I could still feel his lips on mine even after he pulled away. The cold night air rushed into the space between us immediately, but somehow my body still burned from his touch. My fingers remained curled tightly around the front of his shirt for a second longer before I slowly forced myself to let go. None of us spoke or said anything.
The silence felt heavier and more dangerous than earlier now. Vincenzo stood in front of me breathing slowly, his forehead almost resting against mine while his hand remained firm against my waist like he was struggling to let me go completely.
And the worst part?, I didn't want him to let go.
Christ!...What the hell was wrong with me?
I was supposed to hate this man. At least… I did hate him.
But standing this close to him now, with his warmth surrounding me and my heartbeat still completely out of control, my anger felt fragile and…weak. Like I was slowly losing against something much stronger.
Vincenzo's thumb brushed softly against my cheek again, pulling my attention back to him. I looked up to his turquoise blue eyes that stayed fixed on mine quietly. There was something strangely unreadable in them tonight.
That terrified me more.
"You should go back inside now," his roughly deep voice murmured.
I swallowed hard, trying to steady my breathing.
"And if I don't?"
A faint smirk almost touched his lips.
"Then I might do something irresponsible."
My chest tightened violently at the low warning in his voice.
"You sounded like you've been responsible so far."
That earned a quiet chuckle from him and the sound caught me completely off guard. I don't think I had ever truly heard Vincenzo laugh before. And for a second, he looked… younger and handsome.
Somehow that made him even more dangerous to me, his hand slowly slipped away from my waist, though his fingers lingered for a second like he was reluctant to lose contact completely.
The sudden distance between us felt wrong.
I hated that too.
Vincenzo stepped back slightly before reaching into the pocket of his sweatpants. He pulled out his cigarette pack and slid one between his lips.
The lighter flicked open and the small flame illuminated the sharp lines of his face briefly before disappearing again. Just like that, the softer version of him vanished and his intimidating aura returned.
I watched him carefully while he exhaled the smoke into the cold air.
"I guess you know how annoying you can be." I muttered, looking away
"And yet you kissed me back."
My face burned instantly.
I scoffed, crossing my arms tightly over my chest to hide the embarrassment boiling inside me. "Dont make it look like I started it first."
"But you continued it."
I opened my mouth to argue before shutting it again immediately. Because once again… he wasn't wrong. That annoying smirk appeared on his face once again and…God, knows how I really want to push him off this balcony.
He took another slow drag from his cigarette before his expression changed slightly. That teasing disappeared from his face too quickly.
Like he suddenly remembered something important.
"What?" I asked carefully.
"...." He stayed quiet for a moment, the wind moved through his dark hair slightly while the city lights reflected faintly in his eyes.
"There's something you need to know." Something about the tone of his voice made my heartbeat slow down strangely?
"What are you talking about?" I frowned but instead of answering immediately, he looked at me silently for a few seconds, almost like he was studying my reaction before the words even left his mouth.
"Our wedding is in one week."
"..…"
Now it's my turn to go completely mute. Everything inside me stopped and the world around me suddenly felt so still.
"What?"
My voice barely came out above a whisper, He didn't seem to move or look away.
"One week from now," he repeated calmly. "The arrangements have already been made."
I stared at him blankly, convinced I heard that wrong.
Right?...No.
Absolutely no way.
"You're joking, right?."
"..."
A cold feeling slowly crawled down my spine, his silent again made me realise that he is no where close to joking at all. My breathing turned uneven again, but this time it had nothing to do with the kiss we had shared earlier.
"You can't be serious."
"....."
"No." I shook my head immediately, stepping away from him. "No, you don't get to decide that for me."
His expression remained unreadable.
"Its done already, Jennie, so prepare yourself." The calmness in his voice snapped something inside me.
My eyes widened in disbelief.
"Are you insane?!"
"....."
"Vincenzo—"
"The date has been finalized."
I let out a breathless laugh filled with frustration. "You're so unbelievable."
"And yet," he said quietly, "you're still here."
I hated how much those words affected me and I hated him….At least I wanted to.
But right now confusion, anger, and something far more dangerous were all crashing into me at once.
"One week…" I repeated weakly.
How was he saying this so casually?..Like he had plan all his life before informing me now.
My chest tightened painfully.
"You don't own me," I whispered, something dark flickered across his expression
"Jennie," he said quietly, stepping closer again, "whether you like it or not, the moment you've signed that contract, your life, soul, body, everything becomes tied to mine."
"That doesn't mean I'll let you touch me!"
His gaze locked onto mine intensely.
"You already did, Farfalla" he smirked, the confidence in his voice made anger rise violently inside me again. I shoved against his chest hard enough to make him take half a step back.
I had no idea what that word meant but the way he had said it sounded dangerously intimidating…and I hated how much I like hearing it..from him.
"I hate you."
The words came out sharper this time, but neither of us believed them completely anymore.
Vincenzo looked at me silently for a long moment before reaching down and grabbing the coat that had slipped slightly off my shoulders. He adjusted it carefully around me again and that small gesture only made me more frustrated.
Why did he always become gentle at the worst possible moments?
"You should go sleep,farfalla" he murmured, repeating that nickname
"I hope you choke on your cigarette."
That earned another low chuckle from him. Before he turned around and walked away, leaving me standing alone on the balcony with shaking hands, burning lips, and the horrifying realization that in exactly one week…I was supposed to become Jennie Ruggiero.