Chapter 29: This House Runs On Respect

She stared at him in disbelief. “You threaten people for a living and somehow this is the hill you’re dying on? Eggs and bread?”

“This house runs on respect. You may hate me, Veronica, but you will not disrespect her.”

“Sit,” he repeated.

“I’m not a child you can just ground,” Vee shot back.

“Then don’t act like one,” Luca replied.

“If I don’t obey?” She tilted her chin, daring him, that stubborn spark flaring even through fear.

“You will not move from that seat.”

“And if I do?” she pushed. “It’s not like you can watch me all day.”

His gaze darkened with warning. “Then you give me reason to exert myself further tonight.” He leaned in just enough for his words to settle against her ear. “Every time you disobey me. Every time you’re insolent. Every time you provoke me. I will make you pay.”

Her breath hitched, but she refused to step back. “You did say you weren’t going to force me into doing anything. Or did you forget?”

“I said I wasn’t going to fuck you forcefully,” Luca answered coolly. “I didn’t say anything about everything else.”

“What does that mean?” Vee asked, softer now.

“Defy me and find out.”

Before she could react, he guided her back into the chair, firm hands settling her where he wanted her. He stood behind her then, close enough that she could feel his presence. His fingers slid into her hair. Hands then hovering near her neck, the ghost of a grip that never came, before settling on her shoulders instead.

She stiffened instantly.

Luca felt it.

He said nothing.

She hated him. He knew that.

What unsettled him was how much he cared.

“Relax,” he murmured. “I’m not hurting you.”

“Not yet,” she replied bitterly.

His hands tightened just enough to be felt. “You think everything I do is about cruelty.”

“Isn’t it?”

“No.” He leaned closer.

His fingers drifted lower, skimming the upper curve of her breasts, the soft mound visible beneath the satin nightwear. Enough contact to remind her that he could. That he was aware of every rise and fall of her breath.

Vee’s fork hovered uselessly over her plate.

“Diavolino…” Nonnina’s voice floated into the breakfast room.

Vee startled, her shoulders jumping, but Luca’s fingers did not move an inch. They remained exactly where they were, a quiet act of defiance that sent heat and panic spiraling together in her chest.

“Yes, Nonni,” Luca answered calmly, not even bothering to look up.

Vee’s heart hammered. She stared at the tablecloth.

“What time do you want me to bring your lunch?” Nonnina asked, already walking in, her slippers whispering over marble.

“Don’t worry, Nonni,” Luca replied smoothly. “I’ll be home early today.”

“Oh?” Nonnina hummed. Her sharp old eyes flicked from his open robe, to Vee’s rigid posture, to the suspiciously abandoned fork. “Zuccherino, you don’t like the food?”

Vee swallowed hard. “No… I love it,” she said quickly. “My mind is just busy.”

“Ah,” Nonnina said knowingly. Her gaze slid upward, landing squarely on Luca. “Leave the girl alone to eat. You go get ready for work.”

Luca’s jaw tightened.

His grip shifted, fingers pressing more firmly at Vee’s collarbone, possessive enough that her breath hitched despite herself.

“Don’t make me get my spatula,” Nonnina added.

Luca smiled and leaned down, close enough that his breath warmed the shell of Vee’s ear.

“She won’t save you tonight,” he murmured so softly only she could hear.

Her pulse spiked violently.

Then he straightened, releasing her completely.

The absence of his touch was obvious.

He stepped back, adjusting his robe, all business again. “I’ll see you later, Nonni.”

Nonnina waved him off dismissively. “Go.”

Luca chuckled and left the room, his footsteps fading down the hall, taking his gravity with him.

Vee slumped slightly in her chair, her hands trembling just enough that she had to curl them into her lap.

“Thank you, Nonnina,” Vee said softly.

Nonnina smiled at her. “You too. Eat, then go get dressed for work. Your driver is on standby.”

“Driver?” Vee blinked. “I’ll just take an Uber.”

Nonnina waved a hand as if swatting a fly. “Luca gave instructions.”

“I see.” Vee sighed and returned to her plate. He wasn’t giving her a driver out of courtesy. This was surveillance. A leash.

******

Marco hated being the babysitter.

He sat on the edge of the bed in one of Luca’s lesser-used properties, elbows on his knees, staring at the floor. He had more important things to do. Like making sure Luca didn’t run the Genovese family into the ground chasing whatever obsession this woman had sparked.

Buying a girl for ten million dollars.

Ten. Million.

Marco rubbed a hand over his face. Who did that? Luca with his rules about order, suddenly rewriting his own code for a woman.

This Scalese business should never have been touched.

And yet, here they were.

Luca had assigned Marco personally to oversee Valentina.

He stood and crossed the room, checking the camera feed on the tablet by the door. Valentina sat on the couch downstairs, knees tucked up, reading a book.

Marco swore under his breath.

A knock sounded at his bedroom door.

He straightened instantly and opened it. One of the guards stood there, posture stiff.

“She asked for you,” the guard said. “The girl.”

Marco closed his eyes briefly. Of course she did.

“What does she need?”

The guard shrugged. “She said she’ll only talk to Marco.”

Marco frowned. “How does she know my name?”

The guard lifted a shoulder. “No idea.”

Marco sighed. Of course. Nothing in this mess stayed neatly contained. “Fine. I’ll be right down.”

He shut the door harder than necessary and headed downstairs, irritation rolling through him. This was exactly why he hated assignments like this. People became people instead of variables. Needs replaced numbers. Faces replaced figures on a balance sheet.

He found her where the camera feed had shown her earlier, sitting on the edge of the sofa. She looked up the moment he entered, eyes sharp despite the nervous energy humming around her.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep