Dangerous Numbers

Chapter 18

ALEXANDRA

The gym had nothing to do with any conventional gym you may think. When I enter the room, I feel my mouth drop open in awe. Someone has taken the definition of training very seriously.

There are many things which I don't know what their use is, but something tells me that I'll find out soon. There is also a corner where a couple of dummies are placed in a row. Vittorio turns to look at me and a smirk forms on his face.

"Well, what do you think?" he asks full of pride. "You don't have to answer, your face tells everything. Now, Gianluca she's all yours." His face creased for a second and he places his other hand where I had cut him. There was a red line of blood painted on his shirt. "Excuse me, I have to clean this up." He turns to us and walks into a side room.

"Ready?" Gianluca smiles at me, but before I could answer he has already charged forward.

All I was thinking was the time when I'm going for a shower. After what seemed like four hours for me, but eventually, it was one and a half hours as Gianluca said, I was certain that I will collapse from fatigue any second now.

I take a look at him. He looks just a bit tired. I, on the other hand, am bent with my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath and rivers of sweat running on my back. I literary begged him for a break otherwise he would have to carry me all the way up to my room.

I wonder where Vittorio had gone. Maybe he left long ago, and I didn't pay any attention to him. But here and there, I could hear some clicking coming from the room where he had gone at first. As we finish for today I hear footsteps coming from that room and I see his shoes on the doorframe. I stand up to face him, I feel my body getting hotter, and my face most likely, looking like a tomato on fire. He's standing there looking at me, shirtless, with a bandage over his upper arm where I cut him.

I took a quick look at him, with broad shoulders, and lean defined muscles. My eyes rest on his forearms, the arms of a fighter. I quickly avert my look away from him when I realise he's still looking at me, and look at Gianluca who seems like he's holding himself not to laugh at my reaction. I give him one death stare, but he seems unamused.

I quickly marched out of the gym, heading back to the main house. I hear Vittorio's voice calling my name, but I don't stop.

I was in the middle of the stairs when I hear footsteps coming beyond the door leading to the restricted wing. "Alex, wait." I hear Vittorio calling me and I stop abruptly turning towards him. I'm pissed off not only by my stupid reaction upon seeing him shirtless but also by his childish attitude and Gianluca's. I notice he was wearing his shirt now, but it was still unbuttoned, and his abs are getting my attention, however, I was fighting hard not to stand and stare.

"I think tonight is best to stay with me," he says approaching me on the stairs. His eyes are shining as my breath caught short. "I mean... stay in my room." He corrects when he sees my stiffen reaction. "Yours has no door and the people to fix it will be here tomorrow." He adds. I don't know how to react so I nod and turn towards my room.

I enter the bathroom and hit open the water tap. I get in and let the hot water consume me. I let it run on me and feel the happiness that this torture has reached its end for today. I expect much more training in the days to follow but now, all I want is to take a shower and go to bed. But, on who's bed?

All this time I cannot stop thinking of Vittorio since I saw him shirtless back at the gym. I feel my face on fire once more and tried to shove that image away. When I finish the shower, I put on my nightgown and robe, take also the book that Bianca had given me the week before, and walk out, towards his room. My footsteps become heavy as I approach his territory.

I knock on the door and wait, but no answer.

"Vittorio?" I call gently as I slowly open the door.

"Come in. I'll be with you in a moment." His voice comes from the bathroom. As I walk to the bed to leave my book on the nightstand, I notice that the bathroom door is slightly open. I take a quick look and watch him drying his hair, wearing nothing but a tower resting around his waistline. Shivers run down my spine at the sight of him only with a towel...

Get your shit together Alex, he's your bloody boss! I avert my gaze and quickly come to stand on the other side of the bed, away from that door, looking outside the window. I hear the door open moments later, and he steps out. I'm afraid to turn and look at him.

Thankfully, he's wearing clothes, I can see his reflection in the window glass. However, I couldn't let unnoticed the way his t-shirt hugs his body, making his muscles stand out. I turn around to face him and pray the faint light of the room would not betray my red-shy face.

"Thank you." I manage to say before he opens his mouth to speak. "But where will you sleep?" I ask.

He forms a soft smile on his face. "First of all, I don't think I'll get much sleep tonight as I have a lot of work to do. But if I want to close my eyes for a minute, I can settle on the couch at my office," he replies and motions me to follow him to the connecting door, leading to his office.

I walk in and my mouth falls agape. The room is huge, you couldn't imagine that there's such a big room hidden in here. There's a large dark brown desk in the middle and a large couch on one side. The walls around, are covered with shelves and books. I walk closer to one stand admiring his collection.

"May I?" I ask excitedly. I haven't seen any books around, except a couple of books Bianca had in her room. He gives a nod, and I can't hide a smile. I turn to the books but I feel his eyes on me.

There are many types of books, history, literature, and philosophy. I feel like a child in a candy store. After we have a briefing on the work to be done in the coming week, I say goodnight and turn to exit his office when he calls me back.

"Tomorrow I have a special occasion to attend, and I need you to come with me. Be ready by 8.30 a.m. We go shopping." He states.

"May I ask what's the occasion?" I whisper.

"I cannot tell you, but all I can tell you is that the event is at the opera house."

I accidentally let out a gasp of excitement and I burst out laughing when I see his face fixated on me with surprise. Is his mask breaking at last?

I walk out and sit on the bed, covered by thebedsheets and the extra quilt that had been placed for me. As I bring the sheetscloser the smell of freshness and his scent hits my nose. It's so nice andcalming, almost intoxicating. I feel my ears burning. It's going to be along night I think as I open the book to read and let a sigh.