19 - Strange Feelings

Valeria

As we walk into the event hall, my arm is connected with Lorenzo's. A lot of people swarmed the room, talking to one another and drinking alcohol. I notice that all the people are wearing either black or red, making me look abnormal. I look at Lorenzo and he notices my realization and smiles.

"Why am I not wearing red or black?" I ask as we walk to his parent's and sibling's table.

"You're unique. Besides, I don't like my date looking like everyone else."

Oh, so this is about how he looks in front of the people. Who am I kidding? This is Lorenzo Gonzalez, the most influential person in Spain and the man every girl wants. Of course, he is going to care about what people think about him. He wants the whole media outlets to talk about him and how hot he is.

I don't say anything because if I do, I'll probably smack his head against the wall.

"Oh, Valeria, you look lovely, darling," Mrs. Gonzalez compliments, making me blush.

"Yes, you do, Val! This dress looks amazing on you," Sophia continues where her mother left off.

Sarah and Cassie nod in agreement, while Johnny and Sam stand with blank faces, probably too scared to compliment Lorenzo's 'date.'

"Thank you," I reply with a smile, disconnecting my arm from Lorenzo's, making him frown.

"Val, come let's get something to drink," Sophia says, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards her. Lorenzo grunts, not liking this idea, but doesn't dare to say anything in front of everyone.

What a pussy.

We reach the bar and Sophia orders two whiskeys for us. Sarah later joins and orders one for herself. I wanted to tell Sophia that I hated alcohol and that I have never tasted it before, but was too shy to admit something like this. She was also being nice and I didn't want to ruin her vibe.

I take a small sip and immediately cringe at the taste. It tastes like ass, not that I have ever tasted asses before. Okay, eww.

"By the way, Lorenzo couldn't take his eyes off you since we came here," Sarah points out with a giggle, making her twin giggle as well. I blush hard and fidget with my fingers from my nervousness.

"Oh, don't be shy now. We all know that Lorenzo has the eyes for you," Sophia this time says.

"You're wrong. He doesn't like me. Besides, I am your maid, nothing could ever happen," I reply, the alcohol is clearly making me blunt.

Sophia and Sarah gasp at the same time as if they didn't expect my reply.

"Valeria, you don't possibly think that we care that you work for us, right?" Sophia asks, tilting her face.

I take another sip and this time I feel like I am about to vomit. "Give me this." Sophia snatches the glass from my head and places it on the counter. "Now, answer me, Valeria."

"I do think that," I reply, avoiding their accusatory eyes.

"How could you think that?" Sophia exclaims, getting angry by the second.

I don't say anything, too ashamed to open my mouth. Sophia treated me like her friend since the very first moment I arrived at her house. She was nothing but nice to me, but I kept acting professionally, mainly because I didn't trust anyone and I didn't know if I'd get fired if I acted too friendly.

"I am sorry," I finally say. Both of the girls look annoyed and remained silent for a few minutes until someone behind me tapped my shoulder.

I look behind me and see a very hot man wearing a black suit standing with a grin on his face.

"Ciao, amore. My name is Kilian, you are?" His deep voice is everything I could hear. He holds his hand out for me to shake.

"V-Valeria..." I stutter, placing my hand in his, but instead of shaking my hand, he kisses the back of it.

"What a beautiful name for a beautiful girl." I blush hard. "Would you like to dance with me?"

I look at the girls only to see them glaring at Kilian. I frown a little, but turn back to him and nod my head.

We walk to the dance floor, a subtle music is filling the hall as people dance. I see from the corner of my eyes Lorenzo looking at us.

Kilian and I start dancing, my arms around his neck, while his around my waist, a little too low for my liking.

I start feeling uncomfortable when he leans to my ear and starts saying inappropriate things like, "you look so sexy," or "your ass looks so big from here."

I try to push him back and go back to the girls, but his grip is so tight that it hurt.

"Leave her, Ramirez." A familiar strong voice saves me from this torture.

Kilian backs away a little bit but does not let me go. "Well, well, if it isn't the bastard's son."

Lorenzo's jaw clench, but doesn't say anything other than chuckle. He steps forward and snatches Kilian's arms from around me, and pushes him back. "I said, leave her, Hijo de puta."

Kilian laughs and looks between us two. "So, now the bastard's son wants to have a bastard's baby with his maid as his father did?"

This time, Lorenzo couldn't hold it and punched Kilian in the face. He kept punching Kilian, despite my pleas for him to stop. He only stopped when Sam and Johnny pulled him off Kilian.

"I will not let this go!" Kilian yells, everyone in the hall looking at us.

Lorenzo pulls himself out of Sam's and Johnny's grasp, grabs my arm, and storms out of the room.

My dress is making it hard for me to follow behind Lorenzo, who seems so angry that I can't even tell him to slow down.

He opens the door for me and I step inside the car. He goes to the other side and hops into the driver's side. He's breathing heavily and fast as his knuckles grab tightly at the steering wheel. His knuckles are bloody from his punches, probably mixed with his blood and Kilian's.

"Lorenzo, slow down..." I say in a panic as he speeds.

He suddenly stops the car in the middle of the empty road and my body jerks forward, but his arm stops my body from hitting anything.

"T-Thank you."

"Why were you dancing with him?" he asks in his deep voice.

"H-He asked me... and I-I said yes."

"Why?! If you wanted to dance you could've told me."

I don't say a word, too scared of what he'll do as memories from the night in the kitchen come crashing down at me. I don't know what to expect from Lorenzo because I don't trust his actions. I know he promised to never hurt me, but how could I trust someone not to do something he has done before?

"I could've...danced with you," he continues.

"Then why didn't you?!" I yell at him, starting to get angry at his moody brain. "Why didn't you ask me to dance with you, Lorenzo? I would have said yes."

I am breathing heavily this time, my anger is affecting me. Tears start forming in my tear duct, but I refuse to let them down.

He doesn't say anything. He probably knows that I am right and he is wrong. Why did he even get offended that I danced with someone else?

"Do you know who that is?" he starts. "That's the son of the Italian mafia boss. Our enemies."

Oh.

"And how would I know that?" I ask.

"You shouldn't run off with a random guy," he claps back.

"Lorenzo, you are making it so hard for me..."

"I am not! You just shouldn't have danced with a random guy who is not me!"

"And why is that?!" I ask.

"Because you came with me! I am your date!"

"Yeah, yeah, now tell me you have an image to keep, and 'your' date has to dress a certain way and looks and acts a certain way!" I yell.

He starts the car again, not saying anything. This time, he doesn't speed fast and drives at a moderate speed.

We arrive at a building I have never seen before. I look at him in confusion only for him to tell me that this is the penthouse he occasionally stay at.

I don't understand why he brought me here, but I am glad he did because I don't want to face his parents after what happened at the event.

We step into the elevator and Lorenzo presses the last floor, which is 39.

This elevator is slow.

"I am sorry..." Lorenzo suddenly says, making me look at him. He's looking at his feet, not daring to look at me while apologizing.

He's ashamed.

"I-It's okay..."

"No, it's not." He interjects. "It's not okay to treat you like you have no freedom to act the way you want."

"Thank you, Lorenzo," I reply, making him look at me now.

He gives me a small smile just in time as the elevator opened. We walk into his penthouse and I instantly become mesmerized by the interior. Gold, black, and white.

"Your house looks amazing."

"Thank you, I designed it." He smiles at me. He looks proud of his work and happy that I like it.

"Have a seat. I'll get something for us to drink."

I nod and sit down on the very comfy couch. A few minutes later, he comes back with two sodas, making me cross my brows in confusion.

"I saw how much you hated alcohol," he explains, handing me one.

"Thank you." I take it from him.

We sit in silence, none of us saying a word, just drinking. I am still in my comfy dress, though I'd prefer to take it off and wear something comfier, but I have no clothes here and I still don't know why he brought me here.

"Lorenzo."

"Yeah?"

"Why are we here?"

"I guess...I wanted to stay away from the house for a while, and...I wanted to stay alone with you for a while."