Ruined by Desire

The Masked Dance

Monaco apparently took masquerades very seriously. Sienna realized that the second Luca’s car pulled up outside the estate overlooking the ocean.

The mansion looked less like a home and more like somewhere movie villains hosted secret societies. Lights spilled across marble staircases while fountains glittered beneath the night sky.

Luxury cars lined the circular driveway and masked guests drifted through the entrance dressed in gowns and tailored suits worth terrifying amounts of money.

“Oh my God,” Sienna muttered.

Beside her, Luca looked deeply entertained.

“You say that every time Monaco behaves exactly like Monaco.”

“Because this city is unhinged.”

“Our city,” Luca corrected smoothly.

Sienna turned toward him immediately.

“That felt dangerous.”

His mouth curved slowly beneath the black mask covering the upper half of his face.

Good Lord. The mask somehow made him dangerously attractive. And the tailored black tuxedo definitely wasn’t helping either.

Sienna had spent nearly forty minutes trying not to panic while getting ready earlier. Earlier, she’d been convinced the effort was pointless and she would always just look like herself but the second his eyes landed on her outside her apartment, he’d gone completely still.

The black silk dress hugged her body perfectly, the slit revealing flashes of leg every time she moved while the crystal-lined silver mask hid just enough of her face to make her feel bolder than usual.

Luca still hadn’t recovered.

“You’re staring,” she said as they climbed the staircase together.

“You look…” He exhaled once softly. “Christ.”

Sienna immediately looked forward again before her heartbeat embarrassed her publicly.

“That’s not even a sentence.”

“It’s the only thought I have left.”

That unfortunately sent warmth rushing straight through her chest.

Luca offered his arm as they entered the ballroom and this time Sienna took it without arguing. Big mistake because the second they stepped inside, every head turned toward them.

Music floated beneath enormous chandeliers while masked couples danced across polished marble floors. Waiters moved through the crowd carrying champagne beneath gold candlelight and somewhere overhead a live orchestra played something atmospheric.

Sienna's hand tightened slightly against Luca’s arm.

He noticed immediately.

“You okay?” he murmured.

“There are too many beautiful people in one room. It feels hostile.”

A quiet laugh escaped him.

“You’re doing fine.”

“That sounded suspiciously sincere.”

“It was.”

Sienna groaned quietly.

As they moved deeper into the ballroom, people constantly stopped Luca. There were investors, socialites, politicians, women who looked personally offended by Sienna’s existence.

Through all of it, Luca covered her hand with his own at the crook of his elbow. At first she told herself it was for appearances. Then he kept doing it even when nobody was looking.

“You hate this,” Luca observed quietly after the third conversation in a row.

“I hate rich people networking rituals.”

“That’s fair.”

One older man kissed Sienna’s hand dramatically before complimenting Luca in Italian. Sienna narrowed her eyes immediately.

“What did he say?”

Luca looked innocent. “Nothing important.”

“That expression means it was absolutely important.”

His grin widened.

“He said I finally look emotionally stable.”

Sienna burst into startled laughter.

“That’s horrible.”

“He’s known me since childhood. He’s not entirely wrong.”

The honesty underneath the joke caught her off guard again but before she could answer, the orchestra shifted songs. Couples immediately moved toward the dance floor to take advantage of the change in tempo.

Luca’s gaze flicked toward it once before returning to her.

“Oh no,” Sienna said immediately.

“Oh yes.”

“I don’t dance.”

“That’s tragic because we’re already going.”

Before she could protest, he guided her gently toward the center of the ballroom.

“This feels manipulative.”

“I prefer persuasive.”

“You literally kidnapped me into a waltz.”

“You’ll survive.”

Sienna should’ve felt awkward. Instead, the second Luca’s hand settled against the middle of her back, every coherent thought disappeared.

Oh, this was bad.

The orchestra swelled softly around them as Luca guided her effortlessly across the floor.

“You know how to dance?” she asked suspiciously.

“I’m Italian and rich. It’s legally required.”

Despite herself, Sienna laughed and Luca looked devastatingly pleased by the sound.

The ballroom blurred slowly around them and none of it felt real anymore. The music, the lights and the crowd all paled into insignificance when Luca was looking at her like that.

“You’re staring again,” she whispered.

“I can’t help it tonight.”

Her pulse stumbled hard enough that she was certain he felt it beneath his hand.

“Sienna.”

The way he said her name made the entire room feel smaller. His fingers tightened slightly against her waist as they moved together beneath the chandeliers.

“You look beautiful,” he said quietly without trace of flirtation. Just honesty.

And this somehow affected her far more.

Sienna looked up at him fully then. She took in the sharp line of his jaw, the dark mask and the warmth in his eyes. And suddenly she understood exactly why women fell in love with Luca Moretti.

It wasn’t the money, looks or charm. It was this. The way he focused on someone like they were the only person in the room. The way he made attention feel intimate.

Sienna felt a bubble of panic in her throat because she was starting to forget this wasn’t real.

Luca’s hand slid slightly higher against her back, pulling her closer almost unconsciously.

Neither of them spoke. They didn’t need to. The tension between them had become something alive.

Sienna’s gaze dropped briefly toward his mouth and of course Luca noticed. His expression changed instantly and he became softer and hungrier all rolled in to one. The movement of their dance slowed until they were barely swaying beneath the music.

“Sienna,” he murmured again.

And God, she wanted him to kiss her. She wanted it badly enough to scare herself.

Luca leaned closer slowly, his free hand lifting instinctively toward her face.

Everything around them dropped away until it was just Luca and her.

His forehead brushed lightly against hers. It would only take one more inch.

Then panic hit her chest hard and sudden. No strings, she'd said. No emotional attachment.

Sienna stepped backward abruptly.

Luca froze immediately.

“I can’t,” she whispered.

The hurt that flickered across his face lasted less than a second before the mask returned. The charming Luca Moretti smile.

“Of course,” he said softly.

Which somehow made it worse.

Sienna’s chest tightened painfully.

“I should get some air.”

Luca nodded once and let her go without stopping her.

That hurt too.