We are all in the same game; just different levels. Dealing with the same hell; just different devils.

The man standing next to Lucca was staring at me with hatred and anger. I was tempted to sock him then and there for the look he gave me.

But I decided to do something better.

"Please tell me you are not still pouting for the way we met." I said feigning concern.

Renaldo, or as I would call him Ogre, stared at me with hatred. Though his hatred has to be justified, after all I did kick his ass, literally. He didn't last ten minutes against me in the fight. Sissy.

"What the fuck is she doing here?" he asked looking at Lucca.

"È con me. Nessuna domanda chiesta. Capisci?" (She is with me. No questions asked. Understood?) Lucca said, giving Ogre a look.

Renaldo had the sense to immediately look contrite.

"Sí, Boss." he muttered giving me one dirty look before he started babbling in Italian.

Throughout the conversation, Lucca expressions were neutral, but his eyes were bathed in a livid storm.

He was angry and I pitied the person on the receiving end of his rage.

"Come, I'll show you to your room." He said looking at me. Something about the way he looked at me made me pause for a moment before I followed him.

His face was calm, almost serene. But his eyes, they betrayed him.

The livid thunderstorm had become more intense, there was something new about it though. His eyes were brewing their own promises and becoming possessed by the very same.

What was he promising? To whom was he promising to? Realizing that it is none of my business, I let it go.

I followed him without a word, not wanting to be in the presence of Renaldo for a second more than necessary. Lucca headed for the staircase and as I was climbing, I couldn't help but notice the shocked expressions of that made itself known on Renaldo's face as I followed Lucca. Wonder why?

The entire mansion was three storey's tall and we came to a stop on the second floor. Like the whole house, it too was bathed in hues of copper, gold and deep red. The entire floor had three big rooms accompanied by several smaller ones and a living room opening into the balcony. The floors were huge, but then again this was a mansion.

Lucca opened the room at the very end of the hallway and entered it.

It. Was. Beautiful.

He entered the room standing beside the study table, letting me have my moment ogling at the rich and dark red and gold décor.

"This will be where you are staying. The room next to you is my room, so if you try to escape, I will know. The room at the very end of the hallway is off limits. I should not find you there, Capisci?" his tone was monotonous and dead serious.

I nodded. I would respect his privacy because I valued my own dearly.

***

Later that night, Danny came in the room carrying my bags. He looked extremely shaken and did very little to hide the look of disbelief on his face.

What was wrong with the people in this house?

I was lying on the extremely comfortable bed scrolling through my phone, going through my mails when he entered.

"I see you are all settled in." he says carrying two of my three bags whilst someone else behind him carried my third bag and my laptop bag.

I rolled my eyes at him.

The stranger kept the bags beside my bed, gave me a slight nod and left the room without a word. I stared after him, dumbfounded.

"Who was the Pretty Boy?" I asked not taking my eyes off of the now closed doors.

"That was Christian Pascili-" Danny laughed.

"Renaldo's brother?" I asked cutting him off mid sentence as I remembered reading about him in the documents that Lia sent me.

He was supposed to be their interrogator which was actually a loose term for torturer.

Both the brothers, Renaldo and Christian were taken in when they were boys and have worked for the Italian family since. They both were adolescent orphans with a terrible temper. They were recruited by the Italian family through a syndicate designed to produce assassins and mercenaries.

"Yes." Danny said sobering immediately and furrowing his eyebrows upon remembering just how much I know about all this shit.

"How much do you know exactly?" he asked looking at me with furrowed eyes.

"Enough" I said getting up and dragging my suitcases to the closet and opening my laptop bag and powering up my Mac.

I had gotten a few mails from Mr. Wells, most probably his secretary had sent them giving me all the evidence I needed to convict the felon. I started going through them and taking notes. Later I was going to type up the necessary documents and mail them to Clark. He'll have them printed out and ready to be served by tomorrow morning.

"What are you doing?"Danny asked all of a sudden, reminding me of his presence which I had conveniently forgotten.

"Work."

"Why?" he was like a pesky irritating child.

I just glared at him, he laughed.

"Okay, I am getting out of here, before you bite my head off. Remember, dinner's at eight and your car's parked in the driveway." He said leaving the room without a backwards glance.

I grunted still busy going through the documents sent. There were a few video footages too. Good, it'll help me convince Romanov and his wretched lawyer.

Finally, good riddance. Now I can work in peace.

As soon as I sat back on the bed, making myself comfortable, my phone rang.

It was like the universe was conspiring against me. But one look at the caller id and I was all the more happy to leave my work alone.

"Hey baby." I greeted my voice soft.

"Vi? Where are you?" Caley's worried voice spoke to me.

"I am somewhere safe, baby. Caley listen to me, you have to be a big girl for me, okay? I can't see you for some time now, so you'll be staying with Lia and Jaxton. Lia will take care of you, okay?" I said using the softest tone possible.

"Okay." she whispered, she is a smart girl she will manage. "Are you in trouble Vi?"

Too smart, maybe.

Her question caught me off guard.

"In a way, yes Caley, I am." I said, telling her the truth.

One of the most important things I learnt from Atticus Finch was that children may still be young and innocent, but they spot an invasion quicker than adults and evasion from the truth simply confuses them, so it's better to not lie to them.

"Will you be safe, wherever you are staying?" she asked, her voice a bit shaky now.

"Yes I will be, baby. I will be very safe here, no one will harm me here." I maintained the softness in my voice. No one was foolish enough to attack me inside a mafia house.

She sounded convinced because she instantly changed the topic and started talking about her day.

"Vi?" she said hesitantly after a while. She only spoke like this when she was in trouble or she wanted something.

I hope to god it's the second one.

"Mhm?" I mumbled, quiet anxious myself.

"Mr. Turner wants to see you tomorrow at 4. He says it's important." She speaks fast but I am able to catch it.

"Caley, why does your principal want to see me?" I ask my voice a bit stern.

Although at home Caley is an angel, but at school she has a reputation of being notorious.

So while Caley is trying to relentlessly explain her innocence of not getting into trouble since the last time I was called in, I shot a quick mail to Clark saying to add this appointment in my schedule tomorrow.

"Ok, baby. I believe you." I cut off her hysterical ranting when I hear Lia call her for dinner.

"Go, Lia's calling you. I'll see you tomorrow." I say.

"Ok. Bye, Violet. Love you!" she says.

"Bye baby, I love you too." I say and wait until she's hung up.

I look up in my computer to see an email response from Clark.

From: Clark Anderson

To: Violet Styles

Subject: Re-Caley's Appointment

I have added the appointment in your schedule, but you have make it quick as you have a hearing at 5.30 pm. I also have collected most of your suits and all your shoes. Meet me in your office at 7 am sharp; your deposition is at 8.

P.S since when do you use mail? What is wrong with the art of texting?

I roll my eyes reading his mail to me and get back to my work seeing that I still have an hour before dinner.

***

It is strange when your tired eyes won't let your brain shut down.

I knew I was asleep, didn't know when I fell asleep though. But right now I could feel someone staring me. It was a very eerie feeling being stared at but one I just couldn't shake. I wanted to ignore it and return into the peaceful embrace of darkness but my mind had other plans for me.

My eyes opened against my will, I was groggy and tired. I opened my eyes to see that I was lying face down with a fluffy pillow over my head. Last I remembered I was working on my Mac, typing down the documents needed for tomorrow's deposition. I think I mailed some of them to Clark too.

I groaned and turned around to face the ceiling. Rubbing my eyes I saw that my Mac was safe and sound on the bedside table, but that wasn't the only thing on there.

Next to my Mac was a dish full of extremely mouthwatering lasagna and a basket of breads with a bottle of wine and wine glass. Next to the extremely delicious looking dinner entrée was a note with a shabby script on it. Almost as shabby as mine.

You skipped dinner. Damanio suggested letting you sleep. So I have sent you dinner, eat it.

p.s I have been informed that you are to reach office tomorrow at 7 am, be ready at 6.30, I am driving you.

-L

Like hell he was driving me! What was this, the 19th century?! I was very well capable of driving myself to work!

I turned on my mobile to see that it was already 9.30.

Damn I slept for a long time.

And then I saw the reason I woke up.

There at the end of the bed, sitting in one of the chairs was a lady, maybe in her late forties or early fifties, reading a book. A title which I had never heard of. As soon as I put the note down, I cleared my throat to get her attention.

"Mio dio, sei finalmente sveglio!"(My god, you are finally awake!) She exclaimed a small smile on her face.

"Hello, signorina. I am Angela. The cook. You like lasagna ala Boulogne? Si?" her enthusiasm was motherly and affectionate. I nodded my head at her.

"Sí, very much. I am Violet, by the way." I said looking at the food greedily. I was starving.

"Bene, bene (good, good) .Eat! I will come later. To collect plates. Sí signorina Violet?" she said walking out of the door faster than I could say the word 'Sí'.

The lasagna accompanied by the delicious garlic bread and the Pinot Grigio was absolutely divine! I needed some alcohol in me anyway.

I finished the entire thing in less than 20 minutes and Angela was back a few minutes later I finished eating Thanking her for the dinner I went back to my work that I didn't finish because my brain decided to pass out.

***

The next morning I woke up at about five thirty, although my alarm wouldn't go off for another 15 minutes.

Lying in the bed, the highly unfamiliar bed gave me a very uncomfortable feeling. I was on edge all night. But on the other hand, maybe the bed had nothing do with it, maybe it was the fact that I was sleeping in the house owned by a fucking mafia family.

After a quick shower I got dressed in a loose tee and skinny black jeans. I looked like what Lia usually wore when she went to meetings.

Unprofessional and casual.

Gathering my laptop, my Iphone and the keys to my baby that Danny had left yesterday, I headed out. The door to Lucca's room was half open and I was so tempted to take a peak but I willed myself to climb down the two flights of stairs and walk out of the door.

Where the fuck was my car?

I particularly remember Danny telling me that he had parked it in the driveway.

But instead all I saw was a shiny black Cadillac Escalade. It was beautiful; I was too preoccupied looking at it to see Lucca standing near the driver's seat. He looked almost too smug on seeing my dumbfounded look.

Sue me, I love cars.

"Get in the car." He said looking at me with a small, wicked smile.

"No."

"We can do this the hard way or the easy one..." he trailed off moving closer to me with each word. "...you choose." He said, standing almost too close to me.

"I will not get into your car. I don't need a babysitter. I can drive myself to work perfectly fine!" I snapped emphasizing each word.

"Oh but you won't." he said, bending down grasping my knees and throwing me over his shoulder. His hands had a firm hold over my thighs which didn't allow me to kick him in the gut or somewhere else, like I so wanted to.

I tried to wriggle around, keeping a firm grasp on my laptop bag and mobile so that they don't fall.

"Let me DOWN you fucking barbarian!" I shouted. He just laughed patting my butt.

"Get your filthy hands off my ass, you fucktard!" I hissed.

"Oh but it is too irresistible, tesoro." He said in that deep sexy voice of his giving my butt one more pat.

Why did he have to have that voice?

Before I could gather my wits and reply, I was in the passenger seat of the Cadillac, the passenger door locked. Seconds later the car started and we were out of the driveway and on the road.

Lucca's driving was scary to say the least. I mean I am all for speeding on the freeway but with a car this big and the speed he was going at, let's just say it worried me.

"Tone it down; I don't want to die in a car crash of all things." I hissed strapping in the seat belt.

If I died in a car crash, that would be really ironic and clichéd.

"Oh, now you decide to speak?" his tone was incredulous and amused. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and that sexy yet annoying smirk of his.

Yes, I had not spoken a word since I got in the car and pouted like a little girl. But at the time that was the only thing I could do, so it seemed justified. Now I see that it was fucking childish. But he doesn't need to know that.

"Look at the fucking road, you dimwit!" I snapped, he really wanted me to die in a totaled Cadillac, didn't he?

"Quite a mouth you got, maybe I could show you some other uses for it, yes?" he whispered, smirking at me and still not looking at the road.

I glared at him.

He just rolled his eyes, but looked at the road nonetheless. And I was relieved to see the speedometer drop down an inch. Just an inch.

I could see my firm building sooner than I had expected, but then I knew we'd reach before time thanks to Lucca's manic driving.

As soon as he parked his car in the area reserved for him, I got a text from Clark, wanting to know about my whereabouts. I didn't bother him texting back seeing that he will see me in a few minutes.

Even at 7 in the morning, the place was crawling with paralegals and first and second year associates.

Walking into the office building without hearing the clicking sound of my Louboutins was a strange feeling, but it felt stranger because today I was walking in with Lucca. Somehow he had snaked his arms around me and rested it on the small of my back as we entered through the revolving doors.

I didn't shake it off. No need to create a scene.

As if proving how much pigheaded everyone in this firm is, all of them turned around to stare at the pair of us.

I was at a loss, were they shocked to see me dressed like this or to see me come in with Lucca. I didn't give it a second though because honestly, I could care less.

"Ms. S-styles?" Mason, one of my first year associates called.

I stopped and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"G-good Morning!" he exclaimed as soon as he realized that I was waiting for him to speak.

I nodded hearing the abrupt choruses of 'good mornings' from everyone around him.

Throughout this entire ordeal Lucca stood by me as a silent spectator, his hand on me tightening when I talked with Mason.

As soon as we entered the private elevator I grabbed Lucca's hand and wrenched it away glaring at him.

"You put your hand on me again without my permission and I swear to god you'll lose it." I spat making sure to sound as venomous as possible, he just looked amused.

"I don't recall you seemed to mind in the lobby, tesoro." The smugness in his voice irritating.

I chose to ignore the accusation because he was right, I didn't mind, at all.

He took my ignorance as motivation as he took a confident step towards me, the smugness on his face never fading. I felt my angry façade crack.

The desperation to stay away from him came on the forefront of my consciousness. BUt I hope to god that it didn't show on my face.

"Why?" he asked placing both of his hands on either side of my face.

"Why, what?" I asked, my voice something I couldn't recognize. Small and shaky.

"Why pretend to hate me, when you obviously don't?" he asked bringing his face impossibly close to mine. I heard my mobile and laptop bag fall on the cushioned floor of the elevator.

Neither of us seemed to care about that.

"I-" he didn't let me finish as his lips crashed onto mine.

And the funny thing is, I responded, willingly.

The kiss was slow but rough. I could feel my skin heat up as his fingers trailed from the small of my back to the nape of my neck bringing me impossibly closer him. His lips pried mine open as his tongue entered my mouth without a second of hesitation exploring every nook and cranny as mine did the same.

His hands cupped my cheeks lifting my face up to meet with his height, but when that didn't work he grasped my thighs lifting me up, my thighs instantly wrapping themselves around his waist. My back hit the wall of the elevator as my hands tangled themselves in his soft, lustrous hair.

The kiss got deeper as he squeezed my waist softly, eliciting a silent moan from me. His lips were addicting and I wasn't going to quit anytime soon.

He was like my oxygen and I found myself drowning in him.

I angled my head away from his to let myself to breath some air as he started nibbling on my jaw and down my neck but very soon pulled my face back to his. I wasn't complaining.

The ping of the elevator broke us apart. I instantly climbed down and gathered my things only to see the doors of the elevator wide open already. And the best part? Note the sarcasm.

We had an audience.

Clark had his mouth wide open, the shock seemingly paralyzing him whilst Lia was almost jumping in excitement. Jaxton on the other hand looked positively embarrassed. Poor thing.

I made the mistake of looking back at Lucca.

He was already looking at me. The smug expressions on his face grew ten-fold as he leaned in whispering just six words that left me confused as hell.

"The kiss was five years overdue"

He walked out of the elevator and headed in the direction of Christopher's office, leaving me to face the audience.

Lia was about to say something when I stopped her.

"Not now, I have a deposition to prepare for after I change." I said looking pointedly at Clark who I now realize was holding a suit bag.

"Ok, later. I will hound you down and suck the juicy details out of you of you don't find me, okay?" she said looking at me pointedly. I nodded. "Let's go Jax, Shay told me that Chris was finding us." She said pulling a very willing Jaxton away.

"My clothes I assume?" I asked Clark looking pointedly at the bag. He handed it to me, robotically.

"Files?" I asked, exasperated that he wasn't functioning, at all. He just pointed towards my office.

Was he shocked into silence? It was just a kiss, why is he making such a big deal out of it?

My heart beat sped just thinking back to the time his lips were pressed against mine.

It was just a kiss, right?

Not giving the entire situation a second thought, well at least trying not to, I moved towards my office while the human turned robot tagged along.

It's a good thing my office had an en suite attached to it, which made changing into my work clothes a lot easier than I thought.

Not thinking about the kiss or even its aftermath was proving to be very difficult. What did he mean by five years overdue? I mean, I got the hint that we met five years ago, I am not stupid. But what I mean is what did he mean by overdue.

Did he owe me a kiss? Did I ask for one? Did I throw myself on him? Does that mean we have kissed before? But if we had and it was anything like what it was today, I am so fucking sure I would never have forgotten it.

Quickly changing into my work clothes, I got out of the bathroom promising myself to make a conscious effort to not think about the kiss until after the deposition.

The clock on the wall said 7.30 am. That means I still had time to make the needed arrangements.

I had all the documents I needed to convict this felon. Romanov would be in the jail without a trial considering the evidence I have, but I was not going to do that, was I?

I had made two files, one with all the necessary documents for the deposition and different CDs that held footage of Romanov actually vandalizing and the second file that consisted of the documents that will punish him, but just not as severely as Romanov's lawyer must have been telling him.

Throughout the entire procedure of me bifurcating the documents into two files, I could feel Clark's stare on me. It was unnerving but I ignored it concentrating on the work at hand. Finally when I was done, I had enough of his silent treatment.

He broke it before I could ask.

"Why?" he whispered, his voice a mix of amusement and shock. Tht combination did not sit well with me when it came to Clark.

"Why what?"

"Why did you kiss him?" he asked, full on smiling now. Was he bipolar?

"He kissed me first." my horrible argument made me cringe internally.

"Ok...so why'd you kiss him back?" he asked trying so very hard not to burst into laughter.

Why did I kiss Lucca back? The question that has been bothering me since the second I got off the elevator.

It just felt...right, kissing him back. Like I was supposed to. I wasn't in control of my body, he was and I didn't mind that one bit. Actually I liked it, very much. But hell, if I'll ever admit that out loud.

"Well?" Clark prodded.

"I don't know" I truly didn't.

I walked out of the office to the conference room, my deposition was about to start.

Sometimes home isn't four walls with a roof over your head, sometimes home is a pair of eyes and a heartbeat that drives yours crazy.

A/N:

OH MY GOD!!! THEY KISSED.

Who saw that coming?? 😱😱

Cuz I didn't....

Soooo...I am back from the dead, obviously! In more ways than one, trust me. I am so, so , so sorry for making you guys wait for almost two months now. I feel positively horrible. 😣😣

I really don't know when the next chapter will be up though, because now I will be editing the previous ones and rectifying my timeline blunder I made. 😅

So until next time...have fun reading my beautiful, sexy readers!! 😘