( Tori in her outfit above )
•{ Tori's POV }•
After getting ready I still had a few minutes to spare so Greta got us two sodas, and we began to talk. I actually genuinely love talking with her. She reminds me of a fiercer version of my mother, but yet a tamer older version of me.
"Greta, did you know my mother?" I ask
"Not personally unfortunately. I had seen her a couple of times, and she always seemed to be so kind hearted. I know she loved to cook although she wasn't aloud in the kitchen much. She didn't talk to the help that much afraid of getting in trouble, but she was never rude. I quite liked her, but I always knew she wouldn't last here. She was a pure soul that somehow refused to be tainted." Greta says
"And yet you think I'm going to last here?" I ask
"Yes I do. I think your soul was tainted the minute you were born, but it seems only in the most perfect of ways. At least for this life anyway." Greta answers honestly
I give a nod as a response.
"And for the record Miss Tori, I don't think you'll just last here. I know you are going to thrive here. I know you are going to find things you never even wanted, but you are going to be glad once you find them.. Just don't doubt yourself and what you can handle..and you'll be fine." Greta says or should I say advises
"Yes ma'am. Now what about these things that I never wanted but will be glad to find?"
I question Greta genuinely curious
"I don't think you've dreamed your life for a Prince Charming to come and save you." Greta explains a little
"I am not." I say confirming everything
"I didn't think so..but I do think you may have already found him." Greta says
"Who? Let me guess Lorenzo?" I joke
"Luca." Greta answers smiling at me
"You've clearly lost your head." I tell her
"You can call me the crazy lady, but I think you two are a match made in heaven and hell. I'm not saying it'll be a fairytale, because nothing in this world is..but it might just be close." Greta says
"You are crazy! Right now he probably sees me as a challenge and he wants me to obey him like a dog.. If he honestly even tries to command me like a dog. Such as sit, lay, roll over, or stay ; I'll stab him tonight." I say
"Despite what it might seem like he isn't arrogant, or a player. Elena taught him to value women, and tried her hardest to teach him not to treat women as a pet, but as a partner."
Greta says
"Good for Elena." I say
"Now don't get me wrong Luca has had his fair share of one nighters, and a few meaningless girlfriends that only lasted a month at most. He's never cheated, abused, or took advantage of a woman ; he's too loyal for that, and he was raised right despite this lifestyle. Trust me loyalty runs deep inside his veins, and he won't treat you like a dog, but I'm sure you'll still find a reason to stab him." Greta says with a smile
"I'm not just going to stab him for no reason. If he really isn't arrogant or a player, then as long as he doesn't try to command me we won't have a problem." I tell her
She just shakes her head with a smile.
<>
I hear a knock on the door and Greta goes to open it. When she does it reveals a good looking, yet highly dangerous Italian man.. and now I'm not even slightly nervous anymore.
How did he manage to do that with just a simple yet devilishly charming smile?
I see Luca looking me up and down with his eyes until he meet my eyes and says "You are sbalorditiva!" (stunning)
"grazie!" (thank you) I reply
"Are you ready?" Luca asks
"Yeah." I answer
"There's one thing I must do first." Luca says
"What?" I question
"Close your eyes." Luca says softly not commanding or anything as he brings out a blindfold.
I close my eyes only because it wasn't some kind of command, and I'm curious. He puts the blindfold on and I hear him whisper against you ear "I thought you would've put up more of a fight."
"I would have but now I'm genuinely curious. I'm highly confident that I can still kick your culo even blindfolded." I reply with a smirk
<>
Luca got me to hold on to him the whole way here, and I'm sure we haven't even left the mansion yet. I'm pretty sure we went through a secret passage of some sort but of course I can't be for sure. Not to mention I've been walking up many stairs blindfolded, and at one point I tripped, and Luca just swiftly picked me up, and continued to carry me up the rest of the stairs.
Now Luca is taking off my blindfold but I still have my eyes closed. Per his request.
"You can open your eyes now." Luca says softly so close to my ear I can feel his breathing and normally I would've tensed up, and done something like elbow him in the gut ; due to feeling creeped out or awkward but this time I just opened my eyes feeling relaxed.
I realize we are on the rooftop of the mansion and there are candles everywhere not to mention a ton of flowers. In the middle of it all there's a round glass table with two chairs to match. I see two trays covered on top of the table, as we go to sit down.
"Do you like it?" Luca asks as he holds out my chair for me. Such a gentleman.
"Yeah it's beautiful." I answer looking out at the view as I sit down.
"Yes it is.." Luca agrees only I when look at him I realize he is just starring at me, as he sits down in his own chair across from me.
Luca pulls the top part of the trays off revealing fancy glass plates with silverware to match, but the food on it was what impressed me the most. It butter, garlic, and herb pasta with a nice steak on the side.
"Who made this?" I ask Luca as he sits down
"I did." Luca answers
"The Italian mafia Don cooks?" I ask not really believing it yet also saying it jokingly.
Luca laughs slightly then says "Yes I the Italian mafia Don cook."
<>
After eating the delicious food and having some small talk. Luca brought up some dark chocolate cake along, with red wine.
"Did you bake this too?" I ask before I take a bite
"No actually Greta made this one. I don't bake." Luca says
"Good to know." I reply
As I take a bite of the cake I moan a little because of how delicious, and moist it is.
Even though I hate the word moist, I can't think of another word to use.
I see Luca starring at me only his eyes are darker than usual. Oops. I probably should've held the moan in. Oh well.
"So it's good, huh?" Luca questions
"Yeah best thing I've ever tasted." I say deciding to tease him some more.
"I could think of something better you could taste...or better yet something angelically better that I could taste." Luca suggests with dark eyes and a smirk upon his face.
I give him a smile and say "Dream on."
"Oh I will, Angel." Luca replies smiling back
<>
The nights been going on without a hitch.
So I decided to ask the question I've been wondering about all night."
"I do have a question." I say
"What question would that be?" Luca asks
"I'm just wondering why you are putting in this much effort. It is absolutely stunning up here, and the food and desert was amazing, even the wine was the best I've had, and I'm a fairly picky person. I'm truly impressed with this date as you say, but why?" I ask not rudely but curiously, call it my insecurities coming to the surface if you must.
"I want you. It's as simple as that." Luca answers seriously
"Not sure I'm believing that..." I say challenging him to see if he's being honest
"I want you more than I've ever wanted anything else." Luca says
"Not even being Don?" I question
"Not even being the Don." Luca replies
I nod simply. Still not sure but I'm also not detecting a lie, so there's that.
"Being I'm being honest with you, I would hope you would be the same with me. Do you have feeling for Alexander?" Luca asks
"Yes but not in the way I think you are implying." I answer honestly
"Go on." Luca says
"Alex and I have history, and we were friends before anything else. I still love him it's just more of a sibling kind of love now." I say
"Did you ever love him in another type of way?" Luca questions clenching his jaw
"Yes and no." I answer
"Which is it?" Luca questions
"It's both. I technically did at one time love him as a boyfriend instead of like family, but I was never ever really in love with him." I reply
"Good." Luca says
"Good?" I question raising an eyebrow
"I was worried it was going to get messy.
Now I don't have to worry about cleaning up his blood from my floors, and dealing with being at odds with the Americans." Luca says like it's completely normal, and I let out a little laugh.
"Yeah there's no need for any of that." I reply
He gives me an award winning smile, and I do my best to return it.
In this moment I feel completely at peace...even with myself.