Enzos voice was a dark whisper , tinged with menance . "You disobeyd me baby", he murmured ,his eyes burning with intensity.
(It's time for punishment )
Elena's heart raced as she met his gaze, a mix of fear and arousal coursing through her veins "...
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Sitting across from Marco, I could sense his curiosity had been piqued by whatever nonsense he had been discussing with Elena before I returned. He gave me a look that said, *I know more than you think,* but I wasn’t in the mood to entertain his teasing. This entire situation was spiraling faster than I could control.
*Fake fiancée.* What the hell had I gotten myself into?
“Let’s get back to business,” I said, trying to steer the conversation away from whatever Marco was about to pry into. My mind, however, wasn’t in the work at hand. It kept drifting to her—Elena. I’d made her part of this absurd plan, and now Nona already believed the lie. There was no turning back.
As much as I wanted it to turn into reality, I couldn’t force Elena. She’d told me—well, hinted—while tipsy that she might be falling for me, but I knew she wouldn’t admit it when she was fully conscious.
Marco kept throwing glances my way, like he could sense I was miles away from the meeting. Normally, I wasn’t like this. *Distracted?* No. *Love? Relationships?* Never been my thing. But now, Elena was occupying my every thought, and I didn’t know what to make of it.
*What’s she thinking right now? Is she mad at me?*
I couldn’t blame her if she was. I’d practically forced her into this, but she had agreed... hadn’t she? I wasn’t sure anymore if it was just the act that was getting to her—or to me.
As I was lost in my thoughts, Nona appeared at the doorway and called for Elena, asking her to meet her in her room. Elena looked uneasy, and I hated it. *I shouldn’t care this much,* I thought. *If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t even blink.* But this was Elena, and for some reason, I cared too damn much. The idea of her feeling out of place or uncomfortable here made me restless.
I shook my head, trying to refocus on Marco’s report, but even the sound of her footsteps outside made me want to follow her. Without even thinking, I stood up and excused myself from Marco, following her out the door.
Just as she was about to enter Nona’s room, I gently took her hand, stopping her.
“Elena, look, I know you’re stressed,” I said quietly, trying to keep my voice steady, “but trust me—Nona isn’t going to make you uncomfortable. She’s sweet. She just wants to get to know you. That’s it.”
I gave her a soft peck on the lips, hoping it would calm her nerves. She gave me a small nod before heading into the room, and I turned back toward the study, trying to shake off the anxiousness building in my chest.
When I returned, Marco was waiting, arms crossed, a knowing look on his face.
“Man, come on. What have you gotten yourself—and her—into?” he asked.
I stared down at the floor, running a hand through my hair, unsure of how to respond. “I don’t know, Marco. I just dragged her into this mess, and now… I don’t know what to do. I love her so much, and you know that.
