𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 | 𝟏𝟖+

LILY

031. SEX IN THE CITY

"It's fucking huge!" I whisper shout in astonishment.

We arrived in Italy and were escorted to a hotel and casino an hour from the airport. There are over fifty floors, and it lit up the whole strip.

"Mind your mouth, Lily," Royces mumbled, warning from beside me.

"You love this mouth," I challenge, admiring the bustle of the street and tapping the tips of my sandals together.

A sharp pinch to my rear caused me to yelp, and I swivel to Royce with a sneer. He ignored me, continuing his previous conversation with the chauffeur. I huff, straying my sight away from them and down the busy street. More bikes or people were walking around than driving, making the streets more lively. I narrow my eyes at a sleek black BMW Suv that I had seen circle the block at least twice, recognizing the people inside the car. I keep my cool and saunter to Royce, pulling on the back of his shirt. Their conversation ended immediately, and once I had his full attention, I murmured, "The same car has been circling the block several times since we got here. We should head inside."

He side-eyed the car as it appeared to have slowed down significantly a few cars away from us. Royce plants a hand on my hip, guiding us into the lobby while the other sat on his unseen gun. We go to the front desk to get checked into a room, and it would've been faster if the receptionist wasn't trying to flirt her way into Royces' pants. I cleared my throat and gestured to the elevator, interrupting their conversation.

"Jealousy isn't a good look on you, mio fiore," Royce says, holding my chin in a vice grip when the doors close with a ding.

I scoff, pulling away from him. "I wasn't jealous. Besides, I'm trying to avoid getting cussed at by some Italian racist."

"I wouldn't let anything bad happen to you nor let anyone disrespect you, Lily. You know this," Royce responds smokily. His stern face and gravelly tone never ceased to make my heart flutter.

The elevator dings open, signaling we made it to our floor. Royce walks ahead and down the hall to our supposed room, swiping a key card. When the doors opened, I gasped. "Holy shit, it's fucking beautiful!" I slowly walked into the middle of the room, mesmerized. Everything was classically modern. Fancy crown moldings and bright diamond light fixtures hung from the ceiling. Painting decorated the off-white walls with golden frames. Accent carpets are placed over the white tile floors in various colors, from white and black, to cremes and reds. There were plush cushioned couches galore, and of course, why wouldn't there be a fancy-ass bar with tons of liquor?

"It's beautiful. And we're on the top floor?" I ask, not straying my gaze from the interior.

"Yes. But the view outside is even better, especially at night." He leads me outside after grabbing a glass of bourbon.

I gaze at the view. "I am so glad I pestered you."

It really was a replica of Las Vegas, except more modern. Neon bar signs were turned on, and billions of lights lit up the city streets with their rainbow glow. The streets are lively, filled with people cheering, laughing, boasting about how much money they won, or even making out. Regardless, everyone looked content. It was stunning and even more so with the sun setting behind it. The sky was an array of purple, orange, red, and yellow. Magical. "I don't see how you could move from a place like this. It seems amazing," I whisper, admiring the art around me.

"Sometimes we must do things we don't wish to do," he replies.

I shake my head. Always so mysterious, him and his words. I've seen plenty of sides to him, but this one was more easygoing, still tense-but more reminiscent. His five o'clock shadow was prominent, and the sun highlighted the green in his eyes as he leaned gracefully against the railing. His expression was calm as he admired the view before him. He had this thing about him that was distant but inviting at the same time. Or maybe he's like that on purpose, trapping people in when they've thought they won when in reality, they don't.