Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 65987 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 330(@200wpm)___ 264(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65987 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 330(@200wpm)___ 264(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
She studied my face, searching for deception, for ulterior motives. I allowed her scrutiny, keeping my expression open in a way I rarely permitted myself. After a moment, she nodded, a small acceptance of what I'd offered, if not complete understanding.
“Why does it matter to you about my things? I know I’m not good enough for this place, but if appearances mean that much to you, I’m not the person you want here.” She winced. “Never mind. I forgot this wasn’t…”
“It’s as real as it gets, Belle. Vincent Rossi knows I have an interest in you. What he doesn’t realize yet, and what I will try my best to keep from him, is exactly how infatuated with you I really am.”
“Why?” It came from her more of a demand than a question.
“Because if he controls you, he controls me. And if Vincent or Anthony Rossi control me, they control the whole city. Which makes you the most important person in Port Haven.”
Judging by the widening of her eyes and the silent “O” she formed with her lips, I’d say Belle saw exactly how serious I was with my statement. There was shock followed very closely by disbelief and confusion. She studied me for a long time, holding my gaze for the first time with any fortitude. I still intimidated her, but whatever she saw in my face must have been what she’d needed to see.
With a sigh, she stepped closer to me and placed her hand on my chest. "Thank you," she said quietly. "It's a beautiful suite."
I smiled, satisfaction warming my chest. "Rest. Tomorrow I'll show you the grounds."
I moved toward a door on the opposite end of the room. Pausing with my hand on the knob, I opened the door before looking back at her. "My room is here if you need anything. I won’t lock my side. You can lock yours if you feel more secure.”
She nodded. “Thank you, Dario.”
“I mean it, Belle,” I said, needing to drive this point home. “Anything at all. Even if it’s just to talk. I know this is overwhelming, but I’ll do anything I can to put you at ease."
She nodded, her gaze already moving away, her shyness returning. She could get over her intimidation of me when she was vexed, but holding on to anger wasn’t something Belle did naturally. I watched her for a moment longer, memorizing the sight of her standing in the center of the room. Belle now lived in my home. Under my protection. Within my reach.
As I closed the door behind me, leaving her to settle in, a rare sense of peace settled over me. Whatever complications tomorrow might bring, tonight she was here. Safe. And that was enough for now.
Chapter Fourteen
Belle
I tried not to gawk like a tourist as Dario guided me through the revolving doors of High Tower. After two weeks of being sequestered at Villa Luca, this excursion to the heart of his business empire felt both liberating and terrifying. The suit jacket he'd insisted I wear hung perfectly on my frame, courtesy of the wardrobe that had mysteriously appeared in my closet, but no amount of designer clothing could mask how utterly out of place I felt. Dario's hand rested at the small of my back, warm and possessive, as we crossed the threshold into a world where he was king and I was merely a curiosity.
The lobby stretched before us, a cathedral of wealth and power. Polished black granite floors reflected the morning light streaming through the glass walls, creating an illusion of infinite space. To my right, water cascaded down a three-story wall, the gentle roar providing acoustic privacy for the clusters of well dressed professionals conducting hushed conversations in plush seating areas.
"Impressed?" Dario murmured, his lips close to my ear.
"It's beautiful," I admitted, resisting the urge to reach for his hand like a child needing reassurance. "Makes The Gray look almost modest."
He smiled, a rare expression that transformed his severe features into something dangerously charming. "The Gray is meant to feel intimate. This—" he gestured to the soaring space around us, "—is meant to intimidate."
"Mission accomplished," I whispered, earning another smile.
We crossed the lobby toward a bank of elevators guarded by a security desk. The man stationed there straightened immediately upon seeing Dario, nodding respectfully without checking the identification badge clipped to Dario's lapel. His eyes flickered to me with barely concealed curiosity before returning to a carefully neutral expression.
"Good morning, Mr. Luca," he said. "Your guests have already arrived in the conference room."
Dario's jaw tightened imperceptibly. "I wasn't expecting guests this morning, Anthony."
"Mr. Chambers called an hour ago. Said it was urgent."
I felt Dario's hand tense against my back. "I see."
The elevator doors opened silently at his approach. Once inside, he pressed his thumb to a fingerprint scanner before selecting the top floor. As the doors closed, sealing us in the mirrored box, he turned to me with a troubled expression.