Love or lust? || 365 days

~6~

(Cordelia's POV)

"Che cazzo?" I whispered, my eyes widening. There in front of me stood the woman from the portrait.

What was she doing here? What is going on?

"Why am I here?" She snapped at me angrily. Almost like I was the one who brought her here.

"To be honest I don't know. How did you get here?" I closed the door behind me and walked further in the room and closer to her.

"First there was this man at the restaurant and after him the other ones who brought me here." She explained.

"Massimo." I cursed under my breath shaking my head. "I have heard a lot about you. But I still don't know your name." I spoke.

"Laura."

"Laura. From Poland?"

She nodded. "How did you know?" She asked.

"A good guess. Your accent. I don't know what Massimo sees in you." I walked closer to the woman and she took a step back while still keeping on her brave face. Although the brave attitude she was putting on I could see from her body language that she was afraid.

"Has he kidnapped you too?" Laura asked.

I chuckled dryly. " No. I live here."

"Let me go." She snapped at me.

"Oh believe me I would love to get rid of you. But I can't. I'm trying my best not to get tangled into Massimo's obsessions."

I saw her glance at the portrait that I hated with every fiber of my body.

"So you saw it already. Well it's not so hard to miss it. And yes you are his little obsession. But I'm not the right person to tell you about it."

"Why am I here?"

"Like I just said." I rolled my eyes and turned to look at the portrait. "Massimo, whose men brought you here, is obsessed with you. He saw you five years ago and-" I took a deep breath in. "And became obsessed with you. And when Massimo wants something... he takes it."

"You love him?" She suddenly questioned.

I snapped my head around to look at her again.

"That's not any of your concern." I snapped angrily.

"Take him. I don't want to be here." Laura rolled her eyes.

"Unfortunately I can't do anything. It's not that easy." I shook my head.

Then I heard footsteps coming closer and closer to the room.

The door behind Laura opened and Massimo walked inside.

His eyes widened slightly after he tore his eyes off of Laura and saw me standing in front of her.

"Cordelia." Massimo spoke walking beside both of us.

Laura backed away from him but I stood there and watched him.

"I would like to talk with you Massimo." I spoke through gritted teeth trying my best not to let my anger out. Not yet at least.

He nodded and walked me out of the room. When we exited the room two of Massimo's men walked inside to keep eye on Laura.

"You weren't supposed to find out yet." Massimo sighed, speaking calmly when the door closed.

"Then when? When were you planning on telling me Massimo?"

"Tomorrow." He answered.

"Tomorrow?" I questioned furrowing my eyebrows. I let out a dry laugh. "Do you even hear yourself Massimo?"

He didn't answer, just looked deep in my eyes. I saw his eyes flicker down on my body and admire the short white cocktail dress on me.

"She's in a huge danger! She doesn't know anything about our world. About what it is like. In these circles human life doesn't matter. She makes a one bad choice, talks to a one wrong person and she's as good as dead."

"I didn't know you cared about her so much."

"I don't. It's just a fact. She doesn't know anything about your life, our life."

"I will keep her out of trouble."

"She doesn't want to be here! You kidnapped her for fucks sake!" I shouted at his face. "She will try to escape."

"'Lia. I need to have her in my life. I have been looking for her for years and now I finally have her."

"I was so stupid to think that you would actually love me and be happy with me." I ran my fingers through my hair.

"We decided that we would move on. Years ago." Massimo placed his hand on my cheek and stroked my cheek bone with his thumb.

I removed his hand from my skin before continuing.

"But that doesn't mean that I stopped loving you!" Now I tried my best not to let my tears fall. I won't cry. "And why do we have those quick make out sessions if you want to move on?"

"Stop 'Lia. Let's not do this now." Massimo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. I could see that he was trying to stay calm and not to make things worse than they already were.

"Then when Massimo? On the day when you get tired of Laura? Is that when you wanna do this?"

"'Lia..."

"When you are ready to have this conversation I might not be there waiting for you anymore."

I turned around and stormed to the door that led away from the dark hallway. Before I walked out I looked over my shoulder for the last time.

"Vaffanculo Massimo. Vaffanculo!" I spatted and walked out of the hallway and towards my room.