Filed to story: Bring It On My Mafia Life Novel (Rhea & Lukas)
“You don’t drink then.” He got her point while typing something down on his phone.
As soon as he was done, Lukas pulled the phone back into his pocket and stared at her so hard that Rhea wondered if there was something on her face. However, before she had the chance to ask, he was walking in her direction.
“You’d watch me drink then,” Was all he said before plonking down beside her.
Lukas was not a huge man but when he took the seat beside her, he sure felt like one. His presence was overwhelming and made her feel uncomfortable. Damn this love seat, why does it have to be so small?
Rhea didn’t dare to move to the single fancier seat knowing he wouldn’t be happy with that. She has known Lukas’s character to an extent now.
Almost immediately, one of the staff arrived with a tray of scotch whisky but there was a bowl of fruit salad with honey poppy alongside it.
“The fruit is for you.” He said.
“Huh?” Rhea looked at the bowl and then back at him gratefully, “That was thoughtful of you.”
“I figured out it would be strange if I drank alone and you had nothing to keep yourself busy.”
“Oh.” She nodded.
He watched her, “Do you need anything else?”
“No,” Rhea grabbed the fruit salad, “I’m good with this.”
Lukas turned to the staff and gestured to him to leave and he obeyed instantly. Rhea was not exactly hungry but she had been craving snacks, but this would do.
“From now on, give me a list of whatever you want that isn’t here. I’ll have them get it for you.” He suddenly said to her, after a glass of his drink.
“Sure,” Rhea responded immediately. She didn’t know the reason for the sudden change in Lukas, but she was going to take advantage of that.
“Also, if you need anything to eat anytime, any day, tell the chef, they would have it made for you.” He told her again.
“Okay.”
“Also, you’re free to go anywhere you want except those rooms marked ‘restricted’. If you have any problem with my men, have me informed immediately and I’ll deal with their bullshit.”
“Sure, sure.” Rhea was suddenly overwhelmed by his favors. It was too much and sudden. At this rate, he might as well give her the whole world.
And Rhea was not wrong, because, in the next minute, Lukas said, “Also, you don’t -“
“Lukas!” Rhea shouted, cutting him off. When she finally caught his attention, she said in a lowered tone, “I’m good. Really.”
“If you say so then.” He went back to his drinking.
After that, there was nothing but silence between the both of them. However, even as Rhea focused on her food, she watched him out of the corner of her eyes. Lukas drank without a break, as if he wanted to drown all of his sorrows. It wasn’t healthy. Neither did she like it.
“You know, you don’t have to marry her if you don’t want to.” She finally spoke up, dropping her empty plate on the table before them.
Lukas looked at her, “It’s not exactly a matter of choice.”
“We always have choices. Just the same way you decided to imprison me here.” Rhea answered him, but quickly dropped the topic considering how sensitive it was.
She said, “You have to be with someone you love.”
“Someone, I love?” Lukas snorted, his glass stopping halfway. He thought over the words, “What a nice delusion.” He muttered before downing his drink.
“Alright, that’s enough.” Rhea couldn’t stand it anymore and snatched the glass from him, “You want to drink yourself into a stupor?”
To answer her question this time, Lukas grabbed the bottle and drank straight from it. Rhea was so infuriated that she grabbed the bottle as well and flung it halfway across the gazebo and it shattered on impact with the ground.
Lukas turned to her with blazing eyes, “What the hell was that? I asked you to keep me company, not to ruin the experience for me!”
“I’m not interested in watching you make a mess of yourself?!” Rhea yelled back at him.
He sneered, “Well, don’t act like you care because I know you don’t! You only have your eyes for your darling Elijah!”
A Waste Of Handsome Face
“Well, don’t act like you care because I know you don’t! You only have your eyes for your darling Elijah!”
The moment Lukas shouted out those words, Rhea stiffened and an awkward silence fell over them. It was made worse that they were sitting close to each other.
“So tell me…” Lukas finally broke the silence. He reached out and grabbed her face, but this time, he didn’t hold her tightly, as if she was fragile and would break if he were rough with her, “Do you even have an atom of love for me or am I that huge of a monster?”
Rhea opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t say a thing. She shouldn’t feel a thing for this man, he was the one who kidnapped her and made her life miserable. But then, Lukas wasn’t all that bad except that he was born into the wrong family and took on the wrong occupation.
However, Rhea was never going to tell him that because she actually pitied him and she was sure that wasn’t what he wanted from him.
“We’re not having this conversation when you’re obviously drunk,” Rhea said, already rising to her feet when he pushed her down to the seat and boxed her in.
“Lukas….” Rhea called his name with both caution and apprehension. She wanted him to remember their deal but she was scared at the same time as to what he would do when drunk.
“I’m not drunk…” He refuted her words and Rhea couldn’t tell between the drunk and sober Lukas, which one was better at the moment.
“Fine, you’re not drunk.” Rhea only agreed to please him so he could let her go.
…..
Lukas tightened his grip on her chin but not to the point it hurt. However, he turned her face from side to side as if he was scanning merchandise. So much for not being drunk. But for someone drunk, he has good locomotion.
“What’s so special about Elijah, huh? Why won’t you like me the same way you like him?” He asked without taking his eyes off her. Lukas might as well bore a hole in her head with his intense stare. The answer wasn’t written in her head.
“That’s quite an inappropriate question considering you’re about to get married, sir?” she reminded him. Rhea decided to be more formal this time hoping he respected himself and not attempt anything stupid. Being this way wouldn’t make her like him. He can’t force feelings on her, that’s not the way to win over a lady.
“There’s a possibility the marriage won’t hold.”
“Alright. Wait – what?!” Rhea was stunned by the news. If there was a possibility of the marriage being stopped, why was he being this way then? He should stop it already. And Rhea’s not saying this because she’s relieved by the news or something. No one deserves to live in a loveless marriage – except her uncle and his wife.
“If I can get my sister back, I have every right to reject the marriage,” Lukas confessed, without releasing her. If anything he was busy caressing her soft cheeks while Rhea worked hard not to relish the feeling. She’s in a hot spot.