𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝚩𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭 | 18+

5 || WOVEN WEB OF DECEIT

CHAPTER FIVE | WOVEN WEB OF DECEIT
𓆩❤︎𓆪𓆩❤︎𓆪𓆩❤︎𓆪

The soft sound of water pebbling against the glass and the gentle caress of sunbeams woke Natalia from slumber, cocooning her in a tranquillity that felt like an oasis of calm after the whirlwind she had endured. Whether it was the calm before the storm, she did not care. All she knew was that it was a calmness she needed after everything that had happened. Her face felt swollen and numb, a testament to the tears she had shed and the emotions she had struggled to contain. Her hair stuck to her sweaty forehead, and aches reverberated through every muscle, remnants of the lengthy run that had led her to Lorenzo's sanctuary.

Sitting up and rubbing her eyes, Natalia blinked the fatigue away. The room slowly came into focus, and she realized she must've been in Lorenzo's room. She couldn't help but berate herself for succumbing to exhaustion and falling asleep in his arms as he drove them back to his place. It could've ended perilously, after all. Fatally even. A pang of guilt gripped her, realizing the risks it posed to both of them.

Her guilt only grew as her gaze found her hands painted in a black residue left from the gunshots she'd made, making her tremble slightly as the memories of the ordeal rushed through her. She forced herself to brush the feelings off, pushing the images away as she lowered her hands and sat on them, wanting them out of her sight. She needed to anchor herself in the present, and so she allowed herself to take in Lorenzo's room, seeking solace in the space that surrounded her.

The room was humongous. Expensive paintings hung along the champagne-coloured walls, huge and heavy cream-coloured silk curtains draping against the huge windows, allowing sunlight to beam through and warm her face. A huge chandelier hung from the middle of the room, the crystals shimmering from the brightness of the room. The bed was incredibly soft, practically pulling her body in and hugging her in its warmth. It was a stark contrast from having woken up in the stiff wooden chair after getting abducted.

Eyeing the ajar door of the bathroom, she stood up with a whimper, dragging her feet along with her as she followed the sound of water cascading and softly tapping against the glass. Hesitantly, she knocked on the door despite it being open. "Lorenzo?" Natalia was rather confused. The room appeared as if it were plucked straight out of the pages of an architectural magazine. While she had experienced her fair share of business suites and luxury hotels, this surpassed anything she had ever laid eyes upon. It exuded an air of opulence fit for royalty, if not even grander.

The sound of Lorenzo humming brought a great amount of relief to her.

She hesitantly stepped closer to the door, her gaze fixated on her bare feet, nervously curling and fiddling her toes in uncertainty. "Can I...?" Natalia let the question linger in the air.

Instead of answering, he opened the door and approached her, a towel wrapped around his hips and his soaking wet hair dripping down along his neck and to his chest. He was so handsome that his handsomeness caught her off guard. It often did when she thought about it. Even the very first time she met him.

"Thanks." Natalia let her eyes dart across his. "For bringing and driving me here."

Lorenzo clicked his tongue and ushered her closer, cupping her cheeks and tutting at the sight of her slightly discoloured face. "Who?"

She gently tugged his hands off her face, lowering her gaze. "I don't want to talk about it."

He brushed her hands off his, cupping her face once more, giving it a proper look. "Pain?" Does it hurt anywhere?

Natalia cupped the back of her head and nodded. "My head has been throbbing, yeah. My face feels numb too. I think I'm concussed."

He caressed her cheek in concern. "Else?" Does it hurt anywhere else?