Page 17 of The Ruin I Chose

I’d followed Marcello here—to Florence—and he wasn’t even around.

What had I got myself into?

Maybe I liked the idea of him? Of what he represented. The mystery? The danger? The possibility? Maybe the fact that there was an expiration date—that I would go back home and never see him again-made it easier to want him.

My heart and mind clawed at each other.

I told myself I could do this trip alone. I had done it today. I could do it for the next twelve days too.

I took the wine bottle—liquid courage—and walked up to my room. I stared at his door a beat too long, hoping he was behind it, hoping he would apologise for forgetting he’d promised me this.

I changed into satin shorts and a matching shirt. I stepped onto the balcony, the cool night air brushing over me. My nipples hardened instantly, but I didn’t care; I was too busy soaking in the night, letting it hold me as I simply breathed, sipped, and lived.

I turned on my playlist—songs that grounded me when everything else spun out of control. I let my hair loose and started swaying my hips.

Then Beyoncé’s Naughty Girl came on. The wine slipped into my bloodstream like a dare and took over me.

I lifted the bottle, took another sip, and let the music claim me. My hands slid over my hips, up my waist, cupping my breasts softly, teasingly, before gliding into my hair. I used the railing as a prop, dropping down slow, rising hips-first like I was performing for an audience that didn’t exist.

I was shedding every expectation, every silence, every version of me that had swallowed pain without sound.

I was so lost in the rhythm that I didn’t notice him.

Marcello.

Watching me from the adjoining balcony. I hadn’t heard him.

A towel hung low around his hips, beads of water tracing the ridges of his chest and stomach. His muscles moved like shadows carved from stone as he shifted. I stood there still, breath catching, heartbeat frantic. I couldn’t peel my eyes away from him.

He wasn’t supposed to see me unravelling like this. Raw and exposed. But he did. And then his eyes moved over my body slowly, devouring me with his eyes. My body responded before my mind could catch up. Heat surged between my legs, slick and sudden. My satin shorts clung to me, and I panicked—they were thin. Too thin. And I wore nothing underneath.

The wine buzzed loud in my veins. He dragged one hand through his wet hair, water sliding down his torso. His gaze dipped to my undone buttons, my half-exposed breasts, my stiff nipples.

He inhaled sharply. His towel shifted and I noticed the unmistakable arousal beneath it. And he wasn’t even trying to hide it. And the sight of him—thick, undeniable—sent a fresh rush of heat through me.

My breath stuttered. My thighs squeezed again. I stepped back, then I bolted inside.

I paced the room like a trapped wildcat. My skin burned, and my pulse hammered. My mind spun.

What was happening to me?

I wanted him. God, I wanted him.

Not just the body. I wanted the way he looked at me—like I was something he wanted too. I walked to the door between our rooms. My hand shook as I unlocked it. And then I waited. Nothing.

I didn’t know what I was asking for. Just that I wanted to be seen, to be touched, known. Even if only for one night. Maybe I didn’t want him to come. Maybe I did. Maybe I just wanted to stop feeling alone.

I turned away from the door, heart pounding so hard it hurt. I wrapped my arms around my neck, gripping the collar of my shirt like it was the only thing keeping me together.

And I stood there—half undressed, wine-warm, trembling with want and confusion—waiting for something to break.

CHAPTER 8

ROXANNE

He barged in—towel low, eyes dark with barely contained hunger. Like a man who’d waited long enough. He crossed the room in seconds, just as I turned to face the door. He was already there, closing the distance like a predator, and my chest skipped a beat.

Before I knew it, he grabbed me and kissed me—with a hunger I felt in my bones, leaving no space for hesitation. I was taken aback, but I gave in. This is what I wanted. This is what I needed.