91

91
Rosa’s POV
Dinner had been tense, to put it lightly. The kind of tension that sticks to your skin, makes the air heavier, and every word feel like a weapon. It wasn’t new to me, being in situations like this-powerful men with their piercing gazes and loaded questions. But Allesio? He was a different story altogether.
I couldn’t stop staring at him.
Not because I wanted to-no, that would’ve been too simple. It was the way he carried himself, the silent command of his presence that made it impossible to look away. Even when I tried to focus on Emilia or Alaric, my eyes betrayed me, darting back to him every chance they got.
Dinner was over now, and Emilia and Alaric were putting Francesca to bed. That left me in the dining room with him. Alone.
I hated how my pulse quickened.
He sat at the far end of the table, his body relaxed but his sharp eyes locked on me. It was like he could read every thought racing through my head, like he knew I was fighting a losing battle against the pull he had on me.
I decided to break the silence before it suffocated me. “So, does this place always have such a welcoming vibe, or is it just me?”
He smirked, the corner of his mouth lifting just enough to make my stomach flip. “What were you expecting? A red carpet?”
“Something less like an interrogation,” I shot back, leaning back in my chair. “You’d think I’d walked in here with a bomb strapped to my chest.”
His eyes narrowed slightly, though the amusement didn’t leave his face. “Can you blame us? Emilia’s been here for months, and not once did she mention she had a friend like you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “A friend like me?”
“You know what I mean.”
“Enlighten me.”
He leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on the table. “Someone with your… connections.”
“Ah.” I nodded slowly, pretending to be deep in thought. “You mean someone with a last name that makes men like you sit up and pay attention.”
His smirk widened, but he didn’t deny it. “I’m just surprised. Why did she come here and accept Allesio’s help when she has a friend who could help her out easily?”
I frowned, not understanding him. “What do you mean?” I asked, my eyes narrowed.
“Oh you didn’t know?” Hiz smirked widened even more. “Her brother had a failing kidney, and the reason she’s working here is because Alaric offered to help her if she became his daughters nanny. I wonder why she didn’t tell you.”
“If she didn’t tell me, she had a damn good reason for it,” I said tightly though I felt betrayed. I knew Emilia very well and I knew that if she didn’t tell me, it was because she was trying to be independent and didn’t want to be a burden. But still it hurt. But I wasn’t going to let him see that.
“Does she? Or who knows. Maybe you’re pretending,” she accused.
“Relax, Allesio,” I said, my tone light but my gaze sharp. “I’m not here to cause trouble. I’m here for Emilia.”
“And yet trouble seems to follow you.”
The accusation was subtle, but it was there. I couldn’t help but laugh softly, shaking my head. “Funny. I could say the same about you.”
He didn’t reply right away, just studied me like I was a puzzle he couldn’t quite solve. It was unnerving, but I refused to let it show.
“Why are you really here, Rosa?” he finally asked, his voice low but steady.
“I told you. Emilia.”
“Bullshit.”
The bluntness of his words caught me off guard, but I recovered quickly. “Believe what you want,” I said, shrugging. “I don’t owe you an explanation.”
“Maybe not,” he admitted. “But if you’re staying under this roof, you better make sure your story checks out.”
I rolled my eyes. “God, you’re exhausting.”
“And you’re dodging the question.”
“Fine,” I said, leaning forward and matching his intensity. “You want to know why I’m here? Because my best friend asked me to come. Because she needed me. And because, despite what you might think, not everything in this world is some grand conspiracy.”
He didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t push further. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the silence between us heavy and charged.
“Is this how you treat everyone Emilia cares about?” I asked, breaking the tension.
“Only the ones who come with a warning label.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, the sound surprising even me. “You’re something else, you know that?”
“And you’re a mystery,” he countered, his voice softer now.
“Maybe I like it that way.” I shot him a sweet smile. The one that always seemed to rile men like him up. And it worked.
“Maybe I don’t,” he replied in the same quiet voice.
“Well I’m afraid that’s your problem, not mine,” I answered breezily.
“Is it?” He answered, shooting me a tight smile. I hated how tense everything felt. Never once had being friends with Emilia been a problem for me, yet it was becoming one right now.
I wanted to say something, to deflect or lighten the mood, but the way he was looking at me-like he was trying to see through every layer I’d built around myself-left me speechless.
Before I could gather my thoughts, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hall. Emilia and Alaric were back.
“Francesca’s asleep,” Emilia said as she entered the room, her smile bright and genuine. “She wanted to say goodnight, but we told her she’d see you in the morning.”
“Thanks,” I said, standing up and brushing invisible crumbs off my dress.
Alaric nodded at me briefly before turning his attention to Allesio, their silent exchange loaded with whatever unspoken language they shared.
Emilia came to my side, her warmth a stark contrast to the coolness that lingered between me and Allesio. “You ready for a tour of the house?” she asked, her excitement contagious.
“Absolutely,” I replied, grateful for the distraction.
As we left the dining room, I couldn’t help but glance over my shoulder. Allesio was still sitting there, his eyes following me until I disappeared from view.
And damn it, I was still staring back.