The Beach Villa
1399 Words
The drive to Luca’s private villa took nearly forty minutes.
Forty deeply suspicious minutes where Sienna sat in the passenger seat of Luca’s absurdly expensive
black Aston Martin watching Monaco slowly disappear behind them while trying not to acknowledge the
fact she was being kidnapped voluntarily.
“You’re quiet,” Luca observed casually, one hand resting loosely against the steering wheel.
“I’m evaluating my survival odds.”
“That feels dramatic.”
“You said private villa like a Bond villain.”
Luca smiled faintly without looking away from the road.
“I said beach villa.”
“You said private first.”
“Because it’s private.”
“That’s exactly how serial killers talk.”
His laugh slipped out softly into the warm evening air drifting through the open windows.
“You kissed me willingly less than twenty-four hours ago,” he reminded her.
“That doesn’t mean I trust your real estate portfolio.”
The coastline curved beside them in waves of dark blue while the sunset painted streaks of
gold, purple and pink across the horizon. Luca had picked her up directly after work with absolutely no
explanation beyond:
Luca: Pack a bag.
Which was alarming behavior from a billionaire known for yacht and fountain scandals. So far so good with driving into fountains!
“You still haven’t told me where we’re going.”Sienna glanced sideways at him again.
“You’ll ruin the surprise with paranoia.”
“My paranoia has kept me alive this long.”
“That’s concerning at twenty-five.”
“You make me nervous.”
Luca looked over briefly then, his expression softening immediately in that dangerous way it kept doing
around her lately.
“Not tonight.”
The quiet sincerity in his voice stole every sarcastic reply directly out of her mouth. Sienna looked back out the window quickly before her heart embarrassed her further.
The road eventually narrowed into a winding coastal drive lined with tall cypress trees and secluded
stone walls hidden beneath climbing ivy. Fewer buildings appeared the farther they drove until Monaco’s
glittering skyline became nothing more than a faint glow behind them.
And then the gates appeared.
“Oh my God.”
Massive black iron gates slowly opened automatically as Luca approached and Sienna stared at him in
disbelief.
“You own gates?”
“That’s the upsetting part for you?”
“You own automatic gates.”
“That’s generally how gates work now.”
Sienna looked horrified.
“You’re becoming progressively richer the longer I know you.”
“I was always this rich.”
“Yes, but before I could pretend it was exaggerated by magazines.”
The car rolled down a long stone driveway surrounded by palm trees and soft lights hidden amongst the landscaping. Then the villa finally came into view and Sienna forgot how to breathe properly for a second time this week.
The house overlooked the ocean directly. Floor-to-ceiling glass reflected the sunset across sleek white stone while warm lights glowed softly from inside. Beyond the infinity pool sat a private stretch of beach untouched by crowds or tourists. Sienna stared silently through the windshield.
“This is not a villa.”
Luca parked calmly.
“That sounds judgmental.”
“This is a luxury resort for emotionally unavailable millionaires.”
“Billionaires,” he corrected automatically.
Sienna turned slowly toward him.
“I need you to hear how much worse that makes it.”
Luca laughed quietly before climbing out of the car. Sienna followed more slowly, taking in the sound of
waves crashing gently onto the shore and the warm scent of salt drifting through the air.
“This place is insane,” she admitted.
“It’s quieter than Monaco.”
For the first time since meeting Luca, there were no cameras here. No crowded rooftop bars. No wealthy
strangers watching them from across rooms. No phones ringing. No photographers hiding outside restaurants. No Theo sending emotionally invasive messages every six minutes. Just Luca and the ocean. Luca reached around her for the overnight bag in the backseat and his chest brushed lightly against her shoulder in the process. The casual closeness immediately disrupted her ability to think normally again.
“You’re staring,” he murmured.
“I’m overwhelmed by your tax bracket.”
“You like the beach so this seemed the perfect place to bring you.”
Sienna looked out toward the water again. The private shoreline stretched below the villa untouched beneath fading sunset colors and honestly? It was beautiful.
“You bring a lot of women here?” she asked before she could stop herself.
The second the words left her mouth, Luca looked at her carefully.
“No,” he said quietly. “You’re the only one I wanted here.”
Sienna studied him carefully. The pause before his answer hadn’t sounded guilty. It had sounded careful.
“You weren't sure how to answer that though.”
“I was deciding how offended to be by the question.”
"I'm glad you're honest with me either way."
"Always."
Sienna smiled as Luca took her hand, interlacing their fingers, and led her toward the villa entrance. The inside somehow looked even more luxurious than the exterior. Warm neutral tones. Massive open spaces. Glass walls overlooking the ocean. Everything elegant without feeling cold and impersonal. This didn’t feel like one of Luca’s public billionaire playgrounds. It felt lived in.
“You actually stay here,” Sienna realized quietly.
“When Monaco gets loud.”
That answer lingered strangely between them. Sienna wandered slowly toward the glass doors overlooking the water while Luca disappeared briefly into another room. The ocean stretched endlessly beyond the terrace now bathed fully in twilight.
“It’s beautiful at night.”
His voice came from directly behind her this time and Sienna startled slightly before turning. Luca stood close enough now that she could smell his cologne again.
“Will you ever stop appearing behind me like a morally questionable ghost?”
“No.”
“That’s concerning.”
“You still came willingly.”
“That’s becoming less defensible by the day.”
Luca smiled softly before stepping past her to slide the terrace doors fully open. Warm sea air drifted
instantly through the villa.
“Come here.”
Sienna followed him outside onto the terrace where soft lights glowed beneath the stone steps leading
down toward the beach. A table was set for dinner near the edge of the terrace overlooking the ocean completely lit by candles. Sienna stopped walking immediately.
“Oh no.”
Luca looked almost offended.
“What?”
“You prepared romance.”
“It’s dinner.”
“There are candles.”
“It was dark.”
“You’re emotionally manipulating me with architecture.”
His mouth twitched.
“That’s an insane sentence.”
“You brought me to a private coastal mansion during sunset.”
“You say mansion so aggressively.”
“Because it is one.”
Luca stepped closer again, amusement lingering in his expression.
“You know what your problem is?”
“I assume you’re about to tell me.”
“You panic every time you enjoy something.”
Sienna opened her mouth to argue and immediately closed it again because unfortunately he was right. Luca watched realization cross her face and looked deeply entertained by it.
“There she is.”
“I dislike when you’re perceptive.”
“I dislike when other men flirt with you but life is difficult for everyone.”
Sienna laughed before she could stop it. The ocean breeze moved wisps of hair across her face and Luca’s expression softened instantly at the sound of her laughter. God, she was starting to recognize that look now. The one that appeared right before he forgot how to be emotionally guarded.
“You’re doing it again,” she murmured softly.
“Doing what?”
“Looking at me like that.”
“Like what?”
Sienna swallowed once.
“Like this means something.”
For once, Luca didn’t tease her.
Instead, he stepped forward slowly until barely any space remained between them beneath the warm
terrace lights.
“Oh Sienna,” he said quietly, “when are you going to realize it already does?”
The honesty in his voice hit harder than she expected. Because the terrifying thing was?
She already knew.
- Writer
