CHAPTER 64: THROUGH THE GLASS

The hallway of Neravalle was heavy with conversations when Luciano stepped in.

"Carpo," someone muttered.

Conversations happening concurrently all ceased on feeling his presence.

The small crowd parted like the red sea for him to go through, and as he walked through the space they had created, their heads bowed in sync.

"What is this, agnello?" He stopped in front of the man who was in conversation with two other men.

"Thank God you’re back. There’s a serious pipe problem affecting the entire left wing, including your room. The maintenance crew are working on it, but sadly, there is no water running in your room at the moment," Elio explained.

His jaw flexed as he thought of the tiring day he had, only to come back to such upsetting news.

"How did this problem come about?"

"The plumbers are tracing the problem as we speak. They haven’t said a word yet."

"Where are Vittorio and Salvatore?"

"They’re with the plumbers I think. Some of us that were affected by the water outage had to come out of our room. That’s why we’re gathered here."

"Thay makes sense. Anyway, I need to take a bath," he declared

Elio opened his mouth to respond, but a voice beat him to it.

"There is always a different option."

Luciano turned to see Daniela behind him, wearing a homely smile.

"Amore. Where have you been?" He asked as she stood on her toes and placed a kiss on his cheeks.

"I’m sorry I didn’t inform you. It was impromptu. I had to return home. But everything is fine now."

"Are you sure you don’t want to tell me about it?"

She sighed theatrically. "I will, but in private. I heard you say you want to take a bath?"

"Yeah I do. But it seems like I can’t because of the pipe problem."

"That’s not an issue. I think you can use the shower in la stanza dei sussurri. No one ever goes there anyway."

His wrinkled forehead relaxed. "That’s actually not a bad idea."

"Of course it isn’t," she beamed. "Go freshen up, while I ensure dinner is ready for you. Is that okay?"

His finger stroked the side of her head. "Have I ever told you how lucky I am to have you?"

Her smile stretched so wide, her face began to hurt.

"Are you telling me now?" She questioned in a cartoonish voice.

Elio rolled his eyes from behind. Watching the display made his stomach turn.

However, he was a little bit glad. After all, if the boss was occupied with his fiancé and rightfully so, he wouldn’t have any space in his heart for someone else.

Her face appeared in his mind as if his thoughts were already aware of who he was referring to.

"I need to see her," he whispered internally. "I need to know how she is doing."

"Of course I am. You’re the best."

"Thank you my love. Now let’s get you to your room first, before you go to la stanza dei sussurri," she lifted his hand and placed it around her waist.

Daniela burst with excitement when he held her even after she let go of his hand.

"Agnello, I can’t do much at the moment in the state I am in. When I’m refreshed, I’d like to see Vittorio. Where is Marce? Was his room not affected?"

"That lucky bastard. He exchanged rooms with Carlos two weeks ago. He’s in the right wing now," he relaxed.

Luciano grimmed. "Lucky bastard indeed. Oh and for the rest of you, don’t cut off your necks by remaining bowed. I’m leaving already."

"Let’s go my love." Daniela sweetly pushed him along.

Elio watched until they disappeared round a corner that led to Luciano’s room.

"Good. Very good," he thought.

"So what would you like to eat for dinner?" Daniela questioned as they entered Luciano’s room.

"I really do not have the luxury of being picky. Anything at all," he replied, walking over to the dressing table.

First he took off his PatekPhilippe, and then walked over to the bed to take off his shoes.

"Let me do that for you," Daniela quickly lowered her body to the ground before him. "Special treatments only, fit for a special king."

"Daniela, you don’t have to do this. It’s fine. I’ll just take it off myself." He tried to smoothly persuade her to stop trying too hard.

Daniela didn’t get the message.

Where he saw too hard, she saw an avenue to put her permanent mark on him, as her own.

"I insist," she said, and began tugging at his feet.

Luciano exhaled. There was no changing her mind when she insisted on these things.

"Very well then." He relented.

After Daniela had taken off his shoes and made sure to provide him with slides, she stepped aside, as he rose to his feet.

"I’ll be leaving for la stanza dei sussurri then," he said on his way to the door.

"Alright baby. I’ll just return your shoes back to where they are supposed to be, and then step out to ensure your food is ready."

"Thanks amore," he said, and stepped out of the room.

Daniela brought the shoes to her nose in his absence, and sniffed.

Pleasure engulfed her as she caught a whiff of his scent.

It didn’t matter if it was from work shoes. There was just something about Luciano’s manly scent that drove her absolutely crazy.

"I need him," she whispered, and bit her lips as her eyes wore a plotting expression.

***

Minutes later, Luciano pushed the door into la stanza dei sussurri, and walked into the room.

Music greeted his ears the moment he stepped in.

It was an old, slow, jazzy Italian sound coming from the vinyl.

He shut the door behind him, as his forehead creased with curiosity.

The vinyl could not possibly be playing itself.

Luciano’s eyes were scanning the room when the smell of rosewater drifted into his nose.

He saw steam rising from the adjourning bathroom.

The steam divided for a second, and in the middle of it, he saw her.

A woman.

Behind the glass walls of the bathroom, he saw her under the cascading water from the shower ducts above, her back turned to him.

Her hair was just as amber as Valentina’s. It had to be Valentina.

Reasoning completely left Luciano, as his eyes roamed all over her back.

He watched, compelled by how the water trickled from her tilted neck, tracing a line down the tiny inscriptions in her spine.

His eyes squinted as he tried to figure out what the Arabic inscription read.

"Nurfial- Zulām," he read in his mind.

Although his Arabic was rusty, he could put it together.

"Light in the darkness," he whispered, and inhaled sharply.

Instantly, his instincts screamed at him to move. To turn away. To avert his gaze. But the primal desire swelling inside of him, had his feet planted to the spot, as he observed her.

Her curves. The roundness of her cheeks. The way she ran a hand through her hair as the water dropped on—

Luciano was so enchanted, he didn’t see her stop the shower, and grab a towel.

It happened so fast, as she wrapped her body with the towel, and turned around.

Valentina’s breath fastened, when her gaze fell on Luciano watching her.