Lucy Greene and Enzo Russo find each other in a twist of fate and instantly desire takes them over.
But as the real world creeps in around them, it seems that fate has played a trick on them.
Lucy Greene is on her year abroad in Italy when she mee...
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Swallowing my nerves, I pull at the hem of my red chiffon dress, wishing I had chosen a longer dress, as Enzo locks the car and walks towards me.
Somehow, Enz convinced me that meeting his parents today wouldn't be a train wreck because here I am, walking up the driveway of an Italian villa which looks like something out of a film or a novel.
"Relax, Stellina." Enzo coos, kissing my head, "you look beautiful. They're going to love you."
I stiffen at his words slightly, Enzo and I are yet to say that word, yet here he is telling me that his parents will- how can that be true?
The door is thrown open before I have any more time to spiral into a den of nerves and irrational fears.
"Mio figlio!" A stunning woman with sparkling eyes exclaims excitedly as she pulls Enzo into her arms.
"Ma," Enzo chuckles as he lifts her off the floor in a squeeze, "I saw you less than a month ago."
"Well it's still too long."
The woman untangles herself and smoothes her long black skirt flat again. Then her attention turns to me.
"Hi," I say lamely as I wave my hand slightly. My awkwardness doesn't seem to faze the beaming woman as she pulls me into a hug as well.
"It is good to meet you." She says with a heavy Spanish accent and a mischievous grin.
"Let the poor girl breathe, Eleanora." A male voice chastises from the hall.
"Sorry sorry." She grumbles as she pulls back and moves to welcome us through the door.
Waiting for us, for me, are Sophia and Enzo's father. When she sees me, Sophia offers me a little wave but she is rather more subdued than usual. I wonder why she hasn't come to see me properly but when I see the stern expression of her father fixed at me, I realise why.
While this may appear like a friendly dinner with my boyfriend's parents, it's so much more than that.
"I'm Gianni Russo." The man says, his face fixed with an expression resembling a glower.
"Lucy Greene, pleased to meet you." I hold my hand out for him to shake but he sniffs and refuses.
Enzo's hand circles around my waist and squeezes gently.
"Lucy? I thought her name was Lucia." Gianni demands, his eyes looking past me and up at his son.
"Her name is Lucy, sir, I just like to call her that too."
I wonder for a moment why Enzo addresses his father as Sir, but from the formality Gianni seems to hold over his house, it makes sense.
"Well," Eleanora stammers, "let's eat?"
She phrases it like a question and looks up at her husband before moving.
"Good idea, precious." He wraps an arm over her delicate shoulder and leads her to the dining room.
