OUR BOND

The Cassanos

Noel's POV

My eyes fluttered open to an unfamiliar ceiling and for a moment I lay still, the silk beneath my body too smooth, too foreign.

This wasn't my room, I fear this wasn't even my house.

I attempted to sit up straight, but the heaviness of my head brought me down, I let out a small groan of discomfort as I forced to sit up.

"Oh, you're awake" I turned to the voice and a man sat at the grand desk, posture sharp, presence impossible to ignore in his dark suit, cut to fit both business and war. He hadn't looked up from his laptop yet.

"Who are you? And where am I?" I asked two out of the many questions I had.

He didn't answer immediately, he just shut the laptop with a soft click, finally turning to me. His eyes were really harsh, not in a bad way just mesmerizing, a bit grey I could say but I couldn't tell properly.

"Damien Cassano. And you're in Italy. The Cassano mansion. My home"

The pounding in my head stopped immediately. "Italy? Are you kidding me?" I let out a quiet, disbelieving laugh.

"Bright Wilson.. He did not" I turned to the man, looking at me like I was the most interesting thing to ever happen.

"I take it you weren't informed?"

"Oh I was informed" I said, voice oozing with dry sarcasm. "I just didn't think he'd do it, threatened so many times I thought it'd be an inside joke at some point"

Damien's lips curved faintly at that, not quite a smile, more the ghost of one. He stepped closer, his voice steady, deliberate.

"You should know, Noel" he said, his tone softening just enough to make the words carry weight, "The Cassanos are not strangers to you"

It took a while for the family name to register, when it did I lit up like a Christmas tree. "Cassano? That's my mom's family"

My heart stilled for a beat.

"Exactly"

I looked up at him, suspicion and curiosity still wrestling in my eyes. "So.. Bright didn't just send me anywhere.."

He nodded then we went quiet for a while.

"So like seeing as I didn't introduce myself, and you already knew my name, did Bright send you an email with my long name?"

"Noel Aurelia Starlight Cassano Wilson, it is a long name"

"But you carry more than one empire in that name. Don't diminish it"

I arched a brow, what in the Bridgerton was this "Well that's rich, coming from a man I've known for five minutes"

Something flickered in his gaze, not offense but interest. "Five minutes" he echoed softly "And I already see why Bright sent you here" he let the words hang, then added, his voice low and edged with finality. "Shipped or not, you're where you belong"

Silence stretched after Damien's words, heavy enough to press against my ribs.

I tilted my head, studying him with narrowed eyes "So what? I'm just supposed to accept this? Smile and curtsy because you say 'I belong'?"

His smirk sharpened "I don't recall asking for a curtsy"

"Good. Because you're not getting one"

His eyebrows went up and he leaned in just slightly, enough for me to feel the weight of his presence "You intrigue me, little cousin"

Before I could respond, a knock at the door came.

"Enter" Damien said still looking my way. He then straightened up, the slight softness from earlier disappearing as the door opened.