Realisation

Lorenzo's POV

The exact moment she crashed headfirst into my solid chest, I knew my hopelessly boring afternoon had just gotten a hell of a lot more interesting. The physical impact was sudden, but I caught her easily. She staggered back a half-step, her wide hazel eyes locking onto mine as if she were completely mesmerized. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights, totally paralyzed by the unexpected collision.

For a few seconds, she just stood there, completely speechless. And damn, if I wasn’t highly entertained by it.

I took my sweet, agonizing time studying her. I let my gaze drag over her delicate facial features. She had dark, silky hair that cascaded perfectly over her slender shoulders, framing a face that was stunning in a quiet, unassuming way. A faint, beautiful flush started creeping up her elegant neck, coloring her soft cheeks in a delicious shade of bright red. She clearly had absolutely no idea the magnetic effect she was having on me. She was breathtaking, and totally unaware of it.

I smirked, leaning down just slightly to deliberately invade her personal space. "You okay there, contessa?" I asked, keeping my voice a low rumble.

She blinked rapidly, as if trying desperately to snap out of a deep spell. She immediately stepped back, pulling out of my grasp as the blush on her cheeks burned even hotter. She crossed her arms over her chest defensively, trying to play off her obvious embarrassment.

I chuckled, the sound vibrating deep in my throat. I was thoroughly enjoying her flustered reaction. "You gonna keep staring, or should I be flattered?"

She scowled, her pink lips parting as she stumbled over her words. Before she could find her tongue and give me a proper reply, the heavy glass doors of the bridal boutique behind her swung open with a loud chime.

"Sienna!"

That fake, overly friendly, aggressively scratchy voice echoed loudly down the busy street. My good mood soured in a fraction of a second. The light amusement completely vanished from my eyes, violently replaced by a cold, hardened edge. I didn’t even need to turn my head to know exactly who was ruining my afternoon.

Vittorio.

I finally tore my gaze away from Sienna and turned my full, icy attention to the man I absolutely despised. My pathetic excuse for a stepbrother strolled out of the boutique and made his way toward us. He had a slimy, plastic grin plastered across his punchable face. His hands were shoved casually into the pockets of his expensive, tailored slacks, but everything about him reeked of cheap pretense. From his slicked-back hair to his desperate need to constantly look important, the man was a walking joke.

My amused smirk dropped entirely. I didn't bother masking my total disdain. My posture remained relaxed, my hands sliding casually back into the pockets of my dark jacket, but my entire expression turned ice-cold.

Vittorio faltered for a split second when he caught my dead-eyed stare, but he quickly recovered. He cleared his throat loudly as he stopped a few feet away, puffing out his chest.

"Lorenzo! What a pleasant surprise," Vittorio said, his scratchy voice dripping with fake cheerfulness. "I was actually just talking about you earlier today."

"Lucky me," I drawled out slowly, my tone entirely devoid of emotion.

He tried to laugh it off, plastering on another desperate, forced smile. "Listen, Lorenzo, I was hoping you’d reconsider coming to the wedding. It’s going to be quite the event, very high profile. The whole family really should be there."

I arched a single dark eyebrow, staring at him with unyielding boredom. "Not interested."

Vittorio let out a dramatic sigh, shaking his head side to side like I was just some rebellious teenager. Then, he let out a loud, patronizing chuckle that grated against my eardrums. "Though, if you don’t want to come for the sake of family, at least stop by and throw your favorite stepbrother some cash, huh? We all know you can easily afford it."

Silence. Heavy, suffocating silence.

Nobody laughed. The pathetic joke fell incredibly flat in the cold afternoon air. I just stared at him, my face a blank mask of pure ice. Sienna stood slightly behind him, completely silent and perfectly still. Vittorio’s plastic grin wavered violently when he finally realized absolutely no one found him funny.

Faltering slightly under my unblinking glare, Vittorio awkwardly cleared his throat again and quickly shifted gears. His shifty eyes moved to the girl standing beside me.

"Ah, where are my manners?" Vittorio said smoothly, taking a bold step toward her. He reached out and placed a heavy, claiming hand right on her delicate shoulder.

Instantly, Sienna’s entire body went completely rigid beneath his touch.

I didn't miss a single micro-expression. My eyes immediately flicked back to her. Her earlier flustered, expressive look was completely gone. It was violently replaced by a cold, deeply guarded silence. She pressed her soft lips tightly together, her delicate jaw clenched tight. I saw the deep-seated resentment burning clearly in her hazel eyes. There was a dark, ugly story hidden in that stiff posture. She absolutely hated him touching her. The sudden realization sent a sharp, protective thrill rushing fiercely through my veins.

"Lorenzo," Vittorio continued, completely oblivious to her intense physical discomfort. "Meet my lovely future stepdaughter, Sienna."

Stepdaughter.

I tilted my head, studying the way she adamantly refused to look at him. A slow, calculated smirk returned to my lips. I pulled my right hand out of my pocket and deliberately extended it toward her, forcing her to look at me, drawing her absolute attention away from the man making her skin crawl.

"Hello, Sienna," I said. My voice dropped an octave, smooth, low, and deeply intentional. I held her wide gaze, trapping her completely in my stare. "I suppose that makes me your stepuncle."

Her soft mouth fell open slightly. Her stunning hazel eyes widened to the size of saucers, clearly thrown completely off balance by the sudden, shocking revelation. The heavy tension between us instantly shifted into something dangerously electric.

Vittorio forced a loud, awkward bark of a laugh, aggressively clapping his hands together. "Oh, Lorenzo, always the jokester. Don't mind him, Sienna."

I ignored Vittorio entirely. I didn't even look at him. I kept my eyes locked fiercely on Sienna as she hesitantly lifted her arm and placed her delicate hand into mine.

Her hand was incredibly warm, her skin soft against my rough palm. I wrapped my fingers around hers securely. I didn't let go immediately. I held her hand for a full, agonizing second longer than necessary, letting her feel the raw heat of my skin. I made sure she felt the undeniable spark between us before I finally released her.

I wanted her wondering exactly who the hell I was. I wanted to permanently occupy every single corner of her racing mind.

Sliding my hands casually back into the pockets of my jacket, I took a deliberate step away from the two of them. "Well, Vittorio," I said, my tone dripping with dry sarcasm. "As much as I’d absolutely love to continue this heartwarming, cozy little family reunion on the sidewalk, I actually have important places to be."

Vittorio opened his mouth, clearly gearing up to try one last attempt to persuade me, but I was already turning my broad back on him. I began walking down the sidewalk toward my parked car.

But before I walked entirely out of her life for the afternoon, I paused and cast one last, lingering glance over my shoulder.

Sienna was still standing in the exact same spot on the concrete. She hadn't moved a single inch. She stood completely frozen, her lips slightly parted as she watched me walk away. The intense heat of her stare practically burned through the chilly air.

My smirk widened into a full-blown, predatory grin.

As I hit the button on my keys, unlocking my sleek black car, I slid comfortably into the leather driver's seat. I shut the heavy door, but I could still feel the heavy weight of her beautiful gaze lingering on me through the tinted glass. I gripped the steering wheel, my mind racing with calculated thoughts.

I let out a low breath, starting the powerful engine. Getting involved in my stepbrother's pathetic life was the absolute last thing I ever wanted to do. But seeing her... feeling that violent, undeniable spark when she crashed into my chest, and noticing the absolute disgust she held for Vittorio? That changed everything.

I realized right then and there that this stupid, tedious little wedding might not turn out to be such a massive waste of my time after all.