CHAPTER 13

**AVA**
I received Pietro's message with the address and felt confused upon arriving at the location. I walk around, trying to find some sign of him in the darkness of the night. I hear footsteps behind me, and I quickly turn around. Pietro is walking towards me, and next to him, I see a luxurious sports car that makes my eyes widen in surprise. He smiles, noticing my reaction.
"Wow...", I say, admiring the shiny black car.
"Do you like it, Ava? This one is also my favorite.", he asks with a satisfied smile.
"Yes, it's beautiful and expensive."
Pietro's smile widens as he opens the car door and nods at me.
"Get in."
"What?"
"Get in the car, Ava."
"Where are we going?"
"Surprise."
I smile and get into the car, feeling the luxury around me with the pristine black leather. Pietro gets in shortly after, and the scent of his expensive cologne fills the space. He starts the car, and the powerful sound of the engine makes me smile even more. I watch his firm hands on the steering wheel as he begins to drive.
"Aren’t you going to tell me what happened to you?", I ask, breaking the silence.
Pietro looks at me before sighing and nodding.
"I had a problem at one of my companies. Someone tried to hack in and steal important client data. Unfortunately, it was very damaging because we lost many essential documents, but everything is resolved now."
I nod, remembering when I followed Pietro to that elegant building. Now I know that company is his.
"And why would someone do that?"
"I don’t know, Ava. We still don’t know who did it. There are a lot of bad people in the world. The system contained a lot of personal client data, and selling that kind of information is worth a lot of money."
"Oh, I’m sorry."
He remains silent as he drives, and I realize I’ve never been to this part of the city before. The luxury brand stores and mansions suggest we are in the wealthiest neighborhood. I expect Pietro to take me to a restaurant or something, but I’m surprised when he pulls into the garage of a very tall building. A residential building.
"Where are we?", I ask, intrigued.
"My home."
I widen my eyes as I watch him park the car. Pietro gets out and opens the door for me. Together, we walk to the elevator in the garage. I feel a mix of nervousness and excitement as we go up. The elegance of the building and the security make me realize even more how different Pietro’s world is from mine.
When the elevator stops on his floor, the door opens to an elegant and quiet hallway. Pietro walks ahead, and I follow, still taking in the luxury around us. He stops in front of a door and uses an electronic key to open it.
"Welcome.", he says, holding the door for me.
I step in and am immediately struck by the grandeur of the apartment. The modern decor, designer furniture, artwork on the walls, and panoramic city view through the huge windows all scream sophistication.
"Wow...", I say again, unable to hide my admiration.
"Make yourself at home. I’ll get something to drink. What would you like?"
"Wine would be great, thank you."
He heads to the kitchen, and I take the opportunity to explore the living room. Every detail is carefully planned, from the plush rugs to the elegant accessories. I approach the window and look at the city below, feeling a bit disoriented by the sudden change of environment.
Pietro returns with two glasses of wine and hands me one.
"Your apartment is amazing.", I say, genuinely impressed.
"Thank you. I like to live well. Come, I want to show you something."
He leads me down a hallway with several doors. Opening one, he reveals a large and luxurious bedroom with a king-size bed, high-quality bedding, and minimalist yet elegant decor.
"This is my bedroom.", he says with a smile.
My heart races a bit, but Pietro doesn’t seem to have immediate intentions. He simply wants to show me his world. We continue to explore the apartment, passing a game room, a private gym, and an office.
"You have everything here.", I comment, impressed.
"Yes, I like comfort and convenience. Now, I want to show you my favorite place."
He takes me to a door at the end of the hallway. Opening it, he reveals a music room with an impressive collection of instruments, from pianos and guitars to drums and violins.
"I like to play when I’m stressed. It helps clear my mind."
"This is amazing, Pietro. I didn’t know you played."
"There are many things about me that you still don’t know, Ava."
We sit on a comfortable sofa in the music room, and Pietro starts to softly play the piano. The melody is calm and relaxing, and I close my eyes for a moment, letting the music envelop me.
"You’re very talented.", I say when he finishes the piece.
"Thank you. It’s something I love to do."
We return to the living room and sit on the sofa, continuing our conversation. I feel increasingly connected to him, realizing there is much more to Pietro than I imagined.
Finally, he looks at me seriously.
"Ava, I know it’s been difficult for you to understand my world. I want you to know that you can trust me. I really want us to make this work."
I feel a wave of emotion hearing his words.
"Are you talking about the dominant and submissive relationship? Well, I also want this to work. I want to try, but it’s all so new to me."
"We’ll take it slow. One step at a time. I’m here for you."
"I know, I like that."
I take another sip of wine before looking at him, seeing his blue eyes fixed on my face, and I smile as I swallow the drink.
"I already have my answer about the contract. I accept being your submissive, but I’ve never done this before, and I’m afraid of doing something wrong and..."
"Ava, if you’re accepting to be my submissive, know that I will guide you every step of the way."
I nod, feeling my heart beating fast in my chest as I watch Pietro walk down the hallway, leaving me alone in the living room. I drink more wine, and then he returns with a folder of documents and some papers. I quickly realize what it is.
The contract.
I blink, realizing I seem more nervous and anxious at this moment as he places the contract on the small table before us. I think about my decision, and I’m not hesitant; I really want this.