A Night of Truths
Mia had never been more aware of herself than she was now.
The weight of a thousand unspoken words settled over her shoulders as she adjusted the deep emerald gown Lorenzo had chosen for her. It was sleek, elegantâtoo expensive for her tastes, but undeniably beautiful. The dress clung to her curves, the thigh-high slit revealing just enough to make her self-conscious.
She smoothed her hands down the fabric, inhaling deeply. This was it. Tonight, she would step into Lorenzo's world in a way she hadn't before. Not hidden away in his home, not whispered about in the halls. Tonight, he was making it knownâshe was his.
A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts.
Lorenzo stepped inside, and for a moment, he said nothing. He simply stood there, dark eyes drinking her in as if committing her to memory.
"You look..." He trailed off, stepping closer. His fingers brushed her jaw, tilting her chin up. "Perfect."
Mia swallowed. "You keep dressing me up like I'm a prize."
Lorenzo's lips curved, but there was something unreadable in his expression. "Not a prize. A queen."
She scoffed, but the warmth in her chest betrayed her. "So, what's the occasion?"
Lorenzo took her hand, bringing it to his lips before murmuring, "A business event. Some friends, some enemies, all pretending they don't want to slit each other's throats."
Mia arched a brow. "Sounds delightful."
His smirk deepened. "Welcome to my world, amore."
The venue was breathtakingâan exclusive club with high ceilings, chandeliers dripping with crystals, and walls lined with the kind of people Mia had only ever seen in movies. Men in tailored suits, women in designer dresses, conversations laced with both charm and venom.
As soon as they walked in, all eyes were on them.
Mia kept her chin high, even as she felt the weight of judgment pressing down on her. She wasn't oblivious to the whispers, the stares.
"Who is she?"
"That's not the kind of woman he usually keeps around."
"She won't last long."
Lorenzo's grip on her waist tightened, pulling her closer. He leaned down, his breath warm against her ear. "Ignore them."
She let out a slow breath. "I'm trying."
Before he could respond, a woman approachedâa blonde in a blood-red dress, sharp eyes scanning Mia from head to toe.
"You must be the infamous Mia." Her voice was smooth, calculated. "I've been dying to meet the woman who's tamed Lorenzo De Luca."
Mia forced a polite smile. "Funny, I wasn't aware he needed taming."
The woman chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "Oh, sweetheart, men like Lorenzo don't change. They just find new distractions."
Lorenzo's expression turned cold. "Walk away, Bianca."
The womanâBiancaâsmirked but didn't argue. She simply turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd.
Mia clenched her fists. "Charming."
Lorenzo exhaled sharply. "Ignore her."
Mia turned to him, her frustration bubbling over. "Is that what I'm supposed to do now? Ignore everything? Pretend I don't hear the whispers? That I don't feel like a guest in your life?"
Lorenzo's jaw tensed. "You're not a guest, Mia."
"Then what am I?" She searched his face, waitingâneedingâfor an answer.
Lorenzo hesitated for only a moment before he took her hand and led her away from the crowd, through a set of private doors and onto a quiet balcony. The city stretched out before them, the distant hum of life carrying on below.
He turned to her, his mask slipping just enough for her to see the exhaustion beneath it.
"I've spent my life building walls," he admitted. "Keeping people out. Keeping myself in."
Mia folded her arms. "And yet, here I am."
Lorenzo reached for her, his fingers ghosting over her wrist before threading through hers. "Because you make me want to tear those walls down."
Her breath caught.
He exhaled, shaking his head. "But I don't know how. I don't know how to have something real without ruining it."
Mia's heart ached at the honesty in his voice.