I slump down on the couch with my sneakers in hand. Angelo and Nicola walk in with their unusual tough and quiet demeanours. They don't usually act like this and I don't like it one bit.

They've been more heightened than usual and aren't really talking to me the way we used to. I miss talking to them like we've known each other for years.

"Miss Manson?" Angelo speaks while standing at the edge of the couch I'm sitting on. I hum in response while trying to tie the laces to my sneakers properly.

Vincenzo bought me even more clothes and shoes while I was asleep last night and everything was around the bed when I woke up without him by my side.

I guess it's his way of apologising for doing what he did before we fell asleep and also for me leaving before I woke up.

The walk in closet in my bedroom is almost full and I don't think he is done with spoiling me, even if this morning's surprise was an apology gift.

It feels nice to be spoilt like this by someone other than my father, but I don't want Vincenzo to make buying me all sorts of gifts a constant thing. If it goes on like this, i's going to look like I'm only with him for his money.

I tie my shoelaces and smile up at my bodyguards. It feels like I haven't seen them in ages. With Vincenzo staying in the penthouse more, I see them less, which only makes me miss them even more.

"What's wrong?" I ask the two men with a slight head tilt.

"Mister Martinelli made it clear not to let you leave the penthouse," Angelo says and I frown a bit.

"That's not fair," I huff while getting up. Vincenzo said I can get my palm print on the scanner so that gives me permission to leave this place whenever I feel like it. "I'm just going to explore the hotel," I say and they shake their heads.

I've been couped up in this penthouse for the whole day with Nicola and Angelo, and it's honestly boring because they don't want to talk to me.

I think Vincenzo said something to them so that's why they are acting so formally with me.

I miss my friends.

I walk over to the elevator and try to remember the code I saw the first time I was here but even if I remember it, I still need Vincenzo's palm print to get the elevator to work.

And even if I ask Angelo or Nicola to place their hands on the scanner, they will say no.

"Miss Man–"

"Why don't you guys call me Nyx anymore?" I snap while turning to face my two bodyguards.

"Miss Cage, that would be unprofessional," they both say and I sigh. Vincenzo definitely said something to these two.

"Is that really the reason or did Vincenzo say something about it?" They keep quiet and I narrow my eyes at them. "He did, didn't–"

The elevator doors chime and open behind me. I glare at these two in front of me for a second before looking over my shoulder to see Vincenzo walking out of the elevator with a tired look on his face.

"Hi Enzo," I say with a wide smile.

"Hey baby," he says while walking past me. He didn't even look me in the eye and he always looks me in the eye.

I frown and follow him up the stairs, Angelo and Nicola staying downstairs. He walks into his room and I follow him in like a lost puppy. I walk over to his bed and sit down, crossing my legs over each other indian style.

"What's wrong baby?" He asks while peeling his dark blue coat from his body. He throws it onto the bed besides me and I lean forward to grab it. I neatly fold it and place it on the side of the bed.

"Angelo and Nicola won't let me leave to go explore the hotel," I whine in a small voice and he smirks devilishly.

"I told them to not let you leave," he says nonchalantly. "I don't want you getting hurt."

"I have two big and scary bodyguards. I doubt anyone is going to try to mess with me when those two are following me," I state while folding my arms.

Vincenzo removes the silver, circular cufflinks from his white dress shirt and places them on the nightstand.

"You can go exploring while I'm here," he says in a stern tone and I groan while folding my arms. "Don't get an attitude neonata," he says while narrowing his eyes at me.

"I'm not getting an attitude. I just find it unfair that I can't leave the penthouse," I say which causes him to let out a heavy breath.

He sits down on the edge of his bed and waves for me to come closer. I crawl closer to him but keep some distance between our bodies. He groans before lifting me off the bed and placing me on his lap.

"What did you say to Nicola and Angelo?"

"I told them to respect you and address you properly," he says with a hint of jealousy salting his tone.

"I like it when they call me by my name. It's weird when they use my last name." I just want my friends back, but as long as they fear Vincenzo, I can kiss my friendship with them goodbye.

"But it's the way they should be talking to you," he argues while narrowing his eyes at me.

"No, you want them to talk to me like that. They are my friends and they shouldn't be scared to talk to me because you said something to them," I snap while folding my arms.

"Ok, amore, don't get angry at me. They can talk to you however you want," he is quick to back down, which takes me back a bit, but I'm more than happy that he has agreed.

"I wanted to talk about something," he says while rubbing the side of his face. "I think we should get married, as soon as possible."

I burst out laughing, my body tilting back with laughter, but he places his hand on my lower back to keep me from falling off his lap.

Vincenzo stays quiet as I laugh myself into a teary mess, shaking my head as I try to register what he just aid to me.

I continue to laugh for a few seconds, trying to catch my breath in between all of the laughing but it doesn't really work.

"You serious?" I choke on my breath between my laughter. "You gotta be kidding," I laugh while wiping the small tear from my eye.

He leans back on the bed and keeps his body up by placing his hands behind his back. "I'm not kidding," he states in a serious tone which makes me stop laughing.

I swallow my laughter and stare at him, a confused look probably lingering on my face. "I need a wife and I don't see myself with someone else," he answers in a cool tone.

I open my mouth to speak but simple English words vanish from my mind. I try to wrap my head around this whole exchange but it's hurting my brain to even think so hard about it.

"Questo è pazzesco," I mutter, a bit impressed with myself that I could figure out how to say that in Italian so quick. [This is crazy]

He smiles a bit and nods, also understanding that what he just said to me is crazy, beyond the damn meaning of the word crazy actually.

"Mio amore, basta dire sì," he mumbles, completely dismissing my prior statement. [My love, just say yes]

I slowly shake my head, not believing what this man is telling me right now. "Vincenzo, we haven't even been a couple for a month," I state, english finally returning to me.

"But we've known each other for weeks. Isn't that enough?"

"No!"

"Don't raise your voice at me," he says sternly.

"Marriage is a big step. I'm still nineteen," I argue, not really having another defence other than my young age.

"Your age doesn't matter to me amore," he says.

"But isn't it too soon?" I question, mostly myself.

"It's never too soon for something we both know will last." My heart flutters at his statement, but I still can't just jump into marriage like it's something easy.

"That doesn't mean I can still marry you. I don't know you," I argue again.

"Ask me anything then. Ask me things that will make you want to marry me," he says in a serious tone and I lean back a bit, not believing that this man is pushing to marry me so much.

I search my mind for something to ask, even though asking him simple questions won't make me want to marry him.

Marriage isn't just knowing a person, there's so much more that goes into it. A lot of emotions are attached to marriage and I don't think Vincenzo or I know what it takes to be married.

"Asking you questions won't make me want to marry you," I say while getting off his lap. Hurt flashes through his stormy eyes as he turns away from me.

"So you just don't want to marry me?" He spits while getting up from his bed.

"No, that's not what I mean–"

"Then what? You don't want to marry me. You don't see me as the man you want to spend the rest of your life with."

"Enzo–"

"I'll move your stuff back to your apartment tomorrow, Nyx." In that moment my heart shatters. He has never called me by my name.

It hurts me that he has in this moment decided to stop calling me amore and use my name to address me instead.

"Enzo–"

"I have to go to work." He grabs his coat off of the bed and drapes it over his arm. "Goodbye Nyx." He walks out of the room without even glancing back at me.

The door closes just as my knees give out. I fall down to the floor, a tear escaping my eye.

————

Shit... the lovey dovey stuff is long gone now.

————