Day 6

Velvet Tide — Paros, Greece

The Velvet Tide was exactly the sort of place that encouraged bad decisions.

The club sat directly against the coastline, carved into white stone overlooking the sea. Music pulsed through the open-air venue while blue lights reflected across the water below, turning everything soft and dreamlike beneath the stars. 

Naturally, Theo loved it immediately. 

“This place is dangerous.” 

Pansy glanced around approvingly. 

“That’s how you know it’s good.” 

Several people laughed as the group spilled inside, immediately swallowing half the available seating around one of the larger lounge sections near the dance floor. Music thundered through the air while waiters navigated the crowd carrying trays full of colorful cocktails. 

For a little while, things felt normal again. 

Ginny dragged Hermione onto the dance floor despite several increasingly dramatic protests. Theo appeared with a drink and returned twenty minutes later with two more. Nobody knew where Blaise had gone, though Astoria was also suspiciously absent. 

Across the lounge, Enzo sat nursing a whiskey while the rest of the group drifted between the dance floor and the bar. His mood had improved marginally since dinner, though not by much. At the very least, he could drown his sorrows in alcohol.

“You still look miserable.” 

Theo dropped onto the sofa beside him, helping himself to one of the untouched drinks on the table.

Enzo sighed. 

“Go away.” 

“No.”

“Why do you insist on being such a twat?” 

Theo took a sip and grinned. 

“Because your suffering is entertaining.”

Enzo looked genuinely offended, which only seemed to make Theo more delighted. 

Several feet away, laughter caught Enzo’s attention, and he recognized it instantly. 

Your laughter.

His eyes drifted across the room until they found you.

You stood near the bar with Ginny and Luna, smiling at something one of them said. The blue lights caught the curves of your dress while your hair spilled over one shoulder, and despite every effort to look away, Enzo found himself staring.

Theo sighed dramatically. 

“Have you perhaps tried telling her how you actually feel?”

Enzo stared at him.

“Of course I have.” 

Theo looked unimpressed. 

“I meant without your usual arrogance and bullshit.” 

Enzo scoffed. 

“What do you know about complicated relationships?” 

Theo stared at him like he’d just said something profoundly stupid. 

“A lot more than you, apparently.”

For a brief second, something unreadable crossed Theo's face.

Not amusement. Not the usual smug satisfaction he wore whenever he thought he'd won an argument.

Something else.

It vanished almost immediately.

Then, from somewhere near the dance floor, Mattheo called his name.

Theo glanced over automatically.

Whatever expression had appeared was gone by the time he looked back.

"Trust me," he said, standing and reaching for his drink. "You're making this much harder than it needs to be."

Enzo pinched the bridge of his nose. 

“Please stop talking.”

Thankfully, Theo wasn’t given the opportunity to continue because someone else appeared beside them.

Daphne. 

Enzo blinked once, then twice, as she stopped beside the sofa. Somehow, the sight of his ex-girlfriend felt significantly more terrifying than anything Theo could say. 

“Hello.” 

Daphne offered him a small smile before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. 

“Can we talk?” 

Theo immediately stood, looking far too eager to escape. 

“I suddenly have somewhere else to be.” 

The coward disappeared before Enzo could stop him, abandoning him without a shred of guilt. 

Traitor. 

Enzo sighed and looked back toward Daphne.

“Sure.”

A few minutes later, they found themselves outside on one of the quieter terraces overlooking the sea. 

The music was softer here, still audible but distant enough that conversation didn’t require shouting. Below them, waves crashed gently against the rocks while the lights from the club spilled across the water.

For several moments, neither of them spoke. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, just strange after everything that had happened between them.

Two years was a long time. Long enough to know somebody, long enough to hurt them, and long enough to realize things you should’ve admitted much earlier. 

Eventually, Daphne smiled softly into her drink.

“This is awkward.”

A reluctant laugh escaped him.

"Bit.”

She nodded, glancing out toward the sea.

“Bit.” 

The smile faded slightly as she turned toward the water, her gaze drifting out toward the dark horizon. For a while, she simply watched the waves rolling below, the distant sound of the sea filling the silence between them.

Then she sighed softly.

“You know, I used to think there was something wrong with me.”

Enzo immediately frowned. 

“No.” She shook her head gently, offering him a small look. “Let me finish.” 

He fell silent, and she looked back toward the water.

“For a long time, I kept wondering why it always felt like you were holding something back.” Her voice remained calm, but the honesty behind it settled heavily between them. “I thought maybe I wasn’t pretty enough. Interesting enough. Clever enough.” 

Enzo’s stomach twisted. 

“Daphne…”

“I know now that wasn’t it.” 

A sad smile touched her lips as she finally glanced back at him.

“You just weren’t in love with me.” 

The honesty of it made his chest ache because Daphne wasn’t wrong. Not even a little. 

For a moment, neither of them spoke as the sound of the waves filled the silence between them. Then Enzo exhaled slowly and looked down at the drink in his hand.

“I’m sorry.” 

Daphne glanced over at him. 

“I know.” 

“No.” His jaw tightened slightly. “I mean it.”

The words came quieter than expected, weighed down by years of things he should’ve said sooner. 

“You deserved someone who was all in.” 

His gaze lingered on the amber liquid in his glass before he looked back out at the water.

“Instead, you got me.” 

A small laugh escaped Daphne.

“You’re not that terrible.” 

“I was.” 

Enzo stared out at the water, watching the waves break against the rock below. 

“I should’ve told you there was someone else.” 

The admission felt overdue, and judging by the look on Daphne’s face, she already knew it.

The silence that followed settled heavily between them. Daphne didn’t interrupt or rush him, and she didn’t try to make the conversation easier than it was. 

So he continued.

“I told myself it didn’t matter,” he admitted quietly. His throat tightened as he looked down at his drink.

“Then I spent years pretending I could move on.” 

Daphne closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, understanding sat quietly behind them.

“Y/N.” 

He laughed softly, the sound a little broken.

“Was it really that obvious?”

Daphne shrugged nonchalantly.

“Only if you had eyes.”

A surprise smile tugged at his mouth. 

“Fair.” 

She stared at him for a moment before speaking again. 

“You were in love with her the whole time?” 

“Yeah.”

The answer came immediately, without hesitation or denial. There was no excuse left to hide behind, only the truth.

Daphne stared at him for a second before laughing. Not cruelly or angrily, but with genuine amusement that made him smile despite himself.

“You absolute idiot.” 

“What?” 

“You truly are hopeless.”

“I’ve been told.” 

Daphne rolled her eyes. 

“By everyone?” 

“More or less.”

Another laugh escaped her, and for the first time that night, the tension between them began to dissolve. Years of confusion and disappointment slowly gave way to something lighter, as they finally acknowledged what had never quite worked between them.

Eventually, Daphne reached over and squeezed his arm. 

“For what it’s worth, I forgive you.”

Something in his chest loosened at her words. Not completely, and maybe it never would, but enough that he could finally breathe a little easier.

“Thank you.” 

Daphne smiled warmly as she pulled her hand back.

“You should probably tell her.”

His laugh escaped before he could stop it.

“That sounds horrible.” 

“Love is often horrible.” 

“How very reassuring.”

She rolled her eyes, though there was no real annoyance behind it. Then before he could stop her, she leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss against his cheek.

“Thank you.” 

Enzo blinked, still trying to process what had just happened.

“For what?” 

“Closure.”

He stared at her for a moment while Daphne smiled softly.

“We both needed it.”

Before he could formulate a response, she was already laughing and heading back toward the club. Enzo watched her disappear through the crowd and shook his head, a reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. 

Women were terrifying, especially his friends. 

Especially the one he happened to be hopelessly in love with. 

Unfortunately, the universe wasn’t finished torturing him. 

The moment he stepped back inside, his eyes immediately searched the crowd and landed on you near the dance floor. You were watching him, watching Daphne, and watching the exact moment that kiss had happened. 

His stomach dropped. 

The expression on your face made something cold settle heavily in his chest because suddenly he knew exactly what you’d seen and exactly what you thought it meant.

The worst part was that you looked calm. Not angry or jealous, just quietly resigned, like someone watching a story reach its inevitable ending. 

Before Enzo could move toward you, someone called his name from across the room. The distraction lasted only a few seconds, but when he looked back again—

You were gone.

For a moment, you simply stood there. 

The music still pulsed through the club. People were still laughing, dancing, drinking, and making questionable life choices. Somehow the entire world had continued spinning while your stomach slowly dropped into your shoes. 

Of course. 

The thought settled bitterly in your chest as you reached for the nearest drink on a passing tray. Looking back, maybe it should’ve been obvious. Daphne was beautiful, kind, intelligent, and entirely reasonable. 

Everything you weren’t.

The champagne disappeared in one swallow. 

“Right,” you let out a quiet laugh as the drink settled heavily in the pit of your stomach. “Of course.”

A familiar voice appeared beside you just as you finished draining the last of your champagne. 

“Talking to yourself now?” 

You glanced up to find Mattheo watching you with obvious amusement. Normally there would’ve been a joke waiting behind that look, some ridiculous comment designed solely to annoy you into rolling our eyes. 

Instead, you held out your empty glass.

“I need another drink.”

One of his eyebrows lifted as he took in your expression. 

“That bad?” 

A humorless smile tugged at your lips. 

“Potentially worse.”

Mattheo followed your gaze across the club, and predictably, it didn’t take him long to figure out exactly what had caught your attention. 

His eyes landed on Enzo. 

Then Daphne.

The shift in his expression was subtle, but it was enough to tell you he understood exactly what you’d seen.

“Oh.” 

You immediately hated that response.

“What?” 

“Nothing.” 

“Everyone keeps saying that.” 

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. 

“Because you’re too stubborn to see what’s right in front of you.”

Your eyes narrowed.

“What is that supposed to mean?” 

Mattheo opened his mouth like he intended to answer, then seemed to think better of it. He closed it again and looked away, which somehow felt significantly worse than whatever he might’ve said. 

“Nothing.”

 “Liar.” 

A slow smile appeared. 

“Shall we dance?” 

Several minutes later, you found yourself on the dance floor, mostly because dancing required significantly less emotional processing than whatever the hell was currently happening in your life. 

The music pounded through your chest while colored lights flashed overhead, and around you people moved together in a blur of laughter, bodies, and overflowing alcohol. It should’ve been fun, but your thoughts kept drifting back toward Enzo no matter how hard you tried to focus on anything else.

The kiss lingered in your mind, followed closely by the smile on Daphne’s face and the way he’d looked at her. Each memory twisted something unpleasant in your stomach, which was deeply annoying considering how determined you were not to care. 

Regrettably, your brain appeared completely uninterested in cooperating.

“You look murderous.” 

You glanced over to find Mattheo beside you, already holding out one of the drinks he’d somehow acquired. 

You accepted it immediately. 

“Thank you.”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

“It is if you’re me.” 

A laugh escaped him as he shook his head. 

For a while, the two of you simply stayed where you were, moving with the music and nursing your drinks while the crowd surged around you. You even managed to avoid looking toward the lounge area where Enzo was sitting, which felt like a genuine accomplishment given how determined your thoughts seemed to circle back to him.

Tragically, the achievement lasted approximately three minutes. 

Your eyes drifted across the room before settling on him again. 

Naturally. 

Because apparently, when it came to Lorenzo Berkshire, you had the self control of a niffler in a vault full of gold.

“Merlin.”

“What?” 

“You two are exhausting.”

You were deeply offended.

“We’re not doing anything.” 

“Exactly.”

The answer came immediately. 

Mattheo looked genuinely drained.

“That’s the problem.”

Before you could respond, he grabbed your hand.

“What are you doing?” 

“Dancing.”

“We’re already dancing.” 

“No.” 

His grin widened.

“Now, we’re about to make it everyone’s problem.” 

Your eyes widened.

“Mattheo.” 

Too late.

He spun you beneath his arm, pulling a surprised laugh from you as the crowd swallowed both of you completely.

Across the room, several people noticed immediately, and the reaction was instantaneous. Theo nearly choked on his drink as Mattheo spun you across the dance floor. Across the lounge, Mattheo caught the reaction immediately. The smug grin he shot Theo lasted barely a second before he turned back to you.

Ginny sat forward in her chair with the kind of interest usually reserved for professional sporting events.

Pansy, meanwhile, looked absolutely delighted. She took a slow sip of her cocktail as her gaze flicked between you and Mattheo before settling on Enzo.

Enzo looked like he was about thirty seconds away from hexing everyone in sight.

“Merlin,” Theo whispered.

Beside him, Pansy caught the way his attention followed Mattheo rather than the argument brewing across the room.

Her smile sharpened.

“Oh, this is about to be spectacular.”

You, unfortunately, remained blissfully unaware because Mattheo was being completely ridiculous. 

At one point he attempted a spin that nearly sent both of you crashing into a stranger, and a few moments later, he dramatically dipped you for absolutely no reason beyond his own amusement.

“You’re such an attention seeker.”

“I’m a visionary.”

“You’re a menace.” 

“Also true.” 

Despite yourself, you laughed, shaking your head as he grinned triumphantly. It was a real laugh, the first one you’d managed all evening.

Something about it made Mattheo’s smile fade slightly. Not completely, but enough that you noticed the change immediately. 

The shift was subtle, the kind most people would’ve missed in the middle of a crowded nightclub, but you didn’t.

“What?” 

Mattheo hesitated, and for once, he didn’t immediately reach for a joke. The sight alone was alarming.

“Mattheo.” 

His gaze drifted across the room toward Enzo before returning to you. Whatever amusement had been there moments ago disappeared entirely, and suddenly something about the conversation felt different.

More serious.

“You don’t actually think this is new, do you?”

Your smile faltered.

“What are you talking about?”

 For a second, Mattheo looked almost annoyed. Not at you, but at the situation itself. 

“He was wrecked when you left.” 

Confusion flashed across your face. 

“I didn’t leave. I…”

You remembered sunlight spilling through the curtains. Dark green sheets rustling softly against your skin. A strong arm tightening around your waist. 

“That’s not how he sees it.” 

The words landed harder than expected, and you found yourself staring at him.

Defensiveness surfaced immediately, with the hurt following close behind. 

“You heard what he said.” 

His expression tightened. For the first time all week, there was no teasing in his voice, no flirting, no games. Just honesty.

“He was hurt.”

The music suddenly seemed louder around you, the lights brighter, the air heavier.

Mattheo held your gaze. 

“Stupid,” he added quietly. “But hurt.”

You looked away first because none of it made sense.

Enzo had been the one who had broken your heart with his cruel words. Enzo had been the one who told you exactly where you stood. Enzo had been the one who walked away unscathed. 

Hadn’t he?

The certainty you’d carried for years suddenly felt less solid than it used to, and the realization sent something uneasy twisting through your chest. For the first time, you weren’t entirely sure the version of events you‘d been holding onto was the whole truth.

Mattheo watched the shift unfold across your face and sighed quietly as doubt began clouding where certainty had lived for years.

Across the lounge, Theo caught his eye.

Something passed between them so quickly it was gone before you could place it.

Mattheo's expression softened for half a second before he looked back at you.

His gaze drifted over your shoulder toward Enzo, who was still watching from across the club with an expression that suggested he was one bad decision away from starting a fight.

Mattheo shook his head before looking back at you. 

“You should probably talk to him.”

Your stomach dropped because, for the first time all week, you wanted to.

Before you could respond, a hand closed around your wrist. The grip wasn’t hard, but it was firm enough to make both you and Mattheo turn toward whoever had interrupted.

Enzo stood there with his jaw tight and his whiskey glass nowhere in sight. Judging by the look on his face, he had finally reached the end of whatever patience he’d been clinging to all evening. 

Silence settled between the three of you for a moment as Mattheo’s gaze flicked from you to Enzo. Then, very slowly, he smiled.

“Finally.” 

Enzo’s expression darkened as he stepped closer.

“Can I talk to you?” 

The question was directed at you, but the tone made it clear he wasn’t really asking. 

Mattheo glanced down at your wrist still caught in Enzo’s hand and let out a low whistle.

“Subtle.” 

“Shut up, Mattheo.” 

His grin only widened.

“Right. Definitely subtle.”

Before either of them could make the situation any worse, you pulled your wrist free and folded your arms across your chest. 

“What’s your problem?” 

A humorless laugh escaped Enzo.

“My problem?”

“Yes, your problem.”

His gaze flicked toward Mattheo before returning to you, something sharp and unmistakably irritated flashing across his face. 

“You’ve been attached to him all night.” 

Mattheo looked delighted while you looked genuinely horrified.

“Are you serious?”

 “Completely.” 

“For fuck’s sake.” 

The disbelief in your voice only seemed to annoy him more. Meanwhile, Mattheo appeared to be having the time of his life watching the two of you glare at each other.

“Should I leave?” 

“Yes.”

“No.”

The answers came at exactly the same time, earning a snort from Mattheo. 

“Right.” 

He took a few deliberate steps backward, glancing between you both like a man wisely evacuating a disaster zone. 

“I think this is my cue.” 

Neither of you made any effort to stop him. By the time he disappeared into the crowd, all of your attention had already shifted back to each other.

The music still thundered through the club and people still moved around you, but it all seemed strangely distant now. There was only Enzo standing in front of you, only the anger simmering behind his eyes and the frustration twisting through your chest.

Years of misunderstandings, resentment, and things neither of you had ever managed to say hung heavily between you. 

Waiting to explode.

The second you stepped outside, the cool night air hit your skin.

It did absolutely nothing to cool your temper.

The music from the club pulsed faintly behind you while the harbor stretched out beneath the moonlight. Boats bobbed gently against the docks below, their lights reflecting across the water in shimmering streaks of gold and blue.

You stared out at the sea for exactly three seconds, letting the cool breeze brush against your skin while the bass echoed faintly in the distance.

Then you decided that absolutely none of this was your problem anymore.

Before you could talk yourself out of it, you twisted on the spot and disapparated. The familiar pull yanked at your stomach, and a second later you landed outside the villa.

The quiet settled around you immediately. There was no music, no crowds, no Daphne, and most importantly, no Lorenzo Berkshire looking devastatingly handsome while systematically ruining your life.

You marched toward the front terrace, fully intending to lock yourself in your room and spend the rest of the evening wallowing in self pity.

Unfortunately, the universe couldn't even grant you that. Less than thirty seconds later, another crack echoed through the night, followed by the unmistakable sound of footsteps behind you.

You closed your eyes and let out a humorless laugh.

"Of course."

"Y/N."

The laugh escaped again, softer this time. Not because anything was funny, but because if you didn't laugh, you were fairly sure you would cry.

"Don't."

Enzo stopped several feet away, giving you just enough space to pretend you weren't painfully aware of his presence.

The silence stretched between you for several long seconds before he finally spoke.

"We need to talk."

You turned around slowly.

"No, actually. I'm done talking."

You folded your arms across your chest and shook your head, forcing out a laugh that sounded far less convincing than you intended.

"The game is over. The plan worked. We can stop pretending now."

The confusion on his face was immediate, his brow furrowing as he took a step closer.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

You stared at him, unable to believe he was going to make you say it out loud.

"You finally got what you wanted. Daphne took you back. Just go be with her and leave me alone, Lorenzo."

His eyes widened with genuine surprise.

"Daphne and I aren't getting back together."

You threw your hands into the air, frustration bubbling over before you could stop it.

"But I saw you two. She kissed your cheek, you smiled at her, and then she walked away looking happier than I've seen her all week."

The corner of his mouth twitched, though it wasn't amusement that flashed across his face. It looked more like disbelief, as if he couldn't quite believe what he'd just heard.

"Y/N."

The way he said your name made you pause.

"I ended things with Daphne the day you came home."

Your expression shifted for half a second.

Because you knew that.

Daphne had told you herself.

But knowing something and believing it were two completely different things.

You looked away first.

"That doesn't mean anything."

His eyebrows lifted slightly.

"Doesn't it?"

"No." The answer came too quickly.

You crossed your arms, holding onto the argument even though you could already feel it slipping through your fingers.

"People can still care about each other after things end. They can still have history. They can still love each other—"

You stopped.

The silence that followed felt louder than anything else.

Because somewhere between defending Daphne and explaining why Enzo couldn’t possibly mean what he seemed to mean, you’d accidentally said the thing you were most afraid of believing.

"They can," Enzo said quietly.

“But that’s not what this is about, is it?”

Something flickered in his gaze.

Something dangerous.

Something hopeful.

"Are you jealous, Y/N?"

Your stomach tightened in a way you refused to name.

"That's not the point."

His gaze locked onto yours, unwavering and impossibly intense.

"Are you jealous?"

You looked away immediately, and the silence that followed answered the question far more honestly than words ever could. Unfortunately, Enzo wasn't willing to let it go.

"Y/N."

"Stop."

"Are. You. Jealous?"

Your frustration finally exploded.

"Why do you care?"

The question hung heavily between you as neither of you moved. For a moment, the only sound was the waves crashing somewhere beneath you. 

Then Enzo laughed.

It was a broken sort of laugh, the kind that sounded suspiciously close to surrender.

"Because I've been in love with you since I was seventeen."

The confession struck like a blow to the chest.

Everything seemed to stop around you.

The breeze coming off the water faded into the background, along with the distant sound of waves and the low hum of cicadas. All you could focus on was him.

You stared at him.

"No."

His expression crumpled slightly.

"Yes."

"You don't love me."

The words escaped before you could stop them, sharp with disbelief.

Because that was impossible.

It had to be.

For a second, Enzo just stared at you.

As if he genuinely couldn't comprehend what you'd said, or as if after everything, after years of carrying this around, the possibility that you still didn't believe him had never occurred to him.

Something painful flickered across his face, and the sight of it made your chest tighten.

Even now, while you were breaking his heart in the middle of Greece and refusing to believe him, you still had Enzo completely.

Mindlessly.

Hopelessly.

Pathetically.

"Yes, I do."

You shook your head immediately, refusing to let yourself accept it.

"No, you don't."

His jaw clenched as frustration flashed across his face.

"Stop telling me how I fucking feel!”

The anger in his voice startled both of you, leaving a heavy silence hanging between the two of you. For a moment neither of you spoke, each waiting for the other to back down.

Instead, something inside you finally snapped.

"You don't get to say that now."

Enzo froze instantly, the fight draining from his expression so quickly it almost made your chest ache.

"What?"

Your eyes burned as years of hurt rose to the surface all at once.

"You don't get to tell me you love me after making me feel stupid for loving you first."

The words landed like a physical blow.

For a moment, Enzo simply stared at you, as though he couldn't quite believe what he'd heard. Then a hollow laugh escaped him, not because anything was funny, but because he looked genuinely devastated.

"You think you loved me first?"

His voice cracked around the question as he shook his head.

"I was the one who chased after you like a lovesick dolt at school. I was the one who acted like a complete idiot for the infinitesimal chance that you might look my way."

You blinked, caught completely off guard by the rawness in his expression.

"I was the one making an absolute fool of myself this week just begging for scraps of your attention."

Something tightened painfully in your chest as his eyes remained fixed on yours.

"I was the one who carried a torch for you all these years because I couldn't get you out of my goddamn mind."

His voice dropped, quieter now, but somehow even more devastating.

"I still can't."

The vulnerability in his expression was almost unbearable. For the first time since you'd known him, Lorenzo Berkshire looked completely defenseless.

"Then why?" you whispered.

His eyes closed briefly before he let out a slow breath.

"Why what?"

Your throat tightened.

"Why did you act like I meant nothing at all to you?"

The question seemed to shatter whatever composure he still had left. Pain flashed across his face before he looked away toward the water.

"Because I was seventeen and stupid," he said quietly, his voice cracking around the words. "Because the girl that I love left me alone in bed after foolishly thinking that she trusted me with something precious."

You went completely still.

His gaze found yours again, raw and unguarded.

"You left me, Y/N."

The words landed heavily between you.

"Yes, I was a fucking prick for saying what I said," he continued with a hollow laugh. "But I was hurt."

The confession settled heavily between you.

"I just wanted you to feel even a fraction of what I felt."

His eyes glistened beneath the villa lights.

"Because I was already fucking gone for you even before that night."

Your breath caught.

Enzo shook his head, years of frustration and heartbreak surfacing all at once as he struggled to find the words.

"Don't you get it, Y/N?"

His voice dropped to barely above a whisper, the vulnerability in it making your chest ache.

"You've always had the upper hand in this relationship."

The tears gathering in your eyes blurred his face as he looked at you.

"You've always been too good for me."

He let out a soft, humorless laugh before shaking his head again.

"But I'm the idiot that fell in love with you anyway."

The silence that followed felt endless.

Every memory suddenly looked different.

Every argument, every glance, every stupid fight, and every moment you'd convinced yourself didn't matter seemed to rearrange themselves into something entirely new. The story you'd spent years telling yourself no longer fit the pieces in front of you.

Your throat tightened as you looked at him.

"Lorenzo..."

His eyes met yours, and for the first time there was nothing hiding behind them. They were raw, honest, and terrified all at once.

"I love you."

The words came quietly, stripped of every defense he'd ever used. There was no arrogance, no teasing, and no walls left between you.

Just truth.

"I’ve always loved you."

Something inside your chest finally broke.

The silence between you didn’t feel fragile anymore.

It felt inevitable.

Before your brain could catch up, you were already crossing the distance between you. 

His hands found your waist instantly as your fingers tangled in his jacket, and then you kissed him.

The impact nearly knocked the breath from both of you. 

Years of anger, longing, and misunderstanding seemed to dissolve all at once beneath the weight of finally knowing the truth.

His lips moved against yours with a familiarity that felt almost painful. Like this was something your bodies had remembered long before your minds were willing to admit it.

You kissed him deeply, desperately, half out of your mind with relief as every doubt that had haunted you over the past week melted away in his arms.

When you finally pulled apart, neither of you went far.

His forehead rested against yours while you both struggled to catch your breath. You looked equally wrecked, equally overwhelmed, and for a moment neither of you trusted yourselves to speak.

Then your eyes stung, and a soft, disbelieving laugh escaped you.

Because somehow, against all odds, the most infuriating man on earth had managed to turn your entire life upside down all over again.

"I love you too."

The words came out barely above a whisper, fragile and trembling as they slipped into the space between you.

For a moment, Enzo simply stared.

His expression shifted through disbelief, hope, and something so raw it made your chest ache.

"You do?"

You laughed through your tears and shook your head.

"You impossible man."

His smile appeared slowly then, warm and unguarded in a way you'd never seen before. It spread across his face like sunrise breaking over the horizon.

"Of course I love you."

The words seemed to settle something inside him.

His eyes closed briefly as though he was finally allowing himself to believe it.

Neither of you spoke after that.

You didn't need to.

The fight was over. The walls you'd spent years hiding behind had finally crumbled, leaving nothing between you except the truth.

Enzo's hand found yours, his fingers threading through yours as naturally as breathing. The simple gesture made something ache pleasantly inside your chest.

The villa, the stars, the sea behind you all faded into the background.

There was only him.

Only you.

Only this.

Your gaze met his.

Then, without a word, you apparated.

You landed on the bed in a tangle of limbs and breathless laughter, moonlight spilling through the windows and bathing the room in silver. Enzo's laughter faded into a smile as he looked down at you, his expression soft enough to steal what remained of your composure.

Something achingly tender flickered in his eyes as he brushed a loose strand of hair behind your ear.

For a moment, he simply stared.

As though he still couldn't quite believe you were really here.

"You’re so beautiful," he murmured. "I've wanted to tell you all week."

A smile tugged at your lips.

"Even when I'm fighting with you?"

His answering smile came instantly.

"Especially when you're fighting with me."

"I missed you, Enzo."

The words seemed to hit him harder than anything else.

A shaky breath left his chest.

He hadn't realized how tightly he'd been holding it until now. Until you said his name again without exhaustion, fever, or circumstance getting in the way.

Enzo.

You said it like it belonged to you.

Perhaps, in some way, it always had.

"I missed you too, Y/N."

The world turned hazy after that.

Not in the dramatic way people wrote about in novels. Nothing blurred or spun. If anything, everything felt startlingly clear.

For the first time in years, there were no questions lingering between you. No uncertainty. No wondering whether the feelings you'd carried for so long had only existed in your head.

You loved him.

He loved you.

The simplicity of it felt almost absurd after everything it had taken to get here.

Enzo seemed to feel the same way.

He kissed you slowly, as though he was in no hurry to reach the end of anything. Your lips, your jaw, your neck, your shoulders. Every touch felt deliberate. Every kiss lingered a second longer than necessary.

Like he was trying to make up for ten years in a single night.

You laughed softly when he pressed another kiss against your wrist.

"What?"

"Nothing."

The smile on his face suggested otherwise.

"You're staring."

"I am."

"You know that's strange, right?"

"I've waited a decade for this. I'm allowed to stare."

Heat crept into your cheeks.

"You make it very difficult to argue with you when you're being sincere."

"Good. I intend to take full advantage of that."

You rolled your eyes, but your fingers found his cheek anyway, brushing lightly across his skin.

Enzo leaned into the touch without hesitation, and the simple gesture nearly ruined you.

There was something different about him tonight—not because he'd changed, but because he wasn't hiding anymore.

For years, everything between you had been buried beneath sarcasm, arguments, and carefully constructed walls. Every meaningful moment had been disguised as a joke before either of you could look at it too closely.

Now there was nowhere left to hide, and neither of you seemed interested in trying.

Your fingers wandered across his face, tracing the hidden dimple in his right cheek before drifting lower to the scar beneath his ribs and the constellation of freckles scattered across his collarbone. Enzo watched you the entire time, his expression impossibly fond.

"You know," you said, "it's honestly offensive how attractive you are."

A laugh escaped him.

"Offensive?"

"You're like something that escaped a Renaissance painting."

"That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

“As if your ego isn’t already insufferable enough to begin with.”

"Don't get soft on me now, little raven."

You huffed, though the effect was somewhat ruined by the smile tugging at your lips.

Unfortunately, his smile made it impossible to argue.

His gaze softened as he looked at you, something warm and wistful settling in his expression.

"I missed this."

Your fingers stilled against his skin.

"Me insulting you?"

A quiet laugh escaped him.

"You looking at me like that."

The answer settled somewhere deep in your chest, leaving you unexpectedly breathless.

Before you could think of a response, he reached for your hand and turned it over, pressing a gentle kiss into your palm. The gesture was so unexpectedly tender that it stole the words right out of your mouth.

That was the problem.

You knew how to handle arrogant Enzo. Cocky Enzo. Annoying Enzo. You had years of experience dealing with those versions of him.

This version, however, was far more dangerous.

The version of Enzo who looked at you like you'd hung the stars, who seemed genuinely happy just to be sitting beside you, who loved you without reservation.

Your heart squeezed painfully at the realization.

"I missed it too."

Something softened in his expression then, relief washing over his features as though part of him still couldn't quite believe he was allowed to hear those words.

A comfortable silence settled between you afterward, warm and unhurried. Neither of you seemed eager to break it.

Eventually, Enzo shifted closer until his forehead brushed yours.

"Can I ask you something?"

"That depends."

His lips twitched with amusement before his expression softened.

"Do you trust me?"

The question settled between you, carrying a weight it might have once lacked. Years ago, the answer would've been harder to give. Back then, there had been too many misunderstandings, too many things left unsaid.

Now, it came easily.

"I trust you, Enzo."

His eyes closed for a brief moment, and something in your chest tightened at the sight. The reaction was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it felt important all the same—like he'd needed to hear those words far more than he'd ever let on.

When he opened his eyes again, there was a vulnerability in them that made your heart ache.

Because beneath all the confidence, charm, and arrogance, Enzo had always been far more fragile than he wanted anyone to know.

Your chest tightened at the realization. Reaching up, you brushed your thumb along his cheek, and he immediately leaned into the touch.

"I'm here."

The words were simple, but the look that crossed his face made it clear they meant far more than that.

His hand lifted to cover yours, warm and steady against your skin.

"So am I."

For a moment, neither of you moved or looked away. The years between you suddenly felt smaller somehow—not gone, never gone, but no longer insurmountable. They were simply part of your story now. Something you'd survived rather than something that defined you.

A smile tugged at Enzo's lips then.

You didn’t realize how much you missed it.

Not just the smile, either.

Him.

Every stubborn, infuriating, impossible part of him.

You wanted all of him, and he looked heartbreakingly hopeful when you told him so.

“Are you sure?” 

“Yes.”

His gaze remained fixed on you as he positioned himself at your entrance. The last time you did this, you were young and naive and entirely unaware of how much one night had the power to change absolutely everything. 

You were older now, arguably wiser, yet still terrified of what this might mean. But underneath the nerves and the doubt and the fear, Enzo was with you and in the end, that’s all that truly mattered. 

He kissed you deeply as the head of his cock pushed into you, slow and sure, like he had always belonged there. 

You wrapped your legs around his waist, sighing as your walls stretched to accommodate him. Enzo’s forehead dropped to your shoulder, shuddering a breath once he was finally fully seated inside of you. 

“God, I missed this,” he whispered, wrecked and breathless. 

You knew exactly what he meant.

Even if it had been years, your body still recognized him like it was just yesterday. You had been with other men after him, but nothing had ever felt quite like this. 

Electric. Magnetic. Like your bodies were made to fit perfectly together. 

“Fuck,” he breathed, his voice raw and pained. “You make me so desperate, love. It’s pathetic, really.” 

“I like when you’re desperate,” you said with a smirk. “It’s cute.” 

Enzo raised a brow. “Cute?” 

“Sweetheart, I begged to eat your cunt.” 

“I found it endearing.” 

“I crawled on my hands and knees for it.”

“Quite charming, really.” 

“I wanked myself into oblivion after you slapped me.” 

“How adorable.”

Enzo frowned, deeply offended, before you burst into a fit of giggles. Despite himself, the sound pulled a smile out of him. 

“You’re impossible.”

You wrapped your legs tighter around him, shifting your hips until he slid in at a deeper angle. He watched as his cock disappeared within your folds, the walls keeping him warm and snug while you pulsed around him. Enzo thought he might die right then and there. 

“You were saying?” 

Fuck. 

What had he been saying? 

The last drop of common sense remaining in his body vacated as soon as you climbed on top of him, pushing him against the pillows while you grinded slowly on his cock. 

“Sweetheart, please…” 

“Are you going to be good for me, Enzo?” 

Enzo licked his lips, watching as you straddled his lap and rocked your hips. 

“I can be good for you,” he rasped, whispering the words reverently against your lips. “I’ll be so good for you, love.” 

You smiled, pleased, and leaned down to kiss him while he clambered to feel more of you. The scent of lemon and jasmine enveloped him while his fingers twisted in your hair as he watched you ride him. 

Even in bed, you fought with him. The roll of your hips was vindictive, grappling with him like you were in the midst of a row, a fight, a quarrel that you were determined to win. Enzo didn't mind. You won every argument the two of you had ever had anyway. 

You looked like some vicious goddess on top of him, claiming what had long been yours with a determination that sent a shiver down his spine. Enzo loved this side of you. Loved knowing that he was the only one able to bring it out of you.  

“Ride me harder, love,” he pleaded, needy and desperate against your ear. “Give it all to me. Give me everything.” 

You whimpered in response, legs trembling as his tongue swirled over your nipple before taking your breast into his mouth. He pinched the other one before repeating his ministrations, his breath cool against your skin. 

“It’s yours, Y/N,” Enzo declared. “It’s all yours.” 

The sincerity in his expression made you shudder. 

“Oh god,” you breathed, clawing at his back. “Enzo, I’m so close. I'm going to—“ 

“Come for me, sweetheart.” 

Your walls pulsed around him, squeezing his cock painfully before flooding him with your release. Enzo kept fucking you through it, brushing your hair back and whispering praise and encouragement as the orgasm racked your body. 

You looked beautiful like this, open and vulnerable and bare just for him. If it were up to him, he would keep you in this bedroom until your bodies fused together. All he wanted was to make you feel good, to please you until you were a shaking, crying mess. He lived for it. 

“Is it good for you?” Enzo breathed as he rutted into you. “Have I been good for you, love?”

You were boneless in his arms, your face hidden in the crook of his neck. 

“It’s always good,” you murmured softly. His heart stopped when you finally looked up at him, your gaze molten as you smiled. “You’re such a good boy for me, Enzo.” 

Fuck. 

Fuck. 

He hadn’t expected that. 

His arm tightened around your waist, his breath ragged against your cheek as his entire body tensed before coming so hard he nearly collapsed. Enzo couldn’t even bring himself to feel ashamed. 

You called him your good boy. 

Enzo had crawled and begged and pleaded and he was fairly certain that he would do far worse just to hear you call him that again. 

If that made him utterly and completely pathetic, then so be it.

He was already so hopelessly gone for you that it hardly mattered.

For a long moment, neither of you moved.

The room felt suspended in time, filled only with the sound of uneven breathing and the distant crash of waves beyond the villa. Enzo's arms remained wrapped tightly around you as though he couldn't quite bring himself to let go now that he finally had you back.

Not that you were in any hurry to move either.

You traced lazy patterns across his chest while he pressed absent-minded kisses into your hair, your temple, your shoulder. Every touch felt softer than the last, stripped of urgency now that neither of you had anything left to prove.

Eventually, he pulled you closer, settling onto his side and tucking you firmly against his chest beneath the covers.

A contented sigh escaped him as he buried his face in your hair.

"Well."

A laugh slipped from your lips as his arms tightened possessively around your waist, holding you like a dragon guarding its treasure.

"Well."

"I had a much longer speech prepared."

You tilted your head back just enough to look at him.

"I'm sure it was terribly cheesy."

"It was actually quite moving."

"Highly unlikely."

His smile widened.

The sight of it made your chest feel unexpectedly light.

For so long, every moment between you had been tangled up in misunderstandings, bad timing, and words left unsaid.

Now, looking at him, everything felt startlingly simple.

He was here.

And somehow, after all these years, so were you.

The realization settled over you with startling clarity, and before you could overthink it, your fingers drifted up to brush softly along his cheek.

Enzo immediately leaned into the touch.

The look that crossed his face nearly melted your heart.

"You know," he said quietly, "I've imagined this conversation a thousand times."

You smiled.

"Only a thousand?"

"Fine. Several thousand."

"That sounds unhealthy."

"It probably was."

A soft laugh lingered between you before comfortable silence settled around the room once more.

Then, more quietly, you finally gave voice to the words you'd been carrying for far too long.

"I love you, Enzo."

Everything in him seemed to still.

The emotion that crossed his face stole the rest of your breath.

For once, there was no teasing remark waiting behind his smile. No arrogance. No clever comeback.

Just happiness.

Pure, uncomplicated happiness.

His eyes closed briefly, as though he needed a second to absorb the words, before he leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss against your forehead.

The gesture felt strangely intimate.

More intimate than anything else.

Maybe because, for the first time in years, there was nothing standing between you anymore.

No pretending.

No fake relationship.

No misunderstandings.

Just the two of you.

Together.

When he finally opened his eyes again, his gaze softened.

"I love you too, Y/N."

The words settled warmly between you.

Neither of you felt any need to say anything else.

Later, as he brushed your hair back and kissed you softly beneath the moonlight, the silence returned once more. Only this time it wasn't awkward or uncertain.

It was easy.

Comfortable.

Right.

After years of getting everything wrong, you had finally found your way back to each other.

And neither of you were naïve enough to believe you wouldn’t still get things wrong again.

But somehow, for the first time in a very long time, that felt like enough.

🐚TAGLIST

Day 6

Helios Estate — Paros, Greece

The ceremony rehearsal should’ve been painless. 

In theory, all anyone had to do was walk down an aisle, stand in assigned places, and refrain from setting something on fire. Given that most of the group had survived Hogwarts, the bar felt reasonably attainable. 

Unfortunately, the universe appeared determined to test that theory. 

Enzo knew things were going badly approximately twelve seconds after arriving at Helios Estate. 

The venue itself was stunning. White stone overlooked the sea, rows of chairs faced a flower-covered altar, and the late afternoon sun cast everything in warm gold light. Normally, he would’ve appreciated it. 

Instead, he was watching Mattheo hand you a glass of champagne. 

Across the lawn, you laughed at something Mattheo said, tilting your head back slightly as the sunlight caught your hair. 

Enzo hated him. 

Not for any legitimate reason, at least none he was willing to admit. At this point, it felt less like a rational opinion and more like a principle he had committed himself to out of sheer stubbornness. 

“You look homicidal.” 

Theo appeared beside him carrying two drinks and far too much enthusiasm. Enzo accepted neither.

“I’m fine.” 

“Right.” 

Theo followed his gaze toward you. 

“I truly didn't think you could act any more pathetic."

Enzo considered shoving him directly into the nearest flower arrangement. 

Several feet away, Hermione was attempting to organize the wedding party into something resembling order. 

Nobody was cooperating. 

“Places, please.” 

The request was immediately ignored. 

Pansy wandered off halfway through instructions. Blaise kept missing his cue because he was too busy flirting with Astoria. Theo, as always, was actively making things worse.

Hermione looked one inconvenience away from hexing everyone in sight. 

Draco looked stupidly in love with her.

Eventually, everyone was corralled into position.

Enzo’s mood deteriorated further when Mattheo somehow ended up standing beside you. 

Because of course he was. Naturally, somehow, despite the dozens of other places he could be standing. At this point, Enzo was beginning to suspect the gods themselves were actively orchestrating his suffering. 

“Mate.” 

Theo sounded concerned as he appeared beside him, following his line of sight.

“Your eye is twitching."

“it isn’t.” 

“It is.” 

Enzo ignored him, though the attempts lasted all of three seconds before his attention drifted back toward you. 

Mattheo had leaned closer to say something, and whatever it was earned an immediate laugh. The sound carried across the lawn, drawing Enzo’s gaze just in time to watch you reach out and touch Mattheo’s arm. 

Enzo snatched a drink from a passing tray and took a generous gulp.

A moment later, Mattheo said something else, which coaxed yet another laugh out of you.

Enzo’s grip tightened around his champagne glass as he watched the two of you. The poor thing very nearly became a casualty.

“Sweet Salazar.” 

Theo sounded genuinely fascinated as he glanced between Enzo and the scene unfolding before him. 

“I can actually see the jealousy wafting off of you.” 

Enzo, jealous out of his mind, gritted his teeth. “I’m not jealous.” 

Across the lawn, Mattheo glanced up at the exact wrong moment.

His gaze flickered from Enzo's death grip on the champagne flute to the direction he was staring.

Understanding settled almost instantly.

Mattheo's mouth twitched.

Theo caught the look from several feet away.

For a brief second, the two exchanged a glance.

Neither said a word.

Somehow, that felt significantly worse.

“You look one mild inconvenience away from starting a war.”

Enzo turned toward him with a look that promised bodily harm, and Theo immediately raised both hands in surrender.

“Don’t shoot the messenger.”

Before Enzo could formulate a response that involved violence, Hermione clapped loudly to regain everyone’s attention.

“Let’s practice partners walking down the aisle.” 

Wonderful.

Absolutely fantastic.

The next twenty minutes were an absolute shit show.

Every time Mattheo ended up near you, Enzo found himself nearby moments later. Whenever Mattheo made you laugh, Enzo appeared. Whenever Mattheo offered a hand, Enzo was suddenly standing there asking a completely unrelated question. 

After the fourth interruption, even Ginny noticed. 

After the sixth, Pansy nearly pulled a muscle trying not to laugh. 

After the eight, Mattheo looked openly entertained. 

The absolute git.

At one point, Hermione sent everyone off to mingle while she adjusted the processional order. 

Enze had barely made it three steps before spotting Mattheo cornering you near one of the terraces overlooking the sea. You looked relaxed as you stood beside him, your attention fixed entirely on whatever he was saying. 

Far too relaxed. 

Mattheo looked even worse, leaning casually against the railing with the sort of confidence Enzo found increasingly irritating.

Before he could stop himself, Enzo was already crossing the lawn. He made it halfway there before realizing exactly what he was doing, and by then it was far too late to turn around without looking completely insane. 

“You two look busy.” 

Both of you turned at the sound of his voice. 

Mattheo's grin appeared instantly, and the sight of it made Enzo regret approaching at all. 

The smug prick. 

“We were having a conversation.” 

“Fascinating.” 

“It was.” 

You looked suspiciously amused by the exchange, which only made the situation worse. 

Enzo disliked that too. 

Mattheo studied him for a moment, amusement lingering in his expression before he glanced toward you. 

“You know he’s not subtle, right?” 

Your eyebrows lifted as you glanced between them.

“Neither are you.”

Mattheo laughed softly at that, looking entirely too pleased with himself. 

“Fair.” 

His gaze drifted toward Enzo before returning to you, the amusement in his expression only growing.

“I’m not the one about to combust.” 

Heat immediately crawled up the back of Enzo’s neck. Across from him, you bit the inside of your cheek, clearly fighting a smile. 

Traitor.

“Combust?” you repeated, sounding far too entertained by the suggestion.

Mattheo nodded with exaggerated seriousness. 

“It’s actually impressive.”

A laugh escaped you before you could stop it, which only made Enzo’s mood worse.

You were still smiling at Mattheo. 

Still looking entirely too comfortable standing there with him.

Something ugly and possessive twisted in Enzo’s chest. 

“Right,” he said, forcing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Now if you’ll excuse us, my girlfriend and I have somewhere to be.” 

Your head snapped toward him. 

Mattheo’s eyebrows shot up.

For a brief second, nobody spoke.

Then Mattheo’s mouth twitched. 

“Of course.” 

As Enzo guided you back toward the others, he missed the look Mattheo shot across the lawn.

Theo, unfortunately, did not.

"You're enjoying this far too much," Theo muttered as he fell into step beside him.

Mattheo took a sip of champagne.

"A little."

"Sadist."

"Pot, meet kettle."

A few minutes later, Hermione was once again attempting to herd everyone into formation, this time pairing people off and instructing them to practice their walk down the aisle. 

Enzo found himself beside you immediately.

A small victory. 

A pathetic one, perhaps, but he was willing to take what he could get. 

“Try not to look so miserable.” 

“I’m having a wonderful time.” 

“Liar.” 

“Rude.”

You laughed, and just like that, some of the tension in his shoulders eased. 

When Hermione called for everyone to begin, the two of you started down the aisle at an unhurried pace, falling naturally into step beside each other. 

Enzo kept his attention fixed firmly ahead because looking at you felt dangerous. Unfortunately, he quickly discovered that not looking at you wasn’t much better.

“You know,” you said quietly, flashing him an amused expression, “for a group of grown adults, our friends are remarkably incapable of following instructions.” 

A reluctant huff of laughter escaped him.

“That’s putting it nicely.”

You tilted your head. 

“Although watching Theo deliberately stand in the wrong place six times was admittedly entertaining.” 

“He’s a menace.” 

“One could argue it’s his best quality.” 

“One could argue it’s his only quality.”

“Fair point.”

Enzo smiled despite himself. 

As long as your attention remained on him at all times, he would be perfectly fine. 

It was a simple solution, really. You couldn’t be laughing with Mattheo if you were busy arguing with him, and you certainly couldn’t be looking at Mattheo if you were preoccupied with looking at him instead. 

The logic felt perfectly reasonable in his head. 

Completely healthy, even.

He was doomed.

“You’re grinning like a lunatic.” 

The grin on his face spread even wider.

“Can’t I smile lovingly at my wonderful girlfriend?” 

Your eyes rolled, but your smile lingered.

And for the first time all afternoon, Enzo stopped thinking about Mattheo entirely.

A while later, Enzo escaped to the drinks table in an attempt to preserve what remained of his dignity. 

The attempt lasted approximately thirty seconds. 

Unfortunately, Mattheo had spent most of the afternoon watching Enzo orbit around you like a deeply troubled moon.

Nearby, Theo caught his eye and tipped his drink toward the refreshment table.

A silent your turn.

Mattheo sighed dramatically.

Theo grinned.

Then Mattheo pushed away from the railing and headed straight for Enzo.

“You’re doing that thing again.” 

Mattheo appeared beside him holding a beer, settling against the drinks table with the casual confidence of someone who already knew exactly how this conversation was going to end.

Enzo didn’t bother looking over. 

“What thing?” 

“Avoiding the issue until it becomes everyone else’s problem.” 

A short laugh escaped him as he took a sip of his drink. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

For several seconds, neither of them spoke. Across the lawn, you stood with Ginny and Hermione laughing about something, and despite himself, Enzo’s gaze drifted in your direction. 

Mattheo noticed immediately. 

A knowing look crossed his face as he took a sip of his drink before glancing back toward the lawn. 

“You know what’s funny?’ 

Enzo already hated where this was going.

“I spent years thinking you were an idiot.” 

A faint smirk tugged at Mattheo’s mouth, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

“Turns out you’re actually just terrified.” 

“Careful.” 

The amusement faded from Mattheo’s expression as he looked back toward you in the distance. For the first time all afternoon, there was something frustrated in his voice. 

“You already lost her once.” 

The words landed harder than they should have.

Mattheo watched you for another moment before turning back to Enzo. 

“Don’t be stupid twice.”

A heavy silence settled between them, stretching out long enough that even Enzo couldn’t think of a sarcastic response. 

The worst part wasn’t hearing the words. 

It was knowing Mattheo was right. 

Your laughter drifted toward him on the breeze, warm and familiar enough to pull his attention without effort. His eyes found you immediately, lingering there as though they had a habit of doing exactly that.

As though they always had.

As though they always would.

And somewhere beneath the jealousy, frustration, and years spent pretending otherwise, Enzo found himself confronting a truth he'd been avoiding for far too long.

This had stopped being fake a very long time ago. 

Day 6

Villa Elysia — Paros, Greece

By the time Enzo returned to the villa, he was already in a foul mood.

The rehearsal had been an exercise in self-control, which was already a challenge in and of itself without Mattheo getting into his head. It was bad enough that he had spent the entire afternoon flirting with you every chance he got, but insinuating that Enzo might lose you altogether was enough to drive him over the edge.

Naturally, the moment he walked into the room, things got worse. 

You were sitting on the edge of the bed in a dress that should’ve come with a warning label, wrestling with the straps of a pair of heels that looked unnecessarily complicated. One shoe was half fastened while the other seemed determined to become your mortal enemy.

Enzo watched you struggle for approximately ten seconds. 

Then another ten. 

Then another. 

Finally, he snapped. 

“You seemed very interested in Riddle today.” 

You didn’t even look up. 

“And you seemed very interested in glaring at him like a psychopath.” 

“I wasn’t glaring.”

“You absolutely were.” 

The buckle slipped from your fingers again as you fought with the strap for what felt like the hundredth time. 

“He wants to sleep with you.”

That finally earned him a glance.

“Most people do.” 

The silence that followed was deeply satisfying. You smiled sweetly as Enzo stared at you, and for one glorious moment, he appeared completely incapable of forming words.

Then his jaw tightened. 

You returned your attention to the heel, determined to finish fastening it yourself. Unfortunately, the strap refused to cooperate, slipping free every time you thought you’d finally managed it. 

After watching you struggle for another few seconds, Enzo let out an irritated sigh, crossed the room, and dropped to his knees in front of you. 

“Give me the bloody shoe before you break your wrist.” 

Your eyebrows lifted. 

“I think I can manage to put on a shoe.” 

“You’ve been fighting that buckle for five minutes.” 

“I would’ve won eventually.” 

Enzo looked like he didn’t believe you. 

Before you could argue further, he gently took your ankle in one hand and pulled your foot slightly toward him.

The atmosphere shifted almost immediately, though not in any dramatic way. It was subtle, just enough to make you suddenly aware of how careful his touch was as he worked with the straps, his attention fixed entirely on the task in front of him.

Which would’ve been significantly less distracting if he weren’t kneeling between your knees. 

“I don’t know why you insist on being so fucking difficult.”

You huffed in offense.

“Maybe if you stopped acting like a prick, then I wouldn’t be such a bitch.” 

The reaction was immediate. A sharp breath escaped him, small enough that most people probably wouldn’t have noticed it. 

Except you did. 

Enzo attempted to brush it off as he fussed with the straps.

“I’ve never met a bigger pain in the arse than you.”

You snorted, clearly not buying his sorry little act.

“Stop acting like you’re not exactly where you want to be.” 

Enzo’s entire body went still, which only made your grin widen.

Slowly, amusement spread across your face as you watched him stubbornly avoid your gaze. 

“As if you don’t secretly rile me up on purpose because you like when I’m mean to you.”

The buckle nearly slipped from his fingers. Enzo recovered quickly, but not quickly enough to hide the reaction. 

“You provoke me because you love the attention.” 

Enzo was barely breathing as you hooked a finger under his chin. 

“You love the fighting,” you rasped while gently caressing his cheek. “You love the arguments.”

Enzo shuddered when you lightly smacked him across the face, his entire body tense with arousal. 

“You love acting like a little brat because you know you’ll always get a reaction out of me.” 

Fuck. 

He was barely breathing. 

He was so fucking hard it nearly hurt.

His jaw tightened as silence settled between you, the kind that felt too aware of itself. Every second stretched a little longer than it should have.

Eventually, Enzo made the mistake of looking up. 

The regret was immediate.

Because you were already watching him, smiling like you’d just uncovered a terrible secret and were enjoying every second of it. Suddenly, he felt as though he’d walked directly into a trap, and worse, he had done it willingly.

You leaned back slightly against your hands. 

“I think deep down, you just want to be put in your place.”

His fingers tightened around your ankle as the grin on your face widened.

“Don’t you, Lorenzo?” 

For a moment, neither of you moved or looked away. Enzo’s pulse felt suspiciously loud as he held your gaze, fully aware that he was walking straight into whatever trap you’d set for him.

“Please.” 

The word escaped before he could stop it, and the second it did, he knew that he was finished.

Pathetic.

He was so utterly and completely pathetic. 

Enzo couldn’t even bring himself to care. He would’ve begged, he would’ve pleaded, he would’ve forfeited what little remained of his self-respect if it meant holding your attention for even a sliver of a second. 

Your smile turned devastating.

“That’s what I thought.” 

You tapped the toe of your shoe lightly against his chest, and although the gesture would’ve been offensive to any other normal human being, Enzo had long abandoned the illusion of normality when it came to you. 

The truly humiliating part was that the more degrading you were, the harder his cock got. For fuck’s sake, he was on the verge of coming in his trousers like a bloody prepubescent school boy and you hadn’t even touched him yet. 

Enzo held his breath, his lips ghosting over the dainty gold chain wrapped around your ankle.  He wondered what you would do if he spread your legs apart right now and begged to taste your sweet cunt. 

You would probably slap him across the face. 

The thought made him dizzy with desire. 

“Poor thing,” you mocked, spreading your legs until the silk skirt of your dress pooled around your waist. “You’re so desperate for a taste, aren’t you?” 

Enzo gaped as you bared yourself before him, your clothed cunt covered only by the pretty lace panties you were wearing. He nearly salivated at the sight. 

The air between you changed before either of you acknowledged it.

“I want to taste your pretty cunt,” he breathed, the sound of it almost pained. “I want to make you come on my tongue.”

Your laugh was low and seductive, the mocking tone behind it making his cock throb to the point of pain. He looked up as you leaned closer, the scent of lemon and jasmine enveloping him like some cruel joke. 

“Beg for it.” 

Without hesitation, Enzo crawled toward you, hazel eyes imploring while he slotted himself between your thighs. His lips ghosted along your calf, ragged breath blowing cool air against your skin while he kissed the gold chain on your ankle.

“Please, baby. Let me eat your pussy,” he pleaded, his expression full of longing and desperation. “I’ll make it good for you. I’ll be so good for you, love.”

Enzo looked wrecked. Dark hair flopped over his flushed cheeks, hazel eyes blown out with desire while he begged on his knees. 

You chuckled softly. “So needy.”

Enzo shivered as you caressed his cheek.

“You’re pretty when you beg.” 

He looked up expectantly, gaze feverish.

“Show me how good you can be then.” 

Enzo didn’t need to be told twice. Before you could change your mind, he spread your legs apart, eyes nearly rolling to the back of his head when he saw how soaked you were. Not even his filthiest fantasy compared to his current reality. 

“Fuck.” 

You moaned as he kissed your clothed core, pussy clenching at the sound of his needy whimper filling the room. Enzo wrapped his lips around your clit, lathering the lace with his saliva before he sucked. 

The sight of it was obscene. Desperate, Enzo tugged your panties off and pulled you by your ankles before hooking your legs over his broad shoulders. His gaze remained on you as he licked a stripe along your folds, gathering the moisture on his tongue before slurping your arousal down. 

“You’re so fucking wet,” Enzo rasped in disbelief.

“I want to drown in it.” 

You had never seen someone look so hungry. Enzo gave you no time to respond before his dark head disappeared between your thighs. The way he ate pussy was obscene—messy and desperate—like he’d been starved for it his whole life. 

“You taste so sweet, love,” he groaned. “I could eat your pretty cunt for days and never get tired of it.” 

“Fuck, you’re so…” you gasped as he plunged two fingers inside of you without warning. He slid in easily, thanks to how wet you already were, “filthy.” 

“I’ll be whatever you want, love.” 

His mouth glistened with your arousal as he looked up at you.

“As long as you keep riding my face like that.”

You bucked against his face while he flicked his tongue on your clit, moaning between your thighs while you pulled his hair. Enzo was insatiable, using his tongue and fingers to coax you toward release. Lifting your hips, you grinded shamelessly while his hold tightened on your thigh.

“Yeah, just like that,” Enzo murmured, staring at you in awe.

“Use me, sweetheart. I can take it.”

“God, I’m so close,” you moaned. “Don’t stop, please…”

“Tell me it’s good.” His gaze remained fixed on your face. “Tell me I’m good, baby.” 

“You’re good, Lorenzo.” You barely recognized your own voice as he brought you over the edge. “You’re so, so good.”

Your entire body shuddered as the orgasm racked through you. Enzo steadied your shaking legs while the intensity of the pleasure peaked, drinking in every moan and sigh and whimper with relentless focus as you unraveled in the most beautiful way. 

You were perfect like this. 

He wanted to immortalize it. 

He watched as you came down from the high, cheeks flushed and lips kissbitten like a fucking goddess. Enzo had never seen a more beautiful sight. 

Then you smiled at him. 

“So that’s what it takes to shut you up.”

His cheeks flushed as your smirk turned downright vicious. You recovered quickly, propping yourself up against the cushions as you dragged the toe of your heel over his erection.

“Now be a dear and tie my straps for me.” 

Enzo stared at you for a full second. 

Completely betrayed by his own brain. 

“...Yes, ma’am.”

Your laugh nearly killed him.

A few minutes later, both heels were finally secured. You stood, smoothing down your dress as you admired the finished result in the mirror while Enzo remained exactly where he was, still kneeling in front of you and still staring. 

Fuck.

This was becoming a serious problem. Somewhere along the way, you’d stopped being shy around him, and you’d stopped second-guessing yourself like you used to.

Worse, you saw straight through him now. You knew exactly how much power you had and exactly what you did to him every time you looked at him like that.

And the fucked up part was that he fucking loved it.

Not from anyone else. 

Only you. 

You turned back toward him, catching him staring, and the smile that appeared on your face was entirely too knowing. 

Before Enzo could recover, the sharp tip of your heel pressed lightly against his chest. 

“Good boy.” 

His brain promptly ceased functioning. 

He released a low, pathetic little whimper.

Then made an absolute mess of his trousers.

For fuck’s sake, he needed to get a goddamn grip.

Instead, he was still kneeling there staring up at you while you looked down at him like you owned him. 

Maybe you did.

A sharp knock sounded from the other side of the door, shattering the moment before either of you could say another word.

“Are you two ready?” Ginny called from the hallway.

You stepped back immediately while Enzo pushed himself to his feet, both of you suddenly very interested in anything except each other. 

Neither of you acknowledged what had just happened nor did you look directly at one another. 

It might’ve been a convincing performance if the tension in the room hadn’t become almost impossible to ignore.

Day 6

Nerina — Paros, Greece

Halfway through dinner, Enzo was already visibly spiraling. 

Candles flickered across long tables overlooking the sea while music drifted through the restaurant. Laughter floated between conversations, wine flowed freely, and every direction Enzo looked seemed to contain another couple leaning into each other like gravity worked differently for people in love. 

An hour ago, he had his tongue in your cunt, but now, he seethed in jealousy while Mattheo stood beside you at the bar. 

Across the restaurant, your laugh rang out again, warm and bright as Riddle said something Enzo couldn’t hear. Whatever it was, it made you tilt your head back slightly, your hand brushing Mattheo’s arm for balance as you laughed. 

Enzo’s wine suddenly tasted like poison. 

Beside him, Theo followed his line of sight toward you and Mattheo before letting out a longsuffering sigh. 

“Still doing this, then?” 

“Doing what?” 

Theo looked thoroughly unimpressed as he took a sip of his drink.

“The self-inflicted torture.”

Enzo ignored him, which unfortunately did nothing to discourage further commentary. On the way back to the table, Mattheo said something else, and your laughter immediately followed. 

Theo didn’t even bother hiding his smirk. 

Enzo, on the other hand, didn’t find any of it particularly amusing. 

A little while later, you excused yourself from the table and slipped through the terrace doors. The moment you disappeared from view, Enzo was already pushing back his chair and rising to his feet. 

Theo groaned loudly enough for several people nearby to hear. 

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

Enzo didn’t stop walking. 

The evening air was cooler outside. 

Moonlight shimmered across the water below while soft music drifted through the open doors behind you. You stood near the railing overlooking the coastline, one had wrapped around your wine glass as you gazed out toward the water. 

You looked peaceful as you stood there with the sea stretching out behind you, the breeze catching loose strands of your hair. 

Enzo found that deeply irritating.

When you heard footsteps approaching, you glanced over your shoulder, and the smile that appeared the moment you saw him only made everything worse.

“Fancy seeing you here.” 

“What the fuck was that?” 

Your eyebrows lifted immediately as amusement flickered across your face. 

“You’ll have to be more specific.” 

“Don’t act coy with me, love.” 

“You’ve been glaring at Mattheo all evening.” 

“Only because Riddle keeps giving me a reason to.” 

Recognition flashed instantly across your features.

“This again?” 

“He hasn’t left you alone all night.” 

You lowered your glass slightly, looking genuinely confused by the accusation.

“He’s talking to me.” 

“He’s flirting with you.” 

A laugh escaped you as you shook your head. 

“He’s always flirting.” 

“Exactly.” 

The answer came out sharper than intended, earning a raised eyebrow from you. 

For a moment, silence settled between you before a slow smile spread across your face. It wasn’t sweet or reassuring. It was dangerous—the sort of smile that usually meant Enzo was about to lose an argument. 

“Are you jealous?” 

“No.” 

The answer came so quickly that even he didn’t believe it, which only seemed to amuse you further.

Your smile widened as you studied him. 

“You absolutely are.” 

You looked delighted by the discovery, which under different circumstances, Enzo might've found adorable.

Instead, it was actively ruining his evening. 

“How cute.” 

Despite himself, he felt the corner of his mouth twitch. 

“Do you think Mattheo would find it cute that I had you screaming my name with my head between your thighs not even an hour ago?”

You looked like you wanted to slap him. 

You looked like you wanted to kiss him. 

He would’ve let you done both. 

“Where do you get off speaking to me like that?” 

“You’re the only one getting off between the two of us, sweetheart.” 

“Is that it?” you pressed, raising a brow at him. “You’re angry because you didn’t get to come?”

“I’m angry because my girlfriend is flirting with another man right in front of me.”

“I really don’t think it’s that serious.” 

The teasing tone in your voice lingered, and when Enzo looked at you, your smile was still perfectly in place. You smiled like this was all some big joke, oblivious to how badly he was losing this fight.

“Of course it’s that serious,” Enzo finally snapped.

“You’re supposed to be with me.”

The words escaped before he could stop them, and the second they did, Enzo knew he’d fucked up. 

Your smile faded, not completely, but just enough for him to know you’d heard it too. Not the implication of the arrangement, or the excuse of pretending to be together for appearances. You’d heard exactly what he’d said. 

You’re supposed to be with me.

The silence that followed felt suddenly fragile, stretched thin between the two of you. For one horrible second, hope surged inside his chest before your expression shifted. Something uncertain flickered behind your eyes, only to disappear a moment later.

You laughed softly.

“But I’m not dating you, Lorenzo.” 

The words landed like a punch, a clean hit directly between the ribs that stole the air from his lungs. For a moment, neither of you moved, and the music drifting from inside suddenly sounded very far away. 

“Oh.” 

The sound left him before he could stop it, barely more than a breath. Your smile disappeared completely as you watched the reaction cross his face, finally seeing the damage you’d done without understanding why it was there. 

You’d meant it as a reminder, as a joke, as a way to pull both of you back toward safer ground. Instead, he looked like you’d slapped him. 

“Lorenzo.” 

He looked away first. 

The motion felt automatic, almost instinctive, because if he kept looking at you right now, he might say something neither of you could take back.

The irony wasn’t lost on him. For years, he’d imagine what it would feel like to hear you reject him, and it turned out to hurt exactly as much as expected. Maybe more. 

“Right.” 

His voice sounded calm, which was arguably the worst part.

“Of course.”

You frowned immediately and the playful energy from earlier disappeared completely. 

“That’s not what I meant.” 

“Isn’t it?” 

The question slipped out more quietly than he’d intended, and something immediately tightened in your expression. 

For the first time all evening, you looked uncertain, and Enzo hated it. The sight made him want to take the words back before they could settle between you, to tell you he was joking, that none of it mattered, that he hadn’t spent half his life wanting things he couldn’t have.

Instead, he let out a soft laugh and shook his head. 

“Forget it.” 

“Lorenzo.”

“It’s fine.” 

It wasn’t. 

You both knew it wasn’t.

The silence stretched between you, heavy and uncomfortable, settling into the space where your usual banter would’ve been. For once, neither of you seemed able to find your footing, and neither of you knew how to bridge the distance that had suddenly appeared between you. 

Eventually, voices drifted out from inside the dining room. Someone was calling for champagne, someone else was laughing, and the rest of the world continued moving as though nothing had changed.

You stared at him for a second, then another, your expression softening. 

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.” 

The confession came quietly, honest enough to make his chest ache.

The worst part was that he believed you. 

“I know.” 

Your eyes searched his face, looking for something he couldn’t give you. 

An answer. A joke. An escape route that would somehow make this conversation hurt less than it already did. 

Enzo didn’t have any of those left. 

So instead, he stepped around you and headed back toward the dining room. Halfway through the doorway, he heard you say his name again, but this time he didn’t stop. 

Because Mattheo Riddle wasn’t the problem.

He never had been. 

The problem was that you still thought this was a game.

And Enzo stopped pretending a long time ago.

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