Forced to Love

Chapter 17

"You're leaving?".

He repeats the question but now his face shows sadness I did not expect to see. Both my father and I stand up while Lorenzo is stuck in his place by the table in the entrance hallway. He just got home from work and I wish he stayed in his office a little longer so I could discuss this with my dad and have time to think this through.

"I'll let you two talk. I'll be outside by the lake, call me when you're done" my dad caresses my arm before leaving us in the living room alone, Mari following his footsteps as well.

"What's going on?" Lorenzo asks and I can see he is getting impatient to know. He undoes his tie and walks closer to me, looking me in the eyes and waiting for me to start talking, so I take a deep breath before I speak.

"My dad decided to sell his business to your father. He wants to retire so your dad paid for his business and gave him enough money for us to live without worrying about it. They also agreed on freeing my family out of any mafia business". 

"That's good" he nods his head. "I know your family had financial problems and that all of this was a part of the deal to help your family, so I'm happy for you. But why do you need to leave?" his face shows confusion again but I see a hint of worry in his eyes.

I gulp and look away, suddenly feeling my chest tighten and emotions overwhelm me. I didn't even realize how much a fell for him now that I have a chance to leave him.

"Well, since both of our fathers got what they wanted with their arrangement, we- I point with my finger between me and him- "don't have to stay married anymore" I finish my sentence and finally look up at him. His face showing nothing. Confusion gone, the worry his eyes held gone as well, now only showing me the cold look I knew from the day we met, his lips put in a thin line and face blank. 

He is back to his old self, a guarded, distant man I knew before but now it feels like we're strangers. I got to know a kind, sweet, warm, broken man, and now I miss him. I don't want him to shield himself, at least not from me.

"I mean...isn't this a good thing? We don't even have to wait for those two years to pass, we can end your contract and go our ways as planned." I try to get some emotion from him. I want him to tell me he doesn't care about the contract and that he wants me to stay, that he wants to be with me.

"Contract? I even forgot about that" he furrows his brows and steps closer to me. "I don't fucking care about that stupid thing, I don't care that our families made a deal and that now you can leave because I don't want you to leave. Don't leave." he takes my hand in his and looks me in the eyes that are full of different emotions now and I can't help but stare back, I don't want to look away.

"Please don't leave me" he breathes out and leans his forehead on mine. "Please".

I feel my breathing quickening. He is asking me to stay. He wants me to stay and I can't even describe how I'm feeling right now. So many emotions whirl in me because of this man and I love it, I never felt like this.

"I don't want to leave" I let out in a whisper and he immediately looks at me. "I want to stay...I want to stay here...with you" I feel my throat tighten as I'm trying to control my emotions but I see a tear fall down his cheek.

I move my hand to wipe his cheek but he leans closer and smashes his lips on mine. Butterflies erupt in my stomach at the feel of his lips moving with mine in this slow and gentle yet passionate kiss.

He lets go of my hand and puts his on my cheek while the other is on my waist, pulling me even closer, so close that we can become one. His lips part mine and I feel his tongue swipe on my bottom lip before I open my mouth wider and invite him in.