Chapter 16: Chapter 16

When I woke up slowly the next morning, the first thing I did was raise my exhausted upper body and glance at Gino next to me, who was typing around on his mobile phone and only looked at me briefly.

"Morning," he said coldly, then got up to run to his closet and pull out a pair of dark sweatpants. He handed it to me and then went back to the closet to pull out another black shirt for himself.

"Go have breakfast. I'll be right back," he instructed me coolly and then disappeared into the bathroom while I got out of bed and pulled on my pants, which felt quite soft and warm.

I didn't need to be told twice about breakfast and I didn't want to be alone with him in this room for a second longer than necessary anyway, so I quickly padded to the door while behind me I was still aware that the water in the shower was being turned on in the bathroom .

My gaze fell down the hallway where I almost collapsed yesterday and luckily for me there was no one around this morning. I still felt uncomfortable and had no idea that this would ever be my home, nor that I would become part of the Mancini family.

It was absolutely unimaginable.

Barefoot, I padded down the stairs over the light marble floor and straight into the kitchen, where I only spotted Nicolo, who was standing at the kitchen island and was preparing muesli. He didn't look at all like he belonged here either, with his slightly lighter brown hair and lanky build, just like me.

"Hey," he greeted me with a polite smile. "Would you like muesli too?"

"I'd love to," I replied, leaning on the kitchen island with my arms to watch him in his light blue jogging suit get a bowl out of the cupboard and put it down in front of me. "Grace."

I poured some muesli into my bowl and then took the milk before I heard someone next to me and almost dropped the full pack from my hand.

"Why aren't you at school?" Dario's calm voice sounded as he stood opposite us and looked at Nicolo questioningly. My gaze fell briefly on his face, but I quickly turned my eyes back to my bowl and picked up my spoon before I heard Dario clear his throat and look up at him again. I wide-eyed as he tapped his watch once again, frowning at it in confusion.

What had I done wrong?!

"What's that about?" I blurted out, so Nicolo looked at me in shock and Dario typed again. This time with a big grin on his face. I remembered my punishment from the previous day and all of a sudden I felt myself blushing with embarrassment and getting a tingling tingling in my stomach that I tried hard to suppress. My body was reacting to him, wanting him, but I just pushed the cereal aside and tried to calm down somehow.

"Go to school," Dario instructed Nicolo, who was still staring at me, and who then disappeared past us into the hallway with the bowl.

"You shouldn't eat as unhealthily as he does," Dario whispered and then took one of the green apples out of the bowl in front of us to place it right in front of my nose.

"Are you going to decide what I can and can't eat?" I asked, overwhelmed, and took the apple in my hands to play around with it nervously.

"You decide what you do, Ludovica. I only decide if I like it or not," he explained calmly and lifted my chin slightly to look deep into my eyes. There was a sparkle in the deep blue of his irises, but there was also compassion and sorrow in it. "I'm very sorry about last night. I'll talk to Gino that such behavior towards you is inappropriate."

I knew deep down that Dario was under no obligation to me. He had only known me for two days and certainly only saw something physically in me and that is exactly why it was completely inappropriate for me to expect more from him than he was offering me.

So I nodded with a grateful smile on my lips and enjoyed the feel of his fingers on my chin which made me close my eyes for a brief moment before I heard Giovanna's shrill voice and Dario removed his hand from my chin to hug himself a few steps away from me.

"Good morning," she then greeted Dario when she entered the kitchen and I had to suppress a nasty grin as she stopped in front of him and probably didn't really know if she was allowed to touch him at all. Like last time, he only gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and just from this so innocent touch I bit my apple furiously and chewed extra loudly to provoke him, which Giovanna didn't miss either.

"Oh, you're still alive. What joy," she said, snapping at my presence, and then a second woman came into the kitchen, whom I had never met before. She looked a lot like Giovanna, which made me assume they were sisters or something. Both beamed in the same red clothes and while they hugged each other in greeting, my eyes fell on Dario, who at that moment was just staring at me, lost in thought.

"That's her," Giovanna suddenly laughed, pointing at me, while the other now also eyed me arrogantly.

"Aren't you ashamed to dance around the hallway naked," now the stranger, too, giggled and just as I was beginning to feel uncomfortable and exposed again, Gino entered the room wearing a black shirt and black pants to give me a fleeting glimpse to throw.

I didn't know why, but he kind of had a crazy expression on his face and before I could think about it any further, he suddenly pulled out a pistol and I cried out in shock as the apple fell out of my hand and I took a few steps backwards.

"Gino, what's that all about?" Dario spoke to him, but Gino suddenly held the gun to the stranger's head and looked at Giovanna.

"You are such ugly people and still take the right to laugh at my fiancée? Not nice," he now turned to the stranger with his ice-cold gaze and took a step backwards to aim at her with his outstretched hand. "Come on, undress. Let's see if you find that funny too."

"What?!" she said, stunned, and Gino cocked his gun when she asked, which made Giovanna stare at Dario for help, who somehow seemed annoyed and bored rather than upset, unlike us.

"Gino!" Dario tried to speak to him again.

"Dario, shut up! You know the rules when it comes to wives, so take care of your shit! And you!" He addressed the stranger again. "I said undress!"

He aimed for the ground and when suddenly a shot went off, disappearing into the dark wood, I clutched my racing heart breathlessly and had the uneasy feeling that I was about to fall over and suffocate.

"Idiota!" the stranger cursed and with trembling hands she started to open her beautiful dress and then just let it fall down her body. She stood there wearing only a bra and panties and Gino walked around her very slowly to open her bra as well, which she put up with without resistance.

"So? How does it feel?" he spoke quietly, sheathing his gun to give me an amused wink before continuing. "The difference is that you laughed at Ludovica, they dirty hyenas and you see," he explained, pointing at me. "She's also worried about you, or do you see her laughing? Then I suddenly realize who the scum is here."

Gino walked past the three of them and came straight for me to grab my hand and pull me outside with him. My heart was still racing like mad, but I was far too shocked to resist his touch.

"Where are we going?" I asked uncertainly and as we exited the villa we headed straight for a red Ferrari that looked incredibly beautiful in the glow of the sun.

"You urgently need clothes and I have nothing better to do today."

"Gino!", I spoke to him a bit shocked, but didn't even manage to make an excuse, because he just opened the car door for me and almost pushed me into the Ferrari, so to speak.

What an idiot!

He slammed the door, walked around the car and got in too to give me a quick look.

"Less talk, more silence," he said, as cold as usual and stubborn as I was, I crossed my arms and let out a frustrated breath while I looked at the many security guards and Gino started the car. He drove off at high speed and while I still felt terrified in his presence, in a sick way I was genuinely grateful to him for defending me like that, even though his methods struck me as excessive.

He eventually turned the music up, pulled on a pair of black sunglasses, and rolled down his window to casually dangle his arm outside, which made him look incredibly handsome.

Somehow embarrassed, I looked down at myself and had to realize that I almost looked like a homeless person with the big sweatpants and the even bigger black shirt.

"Do you want?" Gino snapped me out of my rigidity and I looked questioningly at his hand, which he was holding out a lit cigarette.

"No, thanks," I answered immediately, wrinkling my nose, which he probably noticed.

"You don't like the smell of cigarettes?" he stated and I nodded in agreement, fidgeting with my hands nervously at the same time.

"My uncle always smelled like cigarettes. It kind of reminds me of everything bad in my life," I admitted and then noticed, slightly irritated, that he glanced over at me and threw the cigarette out the window without a word.

"Nice to know," he murmured, and a short while later parked in a large parking lot, while I was still busy wondering why he was even considering me.

"Here we are," he said, getting out of the car ahead of me as I spotted some really expensive looking shops ahead of me. Men in suits and women with such beautiful clothes were walking around everywhere that I couldn't stop being amazed.

The sun was shining down on us so warmly that it seemed almost idyllic until Gino threw open my door and I jumped with a start.

"Come on now," he instructed, already slightly irritated, but I immediately crossed my arms and shook my head in the negative.

"I'm not going to get out," I refused, still looking at the cheerful people walking past in the parking lot in front of me.

"Ludo, get off immediately-"

"No!" I interrupted him harshly, although I was afraid of his reaction, but I would never socialize in this outfit. The memory of Giovanna being mocked was enough for me, so I didn't have to embarrass myself in front of the rich and beautiful from all over Palermo.

"Okay, that's enough," I heard Gino, who at the same moment grabbed my upper arm and violently pulled me out of the car, in which I was trying desperately to hold on to something, but this stupid Ferrari had nothing to offer me to save. "Your stubbornness will bring you serious problems!"

Gino glared at me while setting me down by the door, which he then slammed and locked.

"Then I'll just stay here," I said snotty and leaned my back against the car while I could watch very closely how his patience was slowly threatening to tear.

"Either, get your damn ducky ass over there right now," he said menacingly, pointing to the shops next to us. "Or I'll buy you a fucking collar and drag you after me!"

His dark voice told me all too well that he didn't take arguments, but I still didn't intend to move an inch.

"I'd like a red one. Maybe with some diamonds!" I shot back in a trembling voice and suddenly the corners of his mouth twitched and he laughed stupidly, which only confused me even more.

"I'm really starting to see something in you that I might like."

He took off his sunglasses, looked me up and down, and then gave me his hand.

"Now joking aside. I really have problems with my impulsiveness, Ludo. Don't tease me because it wouldn't end well for you.

"Gino, I look like a homeless person and I don't even have shoes on! I don't want to go into these shops! Especially not when everyone here is walking around like top models."

His eyes fell on my feet, causing me to hold my breath nervously and give him an apologetic look, but that was all his fault. Maybe he should have given me a little time before dragging me out of the mansion.

"You should learn that it doesn't give a damn what other people think. What use is the opinion of strangers to you?"

"Yeah, I know you're saying that. After all, you look well dressed," I replied, rolling my eyes in frustration while he suddenly bent down and took off his black sneakers.

"Put those on," he commanded calmly and placed them in front of my feet while he only had black socks around his feet.

"Aber-"

"My patience, Ludo," he reminded me and pointed to the shoes, which I then slipped into without further objection. They were way too big, but I pulled the ties as tight as I could and looked at the result in disbelief.

"Now I look like a clown," I stated quietly over my huge feet and without warning Gino suddenly threw me over his shoulder and carried me in the direction of the shops.

"You're absolutely exhausting and I really don't know if I won't sink you into the sea with concrete feet today," he told me annoyed, whereupon I gasped in frustration and rolled my eyes.

"Would be nice if you could buy me my own shoes for that! I certainly don't want to strive in that outfit!"

I jumped when he suddenly laughed and slapped my buttocks and reminded me of Nunzio, who had put me on his shoulder in the same way.

Probably runs in the family.

My eyes fell on a few people who all looked at me with the same irritated look, but I pointed to Gino and just shrugged.

"I'm just being kidnapped. All right," I called out to people, noticing Gino laughing and shaking his head at me.

Only when we arrived at a smaller shop did he let me down again and I immediately noticed the looks of the individual women who slowly walked past us. First her eyes fell on Gino in fascination, then on me dismissively, making me look down in shame.

When I glanced at Ginos, he also looked after the women and then pinched my cheek.

"The only good thing about looking good is that it makes money. Don't be jealous of that. A pretty face is fleeting, what remains is confidence," he explained as if he were a motivational coach, taking my hand in his to hug me behind him to pull into the store in front of us.

"Buongiorno signor Mancini", he was immediately greeted by a small Latina who, unlike the other women, also smiled warmly at me.

"Pick what you need," Gino instructed, taking a seat in a black armchair in the corner, where he immediately took out his phone and started tapping away.

"Oh," I then heard the saleswoman next to me and followed her irritated gaze to my shoes, or rather to Gino's shoes. "You must need a whole new wardrobe," she added, immediately looking at me apologetically. "Oh god, I didn't mean it like that. So-"

"No, you're right," I smiled and wanted to reassure her, whereupon she asked for my size and disappeared to the back.

While she was away I looked at some of the long dresses and beautiful summer tops until I saw a simple spaghetti strap top at the priceless price and gasped violently.

I immediately ran to Gino, who now seemed to be on the phone, but I still stood right in front of him and waited for his attention. When he noticed me, he held his cell phone to his chest and looked at me expectantly.

"It's all too expensive," I whispered, getting a stupid grin from him.

"Don't worry about it," he said, putting his cell phone to his ear again, where he appeared to be arguing with someone in Italian.

"Well, I don't have to pay for it," I said to myself and walked back to the clothes to choose several of them, while the saleswoman also came back with several boxes of shoes.

"I have sneakers, ballerinas and high heels here. All in her size."

My gaze fell thoughtfully to Gino and then back to the many shoe boxes, which together must have cost a fortune.

"I'll take all of them," I grinned at her and put the four dresses on her arms without trying them on. "And I'll take them all."

Like my madness, I picked out underwear, trousers and tops to bring everything to the checkout and enjoy the fact that I would surely cost Gino a lot of money. If I ever got the chance to live my own life again, I could sell it all and I'm sure I could make ends meet for a few months with the money.

"Ready?" I heard Gino behind me, already bored, and turned to him to nod in agreement.

I took the white and red sneakers that the saleswoman had already scanned and quickly put them on to give Gino his own again.

"Thank you duck (Danke Ente)."

I glared at him angrily, but then turned to a small shelf where I suddenly discovered a lot of really nice ties. One of them seemed to stand out from the crowd. It was dark, but shone slightly in purple, which somehow fascinated me and absentmindedly I stroked my wrists to look at Gino, who was standing by the saleswoman and seemed to be paying.

In a flash, I grabbed the tie and tucked it into my pants, lumbering my way back to Gino.

"Have you got everything?" he asked and after I smiled at him and nodded we disappeared from the store and walked straight back to the car.