Alessia
Was Marco seriously watching me now? I felt his eyes on me all the time now. Every move I made, every step I took, he was waiting, searching for something, some confirmation of whatever doubt had taken root in his mind. It was getting serious now. I can't let him know my plans until it was done, if only he knows the hatred I carried so easily for Dante Moretti. He wouldn't be asking me if I was working with him. Because that hatred was still there.
Dante was funny, ruthless and dangerous. But Marco? Marco was something else entirely. He didn't care about right or wrong. He cared about power. About revenge. And he was using me to get it. That realization had been creeping up on me for days, slithering its way into my thoughts no matter how much I tried to shake it off.
And later, when Marco handed me a small velvet box, that feeling solidified.
"What's this?" I asked, staring down at the package in my hands.
"A gift," he said simply.
I glanced up at him, skeptical. "For what?"
His lips curled into a smirk. "Do I need a reason to spoil you?"
Yes. Yes, he did. Marco didn't do anything without a reason. I opened the box cautiously, and my breath hitched. It was a necklace, delicate, but unmistakably expensive. A single teardrop diamond, encased in white gold, hanging from an intricate chain.
I swallowed hard. It was beautiful, but It was also a leash. I could feel it. A silent claim, a mark of possession. I forced a light laugh, feigning amusement.
"This isn't exactly my style."
Marco tilted his head. "It is now."
I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what if I decide not to wear it?"
His smirk widened, but there was something cold beneath it. Something that sent a shiver down my spine.
"That wouldn't be very smart of you."
A warning.
I held his gaze, refusing to look away. "Why?"
His fingers brushed the chain as he lifted it from the box. "Because I want you to wear it."
He moved behind me before I could stop him, his hands brushing against my skin as he fastened the clasp around my neck. The cool metal settled against my collarbone, heavy, suffocating.
I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to rip it off.
"I want you to wear it at all times," he murmured, his breath warm against my ear.
I forced myself to stay still, to not react. He was testing me. And I refused to give him what he wanted.
Instead, I plastered on a smirk and turned to face him. "You sure you want to waste something this expensive on me?"
His eyes darkened, amusement flickering in them. "You're worth more than this."
The words should have meant something. But I knew better, this wasn't about affection. This was about control. I lifted my hand, letting my fingers trail along the diamond, feigning admiration.
"Guess I should say thank you, then."
He watched me closely. "Yes. You should."
I swallowed my resentment and smiled. "Thank you, Marco."
He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from my face, his fingers lingering a little too long.
"You're mine, Leona."
His voice was quiet, but the intensity behind it sent a chill through me. Not you're special. Not I care about you. But, You're mine.
I forced another smile and stepped back. "I should get some rest."
Marco studied me for a moment before nodding. "Get some sleep."
I turned away, walking toward the back room, my heart pounding against my ribs. The second I closed the door behind me, I reached for the necklace. My fingers curled around the chain, ready to yank it off, but I hesitated. I let out a slow breath and looked at myself in the mirror. The diamond gleamed against my skin, delicate and cold.
A collar. I wasn't sure why, but I let go of it. And for the first time, I realized Marco might be serious in making me his girlfriend.