Rosalie Fierri [Book #5]

Chapter 16

"Come in," I replied sleepily, hearing the sound of knocking on my bedroom door. "It's five in the morning, Greta," I groaned, assuming it was her who had entered my room.

"Buongiorno(Good morning)."

My eyes flew open at the sound of that familiar husky voice.

That definitely wasn't Greta.

I shot up, Lorenzo standing in my bedroom dressed in a navy blue sleeveless hoodie and matching shorts.

The tattoo of roses starting from his left hand and leading all the way up to his neck caught my attention. I wonder if it means something, or if he just really likes roses.

My eyes floated to the bulge in his shorts. It was the second thing that had caught my attention, unwanted filthy thoughts invading my once fairly innocent mind.

I didn't even know I was even attracted to him, because I'd been so blinded by the pure disdain I felt for him.

"Get up," he demanded, my eyes snapping back up to his golden green ones and erasing the "fuck me" thoughts I started getting after last night.

"Can you at least say please?" I retorted.

He stared at me with a stoic expression and responded with, "no. A word like that doesn't exist in my vocabulary."

"Clearly," I muttered, earning a glare that said he wasn't in the mood to deal with my mouth today.

"You have ten minutes to get dressed and meet me down in the basement. I suggest you be on time, or expect to be punished."

When he left, I squirmed excitedly at the thought of being late. I admit that I didn't like what he did to me at at first, especially the meaning behind it.

But then after the second or third time he'd spanked me, I was wet as hell. His fingers had been so close to my sex that I'm sure he could feel the heat being emitted from my entrance.

Clenching my thighs to help get rid of the ache, I got out of bed once the throbbing had stopped.

After taking a quick shower, I put my hair in a french braid and got dressed into a black crop top and matching leggings Greta grabbed from my dresser.

"How much time do I have left?"

Greta eyed the clock on my nightstand and looked at me with worry. "Thirty seconds."

"Shit."

I didn't even have time to thank Greta as I ran like my life depended on it. When I made it down into the basement, Lorenzo was standing in front of a boxing ring.

He glanced down at his watch just as the little electronic device started beeping. Pressing a button on the smart watch, he looked back up, meeting my gaze.

"Get in the ring." Approaching the large squared ring, I hoisted myself up and climbed into the ring. Lorenzo joined me shortly after, and tossed me a pair of white gloves. "Put them on."

I picked them up off the floor and put on each glove. "What are we going to do with these?" I asked, watching him put on a pair of black ones.

He looked at me through hooded eyes and motioned me towards him with his gloved hand. "Come hit me."

"What?"

There was something about him giving me permission to kick his ass that made it less exciting.

"You heard me, little Fierri. Show me you're not as weak as I believe you to be."

"I am not weak," I snapped at him.

The word was a trigger for me. I felt weak and powerless for most of my life until Artemis was placed in my hands.

I don't regret having become an assassin, because it proved to the world just how strong and fearless I was.

Seeing my mother die had stripped away the fire burning within me. And after years of blood, sweat, and tears, I'd finally became someone my mother could be proud of.

"I am not weak!" I repeated, charging at Lorenzo with my fist raised and ready to prove the smug little bastard wrong.

I swung, Lorenzo dodging my attacks effortlessly. It pissed me off, because he looked so damn beautiful doing it. I was putting all the strength I could muster in trying to hit him and yet, he moved with sensual ease as if my hands were moving in slow motion.

He laughed, sneering at my inability to hit him even once. "Surely this can't be it."

"Stop mocking me!" I spat angrily. I was angry at him, but moreso at myself for proving him right.

He ducked, shifting across the ring. His eyes analyzed me in a calm and focused manner. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, which made it difficult for me to see what he was about to do next.

As soon as I tried to right hook him, a grunt was quite literally punched out of me as he struck my stomach with his gloved fist.

I dropped to the floor, tears prickling my eyes as a pained groan tumbled from my lips. I was on my knees, hunched over in unimaginable pain.

His blow had felt like I had been hit with a brick. And I couldn't even move, because every inhale and exhale I made was followed by a sharp stabbing of pain.

"You know why you're weak, principessa mafiosa(mafia princess)?" I remained silent, wanting but unable to speak as a variety of colorful insults flood my mind. "Because you swing wildly, running only on uncontrolled emotions. Which is why your attacks are causing more harm to you than your opponent." He scoffed with a laugh. "And here I thought the 'Sniper Queen' herself would be more skilled in the subject of combat. But I guess I was wrong."

I wanted to surprise him with a nice punch to his stitches, but didn't have enough strength to rise. "I'm a killer, not a boxer," I managed to force out.

"Even a killer knows not to rely only on a man-made weapon to get the job done."

"Are you done?" I barked, the blood in my veins boiling with insurmountable fury.

"No, I'm not. I've heard all about the assassin who could strike fear into the hearts of her enemies just by the mention of her title," he continued, circling me as a vulture would a dead animal left to be feasted on. "But that's not what I'm seeing here. All I see is a pitiful little bunny rabbit without her gun to fight for her."

I let out an angry hiss at his words, the sudden boost of adrenaline surging through me, giving me enough strength to stand up and gift Lorenzo with a uppercut to the chin.

He stumbled back onto the bright blue rope behind him, his head titled up towards the ceiling. He lowered his head, his golden green eyes boring into me as his lips curled up into a smirk.

He rolled his neck, popping his jaw back into place. "I'm impressed. It seems the little bunny rabbit still has some fight left in her."

"You underestimate this little bunny rabbit."

I blinked and suddenly Lorenzo was standing behind me, his breath on my neck. His fingers coiled around my waist, giving it a light squeeze.

He dipped his head, his lips grazing my ear as he spoke in a low husk. "If so, then prove me wrong." I froze, swallowing hard when his hand skated over my pelvis and felt the heat pooling between my thighs. "Show me what kind of fire burns within you. And don't hold back."

"Oh I wasn't planning on it."