Chapter 14

"Unmasking the Game"

Lorenzo's POV

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It had been a few days since We moved into my penthouse. We as in me and Vee. 

I was still trying to process the strange feeling of having her so close—too close, maybe—but there was no denying how quickly I'd gotten used to her presence. She was a puzzle I wasn't sure I wanted to solve, but damn it, I couldn't stop staring at the pieces.

She hadn't made this easy for me.

She kept her distance, her walls higher than ever. When we weren't working, she stayed in her room, focusing on whatever it was she did. I wasn't an idiot. I knew she was still hacking, still working her own agenda. She wasn't just going to roll over and let me pull the strings. And for some reason, that made me want her even more.

But there was something else. The tension between us had shifted after the attack, after we'd shared that brief moment of camaraderie. There was something between us—something sharp, something dangerous, something that made my pulse race every time she looked at me.

It wasn't just the physical attraction anymore, though God knows that was a factor. It was her. Her sharp intelligence, her fearlessness, the way she held herself like she could take on the world and laugh while doing it.

And it pissed me off. I hated that I couldn't get her out of my head. I hated that I was obsessed with figuring her out, with having her close, even though I knew she wasn't here for the same reasons I was.

But the truth was, I didn't have much of a choice.

 ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

I had asked her to come to my office. I wanted to make sure she knew what she was agreeing to, but also... I couldn't stop myself. The air between us had gotten thicker, and I needed to address it before it drove me insane.

I sat back in my chair, watching as she entered the room. The door clicked shut behind her, and I caught the faintest glint of unease in her eyes. She was good at hiding things—too good—but I saw it. It was like she was bracing herself for something.

"Vee," I said, my voice steady but betraying a hint of tension, "We need to talk."

She raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "About what?"

I leaned forward, elbows resting on the desk. "About what happened during the attack. About you."

Her eyes narrowed. "What about me?"

I had already crossed the line by confronting her, but hell, I was beyond the point of pretending. "You handled yourself... well. Too well. And I'm not talking about the fact that you didn't flinch when the bullets started flying. I'm talking about how you hacked into the system. The comms. You're Cipher."

Her eyes flickered, a brief flash of panic before she masked it with her usual cool composure. She opened her mouth, probably to deny it, but I wasn't giving her the chance.

"You can deny it all you want, but I've seen your skills up close. You're good. Too good."

She took a step back, and I could see the wheels turning in her head. She was calculating her next move, weighing whether she should tell me the truth or keep playing the game.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about," she said, her voice tight but with just enough defiance to make my blood run hot.

I smirked. "Darling, don't lie. I'm not asking for your life story. But I'm not stupid either."

Her gaze hardened, and for a moment, I thought she might lash out at me. But instead, she just sighed and ran a hand through her hair, clearly frustrated with herself for not hiding it better.

"I don't need your protection, Moretti." She said the words like they were a challenge, like she was daring me to argue.

I didn't back down. "Who said anything about protection? I'm offering you a choice."

"A choice?" She scoffed. "I'm not your pawn. I'm not going to sit pretty in your little empire while you pull the strings."

"I'm not asking you to sit pretty. I'm asking you to work with me. You know too much, darling. You're already involved in this mess whether you want to be or not. And I'm not stupid to let you go. Not now." 

Not ever. Though I didn't say it out loud. 

"Work with you?" she repeated, incredulous. "You want me to work for you? In what? Your shady mafia operations?" She shook her head. "I'm not getting into bed with you, Ren. Not like that."

Her words hit harder than they should've, even though I knew she wasn't talking about what I wanted from her.

"I'm not asking for that either." I took a deep breath, stepping closer. "I'm offering you a place. Under my protection. A chance to work with someone who understands what you can do and doesn't see you as just some hacker. You're good, Vee. I don't want to make you a part of my world, but I can't let you go back to yours."

Her jaw tightened, and she looked away for a split second, like she was considering it. "So, what? You want me to be your little underling?" she said with a mix of frustration and curiosity, still trying to hide how much my words were getting to her.

"No," I said, my voice low. "I want you to be my partner. No games. No lies."

She met my gaze, her eyes searching mine like she was trying to find the catch. And maybe there was one. Because despite everything I had just said, I wasn't offering her just a job. I was offering her a place—my place—and that scared the hell out of me.

"Fine," she said after what felt like an eternity. "I'll think about it. But don't think for a second I'm going to play by your rules, Ren."

I leaned in just a little closer, close enough that I could feel the heat of her breath. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

She paused, her breath catching in her throat for just a second. I saw the shift in her eyes, something darker, something softer that she couldn't quite control. My pulse spiked. And then she turned away.

"I'll think about it," she repeated, her voice quieter this time.

"I know you will," I said, my voice almost a whisper, watching her every move.

As she walked toward the door, I couldn't help but feel like I had just made a deal with the devil. But if she said yes—and when she said yes—it would be on my terms. I'd make damn sure of that.

 ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

But as she left the room, I couldn't shake the feeling that she was already too deep in this to back out. And maybe, just maybe, I was too deep in this with her.

The game had started, and I wasn't about to let her slip away. 

Not now. 

Not ever.

Because I'm fucking Lorenzo Moretti.

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˗ˏˋ Author's note ˎˊ˗

Heyy (✿◡‿◡)

Dun dun duuuuuuun.....

Welp. It's out! And apparently my hero can read eyes  ^3^

Please Vote and comment to make another insignificant human happy (^◕.◕^)

Question of chapter:

Do you have siblings?

Nope! I'm one miserable only child....

See you next in the next chapter!

You can't heal if you pretend you are not hurt. It's okay to feel <3

*hug*

Byeeee

Izel

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