Chapter 2 THE GAME BEGINS

VINCENZO

I stared at the woman sitting across from me, taking in her features with curiosity and disbelief at her beauty. Her long lashes framed her dark blue eyes which held a magnetic pull I couldn't describe.

Despite the situation, her eyes were as calm as a still lake, which further intrigued me. Her jet-black hair, shiny and smooth, cascaded down her back, thoughts of running my hand through it, appeared in my mind, but I quickly pushed those thoughts aside. My eyes dropped to her plump lips, the most beautiful shade of pink, and stood out against her fair, porcelain skin.

She wore plain black baggy Jeans and a white t-shirt. Her body was mostly covered, but I knew she had curves-I remembered how easily my arms wrapped around her. The feel of her lingered, and for a moment, dirty images filled my mind. I forced them away, drawing a sharp breath as I focused back on her.

She exuded an elegance that was almost otherwordly, a presence that was impossible to ignore. Even as she sat there in silence, her hands folded in her lap, she radiated both grace and a cold, distant aura.

I found myself perplexed by her demeanor. I had just hypothetically kidnapped her, yet she wasn't acting scared or distressed. I had expected her to plead, or cry out for help, but she did none. Instead, she sat quietly, her gaze steady and unflinching.

"Aren't you going to scream, plead, or do something?' I finally voiced out my confusion.

She met my gaze with a cold, measured stare. "And why should I?" She replied to me, her tone icy yet composed.

I stared at her, trying to gauge an emotion from her, but got nothing which made me frustrated as well as enthralled. "Because I just kidnapped you, of course," I drawled, stating the obvious.

She let out a soft snort, surprising me with her nonchalance. "Well, that's what you think. I think you're just a nutcase who needs someone to play with" She said cocking her brow up at me.

I blinked, momentarily at a loss for words. No one had ever spoken to me like this, especially not in this type of situation. "You're trying to make me scared, aren't you?" I asked, genuinely curious. I couldn't figure out what was going on in her mind.

She raised an eyebrow. "No....Are you?"

I swallowed hard, retreating into my seat as I stared at her, trying to figure out what game she was playing. After a moment, she broke the silence. "So, what do you want?" Her voice was soft, but I could see the curiosity in her eyes.

I stared at her intensely, saying nothing. The truth was that I didn't have an answer to her question. I saw her that night, absent-mindedly eating her meal, ignoring those around her, I was intrigued, but went my way taking her off my mind, and it worked pretty well. The last thing i needed was a distraction. But, seeing her suddenly today, I acted on impulse, which was fucking stupid, I don't even know what was going through my mind.

She finally looked up, her gaze meeting mine. We locked gazes for a brief moment, her expression cool and unreadable, while I stared at her in amusement, as the silence stretched on. She really wasn't bothered by the situation.

"What's your name?" I chuckled slightly, breaking the odd silence.

She squinted her deep blue eyes which were filled with curiosity at me. "You kidnapped a woman whose name you don't even know? Isn't that risky?" She replied with a faint smile.

I couldn't help the smirk that crept onto my face. I was enjoying this back-and-forth. "And you're sitting comfortably, threatening the person who kidnapped you in his car. Isn't that risky?" I shot back.

She narrowed her eyes at me, and I noticed her smile widening slightly. "I guess we're both taking risks, then."

"I guess so," I conceded, my smirk turning into a genuine smile. "So, may I know your name now?"

"Asiri," she answered, her voice steady as she continued to meet my gaze.

I rubbed my chin, thoughtfully, her name was rare but beautiful. "What a beautiful name. Does it have a meaning?" I asked genuinely curious.

I studied her expression and noticed she visibly tensed, a flicker of emotion crossed her face so fast, I couldn't decipher it. Seeing her pause, I felt I had touched a sore spot and was about to tell her she didn't have to answer if she didn't want to, but she spoke up, her voice soft and reflective.

"It means smile," she said. Her tone was a little heavy and I could see a fleeting sadness in her eyes, which made me feel something which was fucking unfamiliar.

I just nodded, acknowledging her answer with a warm smile. "Beautiful."

She raised an eyebrow again, her expression shifting back to one of cool detachment. "Won't you tell me yours?"

I furrowed my brows, at her sudden change in expression, but remained silent. "Vincenzo" I replied, staring at her with a deep gaze, monitoring her reaction.

She tilted her head, her brows furrowed. She looked like she was trying to place where she had heard the name before. "Vincenzo Romano," I said, staring at her meaningfully.

Recognition dawned in her eyes. I'm not surprised; my name is well-known across the world. I have a reputation for being ruthless and cold like ice. I wonder if she fears me now after finding out my identity, everyone did.

"The famous Vincenzo Romano. What brings you to Reston?" she asked, her tone casual.

She didn't react like most women upon learning my identity. There was no awe, no fawning admiration, and most importantly no fear, just a look of realization. This further intrigued me. "Business" I replied keeping my tone flat, not wanting to elaborate much.

She nodded, accepting my answer without further probing. "So, why did the famous Vincenzo Romano kidnap me?" She asked, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

"For a treat" I responded, winking mischievously.

She eyed me skeptically. "What treat?"

"You'll find out" I grinned, enjoying the game we were playing.

Just then, James, My assistant, interrupted. "Uhmm, sir, we're here," He said, avoiding making eye contact with me. I'm sure he had heard snippets of our conversations.

I stepped out of the car, and before I could open the door for her, she had already stepped out, leaving me standing speechless. She raised her brow at me, but I just sighed, gesturing for her to move, and we both made our way into the restaurant, James falling a few steps behind.

We were quickly escorted to a private VIP room, where James decided it was best to wait outside. How sensible of him, he deserves a raise. I shot him an approving glance before walking into the room.

The restaurant, Dolph, was an exclusive, members-only establishment, with its main branch located in DC. Membership was difficult to obtain, but I, as a member of the DC branch, had access to all their locations.

Once inside the private room, we took our seats. "What would you like to eat?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"I'll just have some spicy tomato carbonara," she replied without hesitation, without even glancing at the menu.

I raised a questioning brow at her, most ladies in her position would have tried to match his order or play it safe with something less bold. But not her, she seemed familiar with the dishes served here, I was curious but remained silent not wanting to probe. "Juice?" I offered, recalling I had been quiet for a while.

"Pineapple and lemon," she answered again without a moment's pause.

I raised my brow in amusement at the combination. It was a bold mixture that most people would shy away from, but not this interesting little girl, who keeps throwing surprises at me.

I called for the waiter and placed our orders–-two plates of spicy tomato carbonara and two glasses of pineapple and lemon juice. Typically, I would have ordered wine, but something about her, made me want to try something different.

When the food arrived, we began eating in silence. I ate slowly, savoring each bite, while she ate with quiet grace, her eyes occasionally flicked up to meet mine, Despite the silence, there was a palpable tension in the air, and I found that tension strangely exhilarating.

I watched her, fascinated by the way she handled herself. She wasn't fidgeting, wasn't nervously glancing around the room, and certainly wasn't trying to make small talk to ease the tension. She was just... there, completely in control of herself. I had never met anyone like her.

"Do you always dine like this?" she asked suddenly, breaking the silence. Her voice was calm, but there was an edge of curiosity in her tone.

I looked up from my plate, my eyes narrowing slightly as I tried to understand what she was saying. "Like what?"

"As if you're having dinner with an old friend instead of someone you just kidnapped," she replied, her lips curling into a half-smile.

My chuckle echoed in the quiet room, this girl is really... something. "I suppose I do. You're not exactly behaving like someone who's being kidnapped either." I shot her an amused look.

She shrugged, taking a sip of her juice. "I find it easier to stay calm in these situations. Panicking never solves anything.'

"That's an interesting perspective," I mused, genuinely intrigued by her attitude. "But what makes you think you're safe with me? For all you know, I could be planning something far worse." I gazed at her waiting for her reply, how was she not scared?

She met my gaze steadily, her expression unreadable. "If you wanted to harm me, you would've done it by now. Besides, you don't strike me as the type to do anything without a good reason."

I leaned back in my chair, studying her carefully. She was perceptive, too perceptive for my liking. But I couldn't deny that she was right. There was no reason for me to harm her, but still, she was bold to assume it.

"Maybe I'm just playing a game" I said after a moment, trying to throw her off balance.

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing in thought. "Then it's a game you're not playing alone. I don't intend to lose."

I couldn't stop my smile from widening at her boldness. "We'll see about that."