Deluca

FOURTEEN

Sometime in the evening, Francesco had convinced himself to be selfish. His entire life was him being selfless, going to whatever lengths he could take to ensure the people he cared about were okay.

 He'd even killed for them all and would do it again if asked. He had spent long enough feeling guilty for feeling attraction towards Eleanor. He had time to get himself out of the situation and now he was in it, permanently. 

He still hadn't convinced himself that he was hopeless in the situation. Yet, instead of looking at it like that – with the help of Giuseppe, Francesco looked at it as an opportunity. No matter what, since Eleanor had crossed his path, she would have his protection.

 Even her family was overseas, the selfish part of him lied to his brain telling him to keep her safe she needs to be close. 

 It had nothing to do with her safety, at least not for the past week. Now, he found himself wanting her close in all circumstances.

 There was something about Eleanor that drew Francesco in. He was used to seeing the dark and ugly side of the world, hardening him over time. Then he laid eyes on Eleanor.

 When he spoke with her, he felt no deceit in her eyes. She spoke her mind, almost to a fault as if she didn't know that Francesco had killed many for less. The danger wasn't an option in her eyes. 

Since her arrival, Francesco found himself seeing the world through her eyes rather than his jaded perception. The house he had felt was a prison of responsibility, Eleanor called it a dream castle. 

 She called his family difficult but caring when in reality they had secrets that could rip them apart, secrets that caused tension every time they were together. 

 She had even managed to point out the differences in his personality, something a woman like Jemma would never see due to her constant personal motives. When Francesco was himself around Eleanor, he wasn't seen as weak. She had even stated she liked the more personal side of him. 

 Francesco refused to let his lifestyle harden Eleanor. She was quite honestly the flower blooming from concrete. He would prove himself worthy of Eleanor, but until then he couldn't touch her.

 As much as he admired her personality and mind, her body drove him crazy. Even now, he was strolling through the city, something he would never do out of safety. No matter how high his stature was in life, he wasn't bulletproof and he had plenty of enemies.

As he spent the day in the city, purchasing whatever had attracted Eleanor's eye, he couldn't help but look around warily fearing that danger could be at any corner.

It was a lifestyle he'd been used to, but the way Eleanor strolled along so oblivious worries him. Maybe she wasn't cut out for this life, the girl had been floating on cloud nine since they'd left the house.

Though, it did please Francesco immensely to see a genuine smile on Eleanor's face. It lit up at some of the smallest things. This wasn't Francesco's first time taking a beautiful woman on an unlimited shopping trip.

In the past, he had done it intentionally to remove any inhibitions that spending a weekend with him would entail. He'd meet a beautiful girl, after a night of pleasure he'd take her shopping and dote on her until she bore him. Then he'd send a parting gift along with the excuse of being too busy for a relationship afterward.

This was not that. Now he was spoiling a woman he wouldn't be rid of until death does them part, which he didn't mind. He knew Eleanor married him for financial reasons, but she was far less demanding than what Francesco was used to.