Chapter 1 The Delivery

• The scent of fresh blooms filled the small flower shop as Lily carefully wrapped the final bouquet for the day. The soft petals of peonies, white roses, and baby’s breath came together in an elegant arrangement. It was the kind of bouquet reserved for someone with money—lots of it.
• “Lily!” Her boss, Mrs. Marlowe, waved a piece of paper in the air. “Can you take this delivery? It’s a big tipper.”
• Lily grabbed her bag, eyeing the address. It wasn’t a neighbourhood she recognised, but it sounded fancy. She smiled, thinking about how much those kinds of deliveries are usually tipped. Maybe she could finally pay off some of her student loans.
• A short while later, she hopped off the bus and stood in front of a towering iron gate that loomed in front of an impressive mansion. The kind of place you only saw in movies—the ones where people owned boats just because they could. A buzzer sat on the side of the gate, and she pressed it tentatively.
• “Hello? Flower delivery for... uh... someone here?” She said into the intercom.
• The gate clicked open without a word, and she stepped inside. Lily’s breath hitched as she walked up the long, cobblestone driveway, clutching the bouquet as if it were her lifeline. The mansion was even more intimidating up close, with its tall windows and perfectly manicured gardens. She had no idea who lived here, but they had good taste in flowers.
• When she reached the massive front door, she knocked, but no one answered. After a few seconds of hesitation, she tried the handle. To her surprise, it opened easily. Maybe they were expecting her?
• “Hello?” she called out into the vast, echoing hall. Her voice seemed to bounce off the marble floors and high ceilings.
• Nothing.
• She cautiously stepped inside, the grand foyer so large that she felt like she’d wandered into a castle. She wandered through the elegant space, marvelling at the crystal chandelier and the art that lined the walls.
• “They must really like flowers,” she mumbled to herself, clutching the bouquet a little tighter. Her footsteps were soft as she continued through the house, looking for any sign of the recipient.
• Suddenly, she heard low voices coming from behind a set of double doors up ahead. Thinking this must be where everyone was, she nudged one door open. What greeted her was the last thing she expected.
• Around a massive mahogany table sat a group of men, all dressed in sharp suits, the atmosphere thick with tension. At the head of the table was a man who took her breath away. His dark eyes locked onto her the moment she walked in. His sharp jaw tightened.
• Lily froze.
• "Who the hell is this?" One of the men barked, rising from his chair. His eyes darted between her and the bouquet she held.
• “I—uh—sorry! I just—I'm with the flowers,” she stammered, holding the bouquet up like a shield.
• “Is... is someone named Giovanni here?”
• There was a brief, uncomfortable silence. The man at the head of the table stood up slowly, his intense gaze never leaving hers. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and, judging by the way everyone in the room deferred to him, very much in charge. He was also the most handsome man Lily had ever seen.
• Giovanni’s lips curled into the smallest hint of a smile. “I didn’t order flowers.”
• Lily’s stomach dropped. “Oh, I must have the wrong address then,” she mumbled, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. “I’ll just… I’ll go now.”
• As she turned to leave, one of the other men chuckled darkly. “Wait. Let’s see what she’s got.”
• Lily hesitated as Giovanni raised a hand, silencing the room. He walked over to her and studied the bouquet with a tilt of his head.
• “Beautiful,” he said, his voice smooth but edged danger. “Whoever sent these has good taste.”
• Lily’s heart raced, not entirely sure what she had just walked into.
• “Thank you... um... I’ll just leave these here,” she said, trying to set the flowers on a side table, her hands trembling slightly.
• Giovanni stepped closer, his eyes scanning her like he was trying to figure her out. “You don’t seem like you belong here.”
• “I—no. Definitely not,” Lily agreed, her voice shaky as she backed towards the door. “I’m just the flower girl. I really didn’t mean to interrupt.”
• Giovanni’s eyes softened just a fraction, though the danger still lingered. “And now that you have?”
• “I’ll be on my way,” she blurted out, panic rising as her hand finally found the door handle.
• But just as she turned to leave, Giovanni’s voice stopped her. “What’s your name?”
• Lily paused, half-expecting him to say something terrifying like “You know too much” or “You’re not leaving here alive.”
• “Lily,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
• "Lily." He repeated. The way her name rolled off his tongue made her shiver, a mix of fear and fascination swirling in her gut.
• "You can go now, Lily," Giovanni said with a smirk and hande dher some bills as a tip.
• Lily’s heart raced as she all but bolted out of the mansion, her mind buzzing with disbelief. What just happened? She’d delivered flowers hundreds of times, but never to a place where the people looked like they stepped out of a mob movie. And that man, Giovanni, looked dangerous.
• She had no idea what kind of trouble she had just narrowly escaped, but as soon as she made it past the mansion's gate, she swore to herself she would never come back here. Ever.