When Francesco stepped inside the home, he was shocked to see all of the lights on, greeted to complete darkness. It was almost like his life months prior.
But this time, there was supposed to be someone there. Dropping his bags, he searched for Eleanor. He was thankful he had managed to hire capable men, as his world didn't burn while he was away as he thought it would.
While they were still in the dark about who was behind the fuckery, it hadn't seemed like a pertinent matter on top of everything else.
Half of Francisco's day was incredibly normal. He didn't just run these businesses to hide his money (while that was the major reason) he had to keep them all running as well.
There were only so many times he could keep having someone act as him as if he wanted anything done right then he would certainly have to do it himself.
They would have to end, as when he opened the door to their bedroom, he found Eleanor sleeping on her stomach. The lamp light was on but dimmed. Surrounded by her sleeping form had been different photos of dresses and plans likely for the year-end ball.
Francesco smiled to himself, touched that she had at least attempted to stay awake. Quietly, Francesco disrobed himself, wanting to take a shower before getting into bed.
Eleanor must've been exhausted because she was still asleep when he had gotten out of the shower.
He removed the binders and photos from his side of the bed, placing them on the couch in the room. Somehow that was the noise that had managed to wake her, as when he turned around her brown sleepy eyes were looking at him.
"Did I wake you?" He asked.
She shook her sleepy head 'no' but it wasn't convincing. Eleanor sat up in the bed, "I was actually trying to wait for you to get back."
Francesco climbed into the bed and turned his back to her. Looking in her eyes when she said the words, he felt the sincerity and it had sent an unfamiliar jolt through him.
Even with his back turned, he could hear her give a loud yawn behind him, "Do you always work so late?"
"I might've gotten too into my routine today," Francesco said passively as he pulled clothes from the dresser.
If she had noticed his cool demeanor, she made no mention of it as he sat down on the bed in just the towel.
"I've gotten into one myself."
"I've noticed," Francesco nudged his head over to the books, "Giselle already has you running around like the lady of the house."
Francesco stood to put on his boxers, letting the towel fall to the floor as he made to slip them on. He could feel Eleanor's eyes on him and when he looked at her, he could see the desire that lie not far beneath.
It caused him to falter for a moment, but he had hoped it had gone unnoticed. He found himself constantly juggling between feeling almost barbaric about her to feeling like himself when he was merely fifteen years old.
He wish he knew the difference between Eleanor and the rest of the women he had had in the past, but he never felt the need to linger on that thought too long.
Eleanor moved on top of him as soon as he had been seated giving him a long lingering kiss. The action came as a surprise for him but Francesco reacted not even a moment later, his hands gripping her waist.
It was all it took for him to forget about every thought that ran through his mind just moments prior.
She pulled away, "I am sorry, I just cannot resist kissing you when you're half-dressed and dripping wet." While she was apologizing, there was laughter in her voice. She played with a wet curl that hung over his brow, softly brushing the skin on his face.
Again, she looked at him with those eyes — boring into his soul.
"There's the Francesco I recognize." She teased, her thumb coaxed the stress from him and he found an unknown tension he had released.
He'd likely survive a hundred more bad days if he came home to this every night.
This time, it was he who kissed her.
All it took was a single kiss from her to flood his senses with thoughts he wouldn't be able to say aloud. At least if he had, it would be highly frowned upon.
Like always she was dressed in nothing but a t-shirt, giving his hands full access to roam over her body.
If Francesco had ever prayed for the perfect woman, it would be Eleanor. Her breasts fit in his hand perfectly, and she always was reactive to his touch.
Frustrated with the obstacle, Francesco pulled the shirt off her head, discarding it onto the floor. He went to touch her again but her hands stopped him by grasping his wrists.
He looked up at her in confusion, his brow furrowing again.
"I have this feeling that you're so stressed that you're in control all day," Eleanor said, pushing his torso back flush onto the bed.
Now she was on top of him, naked, looking down at him like some sort of siren.
He watched her with an unsure gaze.
"Why don't you let someone else be in control for once?"
Confirming he wasted time even putting on his boxers, Eleanor hooked her fingers under the elastic and pulled them down, standing as she divested him of them.
When she resumed her position, Francesco went to touch her again, but like before, she stopped him.
"Eleanor..." He didn't recognize his voice. What he had wanted to sound like a threat had left his lips more like a plea.
"Sh," she leaned over him to kiss him softly, he could feel her breast against his chest, but still she held a grip on both of his wrists.
Francesco knew he could easily remove himself from her grip, flipping them over and driving her crazy the way she had been doing to him. But he was interested in whatever game she had cooked up in her mind.
With her skin just inches from him, Eleanor began trailing kisses down his neck. He wondered if she could feel his pulse there... and elsewhere.
He had to clench his hands into fists to resist the urge to take control, but his patience was rewarded when he felt the warmth of her breath over his erection.
As if it knew, it twitched involuntarily. Still, she avoided it, kissing the peppering of hair above it. The anticipation made it all the more worth it when she finally took him into her soft lips.
She used her hand to prevent his hips from bucking, slowly sucking as she took him in inch by inch. As she began to work, Francesco sat up on his forearms, moving her thick curly hair to the side to get a better view.
Immediately he threw his head back, the sight nearly ended him right then and there. Instead, he let his torso collapse on the bed, throwing his forearm over his face as he endured the sensation.
His toes curled as she quickened the pace, and her hands now did little to stop the bucking. While he understood control to a certain degree, Francesco resist.
Feeling himself getting closer and closer to climax, he sat up, framing her face with his hands urging her to take him deeper. Instead of resisting his hold, Eleanor relaxed her jaw, letting his hands guide her head up and down.
Even with the sensation, he knew this is not how he wanted to finish. Abruptly, he pulled Eleanor into a standing position enjoying the pop! Sound her mouth made when he was dislodged.
He turned her around to face the bed and bent her over, urging her to place both knees on the bed into a kneeling position.
From here, he could see just how aroused his actions made her without having to touch her. As he positioned himself at her entrance, Eleanor's back arched downward like a cat.
She offered no resistance when he slid inside her and for a moment he couldn't decipher if it had been from her saliva or her arousal. He quickly decided he didn't care, all he cared about in that moment was bringing her to her release as quickly as possible.
For only he knew he wouldn't last this way long.
He started slow, enjoying the uninterrupted view of watching himself slide in and out of her from behind. But this pace hadn't been enough for Eleanor, who met his slow thrust with feverish angst.
Deciding she had many more times to admire such a view, Francesco matched her energy and soon he could feel his orgasms coming again. He was going to say just that until he felt Eleanor's walls clench around him, the slickness increasing.
She was coming.
Unfortunately, he had not just yet, so he kept going, prolonging her pleasure while trying to reach his. It wasn't until she came again, this time reaching her arm back to his waist to slow the onslaught.
A flash of white-hot energy shot through his nervous system and Francesco poured himself into her until his forearms caused him to collapse.
It wasn't until a couple of moments before both of their hearts returned to a normal rhythm and by then, there had been no reason for words or pillow talk.
Francesco pulled the nearly weightless Eleanor back to the top of the bed where the pillow lays — too spent to even had the decency to even clean himself up. He pulled the covers over the both of them, making sure Eleanor was close before reaching to turn off the lights.
No matter what would await him tomorrow, he would always be looking forward to evenings like this.
~*~
Eleanor followed the little blue arrow on her phone as she made her way to the printing service store. Why a bunch of millionaires lacked a working printer was lost on her, but she trudged on.
When she had finally found her way, it took her another thirty minutes to communicate with the shop assistant. If anything, the trouble had taught her that she would be learning the language immediately so she didn't have to go through something as embarrassing as that.
Giselle had still been in a sour mood from the day earlier and insisted to send Eleanor out to run what felt like busy work. Eleanor had spent half of her time trying to achieve everything on the list, and the other half on how to have such a hard conversation with someone as hot-headed as Giselle.
Today is not the day, Eleanor. She thought to herself as she walked out of the printing shop.
On top of his late arrival last night, Francesco had woken Eleanor this morning early insisting they shower together from now on.
While she didn't mind it, it was a redundant task as she left the shower a lot dirtier than she had entered it. The memory caused her to feel butterflies in her stomach and her face to heat. On top of it all, she hardly managed to get any of the sleep she had hoped to last night.
Eleanor had noticed the clouds in Francesco's mood from the moment she opened her eyes last night. She could see in his mind he was building the wall to block her out, so she had reacted to weaken his defenses once more.
If anything, it had only managed to soften her. Eleanor could feel by the way she couldn't stop thinking about him, and how infatuated she was even hearing his name, that she was falling for Francesco.
No matter how many times she tried to convince herself it was simply lust, she knew it wasn't true. If it was lust she would only be thinking dirty thoughts of him.
Not daydreaming about what the day looked like from his point of view all of the time.
She had been so busy that morning, Eleanor had failed to realize she hadn't eaten until she smelled the bitter smell of coffee and baking bread.
She stopped in her tracks seeing a small cafe with a name she hadn't recognized outside of the country.
Giselle can wait, I will starve if I don't stop now. She thought as she walked inside, immediately going to the counter.
Eleanor was counting her luck when she realized that the hostess spoke English, making the experience all the more easier.
Eleanor settled down at a table near the window, wanting the ability to people-watch from her perch while she at her sandwich and sipped the Latte she ordered.
The cafe was nearly empty aside from the workers and a few customers, buried with their heads in their laptops.
While she sat there, Eleanor began to wonder about how she could approach Giselle's sour mood regarding Luca showing up. She wanted to know more of the story between the pair, not knowing Giselle had an unkind bone in her body.
Of course, she was fiery, but it was only in circumstances that lacked her seriousness. If anything, it had been likely due to her being the youngest and always wanting to be heard.
Eleanor didn't want to meddle, but hadn't this family gotten in her business plenty of times?
As if you spoke his name and he appears, Luca walked past the cafe, causing Eleanor to freeze as if he could see her in the awful glare of the sun.
She was thankful for the divine timing of the midday sun, but her elation was quickly deflated when she watched Luca turn into the coffee shop. He was wearing a suit like before with his cell phone to his ear as he rudely ordered food from the teller.
Eleanor turned her gaze away, hoping in his multitasking that he would fail to recognize the back of her head. Instead, she focused on the sandwich in front of her, taking another bite.
As soon as she took a bite she hear a voice much closer to her, "Eleanor, no?"
Eleanor feigned shock turning around to see Luca there, his cell phone in his hand still, but the call disconnected.
"I thought that was you, small world." He flashed a dazzling smile that lit up just like his blue eyes. Eleanor could see Giselle's draw to a man like this.
" Luca! I wasn't expecting to see you."
"If anything, after yesterday, you must've been told to avoid me like the plague."
Eleanor tried to hide her frown when she saw him take a seat next to her rather than settling for a greeting in passing.
Despite her feigning ignorance, Luca laughed, "Don't pretend you don't know the details by now. If Giselle had the chance she would sing it from the rooftops and do a press tour."
Eleanor shrugged, "Honestly, I didn't get that far before she shut the topic down." She hoped these words would be enough incentive for him to get up and leave, but instead, Luca continued.
He took a deep breath, "Well if she isn't telling you, she must truly be over me."
"Someone with that much anger towards a person is not over anything." Eleanor found herself saying.
She tried to assess Luca deeper than what he was presenting. Giselle had acted as if the man was a known killer, but he seemed just as regular as ever.
Even Francesco on his best day had dark energy surrounding him, making his mere presence formidable to anyone's anxieties.
But Luca had more of a boyish demeanor. He had dark hair but his eyes were the color of a dawn sky. With kinder features, he resembled Enzo in personality.
They walked around with confidence and swagger that Eleanor had noted in all the means she had met here so far — aside from Andreas.
Realizing this was the likely only option to satisfy her curiosity without witnessing a blow-up from Giselle, Eleanor pressed Luca.
"What happened between you two?" Eleanor asked curiously.
Luca's eyebrows raised, "Wow, she didn't say." He paused as the teller came over with a frown on her face handing Luca a mall Espresso.
When she walked away, he continued, "We met too young and I was too stupid. One particular night with where all of the Deluca's were being a hard ass I went to the only person I knew at the time who would understand."
He paused as if Eleanor would know who he is talking about. "Now, that I say this, I fear I might mess up another relationship."
Eleanor let out a laugh, trying to make him ease, but genuinely curious, "Me and Giselle are like sisters, the only reason I am asking you is that she is too angry to even talk about it."
"Not between you and Giselle, you and your husband."
His words made her falter, but if he noticed he hadn't pointed it out. "What does this have to do anything with Francesco?"
Luca gave a nervous laugh, leaning back. "I've already said too much. The last thing I need is trouble with the Delucas again."
"Do you think I married a man who I don't know everything about?" Eleanor asked, trying her hardest to not let her mind hear how stupid that question was coming from her.
"Oh?" Luca said with confusion, "You know?"
She didn't.
"Of course I do, I was made aware of everything before we married."
Luca looked at her for a moment as if he hadn't believed her before he let out a relieved laugh, "I thought I was going to be hung from my balls again. Last time I pissed them off I... let's just say you'll never have to worry about anyone crossing you when you married him."
Eleanor only smiled, not wanting anything she would say to give away her blatant lies.
"Francesco and Jemma were set to marry in three days, but because all of their shit fell through with their dad going to jail they were high-strung." Luca explained, "I hope you never have to see this but they can become so... annoying when they're stressed."
Eleanor laughed, she had already seen that well enough.
"I went to Jemma to vent, somehow venting ended up more and conveniently enough that was the same time Giselle was on her way to our house to apologize for treating me so badly."
Eleanor frowned as she came to an understanding.
"Not only did multiple relationships end that night, but the alliance was also broken as well."
Eleanor tried to hold onto two important things she had learned just then before responding, "I probably would've treated you worse than Giselle had I known that yesterday."
Luca chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, "In my defense, I am a changed man. That was four years ago. Ended up moving to the States where the money was better, but I find myself back here every once in a while."
"If you want to live, I suggest you go back home soon. Giselle is still pissed since she last saw you."
Luca gave a dejected smile and for a moment Eleanor could see a flash of hurt in his eyes. While she hardly know him, something about how he spoke showed he had truly been sorry for his mistake.
It was unfortunate that the Delucas were not a forgiving family.
Finishing his coffee quickly, Luca stood, "Well I have to go, I have a flight to catch now that that damned condo has been sold."
"Leaving so soon?"
"I'm afraid if I don't they'll find me in several pieces in the Mediterranean." Luca laughed, "It was good seeing you Eleanor, and remember what I said. Be patient with them, they're a troubled family but I promise that you don't want to live your life like me kicking yourself every day that you screwed up."
He had said the words like an oracle before adding, "And if Francesco himself messes things up, come visit me in Vegas." He winked before exiting, leaving Eleanor to wonder if he was a true player or an actor.
~*~
Home alone again that evening, Eleanor found a part of Luca's story stuck out to her outside of the reason why Francesco despised Jemma so much. Two people's weak moments had torn four people apart, and Eleanor had empathy for what Giselle had to go through.
But the main part that had stuck out to her was his words about their father going to jail. It was something she knew vaguely of, only having heard it in passing and then, it had not meant munch.
Closing the door behind her to Francesco's office, Eleanor stood there looking around. She knew he preferred her not to venture into this room, and she wondered for a moment if he had cameras in here, watching for the day she decided to snoop.
If he had nothing to hide, then there would be no reason for her to be here. Eleanor thought. She had given him chances to be open — and he had been.
But it was also obvious that he had some parts he refused to show. Walking over to his desk, Eleanor shook the mouse on the computer, frowning when she noticed the screen was password protected.
She sat in the office chair defeated, she had no desire to truly dig through his computer, she only wanted clarification and this had been the only computer in the house.
"If that was going to be the case, then it shouldn't have a password," Eleanor mumbled aloud, finding the expensive home to be depleted of anything useful in the modern era.
Eleanor had felt like she was constantly missing one singular piece needed to put the whole puzzle together and it was becoming exhausting. She wishes she didn't have to play multiple mind games to figure out things in this family.
It was going to drive her insane. While she wanted to be blissfully ignorant and believe that the crimes of this family only lay in the past, Eleanor would be stupid to believe it now.
Luca hadn't spoken as if their reputation was the past. No one would do a complete 180 in a mere four years. But Francesco had described their power as if it had happened years ago when he was a child.
Numerous men came in and out of the house, all of them looking less than business-friendly, none of them ever wearing a suit.
The folder that Jemma provided... Eleanor had read it over time and time again but managed to trick herself believing these to be actions of the past all because Francesco said so.
But if he were trying to keep up a pretense, why?
They had gotten married, they had no discussion to end their marriage in the future, and after the past few months together she couldn't wrap it around her mind that he would want to.
So why was he lying?
Eleanor stood, eager to return to where she had cleverly hidden the envelope. In her old room with her abandoned bags. Gripping the desk to stand, Eleanor's ring finger flipped a small switch.
The walls adjacent to the desk began to shake silently, so much so that she wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't been directly staring.
A line separating the bookshelves opened into a wedge with the sound of a lock clicking. Hesitantly, Eleanor stepped forward, wondering if she was about to open the hidden door to a secret chamber of sorts.
She would've laughed at the idea of there being a hideaway door like this if the house hadn't resembled a roughly refurbished castle. Of course, there would be a room like this.
Not wanting to waste any time lingering and second-guessing, Eleanor walked confidently over to the door, knowing she would be home alone for at least another hour.
What would five minutes matter?
Eleanor felt along the narrow hallway looking for a light switch. When all else failed, she pulled her cell phone out of her back pocket, turning on the flashlight that illuminated a long staircase leading down.
The basement.
Another place Francesco had expressed for her to not go. She hadn't understood why he would need a secret entrance to a basement when there was already a well know one.
Once she reached the bottom of the landing, Eleanor noted how much cooler it was in the room. The ground felt like hard dirt and the flash from her cell phone shone on a light switch.
As if unsure her presence was welcome, the light flickered on, making a buzzing sound.
It was then she realized it was not the basement at all, at least she hadn't thought so. The room was more of a storage area, no larger than 10x10. Despite how dingy it was in the cramped unventilated room, there was no dust collected on the rows of closed shelves.
Curiosity got the better of her Eleanor stepped to the first one, unlatching the metal hook and opening the door.
Eleanor's eyes widened at the sight before her. The cabinet while narrow, held several long-necked guns arranged perfectly in display form.
Opening another, she saw the same, but the weapons here were different. She knew nothing of guns but knew that this was more than an average collection, even for someone with as much money as Francesco.
In shock, Eleanor walked to a chest that sat in the middle of the room, standing out from everything else that was neatly aligned along the walls. She could only guess every one of the shelves held a weapon behind them.
And yet when she opened the chest before her, she could feel her jaw drop, causing her to stand and back away from the contents.
There were dozens — no, hundreds, of what appeared at first glance to be cinderblocks but the softness to their touch and the saran-wrapped packaging told Eleanor it was something different.
Touching it, Eleanor pushed her finger into the packaging, feeling it mold beneath her. She hadn't needed a label to have a hint as to what lay in the tightly sealed white packages.
Realizing she had likely seen entirely too much, Eleanor turned to turn off the lights and return to the office, but as the light in the small cramped room turned off a silhouette was visible from the top of the stairs and a voice she hadn't expected spoke:
"Ever hear of the phrase curiosity killed the cat?"