Rather go to bed without dinner than a rise in debt.

Benjamin Franklin

Haven Pierce's POV

Something woke me up from my dreamless sleep and then I realized that there was a knock on my doorway. I slowly sat up from the bed, wiping my eyes with my hand to adjust my sight to the darkness. It took me a moment before I remembered where I was, it seemed that I dozed off for a moment after arranging my things in my new walk-in closet.

I looked at the huge window of my room and stared outside. It's already dark maybe the exhaustion from the long flight has already taken its toll on me. It was an almost fourteen-hour flight from Los Angeles to Sicily.

The person on the other side of the door knocked once again trying to get my attention. I threw my legs off the bed and went to the door. I was Greta in the doorway with a wide smile on her face. "The Signore is requesting you to join him for dinner by the pool."

"Oh?" I couldn't help but raise my eyebrow in the maid's direction. I never realized that brute man knew the word such as 'request' I thought he only knew how to bark orders as he has repeatedly shown me since I met him.

"Sì, Signorina."

It was on the tip of my tongue to flat-out refuse the offer I would rather eat alone in my room or not eat at all if the consequence of having a hearty meal was to suffer in the company of that cantankerous Sicilian boss than I would gladly skip a meal and starved myself.

"Refusing is not an option, Signorina," Greta added as if reading my mind. "The Signore said that you might refuse but he tells me that I should tell you that if you refuse his dinner invitation then he'll have the head of his chef tonight on his plate."

My eyes widened in the direction of the maid. What kind of barbaric, blackmailing idiot he was? But I couldn't say it out loud since there was a high chance that my head might be on the chopping board if I insulted him openly. "He's not serious, is he?"

Greta shook her head regretfully as she eyed me with pleading eyes. "The boss is completely serious with his threats, Signorina. He might kill his chef if you refuse to join him at the dinner table."

"But that's ridiculous!"

"Please, Signorina...?" She eyed me with pleading eyes. "Please save Ricardo's head."

I let out a resigned sigh. I want to refuse but my conscience was nudging me the way Greta pleaded with me I think that this personal chef named Ricardo was dear to her. I want someone to be on my side in this place and Greta might be that person I need to earn her trust so I gave her a slightly forced smile. "Alright, fine. Please tell Mr. Marchesi that I would be there in a minute I'll just take a quick shower and get dressed."

"Oh, thank you, Signorina!" A sigh of relief escaped her. "Please take your time I will inform the Signore right away."

I watched the woman walk away half-running half-walking in the hallway until she disappeared on the corner. Who knew that this newfound friend might be useful in the future? For now, I have to earn everyone's trust if I want to survive living in this dangerous place—in a mafia's den, that is.

I went inside my room and locked the door behind me. I stripped all of my clothes and hit the shower. I let out a small groan when the rainfall shower hit my aching muscles but I don't have time to enjoy this Mr. Marchesi might get impatient if he waited long enough for me. I think he was the type of man who didn't like to wait for anyone. So I shampooed my hair and put a good amount of shower gel in my hand and rubbed it all over my body. I thought of shaving my legs and pubic area since I usually do that when I bathe but then I realized that I am not going on a date but having a blackmailed dinner with a guardian so there's no use in shaving certain parts of my body.

It's not as if he's going to see it anyway. I became repulsive to the strange thought that crossed my mind. Eww, where the hell did that nasty thought come from? He might be as handsome as the devil but I have to keep in mind that he's my legal guardian and will never be more than that.

I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a clean towel around my body. I started to blow dry my pastel pink hair while looking at my reflection in the mirror. My cheeks were slightly flushed from the unwanted thoughts inside my brain moments ago.

I determinedly shook my head. I have to erase that from my head everything about us should be strictly formal. I shouldn't have let myself be carried away with such thoughts in the future I can't see him as a man near my age but rather an old benefactor or even an older brother but never a man that I could be romantically involved with.

Jesus, what's wrong with me? I felt irritated by the thoughts inside my head. I shouldn't entertain such nonsense notion and just focus on living in a foreign place without losing my head. I should be worried about my life before anything else.

Once my hair was dry, I wrapped it in a messy bun on the top of my head and went to the walk-in closet and I wore my undies. Since it was already night I thought of wearing a comfortable outfit such as my oversized hoodie a pair of leggings and white sneakers my go-to outfit on a casual day.

Looking at myself in the full-length mirror one last time. All set. So I went out of my room to have dinner with my newly acquired guardian.

As I walked around the hallway on the second floor trying to find my way outside and into the pool area thankfully I came across one of the maids and I asked for directions. She happily obliged and even helped me to the pool area.

When I was outside I immediately saw the beautiful set-up table with Mr. Marchesi sitting on the table waiting for me. I became self-conscious when I saw him dress smartly in his all-black ensemble while I looked like I was about to go to bed with my outfit.

Greta didn't inform me that there was a dress code at this dinner!

I was about to retreat and change my clothes but it was already too late since my guardian already spotted me and acknowledged my presence. With great reluctance, I forced my legs to carry me to where he was waiting.

"Sorry, I'm late," I murmured demurely, unable to meet his eyes. I sat on the chair across from him as I dared to glance in his direction.

There was a small private smile playing on his lips while silently watching me. He too was fresh from his shower and his damp hair was slicked back. "I thought I'd grow roots here waiting for you."

I couldn't help but throw a glare at him. It feels like I was having a romantic dinner with him since we're the only ones having dinner but that's completely the opposite! This is not a romantic date, for God's sake! "Then, you shouldn't wait for me and eat your meal alone instead."

"I invited you to dinner, didn't I?" He asked casually, raising an eyebrow in my direction in a hateful manner. "I want you to feel welcome and have a pleasant stay until your summer vacation is over."

I shrugged uncaringly. "Why bother to do that when I am just a prisoner here?"

"That's the thing. I want to clear this to you. You are not a prisoner here you can come and go wherever you like provided that you have bodyguards with you, Haven. You can go sightseeing around town but take my men with you if I cannot personally accompany you."

"You?" I asked indecorously while looking at him straight in the face. "Aren't you too busy to act as my bodyguard during my trip to town?"

He went still for a moment and then he shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly. "That's correct. But I am willing if I have time."

I was speechless while staring at the man in front of me. I couldn't believe that he was willing to do such a thing when there was an army of men at his disposal. I tilted my head to the side slightly while studying his profile. "Can I ask you a question, Mr. Marchesi?"

He gave me a disapproving look, his eyes held slight annoyance in their depth. "Santi. I prefer if you will call me Santi instead of 'Mr. Marchesi' when you are addressing to me. It makes me feel old when you do that I am only twenty-seven."

I bit my bottom lip, unsure how to respond to his request because calling him by his given name means we're one step closer to one another I would rather have this formality between us but I guess it would not hurt to accept his small request, wasn't it? "Alright, Santi. My question is, why are you hell-bent on looking after me you even forced me to come here with you when you could just have hired someone to protect me back in Los Angeles?"

He smiled thinly while his jaw looked tense. "It was stated in your father's will, remember? I am just honoring his last will."

"I think there's more that you are not telling me," my eyes narrowed at him. "I think you are keeping a secret from me I can sense it."

"Oh? You think so?" He arched his brow, there was a devilish smirk playing on his lips that he was trying to hide with his fingers.

"Yes."

The smile was still placed on his mouth. "You're just being paranoid. What would be the reason why I would lie to you, Signorina?"

I shrugged indifferently, but I knew that there was something that he was not telling me. "I don't know you tell me."

"You know what?" He said, completely changing the subjects. He gestured to someone with his finger and before I knew it array of foods were placed on our table. "I think you're just hungry. Let's eat. What's wrong?"

I looked up from the food on the table, slid my gaze on him, and then gazed back my eyes back on the table. "Uh...well..."

"You don't like the food?"

Well, that's the thing. I don't know if it was just a coincidence or if he knew exactly what my favorite foods were because everything laid on this table was my favorite comfort food. I think this might be just a pure coincidence. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. "Nothing," I said with a slight force smile picking up my fork. "Let's eat?"

He nodded in agreement laid the linen napkin on his lap and started to sample the food on his plate.  "Wine?" he asked me while he poured himself with a glass of dark red liquid. He was about to pour my glass but I stopped him.

I shook my head regretfully. "I don't drink."

"Is that so?" He reflected as he sat back from his chair while his dark eyes pierced through me as if they could reach my soul. "If I ask you a question will you answer it truthfully, Haven?"

"It depends," I answered as I also sat back from my chair mimicking his stance. I have to remember not to lower my guard around him. He might be friendly tonight but I still have to remember that he's a mafia boss and wickedness is part of him.

His eyebrows drew together. "Depends on what?"

"Whether I like it to answer with honesty or not. You didn't answer some of my questions with truthfulness either." I gave him a meaningful look. "So I think I have to return the favor, don't you think?"

A reluctant smile fitted his stern mouth and I found that expression completely appealing. "Touché. But I will ask it anyway."

"Fire away, then."

He looked at me for a long moment as if studying my face. "How can you accept easily when I told you that your father and I are involved in the underground business? I thought for a moment that you would fiercely deny it—at least your father's involvement."

"I was surprised myself about my reaction but I think deep inside I already knew and I was only in denial—or at least, I already suspected that my father had a secret life that he kept from me. Going out alone on my own was strictly forbidden in our household. Even on school trips, Dad was reluctant to let me go without a guardian."

"And you didn't question him?"

I shrugged casually, sipping my sparkling water because it felt like my mouth suddenly went dry. "I thought it was normal that he was overprotective of me because I am his only daughter and I am the only one he has. It never occurred to me that there might be another reason for that."

"Aren't you mad at him?" He asked curiously.

I raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Should I be?"

"No."

I smiled that didn't reach my eyes. "Then, I am not mad at my dad for lying to me."

Silence filled the pool area and I felt the stillness around us a bit awkward. "What will you do with your inheritance once you turn twenty-five?"

I stopped drinking my water halfway. "I haven't thought of that yet. Why did you ask?"

"Nothing. Just curious, that's all."

"I see..."

"Last question." I stared at him with amusement. Isn't he a bit talkative tonight? It feels that he wasn't the same stoic man I met in Los Angeles. "Do you have a boyfriend or currently dating?"

I couldn't hide the surprised expression on my face. "Why do you want to know? I think that's none of your damn business."

"Because I need to make sure that they are not only after your inheritance I want to have a background check on every guy you are about to date from now on."

My lips parted in shock. I think I misheard him. "You can't be serious!"

His eyes bored into mine, as dark and as dangerous as the glint in his eyes at the moment. "I am, Haven. I am."