Chapter 3

~Edwina~

I groan as my eyes open adjusting to the bright light that fills the room. My head is pounding and I feel like shit as my eyes finally adjust to the unfamiliar large beautiful room.

I force myself to sit up feeling the soft cushioned mattress below me and I notice the king-sized bed that I must have slept on.

I don't remember anything from last night since it was all a blur.

Fear grips me on realizing that I'm not in the same clothes I had on last night rather, I'm dressed in a man's dress shirt that smelled of outrageously expensive and sexy earthy sandalwood.

"Don't worry Tesoro, nothing happened last night," comes a deep voice from across the room startling me and making me jump.

"What the hell?"I whisper yell my eyes finally finding the man and I clutch the virgin white sheets closer to my body.

He's sitting on the verandah whose glass doors are wide open letting the cool breeze fill the room.

He's dressed in a black dress shirt with a shiny expensive black Rolex watch on his right wrist.

His black hair is neatly styled and his face fixed to his apple iPad never once raising to look at me.

"Your the one who brought me away from the club last night, "I whisper, last night's events crashing in my mind.

"Yes, turns out your a lightweight. You ended up throwing up on me," says the man, his striking green emerald eyes finally coming in contact with mine.

I shrug my shoulders saying, "Your fault. I didn't tell you to make it your responsibility to make sure I get home safely; speaking of which, this is not my home, so tell me, where the hell am I?"

"You at my penthouse or would you rather I left you last night to get raped and maybe human trafficked?" he asks his face hardening and I sigh knowing he is right.

My head throbs harder and I groan pulling at my hair hoping it fucking stops.

"Take the glass of water and two tablets by the dresser. They'll help with the hangover," says the man his eyes going back to his iPad and focusing on god knows what.

"And why should I trust you?"I ask staring at the glass of water wearily.

"You shouldn't but if I wanted you dead, I would have been over and done with it," comes the man's arrogant voice as I pop the tablets in my mouth flushing them down with the glass of water.

"Who are you anyway?"I asked curious to know who he is despite knowing him from our phone call.

"I'm Raffaele Marcello; Alessandro's boss. The man you made a deal with over the phone" he says so smoothly bringing his full attention to me and I feel weak under his powerful gaze.

My eyes widen at his confession a small smirk adorning his sharp features and he asks, "Problem Tesoro?"

"No not at all," I say with a tight-lipped smile and a knock is heard at the bedroom door.

"What?" yells Raffaele irritated at whoever's behind the door as it opens revealing Alessandro.

"Raffaele," he says acknowledging him first before turning to me smirking and saying, "Morning princess, don't you look pretty this morning."

I chuck the pillow next to me at his head knowing very well he is mocking my current dishevelled state.

The man ducks the pillow and it misses his head as he chuckles amused.

"Alessandro gets the fuck out," growls Raffaelle and Alessandro's face turns serious replying to him saying, "We need to talk."

Raffaele wastes no time standing up as he turns to me saying, "Shower up, your clothes from last night will be delivered. Everything you need you'll find in the shower."

He does not give me a chance to respond as he and Alessandro walk out closing the door behind them.

I sigh at Raffaele's dismissive attitude my eyes taking in my surrounding.

The room is quite large with a touch of masculinity. The hideously long dark blue curtain drapes dim the room a little darker and the exquisite woolly grey carpet that covers the floor gives the room a fragrant and cosy taste.

The dresser by the wall is plain with no pictures as I walk towards a door that seems to lead to the bathroom my fingers pulling down the golden handle.

I step into the massive bathroom my eyes widening at how extravagant it looks. A bathtub stands at the farthest end and next to it it's a shower enclosed in a large glass cubicle.

Multiple drawers fill the room and I notice the two sinks on opposite ends of each other.

"Damn, "I say my fingers grazing the marble countertop filled with Raffaele's showering products.

I notice a new black towel and a toothbrush neatly placed by the counter next to the sink on the left.

I waste no time removing my clothes as I slowly undress opening the buttons to the dress shirt and it pools at my feet.

I walk to the shower sliding the huge glass door open as I step in running the shower water which is quite hot and relaxing.

I honestly don't know how long I take in the shower mixing Raffaele's addicting scents making sure to drown myself in them.

Once I'm done, my natural scent is gone and I smell like the man himself as I walk out of the bathroom and notice my clothes from last night neatly placed on the bed.

I frown my face in confusion wondering how I never heard anyone step into the room while I was busy in the shower.

I go ahead changing into my clothes as I wring the towel through my hair forcing it to dry but the outcome is horrible since it won't cooperate and stay straight so I end up closing it in a ponytail.

I spot my heels, slip them on give myself one last look in the mirror and leave the room.

I finally do manage to find my way down my heels echoing across the penthouse as I spot Raffaele and Alessandro busy talking with their iPads situated by the kitchen island.

Their attention shifts to me as I approach them and Raffaele says, "Sit and have breakfast."

I do exactly that sitting opposite them like a plate of hot bacon and eggs is placed in front of me together with a mug of hot steaming coffee.

My eyes light up in excitement at the sight of the delicious meal and I swear I hear Alessandro mutter something along the lines of, "Women and their food"

I ignore him as I begin to eat my breakfast drowning out their voices as they discuss their business and I don't fail to sense Raffaele's strong gaze on me at different intervals of their conversation.

"Has the headache reduced?" asks Raffaele in a hard tone and I nod my head and he says, "Use words, Tesoro. "

Every time he calls me Tesoro my heart flutters and I have to be honest, I like the way it sounds rolling off his tongue so devious yet sexy.

"Yes," I reply and he says, "Alessandro will drive you to the office"

"Guess you're stuck with me princess," says Alessandro smirking and I mutter sarcastically, "The joy."

Raffaele ignores us focusing back on his iPad as we both stand up.

I want to ask him when we will next meet but I hold my tongue turning around feeling his gaze on my back as Alessandro and I walk towards the elevator which he presses open and we step in as it closes shut.