"Wait. The kitchen is that way, right?"
"We're not eating in the kitchen today"
Maybe the living room then? No. That wasn't the living room either. They went outside so Clara assumed they would be driving somewhere, which was a bad guess also.
Turns out this house has a private beach. Yeah. In the garden, there was a table covered with a red gingham tablecloth. With two chairs on the opposite sides. Breakfast was already prepared.
What beautiful scenery, Clara had to blink several times to check if she's seeing this correctly. They were in front of the beautiful mansion, the garden was planted with blooming orange and lemon trees. There was a sea and sand on the horizon.
Clara decided that Lorenzo also looked amazing today, his style was more casual than normal. He was wearing light-blue jeans, brown leather belt, his muscular torso was visible because of his unbuttoned white linen shirt. It was nicely contrasting his tanned skin. And then there was also a leather watch on his left wrist. To be honest he looked like a model from a fashion magazine cover.
"Holy... shit" she blurted out, unable to stop herself and Lorenzo started laughing. His hand tightened around her waist and she was reminded once again that he's touching her. She blushed.
"If I tried to hold you like that four days ago you would slap me, right?"
"I still want to slap you for holding me like that. Don't remind me" Clara warned.
"You're such a liar. Just admit I'm domesticating you, little mouse" He purred into her ear not bothered at all by her hostile attitude. Maybe he knew that she didn't really mean that.
Clara had to admit, she enjoyed his taunting and she enjoyed pushing him away just a bit, but not too much. It was a very entertaining game.
"You wish" Clara scoffed.
She sat at the table and her eyes started gleaming with joy as she was watching what food was offered to her. Everything looked so good. The juicy red grape went straight to her mouth and then she proceeded to pick freshly baked croissant and smear red-orange jam on it.
Lorenzo was watching her with silence his eyes gleamed with interest "you always look so happy when you eat"
She shrugged her shoulders "Mom didn't know how to cook I don't know how to do it either. I usually order takeout or buy pre-made salad so you know this?" She pointed at the table "This is heaven"
"It makes sense you're eating trash you're a mouse after all"
"Ha. Very funny" Clara responded with clear sarcasm in her voice.
"I know, I'm hilarious" he responded confidently "So, what are our plans for today?" Lorenzo asked and Clara almost choked on her food. Did he just ask he what she wants to do? So far things were always according to his plan, not hers. That was new.
"You want me to plan our day?" Clara had to double-check.
"We're going shopping for obvious reasons and then in the evening, we're invited to the party. You will meet my grandfather. But in the meantime we can do whatever you want, we will have several hours to spare " Lorenzo explained and he took a bite of a croissant with milk chocolate spread.
"Oh" wows, "Then it's going to be a busy day ahead of us"
"Fifth day must be the most busy, we will rest at the weekend as God intended" he winked at her.
"I want to go sightseeing, whenever you will take me it's fine"
"Your wish is my command but before we go there's something we need to talk about"
"And what is it, exactly?"
"Tell me about your past" he ordered in a seemingly nice voice.
Clara started staring at him "About what?"
"Your past" he repeated calmly.
"What do you want to know?" She asked, trying not to sound nervous.
"I want to know what impact Sabrina's Meyers death had on you," he said as if he was speaking about a normal thing, not just revealing information she was trying to hide from him for all this time.
She looked at him with wide eyes. "What? How do you know about her? Never mind. I'm not going to tell you anything" she has completely lost her appetite. She stood up and was about to leave but she stopped the moment he started speaking in a serious, scary voice.
"Do you want the deal to end here?"
Right. The deal. Fuck. She was so close to ending the deal. Only 2 and half a day.
She looked at him with anger but she did not see any compassion.
He asked "Why are you looking at me like that? You do as I say in this relationship don't forget it"
"I don't want the deal to end," she said through gritted teeth.
"Then sit down." He informed her.
"Make me" oh she shouldn't have said that. He seemed to accept the challenge.
He sighed heavily "I'm done. Our deal ends here" he responded.
"What?"
"You heard me"
"Lorenzo don't do this. Not now" Clara considered saying "red" but she knew it wouldn't work in this situation.
Because she remained quiet Lorenzo said "Clara. I need you to tell me and I cannot accept your refusal this time. So please consider carefully what's your next step" he said strictly. His gaze was dark. Clara shivered.
He rarely looked this serious. Actually, Lorenzo's behavior was often laid back, cocky, and confident. But his moods tended to shift from summer to winter in a split second. Because he was rarely speaking in this tone with no traces of amusement it was really different and scary.
Clara decided to be honest with him but it didn't come to her easily.
"I... my past is complicated. I didn't take Sabrina's death well. I was blaming myself a lot for what happened. But maybe... I should start from the beginning. Desmond Laffan was Sabrina's boyfriend. He was a piece of shit. The abusive, awful human being. When she finally decided to break up with him he got furious, he... at least I suspect that in a fit of anger he killed her. But I couldn't testify against him back then. The case was closed because his team of lawyers has proven insufficient evidence for his guilt" Clara explained. She was sure that Lorenzo knew plenty already, if he knew about Sabrina he must find other things on her as well.
"And what are you trying to do with it?" Lorenzo continued his interrogation.
"After... after Sabrina died, I got a little lost in a virtual world. I became good with computers almost too good. One day I hacked into his computer. There were things I found there indicating that he's committing crimes. But no matter what I have on him it didn't matter because evidence sent anonymously to the police is not analyzed properly. Especially when a high-profile person like Desmond is concerned"
"In other words you were playing a detective and breaking the law with no regard to your safety" Lorenzo summed up, displeased.
"I'm not playing anything" Clara defended herself lamely. He just didn't understand.
"What else would you call your behavior then?" Lorenzo asked raising his eyebrows.
Clara didn't respond. She just looked away.
Lorenzo sighed and continued speaking "Desmond will be taken care of. By me. Not you. I will destroy him, now that I have a good reason to do so it won't be a problem. But you, you will stay away from him. Business without Desmond will cease to exist. He doesn't have a family, no one can take his place. He's just a solo player with a lot of people underneath him but the truth is he's completely on his own"
"What do you want in exchange for something like that? You want me to say yes on the seventh day?"
"Don't insult me, Clara. I'm not doing it to buy your love. I already told you that if you don't want this marriage I don't want it either"
"I'm sorry," Clara said now feeling stupid for accusing him.
"Is the situation with Desmond a reason why you don't want to say yes?" He asked, wanting to clarify.
"No. It's my family that's the problem... my parents' divorce had an impact on me as well" Clara would have never thought she would be so honest with him. And yet here she was telling him everything he wanted to know. How did it happen? "My mother had to beg father to graciously share the fraction of his fortune with her. She lived in a rich house but she wasn't rich. She was spending money but that money wasn't hers. I don't want to spend all my life living a lie"
"Oh thank God" his seriousness gone, he came back to his normal self.
"What?"
"I assumed there's something wrong with me but it's definitely you," he said jokingly.
"Asshole" Clara said but she was thankful for his attention to lift the mood.
She threw a paper napkin at him, unable to find the right words for him other than curses. He looked at her with surprise and then amusement.
"Seriously. You're gonna throw things at me like 5 years old? At least pick something heavier my feisty little mouse"
She picked up a plate but before she managed to throw it he held her wrist in place. He gently he pulled her down so now he was lying over her. Their faces were close to each other. Then he kissed her and she couldn't fight because it was the best kiss in her life. She melted. She didn't realize when she kissed him back with passion. No! What is she doing?!
She pushed him away. He didn't budge but pulled away on his own accord.
"Fuck" She said breathing heavily. "I really hate you"
She looked at him and then without realizing what she's doing she kissed him back.
He smirked.
"Move" Clara commanded but did nothing to get up from the ground.
"Say please my sweet Clara and I will consider your request"
"Please"
He pulled away. "Now, it wasn't so hard, was it?"
It took everything in her to not cuss at him.
They sat for a moment in silence just watching the waves and enjoying each other's company.
Then Lorenzo started speaking. "You must think that I don't understand you because my family is different from yours. But also in many ways similar. We both lived under outdated rules. I've been born as a second child. Forever an advisor to the great king Rafael. I was never meant to be more than that but now I'm asked to become a boss as well. Not an underboss or a consigliere. Rafael cannot control both Italy and the US. He has chosen the kingdom for himself and this one will belong to me. But it was never planned to be this way. I respect you. We can be married partners in crime or you can become the victim you're so afraid to be"
Clara looked at him as if she saw him for the first time. She never thought she had power. She always felt like she needed to escape for people who are bigger and scarier than her. But what if she doesn't?
"Speechless huh? I know my words are pretty inspiring.