★JANIE★

With my face huddled against his bare chest, I lay in his arms, sleeping peacefully. His arms wrapped around my waist in a possessive way and, the both of us fell asleep right after making love and having small talk.

"Hmmm." I wiggled my head from left to right, trying to set free from the hair disturbing my face. Then smiled in my sleep the moment Luciano's fingers curled around the back of my neck, pulling me closer to his chest.

Just like this.

I could stay like this in his arms forever. Yet, my subconscious kept reminding me that I had a school life to get back to and my assignments wouldn't do themselves.

Letting out a low groan, I tried to shut those thoughts out and just enjoy this moment. His warmth, his breaths, the rise and fall motion of his chest against my skin.

Suddenly a soft knock pounded on the door and I cussed internally, wishing the person would just go away. Luciano didn't make any attempt to move too, so I knew he wanted no disturbance just as much as me.

But the knock resounded again, and this time I heard the door creak open.

"Luciano, I just prepared......" A familiar feminine voice began to say then trailed off the next second.

That voice.

I couldn't pin down where I heard it from, but a part of me felt I'd had an encounter with the owner of the voice, so I opened my eyes and snapped my head toward that direction.

Indeed, it was someone I met and had an encounter with, but it was way back in Italy.

I tried so hard to remember her name but failed miserably.

She was the lady who fought with me over Luciano back in Italy because she thought I was his girlfriend back then. Well, I wondered what she would do now that I was actually dating and sleeping with him.

Just as I thought, she didn't seem pleased. Her lips curled up in disdain as she took in the sight of the both of us buried beneath sheets on the bed. The distraught look on her face revealed just how much she was trying to get a grip on herself. Perhaps, denying what was fully displayed in front of her. While I watched silently, enjoying her show of discomfort.

"Mia?" Luciano's husky voice cut through the not-so-silent atmosphere.

Yes. Mia! That's her name.

Within seconds, her eyes traveled from our scattered clothes on the floor, to Luciano's face.

"What are you doing in my room, Mia?" Luciano asked.

Mia's lips curled into a grin, but it seemed fake and didn't reach her eyes. "Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you, Luciano. I just came to inform you that I prepared lunch. Would you like to join us at the dining table or I should bring some over?"

"I'll join you shortly," Luciano said dismissively.

Mia nodded her head awkwardly before turning for the door. As she turned to close it, she issued me a menacing look and then shut the door.

If looks could kill, the one from Mia could have sent me to an early grave. Trying not to dwell on it, I suppressed that thought and then turned to face Luciano, whose face slipped from a scowl to a small smile as he held my gaze.

"What is she doing here?" I queried.

"Who? Mia?"

"Yes, who else," I stated. "She was the lady in Italy, is she not? So how come she's staying here and even preparing lunch for you." I demanded distastefully, feeling a shred of jealousy.

"Relax, Janie. Mia came in yesterday from Italy."

My eyes narrowed at his face. "Is she part of the reason why you left me in that room yesterday?"

"Of course not." Luciano countered.

But I didn't want to believe him. I felt a sense of jealousy seeping into my mind at the thought of Mia staying here, in this Mansion. With him.

She's Pretty, curvy and, knew how to dress like a baddie. Somehow, she always has that Alpha female vibes that'd make other ladies in the same room with her, feel inferior.

I wouldn't lie. Mia was that girl, and a part of me wondered for a second why Luciano didn't go for her instead. Or was he two-timing on the both of us?

Gasping at that thought, I looked him squarely in the eyes. "Well, she is prettier and sexier than me. I see no reason why you won't leave me in a room to run to her in a heartbeat."

Luciano quirked his brows. A low chuckle emanated from the back of his throat as his arm behind my waist, tightened its grip, melting our bodies together. "There is no need to be jealous, Janie. Mia is just my childhood friend. As far as I'm concerned the only one that's pretty and sexy in my eyes is— you." He affirmed.

And my heart melted from his sweet words. They sounded so genuine.

Instantly, butterflies erupted in my stomach and I blushed hard. Burying my head into his chest, I kicked my legs playfully, while Luciano's chuckle intensified.

"Oh, Janie." My name rolled off his tongue in a deep, pleasuring growl. "we need to take a shower, and go for lunch. She's being nice....let's not keep her waiting."

************************************ Luciano and I strutted out of the bathroom, cladded in towels. We had a quick shower and tried as much as possible to keep out of each other's throats.

As I stood in front of the dressing table, my eyes roamed over the fine piece of wood, reminiscing what transpired here yesterday. The way he slammed my butt on the table while assaulting my nipples.

But my train of thought was cut off as Luciano removed the towel from my body, exposing my nakedness to his full sight.

"Damn! Every part of you is perfection." He murmured, letting the towel fall to the ground. "Don't move." He ordered and I nodded in compliance.

I watched as he strode across the room to his closet, brought out a new dress from it alongside some of his clothes then splayed them on the bed.

Still standing there, watching his every move through the mirror, I admired him. His masculinity was worth a million bucks. Several men would struggle for a fortune, just to go under the knife to have his kind of build. Or perhaps, spend half of their lives in the gym.

I didn't even know Luciano was now standing behind me because I was too engrossed in my thoughts, until his fingers ran across my skin, applying moisturizers.

My stomach knotted in response to his touch, but I tried not to react this time and just held myself in.

Trying to ward off the steam his touch was setting on my body, I began. "I'd like to visit Noel in the hospital after lunch then I will return to the hostel afterwards."

"Visiting Noel is not a problem. I can take you there." He offered and I muttered a small thank you. "But can you not stay in this Mansion, and go from here to School every day? I feel it's safer here."

As much as I'd like to be around him all the time, I couldn't bear the thought of staying with Mia. Nonetheless, I decided not to create further fuss regarding her appearance.

"Please let me think about it, Luce."

Luciano smirked. "You've started with these nicknames again. Alright then, two days, Janie. Because I can't imagine anything happening to you."

I issued him a small smile. "Thank you."

So Luciano helped me get dressed, while I did the same. And together, we left the room to the dining.

On getting there, Mia and Romano were already seated. Romano looked from me to Luciano, then back to me, while I feigned a smile and surprisingly he returned it.

I was stunned because the last time we spent together, we couldn't stand each other's gut. So what changed?

Luciano pulled out a chair for me, and I sat down on it. Ignoring the contemptuous look Mia tossed my way. I understood that she didn't like me, especially since our last encounter in Italy. Nevertheless, I'd try to put up with her for Luciano's sake.

"No wonder I couldn't sleep last night." Romano chimed. "The both of you engage in such an intense session, making me cuddle my pillow until dawn."

"Well, you could have gone to Mia." Luciano joked and everyone laughed, except from Mia.

She rose from her seat and dished out a meal I presumed to be an Italian delicacy, and soon we all began to eat.

From where I was seated, I could see how uncomfortable Mia was, and the way she kept eyeing me at intervals. I understood that she liked Luciano, and to be honest, I felt really bad that he didn't feel that way towards her. But it wasn't my fault.

After we were done, I packed all the dirty dishes to the kitchen myself. And then, I felt another presence in the kitchen with me, so I whirled around to see Mia standing by the door.

Eyeing me up and down, she spat. "You must be excited to be warming his bed. But I assure you that it's just for the meantime and soon, his excitement about fucking a younger little Bimbo like you will wear off, and then he will discard you like a piece of trash and come running to me."

Not wanting to match up with her energy, I smiled. "Thank you for the lunch. You are a wonderful cook." And with that, I strolled past her, out of the kitchen.

************************************ "Yes, let's get the flowers from that shop," I said, pointing at a florist shop across the street we drove by.

Since we were going to visit Noel, I intended to take chocolates and flowers to him, as a token of apology for what happened in the club.

Luciano pulled the car to a halt, and the both of us walked hand in hand into the florist shop.

There were a lot of nice scented flowers. So much...... that I didn't know which one to pick.

"Do you want to gift it to each other?" The florist asked.

Luciano and I exchanged looks before I shook my head in response. "No, it's for a friend admitted to the hospital."

"Well, you can—" her voice trailed off as Luciano's cell phone rang.

"One second, Janie," Luciano said to me then strutted out of the shop to receive his call, while I remained with the florist.

"I'd like some roses please," I said to her with a smile.

"Well, Miss..... since you said it's for your friend at the hospital, I'd advise you to go with the chrysanthemum flower." She suggested.

"Oh really, why is that?"

"Well, apart from the flower having so many health benefits, it helps to ward off bad spirits and promote good—"

She was still talking when my eyes drifted to Luciano, who was engrossed in his phone calls. I was just about to return my gaze to the florist when a distant figure across the street caught my attention.

Donned in a black face cap and complete black attire, he pressed himself to the wall of a building, aiming the gun at Luciano.

My heart flew out of my body.

Panic coursed through my veins as I quickly thought of what to do.

I couldn't yell at Luciano to get the hell out of that spot because he wouldn't hear me. So I sprinted out of the florist shop. Just as I wrapped my arms around him, trying to pull him away, a sharp pain pierced through my back, making me feel light-headed.

A startled gasp escaped my lips and I felt my body dropping to the floor, but Luciano threw his phone and held me. He seemed to be yelling at the top of his lungs, however, I couldn't make out a damn thing he said.

"L-e-a-ve the w-a-y," I said to him in a hushed tone, feeling my eyelids grow heavier.

Momentarily, it began to feel like my body was falling apart and, I wondered what was going on with me as I closed my eyes. Succumbing to the outreaching darkness.