It's dark when the plane finally lands in Sicily, where a large black car waits for us on the tarmac. Luca and I get in the backseat, Enzo takes the driver's seat, and Santiago takes the passenger seat.
"Why do I always have to sit in the back?" I complain.
"Because," Enzo says.
"That's not an answer," I respond with a scoff.
"Wren, it's late. We're all tired. And we still have an hour to drive. Please do not push my buttons right now."
"Fine," I huff, "but only because you said please."
Nobody talks for a while; the only sound in the car is the low music playing from the radio. A zing of excitement hits me as we drive through Palermo. After about twenty minutes, I roll my window down, breathing in the seawater and admiring the sounds of the city. It's late, but there is still a buzz coming from the people. The coast of The Tyrrhenian Sea runs parallel to us as we drive further into the privacy of the countryside mountains. The houses and buildings look smaller as the car climbs, but the view is gorgeous.
"Where is your house?" I ask once I realize I don't know much about their property or power in Italy, other than knowing that they practically rule the country from the shadows.
"We have a large place in the Madonie area. It's about an hour from Palermo, but it gives us tons of privacy and freedom to do what we need," Luca answers.
"How secluded is it?"
"It's fairly secluded, we own a pretty large amount of land, so there aren't really any neighbors. But it does have a really nice view of the mountains, coastline, and towns below."
"That sounds beautiful. Are you the only ones who live there?"
"The three of us are the only ones that live there, but we have a couple separate buildings scattered around the property for some of our men. They live there and provide security and protection. We have tons of extra rooms, though, so sometimes we have friends or family visit."
"And I'm assuming there's a special custom-made room in this house as well?"
Luca's jaw clenches, "you assume correctly. But you are never allowed in that section of the house. The third floor is off limits."
"I've already seen the other two, though," I argue.
"Do not push it, little Wren."
"Okay. Okay. No access to the third floor," my hands go up in a motion of surrender.
We pull through large gates that connect to a tall fence, probably surrounding the entire property. It takes another ten minutes to actually pull up to the front of the house, and even though it's dark out, I'm already drooling over how pretty it is.
"Woah, you can see the stars so easily from here," I observe. A presence appears right behind me, close enough for the body heat to warm my back.
"They're beautiful, but it's late. I'll show you to your room, and then we can settle in more tomorrow," Enzo says, his breath tickling my neck.
"I get my own room?" I tease.
"That was the plan. Unless, of course, you'd prefer to stay in my bed with me. I wouldn't mind the company."
"Maybe I wanted to sleep with Santi or Luca."
"Trust me, sweetheart, I'm sure they want to sleep with you as well," he says, the smirk on his face evident from his tone. A blush heats my cheeks, and I silently thank the darkness of the night for hiding how much Enzo's words affected me.
"I thought I told you not to call me Santi," a low grumble comes from my left.
"But it's just so fun annoying you," I pout mockingly.
"We'll see how fun it is when I bend you over my knee and punish you for it," he smirks. My breath hitches and a tingle shoots through my body at the thought.
"So, are you joining one of us in bed tonight? Or are you sleeping by yourself?" Enzo asks from his place behind me, still pressed against my back.
"I think I'll be fine in a bed of my own."
"Pity, I was looking forward to seeing you sleep again. You look so innocent—like I could play with you, and you wouldn't know how to respond."
"Did you watch me sleep on the plane?"
"Did you know you sleep with your lips parted slightly. It's quite an enticing sight."
"You were perving on me while I slept."
"I was being observant, principessa."
"I think the word is creepy."
"I think we both know the idea of me watching you excites you more than you'd like to admit. Or Luca. Or Santiago."
"That's ridiculous."
"Really? I think you would enjoy us watching you do multiple things, little Wren."
"Never gonna happen."
"Never is a strong word."
"As entertaining as this has been," Luca cuts off our flirty banter, "I'm fucking tired. Can we go inside and go to bed now?"
Enzo steps away and walks past me without another word. I guess we're done then. I follow the three guys into the house, quietly admiring the beauty of it, and up to the second floor. Luca and Santiago disappear into their respective bedrooms as Enzo shows me mine.
"I'm across the hall, Luca is to your right, and Santiago is across from Luca. Basically, we're all right here, so don't try anything because you will get caught," he says.
"We're allies, remember?" I roll my eyes.
"Temporary allies."
"I'm not dense enough to try something in your house in Italy. That's a death wish. I'm not an idiot."
A small smile flashes across his face, "goodnight, Wren."
"Goodnight, asshole," I say when the door closes behind him. An ensuite bathroom door sits to the right of the bed, with the closet door sitting to the left of the bed. Windows adorn the walls, giving views of the pool and mountains, although it's too dark outside to really see anything. I strip out of my jeans shorts, knowing they would be way too uncomfortable to sleep in, as well as my bra and hoodie. My tank top and thong will work as pajamas for now, but I definitely need to go shopping tomorrow. Flopping onto the large queen-sized bed, I sigh. The past forty-eight hours of my life have practically given me whip-lash, and I haven't even had the chance to process it all. The bed is cozy, and I crawl under the sheets to cuddle up. Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I think about father. I never really grieved the loss of mother, so I'm not sure how to handle losing father, but knowing he's with her again brings a smile to my face. That's all he ever wanted—being with her was the only thing that truly mattered. Not that he didn't love me. I know he did, but he was never the same once she died. I can only hope to find a love like that some day. Even though I know I don't need a man to make me happy, the idea of having someone to live the rest of my life loving is tempting. Silence engulfs the estate, telling me all three guys are asleep, and a weird sense of peace flows through my body. It almost feels like happiness. Almost.
YOU ARE READING
Weaponizing Wren
Romance"Matteo Brooks killed my father for his power, which means we have a common enemy. You need me if you want to take him down." "Why would we need some spoiled mafia princess?" "Because you want what everyone else wants. Eduardo Patelli's secret weapo...
