004

Luca

I stood by the expansive window of my private office, my eyes fixed on the vast estate sprawled beneath me. The golden hues of sunrise bathed the courtyard, but I hardly noticed.

Fuck.

My head throbbed with the remnants of a sleepless night... a consequence of my own recklessness.

"What the hell was I thinking?" I muttered, rubbing my temples.

I hadn't planned to take Caterina. Alessandro's bride, no less. It was an impulsive, irrational thought... an outright declaration of war. The kind of decision only a fool or a madman would make.

Yet here I was, nursing a headache while she wreaked havoc upstairs.

The night before had been filled with chaos. The sound of her relentless banging on the door, her shrill curses that pierced through the thick oak and into my sanity.

Heck. By three in the morning, I had nearly ordered my men to sedate her.

Instead, I'd sat in my office, nursing a glass of whiskey and questioning why I had allowed my intrusive thoughts to win.

My phone buzzed again, vibrating against the polished mahogany desk. I spared a glance at the screen, rolling my eyes when Alessandro’s name flashed for the tenth time that morning.

That man was desperate. Not desperate enough to test me, though.

His calls were immediately followed by dozens of texts and missed calls from Mr De Luca, Caterina’s father and other less members of the mafia.

They were along the line of...

Bring the girl back.

What were you thinking?

This isn't some game, Luca.

I ignored them all, of course. Answering meant explaining my actions, and even I didn't have a good explanation. Instead, I silenced the device and tossed it onto the desk, letting out a sharp exhale.

If I could just...

The sound of hurried footsteps broke my thoughts. Raphael, my most trusted enforcer, entered the room cautiously as though expecting an explosion.

With all the ruckus from the upper wing, it was a miracle I hadn't run mad.

"Boss," Raphael began, standing at attention. "The staff... they're, uh... concerned."

"About what?" I asked, though I knew the answer already.

She.

The new bane of my existence.

"She hasn't stopped yelling. Or throwing things. Apparently, she broke a vase this morning. A valuable one."

"Of course she did," I muttered, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Send someone to clean it up. And tell the staff to stay out of her way unless I say otherwise."

Raphael hesitated. “She’s demanding new clothes. Says she won’t wear these rags.”

My, my.

I couldn't help the smirk that stretched my lips. She's already issuing demands, and it wasn't even yet twenty-four hours.

How on earth would Alessandro have cope?

"Let her stew for a while," I said dismissively. "I'll deal with her during breakfast."

Raphael nodded and left without another word, leaving me to my thoughts.

***

The dining room was bathed in warm morning light, the table set with an assortment of fruits, pastries, and steaming cups of espresso. I sat at the head of the table, my usual calm restored, though the pounding in my head hadn't fully subsided.

"Bring her," I instructed Raphael, who stood by the door like a silent shadow.

Minutes later, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway. The doors opened, and Caterina was ushered in by two of my men. She was still in the same dress from the night before, the once elegant fabric now wrinkled and slightly torn. Her dark hair was a wild mess, and her eyes burned with unfiltered rage as they landed on me.

Mesmerising.

Fuck, she was beautiful.

"Good morning, Caterina," I greeted, leaning back in my chair while keeping all emotion from my tone.

Her glare could have set the table on fire. "I'd say the same, but that would imply this situation is remotely acceptable."

She stalked toward the table, her movements sharp and defiant, and sat down with all the grace of a lioness cornered in a cage. Without waiting for permission, she reached for a piece of bread and tore into it.

My lips twitched. "Hungry?"

“Starving,” she snapped, her tone dripping with venom. “Being kidnapped tends to ruin one’s appetite until survival instincts kick in.”

I chuckled, a low sound that only seemed to fuel her anger. “I suppose it does.”

For a moment, we ate in silence... she, glaring at me over the rim of her coffee cup, and me, watching her in quiet amusement while pretending not to notice the glare. The tension between us was palpable, a cracking energy that neither of us seemed willing to break.

Finally, she slammed my cup down, the porcelain clinking loudly against the saucer. "You've proved your point to my father and Alessandro, let me go."

Oh. Right.

I found myself tilting my head, studying her. "You think this is about proving a point?"

“Isn’t it?” she demanded, her voice rising. “Why else would you do something so insane?”

“Insane?” I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table. “I prefer to think of it as... bold.”

Her laugh was bitter. “You’re unhinged.”

“Perhaps.”

Our eyes locked, an unspoken challenge passing between us.

“Do you plan to keep me here forever?” she asked, her voice quieter but no less defiant.

Did I?

I didn't answer immediately. Instead, I reached for my coffee, taking a slow sip as I considered my words.

There was no way I was staying with this woman forever. I loved my sanity.

“Forever is a long time,” I said finally. “Let’s just take it one day at a time.”

Her scowl deepened. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you? Watching me squirm.”

“Watching you fight,” I corrected, a hint of admiration in my tone. “It’s... fascinating.”

She looked away, her jaw tightening. I could tell she was trying to suppress the flush rising to her cheeks.

My amusement only grew with that.

Again, how on earth had Alessandro planned to domesticate her? The thought of it was absurd. The little tigress wasn't a woman who could be tamed. She was a wildfire, unpredictable and untouchable.

And yet, here she was, seated across from me, throwing sparks in every direction.

Bless my heart.

Breakfast ended with little fanfare. Caterina pushed her chair back abruptly and stood, clearly ready to retreat to the sanctuary of her room... or her cage, as she likely saw it.

“Caterina.”

She froze at the sound of my voice, shoulders stiffening.

“What?” she bit out, not bothering to turn around.

I rose from my seat, crossing the room in a few long strides until I was standing directly behind her.

“Turn around,” I said softly.

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, but she obeyed, spinning on her heel to face me.

"Do you get off from toying with people, Luca?" She asked, her voice trembling with anger.

"Only when they look like you."

She glared at me, her breathing shallow, her chest rising and falling in rapid beats. I couldn't help but reach out, brushing the stray lock of hair from her face. She flinched but didn't pull away.

"You hate me," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Loathe,” she corrected.

Another smirk caressed my lips. "Good. Loathe keeps things interesting."

Before she could respond, I leaned in, my lips brushing against the curve of her cheek. The touch was fleeting, barely more than a whisper, but it sent a jolt through me.

She gasped softly, stepping back as though burned, her wide eyes searching mine for answers she wouldn’t find.

"Enjoy your day, amorino."

And with that, I turned and walked away, leaving her standing in the middle of the room, her emotions a storm I knew would rage long after I was gone.

My amorino, zero.

Me, one.