Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
I kiss him and stroke his hair. “That’s a really good way to honor your aunt’s memory, but you are strong, Luca. You were twelve years old back then. Of course you told them what you knew. Anyone would have. It isn’t your fault.”
“I still carry it. I’ll always carry it. There’s no getting over what happened for me, but I’ve learned to live with my sins. I’ll atone for them one day.”
I fight back tears. I hate that he’s got this scar in him. But what else are we, if not a collection of all the fuck-ups and embarrassments we’ve suffered over the years? It made him who he is today, and I care about this man more than I ever thought I would.
“I can help,” I say, pulling his face to mine. I kiss him again. “I can hold some of it.”
“Fio—”
“Let me help.” I kiss him again, harder. “Let me be here for you. I know it’s hard. It’ll hurt; that’s fucking life. But we can do this together. We really can.”
He pulls me into his arms and kisses me so deep I feel like my head might fall off. I can’t breathe, can’t think, and I let myself slowly sink into his taste.
Slowly, he breaks away, forehead against mine.
His fingers grip my sides. “You want to know something terrible?”
“Please, absolutely.”
“I’d never do this shit for anyone but you.” He kisses me gently and slowly, tasting and probing. “Only for you, Fiorella.”
That’s the messed-up thing. I believe him. I don’t think Luca’s some great hero, but when it comes to me, he’ll do absolutely anything.
And knowing that I have a partner who will burn down the whole world if I ask him to makes my chest swell like it’s going to crack in half.
Chapter 33
Luca
The depot’s bustling on a busy Tuesday morning. I pause in the middle of the action, and a strange feeling comes over me. In all the years I’ve been working for the Famiglia, running errands, driving cars, doing odd jobs, committing acts of violence and crime, I’ve never once wished I were anywhere else, especially not since being made a full Capo and given my own crew to run.
Except now I can’t stop thinking about my wife and our growing child back home.
Being apart from them is like a constant nagging pain right in the center of my chest. If I can’t see her, I can’t know she’s completely safe. Even though I have highly dependable and skilled guards watching over her, that’s not nearly enough.
I need her here, right here, with me.
All the fucking time.
Which isn’t reasonable.
Enzo spots me and waves me over to the main office. I follow him inside and shut the door behind me. He’s got a mountain of paperwork on the desk, and I’m pretty sure this whole place would’ve collapsed if it weren’t for him keeping it all running.
“I hear you’ve got a full house,” he says, sighing as he sinks into his chair. He clicks around on his computer before looking at me. “How’s that going for you?”
“Surprisingly fine,” I admit, emphasis on the surprise. When I took in Elisa and Raf, I figured it would be a huge pain in the ass. But it hasn’t been that bad.
“Really?” Enzo’s eyebrows raise. “You always were the kind of guy that valued privacy.”
“My wife likes having her siblings close.” I stare at him and dare him to say something about that. The change that came over Fiorella was almost palpable. She must’ve been as stressed worrying about her sister and her brother as I am worrying about her sweet ass all the damn time. With Elisa and Raf under my roof, at least they’re close to Fio, and she can check in on them.
That’s why I can’t send them somewhere else, even if it might be personally better to have peace and quiet back in my house. Fiorella’s happy, and that matters to me.
“Well, look at you,” Enzo says, folding his hands over his chest. “Never thought I’d see the day.”
“And you won’t see it for long if you keep this shit up.”
He grins at me. “Come on, I’m happy for you. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time you seemed content. But ever since you married Fiorella, it’s like suddenly you have everything you’ve always wanted.”
“Never knew I wanted a random fucking girl for a wife.”
“Funny how things turn out?”
I grunt in reply to that. When Fio first came into my life, I figured she’d be nothing but a burden. I fell for her mouth and her body first, and slowly, I began to realize it was everything else that kept me wanting more. It’s her strength and dedication, her desire to be better and stronger, and even her need to be free. It’s all admirable. It’s impressive as all hell.