Chapter 5- A Night Without Names
1159 Words
The rooftop lounge overlooked the dazzling skyline of Milan.
Soft jazz floated through the air while crystal chandeliers reflected against glasses of expensive wine.
It was elegant.
Calm.
Nothing like the loud clubs Zara usually dragged people into.
"I told you this place was perfect," Zara said proudly as she took another sip of her cocktail.
Sienna leaned comfortably against her chair, swirling the amber liquid inside her glass.
"It'll do."
Zara rolled her eyes.
"I don't think I've ever heard you compliment anything without making it sound like a business evaluation."
"It isn't a compliment."
"I know."
The two women shared a brief smile before silence settled between them.
Not awkward.
Comfortable.
Below them, the city glittered beneath the night sky.
For the first time in weeks...
Sienna wasn't thinking about De Luca Holdings.
Not about Adrian.
Not about board meetings.
Not about company politics.
Just...
nothing.
It felt strange.
Refreshing.
Two men approached their table.
Both were dressed sharply.
Confident.
The kind of confidence that came from rarely being rejected.
"Ladies," one of them greeted with an easy smile.
"Mind if we join you?"
Zara looked at Sienna.
Sienna looked back at her drink.
"Do whatever you want," she muttered.
The men took that as permission.
One sat beside Zara.
The other pulled out the chair opposite Sienna.
"I'm Marco."
Silence.
He smiled.
"And you are...?"
Sienna took another sip.
"...Drinking."
Marco blinked.
"...That's not a name."
"It wasn't supposed to be."
Zara burst into laughter.
Marco chuckled awkwardly.
"I like women with attitude."
"I don't."
"Ouch."
Meanwhile...
Zara seemed surprisingly entertained by Marco's friend.
The two were already laughing over something ridiculous.
Within twenty minutes, they were standing.
"I'm going downstairs with him," Zara whispered to Sienna.
"You sure?"
Sienna barely looked up.
"I'm not your mother."
"I'll text you."
"Hm."
"You'll be okay?"
Sienna glanced toward Marco.
"I've handled worse."
"Fair enough."
Zara grinned before disappearing with the other man.
Now...
Only Marco remained.
"You know..."
He leaned forward.
"I've never met anyone this difficult."
"I've never tried."
He laughed.
"I like a challenge."
"I don't."
"You've said that twice."
"I meant it twice."
Marco ordered another drink.
Without asking.
One was placed before Sienna.
She frowned slightly.
"I didn't order this."
"My treat."
She looked at the glass.
Then back at him.
"...Fine."
One drink wouldn't hurt.
She picked it up.
Several minutes later...
She felt...
warm.
Oddly warm.
She frowned.
She hadn't drunk enough for that.
Marco noticed.
"You okay?"
She narrowed her eyes.
"...Did you..."
"No."
He smiled far too quickly.
"You just look tired."
Something wasn't right.
Her head wasn't spinning...
But her thoughts felt slower.
She hated that feeling.
She reached for her handbag.
"I'm leaving."
Marco stood too.
"I'll help."
"I didn't ask."
He reached for her wrist.
His hand never touched her.
A larger hand caught it first.
Firm.
Unmoving.
Marco winced.
"What the—"
A calm voice spoke behind him.
"I think she asked to be left alone."
Marco turned.
The man standing there was taller than him by several inches.
Well-built.
Dark suit.
Sleeves rolled slightly above his wrists.
His expression wasn't angry.
Which somehow made him more intimidating.
Marco scoffed.
"This doesn't concern you."
"It does now."
The words were quiet.
Simple.
Yet impossible to argue with.
Marco looked between the stranger and Sienna.
He clicked his tongue.
"Whatever."
He shoved his chair aside and walked off, muttering insults beneath his breath.
Silence returned.
The stranger looked at Sienna.
"You alright?"
She studied him carefully.
His face was handsome.
Sharp jaw.
Dark eyes.
Messy black hair as though he'd run his hand through it too many times.
Annoyingly attractive.
"I'm fine."
"You don't look fine."
"I didn't ask for your opinion."
He smiled.
"There she is."
"There who is?"
"The woman who clearly wasn't going to let him win."
"I would've broken his nose."
"I believe you."
She raised an eyebrow.
"You say that surprisingly easily."
"You looked like someone deciding between violence and patience."
"I was."
"So..."
He pulled out the chair Marco had occupied.
"Which one won?"
She looked at him.
"...Neither."
He laughed.
An actual laugh.
Warm.
Unforced.
It caught her completely off guard.
"You laugh a lot."
"Only when something's funny."
"And I'm funny?"
"No."
He tilted his head.
"You're interesting."
"I wasn't trying to be."
"I know."
The waiter returned.
"What would you like, sir?"
"The same thing she's having."
Sienna frowned.
"That's a terrible choice."
"I'll take the risk."
Several minutes passed.
Neither spoke.
Oddly...
It wasn't uncomfortable.
Finally...
He broke the silence.
"So."
"So?"
"You always this suspicious?"
"You always interrupt strangers?"
"Only the ones about to punch someone."
"I wasn't going to punch him."
"You looked like you wanted to."
"I wanted to throw the table."
He nearly spat out his drink laughing.
"The table?"
"It was closer."
He shook his head.
"I don't think I've ever met anyone like you."
"You probably shouldn't again."
An hour slipped by.
Conversation became easier.
Unexpectedly.
They spoke about cities.
Books.
Travelling.
Terrible coffee.
The best pizza.
The worst airports.
Neither asked for names.
Neither offered one.
Somehow...
That made the conversation lighter.
No expectations.
No reputations.
Just...
two strangers.
Eventually...
He looked toward the city.
"Want to get some air?"
She considered it.
For exactly three seconds.
"...Alright."
They walked through Milan's quiet streets.
Streetlights reflected against old stone buildings.
A violinist played softly near the plaza.
People laughed in distant cafés.
It felt...
peaceful.
"What do you do?" he asked.
She smiled faintly.
"I thought we weren't asking questions like that."
"...Fair."
"What about you?"
"I never said you could ask either."
"Touche."
They continued walking.
Sometimes talking.
Sometimes simply enjoying the silence.
For someone she'd met less than two hours ago...
He was surprisingly easy to be around.
She couldn't explain why.
Eventually they stopped outside a luxury hotel.
He looked at her.
"So..."
"So."
"I suppose this is where we say goodbye."
She studied him.
Something about tonight felt...
different.
No expectations.
No promises.
No names.
Just...
one night.
One city.
Two strangers.
She stepped closer.
"You laugh too much."
"You frown too much."
"I don't."
"You do."
"I don't."
"You just did."
For the first time...
She laughed.
A quiet laugh.
Soft enough that even she seemed surprised by it.
He smiled.
"There it is."
"What?"
"The proof you're human."
She rolled her eyes.
"Don't ruin the moment."
"I'll try."
A comfortable silence settled between them again.
Then she glanced toward the hotel entrance.
"...One night."
He looked at her.
"No names."
"No names."
"No questions."
"No questions."
"And tomorrow..."
She looked back toward the glowing streets of Milan.
"...we become strangers again."
He held her gaze for a long moment.
Then nodded once.
"...Deal."
Together...
They walked through the revolving doors.
The city carried on outside.
Unaware that two strangers had just made a decision neither of them expected when the night began.
- Writer
