A Little Too Dark

Twenty-Two

Lorenzo hanged up the call and sighed out loud – he didn't sign up for this when he decided that he will work from his home today. If only he had any idea – he would have stayed late at his office, like he usually does. "Who is the good boy? Yes, you are. Yes, you are. Oh, wait you are a girl." Andrea laughed. Enzo turned around to see her playing with Belle and Luna. Both his dogs were on the couch with Andrea while she petted them. Andrea looked at Luna with her eyebrows drawn when she lay upside down, "Hey, you are a girl too!" She said as soon as she realized before she lifted her head to look at Enzo, "Hey Virgo! They both are girls!" She informed Enzo and he almost rolled his eyes at how she said his last name wrong – again, like before when he saved her from the storm. Lorenzo took a deep breath, "You can do this – she is just a girl," He mumbled to himself as he walked closer to her.

"Come on, I am taking you home," Lorenzo announced to Andrea. She lifted her head to look at Lorenzo standing tall beside her and narrowed her eyes, "I might be a little high, but not high enough to go anywhere with you," She replied. She stretched her lips in a very cheeky fake smile, "So, I am going to stay here and play with your dogs till Farrah and Kevin come and pick me up," she added. Lorenzo sighed, "You know, you are in my penthouse, right? I have every right to kick you out," He threatened her. She slowly looked at him and twisted her lips and clapped her thighs before she stood up on her feet, but still, she was much shorter than he was, so she stepped up on the couch to get to his level causing him to frown, "Are you threatening me, Mr. Vingo?" She placed her hands on her hipbone.

Lorenzo looked incuriously at her, "First, It is Vigorito. Second, get off my couch – it is not yours to jump on, and finally, yes – I am threatening you. So, keep your mouth shut for once and get going," He replied. Andrea clenched her jaws as she gritted her teeth before she looked back to see the dogs on the couch as well, "Bite his ass," she hissed to them as she pointed her thumb towards him. He rolled his eyes and grabbed her by her arm and forced her to get down while making sure she doesn't fall. "Hey!" she grumbled as she stumbled but thankfully didn't fall since Lorenzo was already holding her.

Andrea pushed the hair off her face and gritted her teeth harder. "You know what? I so want to slap you right now. Hard." She snarled. Lorenzo looked ineffective by her threat and raised his eyebrow – challenging her, "You can try," he said following a sniggered. But he didn't expect what was coming next. A hand landed on his right cheek – hard – just as she said before. He widened his eyes as his face whipped to his left. He jerked his head back and in the heat of the moment with his veins on fire and anger burning in his eyes grabbed her face with his hand – squeezing her chin – hard. He gritted his teeth as he glared in her glossy eyes and tightened his grip.

Andrea's eyes widened in horror as a fat tear rolled out from her eye and fell on his hand. She whimpered as she felt the pain of his finger squeezing in her cheeks – causing her lips to pout. Lorenzo's my flashed to the past when he did the same thing before – but with someone else. The creases on his forehead disappeared as he looked at Andrea bewilderedly. He realized he was hurting her and immediately let her go before taking a few steps back. What was he doing? How could he hurt someone like this – again? He gulped as his mouth started to get dry. Andrea placed her hand on her face – trying to soothe the ache, "What the fuck is wrong with you??!" she yelled out – cracking her voice in the end. It made the dogs panic as they started to bark at both of them.

Sweat started to form on his forehead as his breath started to get labored. He gulped, "I am sorry. I am so sorry. I didn't – mean – I am so sorry," his eyes unable to meet hers. Lorenzo's Samoyed started to whimper as she got closer to Enzo and his Golden Retriever also barked at him from a distance. Andrea knitted her eyebrows as she looked at Lorenzo – realizing he was having a panic attack. She tried to walk nearer to him but he stopped her, "Don't – I will hurt you again," he said while his hands shook. There was visible sweat on her forehead. Andrea gulped and stretched her hand out for him, "Hey, it is okay. You didn't hurt me. I am okay," she lied. Her cheeks were throbbing, but she didn't want him to panic more. He shook his head, "But, I am not." He gulped. "Call Kevin, he will pick you up." He asked as he shakenly pointed towards my phone resting on the coffee table before he rushed into his room – closing the door and leaving Andrea and his dogs behind.