War of A Rose

War of a Rose • Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty
Alessio

A flash of gold catches the corner of my eye. I turn, halting my conversation with Niccolò. A green-eyed woman stares back, stealing the air from my lungs. The dress itself was fine, but on her body, on her curves, it was a masterpiece. She is a masterpiece. Tempting enough to steal and lock away for only my eyes to see. The thought of sending her out to bait another man is enough to send me over the edge. It is enough for me to see red. The same color I will paint her skin with when I kill every man who dares to touch her tonight, and the same color she will paint me when her thorns tear into my skin.

My little rose shifts on her feet. Rolling her eyes, "Are we going to leave, or will you stand there and gape?"

"As long as you wear that dress, then yes, I will." As long as she wears the dress that I had made for her. The very one that calls for me to rip it into shreds. I look down at my rose and smile. A haunting, dark smile.

"You look delicious, little rose." I made sure she could hear the threat behind my words. When her gaze faltered, I knew that she understood the sincerity of my tone, and I hoped that the same image replaying in my mind was also playing in hers. The image of me ripping that golden dress from her body to devour her whole, not caring if the entire world is watching. I will torch it when we are done because her body is for only my eyes to see, for only my hands to bend and break then sculpt again, and for only mine to make bleed. Anyone stupid enough to hurt her will taint the world with their blood.

My sister makes her way down the hallway, "Enough, please. I am going to be sick." Rosaelia breaks my gaze, turning to look at my sister.

As soon as she looks away, something shatters between us. I find myself stepping away from her, turning back to my head of security, who is no longer looking at me. I follow his gaze, expecting to find him staring at the brunette, but his eyes are on the blonde, my sister. Lili is in a dress shorter than I would care to see her in. I suppose that's what makes her job more manageable. I'll be damned if Rosaelia wears anything like that. I would have to cut out the eyes of every man who looked her way, and that's far too much of a mess to clean.

Rosaelia glanced back at me before heading to the elevator, "Let's go then." Liliana followed close behind, their heels echoing throughout the room.

Niccolò smirked as we watched the two women, "Let's see which one can get the fish to bite."

***Rosaelia POV***

I knew this dress would attract attention, but I didn't expect it to be from Alessio. When I left my room, he and Niccolò were standing by the bar, both drinking glasses of whiskey. When Alessio turned to face me, I found it hard to breathe only because his piercing gaze kept me frozen to the ground, unable to move as he took me in.

After a long uncomfortable moment, I shift on my feet and roll my eyes, "Are we going to leave, or are you going to stand there and gape?" Alessio's blue orbs twinkled with mischief.

I try not to recoil when he looks down at me and smiles, a haunting smile, "As long as you wear that dress, then yes, I will."

"You look delicious, little rose." His voice creeps across my skin. Leaving goosebumps in its wake. Something tells me that his words are more literal than I would like. That dark smile tells me he is ready to swallow me whole, regardless of Niccolò and Liliana being in the same room.

The sound of heels clicking down the hall allows me to break my gaze with Alessio, "Enough, please. I am going to be sick." Liliana mocks as she emerges from the hallway. A beautiful brown leather dress clung to every curve of her body, stopping just below her ass. Like my own, her hair had been pinned up into a ponytail; only hers was straightened.