101

101
Rosa’s POV
The feeling and warmth of Allesio’s arm draped across my waist was strangely comforting, and yet, it didn’t lull me into the kind of contentment I should have felt after a night like this. His breathing was even, calm, as though he didn’t have a care in the world. But my mind was a storm.
There was something about his questions -subtle, harmless on the surface, but they lingered in my head long after he asked them. Things about my family’s business, about me, about my father, about decisions I didn’t think someone like Allesio should care about.
I stared at the ceiling, wondering. He shifted slightly beside me, his grip tightening just a fraction as if he knew I was awake. Or maybe he was just dreaming. Either way, I had no plans to wake him.
Slipping out from under his arm, I moved quietly, grabbing the oversized shirt he’d left tossed on a chair and pulling it on. It smelled like him-something rich and woodsy with a hint of spice-and for a second, I let myself enjoy the comfort of it. But only for a second.
I padded over to the window, staring out at the vast expanse of the estate. The neatly trimmed hedges, the sprawling lawns-it was all so pristine, so controlled. It reminded me of Allesio himself. Polished on the outside, but underneath…
“Couldn’t sleep?”
His voice, low and rough from sleep, startled me. I turned to find him propped up on one elbow, his dark hair tousled, his eyes fixed on me with that piercing intensity that always made it hard to think straight.
“I slept fine,” I said, leaning casually against the windowsill. “You’re the one still lounging around like you don’t have anywhere to be.”
He smirked, a slow, lazy thing that made my pulse skip. “Where else would I want to be?”
It was a good line, I’d give him that. But I wasn’t in the mood for games this morning.
“Careful, Allesio,” I said, keeping my tone light. “You keep talking like that, and I might start believing you.”
“Would that be so bad?” he asked, sitting up fully now, the sheet pooling around his waist.
I didn’t answer. Instead, I crossed the room to pour myself a glass of water, taking my time as I considered my next move. Confronting him outright felt premature. But I wasn’t about to let him lead me into a trap, either.
When I finally turned back to him, his gaze was still on me, thoughtful and calculating in a way that made me want to both trust him and run from him at the same time.
“You ask a lot of questions, you know that?” I said, keeping my tone casual.
His brow lifted slightly. “Do I?”
“Yes,” I said, taking a sip of water. “And not just the normal kind of questions. You’re… inquisitive.”
“Inquisitive,” he repeated, leaning back against the headboard like he was considering the word. “Is that a bad thing?”
“That depends,” I said, crossing my arms as I leaned against the edge of the dresser. “Why are you so curious about my life?”
The smirk was back, but it was softer this time. “Can’t a man be interested in the woman he’s spending his nights with?”
I rolled my eyes. “Nice deflection.”
“It’s not a deflection,” he said, his tone turning serious. “I like knowing things about you, Rosa. You’re… fascinating.”
Fascinating. That word hung in the air between us, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or bristle at it. Instead, I took another sip of water, letting the silence stretch just long enough to make him a little uncomfortable.
“Well,” I said finally, “maybe I like keeping a little mystery about myself.”
His expression didn’t falter, but I saw the flicker of something in his eyes-frustration, maybe. Or was it curiosity?
“Fair enough,” he said, his voice smooth. “But I’m not asking for much, you know. Just the basics. Like… what’s your father really like?”
There it was. The kind of question that seemed harmless to most people but was anything but.
I smiled, tilting my head slightly as I pretended to consider the question. “He’s a good man,” I said simply.
“Good how?”
“Good in the way that matters,” I said, keeping my tone light but firm.
Allesio nodded, like he was satisfied with the answer, but I could see the wheels turning in his head. He wasn’t done.
“And your cousins?” he asked casually.
I raised an eyebrow. “Why are you so interested in my family?”
“I’m interested in you,” he said smoothly. “Your family’s just part of the package.”
I laughed, setting my glass down on the dresser. “You’ve got an interesting way of showing interest, Allesio.”
He shrugged, that smirk back on his face. “I like getting to know you. Is that a crime?”
“No,” I said, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. “But you might want to tread carefully. Curiosity can be dangerous in my world.”
“Noted,” he said, his tone light but his eyes serious.
For a moment, we just looked at each other. I wanted to trust him. Hell, part of me already did. But there was a small, nagging voice in the back of my mind telling me to be careful. To hold back.
So I did what I always did when things got too close for comfort. I changed the subject.
“What about you?” I asked, leaning back on my hands. “You’re always asking me questions, but you never talk about yourself.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Anything,” I said, watching him closely. “What was your childhood like? Do you have siblings? Any deep, dark secrets I should know about?”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “My childhood was… average, I guess. No siblings, unless Alaric counts as one. And as for secrets, well, those are called secrets for a reason.”
“Convenient,” I said, though my tone was teasing.
He reached for me then, pulling me closer until I was straddling his lap. His hands rested on my hips, his touch warm and familiar.
“I think I like it better when we don’t talk,” he murmured, his lips brushing against my neck.
I laughed softly, threading my fingers through his hair. “Of course you do.”
He kissed my neck, tugging the shirt down one shoulder. He was distracting me. And he was doing a good job at it. But a part of me stayed alert. Because no matter how charming Allesio was, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was hiding something. And if there was one thing I’d learned in this world, it was to trust my instincts.
For now, I’d play along. I’d let him think I was letting my guard down. But I’d be watching. Always watching.