Chapter 5 Her fire

Sienna's POV

The morning came too soon.

The light filtering through the heavy curtains was sharp, a reminder of the world outside. But inside this room, the world seemed suspended, bound by a thick, suffocating silence. I woke to the scent of him rich, masculine, intoxicating. The heat of his body still lingered on the sheets, too close, too suffocating.

For a moment, I forgot where I was. I forgot the bitter truth of my situation. But then reality slammed into me, hard and unrelenting.

Married to Il Diavolo himself.

I turned my head, my gaze colliding with his. His sharp eyes were already on me, dark and unreadable, studying me like a predator preparing to strike. Luca Valentino didn't sleep like normal men. No, he rested like a predator, always aware, always waiting.

Do you always stare at people while they sleep? I muttered, my voice rough with the remnants of sleep, trying to hide the unease that clawed at my chest.

He smirked, that insufferable, cocky smile of his. His gaze dropped to my lips, lingering just a fraction too long, and then met my eyes once more. Only when they're interesting.

I shoved the blankets off me, desperate for distance, desperate for air. His eyes followed every movement, tracing me like I was some kind of puzzle to solve. I hated how he made me feel. How helpless I was against him, even without him lifting a finger.

Where are you going? His voice was casual, but there was an edge to it that sent a shiver down my spine.

Away from you, I snapped, forcing myself to sound stronger than I felt. I swung my legs off the bed, standing quickly, needing to put something between us.

He chuckled, dark and amused, the sound filling the room with a sense of power I couldn't ignore. You say that, yet here you are. Still in my house. Still in my bed.

My nails dug into my palms, a physical reminder to keep control, to not let him break me. Not by choice.

Choice is an illusion, dolcezza, he said, his voice low and smooth, as though everything about this moment had been predestined. That it wasn't a matter of if I'd be his, but when.

I turned on my heel, not daring to look back at him. If I did, I knew I'd see that cocky smirk again. I had to stay focused. I had to remember who I was before all of this. Before him, before the man who could make me feel like I was worth nothing but a game to be won.

Luca's POV

She was running.

Not physically, but in every way that mattered.

I watched her as she stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. I let her have her space. For now. But I knew this wasn't over. She couldn't hide forever. She thought distance would change things. She thought she could ignore the fire between us.

She was wrong.

I rose from the bed, the sheets falling away like a second skin. My movements were slow, deliberate. I wasn't in a rush. No, I had all the time in the world.

I made my way downstairs, the house already alive with the quiet hum of the morning. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm bread filled the air. Outside, the guards were already on patrol. Everything was in its place. Everything was under control. Except for one thing, Sienna.

I found Dante sitting in the dining room, his arms crossed over his chest as he observed the world around him. When he saw me approach, he raised an eyebrow.

She giving you trouble already? he asked, his voice laced with amusement, though there was a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. Dante had always been the one to find entertainment in others' chaos.

I smirked, the corners of my mouth curling up in a way that felt almost... sinful. She wouldn't be her if she didn't.

Dante chuckled under his breath. You like the fight, don't you?

I didn't answer right away. Instead, I poured myself a cup of coffee, letting the strong, bitter aroma fill my senses.

The truth was, I did like the fight. There was something about the way she pushed against me that made my blood run hotter. Her defiance wasn't a weakness it was a challenge. And I thrived on challenges.

I don't want her to be easy, I said, my voice low as I took a sip of the coffee. I want her to fight me. I want her to challenge me every damn step of the way.

Dante's smile faded slightly as he studied me, almost as if he was seeing something he hadn't noticed before. You really think she'll submit?

Submit? I echoed, my gaze hardening. Not out of fear. I don't want her to fear me. I want her to choose me. When she does, it won't be because she has to. It will be because she wants to.

Dante raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. You think she'll want you?

I didn't answer. Instead, I took another sip of my coffee, my eyes narrowing slightly as I pictured her defiant, stubborn and beautiful.

She might resist me now, but I knew better than to think she wouldn't break. They all did in the end.

But this one Sienna Alejandro would be different. She wasn't like the others. She had fire in her, and fire could either destroy you or make you stronger.

And I was going to make sure it was the latter.