The Mafia Boss's Sweet Secret

Chapter6.

Lily's POV.

I pretend to be asleep when Alessio comes to my room to check on me. He stands on the threshold for a few seconds. I can feel his eyes burning into the back of my head, and I tell myself that they have a softness in them, the same softness they had when he was staring into my eyes on the street behind the tree.

He sighs and finally walks away. He closes the door behind him. I hear it click, but I remain on the bed, motionless, staring at the wall in front of me as I ponder my strange predicament. My stomach has formed itself into one massive knot and I feel like I might throw up at any second. I realize now, with a great deal of regret, that danger isn't as thrilling when you're up close. It's fine as long as you're only observing from a safe distance, but it's a whole other story when you're the one caught in the middle.

I sigh heavily and wrap my arms around my waist. I squeeze until my insides begin to hurt. I feel so angry with myself. I have no idea what I was thinking. I'm such a reckless fool for getting myself into this situation. I had this romantic notion in my head about what it would be like to go on an adventure with a handsome stranger and I allowed myself to get swept away in the moment. I can't help but wonder what my father would say if he saw me now. He would berate me for being so irresponsible. He would tell me that I acted like a silly little girl.

I roll over on my back and hug my waist even tighter. I no longer try to fight the tears that have been threatening to fall since I arrived at the villa, and I let them spill over my cheeks. I miss my father. I wish that he were here to save me. I miss my mother as well. I wish that they were both still here. I wish that I was back in my studio sitting in front of the painting that I started. I wish that I never looked out of that window. I wish that I never saw what I saw, and most of all, I wish that I didn't act the way I did tonight.

I have no idea how long I've been lying on the bed staring up at the ceiling, but my tears have all dried and the villa is quiet. I wonder if the armed guards keeping watch have also gone to bed. I wonder if it would be possible for me to get out of here while everyone else is asleep. I have to at least try. I can't stay here. I don't want to. I get off the bed as quietly as I can and tiptoe over to the door. I open it just wide enough for me to peer through the crack. The light in the hallway is still on, but there's no one else around. I slip through the crack and close the door behind me again just in case. I start to walk in the direction of the front door, but then I hear someone talking and I freeze on the spot. The voice is getting closer and closer. I have to get out of this hallway. I turn on my heel and hurry off in the opposite direction. I manage to turn the corner just as the owner of the voice steps into the hallway. He sounds pretty worked up.

The hallway I find myself in now is dark save for the faint light streaming in through the large windows. They cast beautiful shadows on the floor. I tiptoe along the wall until I find myself standing in front of an open door. The door leads into Alessio's bedroom. The same faint light from the hallway shines on his bed through the window. He's completely naked, except for a white sheet that drapes carefully across his pelvis. His dark hair looks silky and soft in the faint light. His face is relaxed and he looks peaceful. His perfectly smooth skin dares me to run my fingers over it. I find myself wondering what it would be like to crawl into bed next to him. What his skin would feel like against mine. What it would feel like to have him wrap his arms around me and pull me close.

"Stop it, Lily!" I scold myself and shake my head to get rid of the images I have just created for myself. I need to stop thinking thoughts like these. I need to stop allowing myself to get so lost in Alessio. I need to get out of here.

I take a step back and make to turn around again, but I bump into something behind me. Only it isn't something, it's someone. I spin around and take another step back in the opposite direction. I have to crane my neck to see who it is.

"Dante." I whisper. I can feel the color draining from my face. He stares at me with cold, vacant eyes. I don't like him. He has a vagueness about him that makes me distrustful of him.

He draws his mouth into a thin, hard line. He doesn't seem to like me much either. "What are you doing here?" He doesn't bother to keep his voice down. Alessio stirs in the room behind us, but he doesn't wake up. I have to think fast. I can't exactly tell him that I was looking for a way out.

"I, uh... I was just... Looking for the bathroom." I know that I don't sound believable at all, but it's all I've got.

Dante raises his eyebrows at me. He looks over my shoulder at Alessio, then a deep frown forms on his forehead. He's handsome. Not nearly as handsome as Alessio, but handsome in a boyish kind of way. But his eyes are cruel. I don't like the way he makes me feel.

He doesn't say anything for a few seconds, and we stand in the dark hallway with an uncomfortable silence hanging between us. I don't feel like I can just walk away either. I feel like I have to wait for him to dismiss me. Simply because I don't know what else to do, and because I can't take the way he's just staring at me, I turn my head to look up and down the hallway. It's then that I realize that there are no other rooms in this hallway. I turn my head to look at Dante again, and it is my turn to raise my eyebrows at him.

"What are YOU doing here?" The amount of suspicion in my voice surprises me a little, but I let it be.

Dante crosses his arms over his chest and scowls at me through narrowed eyes. "What business is that of yours?" His voice is cold, void of any emotion.

I open my mouth to speak, but close it again because I don't really know what to say. He's right. It's none of my business.

"Bambolina! I've been looking everywhere for you." Isabella is scurrying towards us. I have no idea where she came from, but I am so relieved to see her that I smile and start walking towards her. She reaches out to me and places an arm around my shoulder. "Let's get you back to bed." I allow her to lead me away from Dante. "You should get some sleep as well." She scolds over her shoulder. I don't even bother to look at Dante again. I can only imagine the angry look on his face.

"Thank you." I whisper gratefully as Isabella opens the door to my room.

"You should try to get some rest. It's best to steer clear of Dante while you're here. He isn't very friendly." She kisses me on the cheek and closes the door behind her again.

I lie back down on the bed. What else am I supposed to do? When I see Alessio again, I'll just tell him that I want to go back home. I close my eyes. I don't think that I will sleep, but I do.