's been months, if not longer. Now, suddenly, you pop up. What's the catch?"

"I came on orders from father," She smirked, but her eyes scanned the office like she had her own agenda.

"And the orders are?" I ask, but she doesn't say anything to give me a clear grasp of the situation.

"Listen," I say clearly irritated, "you are here in my company, so if you want to really carry out whatever operation you are here for, you need to tell me exactly what it is."

At my outburst, she finally stated, "Father sent me here to survey the company and take some notes of it." She looked at me in question. "Would you like to know more specifics?"

"No," I say, shaking my head. All those boring stuff, I am not interested, especially since I'm emotionally conflicted nowadays

"Come, I'll give you a tour and you can complete your survey." I say, before taking a moment to send another text. Just like that, the next couple of hours pass while she does her analysis. Throughout, my mind roams between the business at hand and the unsettling presence of Elena. By the time I step outside, the sky has dimmed into evening.

I scan the vast number of people lurking, waiting around and talking in the vicinity until my eyes rest on a particular lady. A smile comes up to my lips. She'd come today, just as I requested. She's seated under a shade, writing furiously when I approach, and tap her gently on the shoulder.

Her smile blooms, and with it, the world feels momentarily brighter, my mood lighter. "I've been waiting for at least half an hour. You told me 6:00," she complains, returning to her writing, but going at a slower pace.

"I know. Sorry for keeping you waiting. My sister came along and we had some issues."

She responds by getting up on her feet and tucking the files into her bag. One look she shoots at me, and I feel electrified. Yes, with this, I'm definitely going to forget all about that stranger and the close shave I had come with death.

She seizes my lips in a passionate kiss, which I reciprocate fully, before pulling away. I smile at her, knowing what happens next. Vanessa Green is a storm — unpredictable and thrilling. For two weeks, she'd been my escape, her sharp wit and electric presence drawing me away from my troubles and responsibilities.

She's a dominatrix which is why I know her, and a pretty good one at that. Out relationship is purely physical and with her I usually explore the most creative s*x of the centuries. Now is the part where I take her to my car, to eventually end up in a hotel. I smile, just thinking about it. Each episode with her never gets old.

I don’t love her, but in these moments, her presence is a welcome distraction. Her confidence, her touch — it’s easy to forget what’s been gnawing at the back of my mind, at least for a while.

She's sensual when she wants to be, and explores intimacy in a way that I can't with no one else. A single thought of what's going to happen sends pure heat rushing through me.

I look up at the change of scenery before me. The routine has already begun. And it only gets better from here on. The dim light of the luxurious room needs some time for me to get used to. But when that happens, I realize I've missed the part where she takes off her shirt and undoes her bra strap. I close the distance between us, feeling the need rise up within me along with a surge of pure lust.

Her lips claimed mine, igniting the fire I'd come to crave. But as the heat surged, her face faded, replaced by another — a thought, an image, uninvited but persistent. The stranger from the night before, good lord, not again! I couldn’t shake the pull, not even here.

Vanessa's touch grounded me, but the stranger's shadow loomed larger. Who was she, and why couldn’t I shake the feeling that our story was far from over.