AMORE MIO (on hold)

𝐢𝐯.

𝐠 𝐢 𝐮 𝐥 𝐢 𝐚

Breakfast goes smoothly for the most part. I don't eat much as I'm slightly uncomfortable even though Nicolas, Vincenzo, and Alessio seem to pay no more attention to me and focus on their own conversation. Anyways, I'm fairly picky with my food, so I just eat one piece of waffle and all the fruit off my plate, along with some of the orange juice.

The three of them finish their own food and get up, disappearing back down the hallway where we came from. They don't even acknowledge me before leaving. Assholes. Just as I start to clear the table, the same older woman returns and quickly stops me, taking over.

"It's okay, I can help," I tell her with a slight frown. I'm used to helping around the home, even though we did have maids and such. Mother believed it would make me a good daughter and later, an even better wife, and one day, a decent mother, if I could take care of the home.

She shakes her head, mummers something under her breath that I don't catch onto, and waves another younger woman in to help her. I quickly decide to leave her as she clearly doesn't want me to help, although it only confuses me more as to why. Instead of lingering around in the dining area or the living room, I slowly walk down the hallway again, noticing how there is a grand staircase that leads upstairs on the other end, and this hallway has a few smaller ones adjoining.

Just as I go to wander down one of them, a hand wraps itself around my elbow, causing me to jump, utterly startled. My head snaps back to meet the familiar dark eyes that continue to haunt my dreams. With huff, I go to yank my arm away from Nicolas, but his grip on me only tightens and I can't fight it without hurting myself.

"Relax. I'm only going to show you to your room," Nicolas tells me calmly, not a flicker of emotion on his face. "Also, I would recommend to you not to go wandering about, especially down here or in the basement. Vincenzo and Alessio like to keep their conquests down here...along with other things," he smirks as he pushes me towards the staircase.

"My room?" I ask him with a frown as I stumble forward at first, but begin to shuffle my feet to keep up with the force of him urging me forward. "What do you mean? Are you not taking me back to my uncle's lake house? What about Bianca?"

I hear a combination of an annoyed chuckle and a scoff come from Nicolas as he leads me up the rounding stairway to the second floor of the home. My heels click with every step I take on the marbled stairs, and I can't help but notice how beautiful this home really is. I would have personally opted for a more cream colored scheme, but I guess the dark colors work well with the three men.

"Do you ever just shut up?" Nicolas asks as his hand grips mine, pulling me forward before it comes around me to rest on the small of my back. I purse my lips together, rolling my eyes at his remark as I try to ignore how touchy he's being with me right now.

"Not if I can help it. I especially enjoy getting on your nerves and it seems like the more I talk, the more annoyed you get," I snap back at him as he leads me to the end of the hall before opening the door to a bedroom.

I peak in, but as soon as Nicolas pushes the door open further and gives me a small nudge, I step inside. It's absolutely gorgeous. Cream-colored walls, light grey furniture, and creamy accents all throughout. There are fluffy pillows and blankets, and a huge mirror that has an elegant bronze frame. It's almost as if it was decorated just for me.

"Is this where you bring all your captives? Or I'm sorry... your whores, Sir?" I cross my arms across my chest as I turn to face him, trying to show him that this bedroom doesn't change the fact that I don't want to be held here. "If you think this changes anything, then you are wrong. I might as well call my Papa now so he can order you to send me back to the lake house."