The other side: The Assessment

Chapter 4: I'll get to know all your secrets

Niccolò's POV:

I watched her face as she saw the view for the first time. Her mouth formed a little O at the sharp intake of breath. Before I could stop her and tell her not to go towards the edge, she was out of my embrace and was shouting over the wind up there, "Oh my god, this is amazing! I can't believe I'm here!"

Her childlike innocence and appreciation were contagious; before I could help myself, I was smiling alongside her. I noticed her eyes became glossy, and a small tear escaped her; she quickly wiped it away before looking up at me again. She was beaming, her green eyes full of appreciation, genuine appreciation. "Thank you," she mouthed before turning again towards the view.

I could only watch her. Her, her, her. My heartbeat took her as my rhythm, and I was scared. I walked closer. "You, okay?" I wanted to pry, I wanted to crawl under her skin so she would lash out at me, and I would forget these sensations I was having while we were walking up.

She nodded before looking up at me with glossy eyes, "Yeah, why?"

"Nothing, I thought I saw you crying," I shrugged.

"I do that a lot when I have a beautiful view in front of me," she answered, "I'm just so grateful to be here." Those were the last words before my heart stopped beating. She was completely raw on that roof and completely genuine, looking at me with so much innocence and admiration that I knew I wasn't worthy of it.

"Okay, now let's get the picture and head back. We need to speed things up if we want to win." I said to shift from her soppiness to the task at hand. The last thing I needed now was innocence in my world. I was going to hell, but I didn't need it to be more painful than it already was.

She nodded and turned on her heels so her hair flowed in my direction, sending a shiver of need through my cock. God, this woman will be the death of me. "I was thinking here," she pointed to a spot between two spikes, "you can see almost the exact part of the square like in the picture."

She was right, I noticed as I made my way behind her to take the selfie. "Oh, no, you're blocking the view with your height," she turned around and patted my shoulder for me to get lower.

I crouched, but it didn't work. The square was still behind my head. "I'll need you to go on your knees," she said absentmindedly while looking directly at the camera. I was surprised at how my body just bent to her will and knelt. I rarely went to my knees for anyone, but this woman in front of me had prepared me to do just that within two hours of us meeting each other and not even in a sexual context.

"Great," her enthusiastic voice made me look up again from my bent knees in front of me. I saw us in the picture, her a complete sight of happiness and me – I looked intrigued. I looked like I couldn't believe what was just happening, and that was because I couldn't. I was on my knees for a woman.

She took her picture and then quickly put the phone in her bag. Turning, she saw on the other side of the roof another pair from our course, "Shit, they're already here, we need to hurry."

I was taken by surprise at her cursing but even more so by her taking my hand and almost dragging me towards the entrance on the rooftop. I felt her determination to win this little game, and I wanted to help her out. After all, she helped me out with Angelo and didn't ask many questions. She was, at the same time, naïve and smart with the questions she asked me and the answers she was content with.

Before we went into the small space again, I stopped her, "I'll go first, so if you trip, I can catch you."

"I won't trip. We don't have time for me tripping," she determinedly said, and it looked so damn cute on her that my heart constricted at the sight.