CHAPTER 39: HIS SANCTUARY

"Can I ask you a question?" Valentina in the middle of a conversation with the hilarious Salvatore asked.

"You ask a lot of questions, ragazza," he said.

"Knowledge isn’t a bad thing, is it?"

"See, another question."

Valentina laughed.

Her laughter made Salvatore look at her closely. It was so funny, yet so infectious.

When he heard how everyone talked about her beauty, he thought they had to be exaggerating.

And even if they were, her beauty would be her only positive.

He was glad to be proven wrong by just having random conversations with her.

"I’m going to ask anyway. Why is it so bright? And why do the walls blend?"

He shrugged. "You’d have to be a part of Neravalle to know the answer to both questions. Unfortunately, you’re not. But it’s not too late. We’re handing out membership cards." He lifted a brow.

Valentina smiled. "You want me to live in the same place I was kidnapped? It would take a special kind of Stockholm syndrome for that to happen, don’t you think so?"

He tilted his head from side to side. "Fair enough. But if you change your mind, don’t hesitate to–" he walked a bit forward, and then stopped in front of a glass panel. "Don’t hesitate to contact me."

"I’ll keep that in mind, Mr pretty eyes. Wait, another question. Is having pretty eyes a prerequisite for being part of Neravalle?" She stopped in front of him.

"Nah, it’s just for us special folks. Don’t go around attributing my best feature to others, sunshine. I get jealous easily." He threw her a wink, and as she smiled, he turned to the door panel and punched in the code.

Slowly, the glass doors slid open, and Salvatore stepped back.

"My lady–" he gestured with his hand for her to go in.

Valentina took a deep breath. "So this is it?"

"Yep. This is Luce’s room."

"And how do I get back when I’m done?"

"He’ll find a way. Good luck," he said.

She was about to ask why he was wishing her good luck, but as her head turned over her shoulders, she met nothing.

Just like that, he was gone.

Valentina breathed out again. She didn’t know what to expect as she moved through the doors.

But as the doors closed shut behind her the second she passed through it, her heart shuttered.

A weight floated in her tummy, tightening it, as she took steps forward.

She walked into a room that made her stop in her tracks.

Minimalistic in its design, but the glass theme going on stole her breath away.

The itch she usually got when she saw anything that needed to be photographed, arrived in full force.

Her eyes scanned every last bit of the room, and then slowly moved to the balcony area.

A door separated the room from the balcony, but even from the position she was on, she could still see it.

Valentina’s nose sniffed into the air. The room really projected the Luciano scent in its very essence.

She grew weak in the knees, because everything about the room screamed him, and it overwhelmed her.

Valentina took a step forward, when a door opened, and a shirtless Luciano walked out.

Her breath caught in her chest on feeling his presence, although her back was turned to him.

Luciano stopped on his tracks, and blinked multiple times.

It was a dream.

There was no way in hell Valentina was in his room.

How would she even have gotten there?

He waited, counting the seconds until she stopped tormenting his imaginations and disappeared.

However, none of that happened. She remained still, with her back turned to him.

Until she didn’t.

"I brought your coat from last night," Valentina said, and slowly turned to face him.

His heart jabbed. His breath quickened. His pulse raced.

Then there were his eyes that toured every inch of her body.

Valentina, living and breathing, was in his room.

"I didn’t mean to intrude, or interrupt your rest. Salvatore, the man with pretty purple eyes? He showed me to your room. He was the one that let me in. I just want to drop this and pick up my camera." Valentina explained again when he didn’t respond but only kept looking at her.

She was finding it difficult to look away. She didn’t want to see a shirtless Luciano with a body that slammed her heart against her wrist.

For the longest, she swore the most attractive a man could be was thin and tall.

There was nothing thin about the well defined muscles, and abs Luciano carried around.

He was the perfect description of a caveman, with the way his hair grew out in conjunction with his build.

Her already racing heart exploded when he began walking towards her.

She was too frozen to move, but when she suddenly felt enough strength to actually move, he was already within her.

"Let me have it," he said, stretching his hand out.

Valentina swallowed hard. "Here," she managed to say.

He grabbed the coat from her hands, ensuring he made contact with flesh.

A shudder ran through Valentina as his rough hands brushed slightly against hers.

She didn’t know why. She couldn’t understand the enigmatic effect he had on her.

Yet, it was there.

"Thank you," she said as he walked away.

He didn’t say a word until he had returned the coat to his closet.

Valentina caught a glimpse of the closet as he opened it.

So neatly arranged. A contrast to the caveman image his build projected.

However, she found that highly attractive. The fact that his room was spotless.

Not many people in general knew how to not be messy. She for one.

Everything was chaotic when she handled it.

"For what?" He asked, returning back to her.

"For saving my life. I owe you my life," she said sincerely.

"Hmmm-" he nodded. "You’re welcome, Valentina."

The way he called her name with that deep rumble of a voice he had.

It was too alluring.

"Salvatore told me you punished Elio and Marcello. I only think it’s fair I get punished too, because they were not at fault for what happened. They shouldn’t have to suffer the consequences alone."

His eyes squinted. "Haven’t you been punished enough?"

"Huh?" She looked up.

"The storm. The sea. Wasn’t that punishment enough?"

"Yeah, but that was nature doing its thing. You’re not nature. You’re the boss that felt disrespected because the property you forcefully snatched and kept hidden in your home against her will was broken out by your subordinates. And you lashed out by punishing them. So it’s only fair you punish me too."

Luciano chuckled dryly as he shook his head.

"Why are you laughing at me?"

"No ragazza. I’m laughing at the fiction your mind has conjured. Property? You think I consider you my property?"

"No? Then what do you consider me?"

That he couldn’t answer appropriately.

Luciano’s heart doubled as the excitement left his face.

"Why do you care what I consider you?" He fired back impulsively.

"I don’t. I just want things to be evened out so I stop feeling like crap about Elio and Marcello. They’re good guys."

"There are also protocols that must be adhered to. I don’t mind being the bad guy by administering consequences to those who falter."

"You–" Valentina’s mouth clamped shut, as her hand went to her head.

"What is it, Valentina?" His eyes widened in alarm.

Her vision blurred, as she staggered behind. "It hurts," she blurted, holding tightly to the side of her head.

In one stride, Luciano dragged Valentina into his arms. "Shhh, it’s fine. You’re fine. You’re safe."

But she wasn’t fine.