by Lux Miller
With my heart in my throat, I walk back into the room and nudge Dante. “Hey… relax, I’m decent. This is going to sound completely crazy, but it legitimately never dawned on me to ask… erm, how old is Luca?”
Dante cuts his gaze at me quickly, amusement dancing in his eyes. “You should’ve asked that sooner, Principessa. You know, before you let him get oil on his dipstick… Does it really matter now if he’s forty-five and has seven kids?”
I know my eyes must be bugging out of my head as I stare at Dante in shock. There’s no way. “You’re fucking full of it. You’re my age… he can’t be that much older than you… and seven kids? Bullshit. He said he’s never had sex without a condom…”
Dante chuckles and though he tries to hide his delight in my discomfort, he’s failing miserably. “Okay, so the kid thing is a lie. He has no kids. Pretty sure he doesn’t want them either, so you can likely count on the condoms forever. He’s got a sick, twisted notion about where kids fit into his life. Let me give you a hint; they don’t.”
I watch Dante curiously as I try to gauge if he’s still bullshitting me. Despite his playful tone, something in his expression tells me that he’s not pulling my leg this time. I watch his hands twitch on the bed as he draws circles on the quilt silently.
“Dante… how old is your brother?”
Dante glances up at me, his face expressionless. “Well, he’s been a sworn member of the mob for a good fifteen years now. I’m twenty-five and I’m not even made. Not even close. It usually takes years to get the administration’s approval for a man to take the oath.
“Luca’s the damn Consigliere of the entire family. In case you weren’t aware of our hierarchy, that makes him officially third-in-command. Some would say he outranks even our Father. Consigliere is a revered man all unto his own. He’s served our grandfather in that capacity for five years. Our grandfather values his opinion above all others, including his own…”
I sit down beside Dante on the bed and shudder. “So he… he’s really that old?”
I fiddle with the hem of the dress as I mull over the fact that I’ve been screwing a man old enough to be my father. Even Andre wasn’t forty yet and just the thought of getting naked with him ever again makes my stomach churn. Dante chances a glance at my horrified expression and bellows with laughter. “Oh God, Emily… you should see your face right now. Would it really be that bad for you if Luca was forty-five? Chill, he’ll be thirty next month.”
Silence grabs hold of my tongue as the new information rattles about in my head. Dante is shitting me somewhere. The numbers don’t add up. I’m still shaking my head as Dante rests a hand on my knee and whispers, “Really Em… he’s thirty. Well, almost… the rest is true too. Don’t fret over the numbers. Nothing about Luca’s life is normal. He became a made man when he was still a kid… but that’s not my story to tell. Just know that he’s good at what he does, because he’s been doing it for a long time. People fear his name for good reason.
“He’s been groomed from birth to be the prodigal son. My father and grandfather have gone to great lengths to ensure that his right to reign will be ironclad. I know you think you have feelings for him and maybe you do. Just be careful, Emily… my brother is not an easy nut to crack and he’s even harder to love. It’s taken our mother a dozen years to learn to love him again. I’m not sure he’s even capable of reciprocating love. He is far more likely to break you first…”
I narrow my eyes at Dante, contemplating my next words carefully. Why is he telling me all of this? Is he testing me? Did Luca put him up to telling me all this to see if I would run screaming?
As if reading my mind, Dante chuckles. “Luca has no idea I’m telling you this. It’s public knowledge for the most part, so I doubt he’d care, but you deserve to know what you’re getting into, Emily. Buried deep down somewhere in that cold exterior, there’s a heart I presume, but there’s a lot of times he forgets he has one.
“Thank fuck you’re not some bird-brained airhead just playing cum-catcher for him. I have seen enough long-legged vapid hoes to last me a lifetime. And trust me, I used to run a cruel game of trapping the ones with more money than brains. But you should still be careful. While Luca can be a good man deep down underneath all of what New Orleans has made him, he is first and foremost a son of the mafia. He can and will be ruthless, cold, and downright murderous to protect the family. Don’t let him break you the way New Orleans has broken him.”
Feeling a wave of foreboding gloom wash over me, I stand up off the bed quickly with a nod. I step over to the closet and tug on a pair of black kitten heels that set off the subtle brocade in the fabric of the dress. I glance over my shoulder at Dante who is watching me intently.
Exhaling a nervous breath, I offer him a small smile. “I can handle Luca. He can’t possibly ruin me when New Orleans beat him to it years ago. I know your family had nothing to do with it, but we all have demons, Dante. The city took my father from me when I was fifteen years old, just five years after cancer took my mom. Left me beaten and battered and barely alive to fend for myself on the streets. I’m tougher than I look, though I know I probably wouldn’t frighten a feral cat.
“For all his shortcomings, Andre did take me in off the streets. I can’t say his heart was in the right place because the only thing that man ever thought with was his dick. You can guess how that went. I paid for his generosity with my virginity and later, my dignity.
"Nothing your brother can do to me will ever be worse than that scuzzball playing round robin with his wealthy friends and a fifteen-year old kid. I used to drink whatever cheap alcohol Andre would give me just so I wouldn’t remember what they did to me as they passed me around. And that was before I became his favorite… he didn’t share me after that.”
A sharp intake of breath from the doorway draws both my and Dante’s attention. Standing there in a pair of dark-washed skinny jeans and a black button-down shirt is Luca. I can’t see his eyes because they're hiding behind a pair of mirrored aviator sunglasses. But his mouth is downturned into a frown as he rolls up his sleeves. I don’t know how much he heard of what I just told Dante, but I’m sure as hell not offering that information up willingly.
“Death was too good for that motherfucker. He deserved to be castrated, gagged, and passed around in general population to have his asshole ripped out for what he did to you.”
I walk across the room quickly, patting his arm gently. “It’s in the past, Luca. It was a means to an end and that end was survival. You rescued me from my personal hell and delivered me into the arms of opulence in your home. I will never be able to thank you enough…”
Luca grumbles under his breath and tugs me against his body. Instantly, all the worry in my body dissolves. I close my eyes and inhale his scent, letting it sear my lungs with its combination of sandalwood and soap. Once my body relaxes against his, the tension in his own muscles eases.
“Mmmm Luca, you smell good…”
He chuckles nervously as he takes a step back from me. I glance up at him and my heart drums away inside my chest. He’s manicured the beard that had begun to get unruly. His hair is gelled out of his face in a stylish ‘do that makes him look like he just stepped out of an Armani catalog.
The top couple buttons of his button down are open and I can see the hint of his ever-present chain gleaming in the incandescent lighting. He’s gone all out with jewelry tonight. I have to admit that the flashy gold and diamonds that accent his ears, wrists, and fingers give him an edgy look that has me squirming as heat pools between my legs.
He turns me in his arms so that I’m facing Dante, who has the biggest smirk on his face. As I’m trying to catch my breath, he lowers his hands over my head and to my surprise, a glimmer of silver sparkles back at me from his hands. He leans down and whispers in my ear, “Something pretty for the beauty who takes my breath away…”
My fingers fly to my throat and my eyes widen as they land on what is unmistakably jewelry. “Luca, you
shouldn’t have…”
He kisses softly along the outer shell of my ear as he murmurs, “I wanted to. I want you to know that this isn’t just physical. The physical part is the best damn sex of my life, but I want more from you. You have lit a fire inside of me that burns with desire… not just to be inside of you, but to hold you, to want you… to need you. You have awoken something inside of me that I long assumed was dead and buried. You mentioned that you were born in Hawaii, so I did a little research. I hope it’s to your liking…”
I gasp and stumble across the floor to the mirror. My eyes instantly fill with tears as I see the gleaming emerald that sits at the base of my throat. Though it’s delicately enclosed in a setting of thin silver, I can see with the naked eye that it's carved into the shape of a sea turtle.
Involuntarily, my hand goes again to the dainty gemstone. I turn on my heel and stare at Luca incredulously as my heart pounds in my chest. “Honu? How did you know?”
He smiles and walks across the room, gathering me back into his arms. He leans down and captures my lips in a chaste kiss, pulling away quickly. Then he proceeds to place gentle kisses along my cheeks and over my nose. When I close my eyes with a sigh, he places a kiss over each.
“Honu is the symbol for endurance. Something you are going to need a lot of if you truly want to be with me like I want to be with you. I can’t promise to always be a good man, Emily. But you make me want to be. You make me want to try… so I guess, in a way… this is my promise to give this a chance. I’m tired of easy. I’m tired of fucking around. I’m tired of always being a fire without oxygen. I want to feel. To burn with desire… I’m tired of standing outside the fire. I want the flames to consume me. I want to BE the fire.”
He brushes the back of his hand over my cheek as his lips brush mine. Without hesitation, I eagerly devour his lips, begging for more, but he pulls back before the kiss can deepen. He presses his forehead to mine and sighs softly. “And I want you to light the match…”
TWENTY-THREE
Luca is a perfect gentleman as he takes my hand and leads me downstairs to his waiting vehicle. I glance around for the familiar faces of his drivers and security detail, but they’re nowhere to be found. He reaches around me and tugs the car door open, then motions inside with a flourish, “Your carriage awaits.”
I slide into the front passenger seat of Luca’s car and glance up at him once I have my legs tucked neatly inside. “Dismiss the drivers again? Do you think that’s wise with the detectives up your ass over Andre?”
Luca shrugs and motions to another vehicle that crawls to a stop behind his. “They’re still going to follow us. Can’t ever be too careful, but with the Chief’s eyes laser-focused on me, I’m not willing to risk us getting into a situation where I won’t have control of what happens.”
I nod slowly and rake my eyes over his choice of outfit. It’s the first time I’ve seen him wear something that wasn’t impeccably tailored and made of high-end linen and silk. I smile as I brush my hand gently over his hip, my fingers checking the quality of the fabric. I have to admit I’m curious to see if he’s really wearing denim or it’s some expensive imposter. I’m relieved to find that it’s the former, although I’m sure the jeans that cling that him like a second skin cost more than most people’s mortgage payment.
“Do you like what you see?”
Grinning, I pull my eyes up to his and give a small acknowledgement. “If those jeans were any tighter, I’d worry about your ability to breathe. Are those rack rejects or did Royce paint them on?
Luca chuckles and closes my door, then trots around to the other side. He slides into the driver’s seat, his eyes flicking to me before he even bothers with a seatbelt. “They’re custom-made. Royce is a damn genius when it comes to making me look good.”
I lick my lips slowly before tugging the bottom one between my teeth. “I’ll say… if you hadn’t already gotten me off in the kitchen, I’d be saying forget the date and fuck me now. I want to rip those jeans off of you... but we are being proper, so there will be no messing around until you have properly wined and dined me.”
Quirking an eyebrow, Luca cranks the car. “None at all? I can’t even get a little taste of the sweetness?”
Blushing, I cut my eyes over at him as I cross my legs, whimpering softly at the thought of his face buried between my thighs. I smooth down the skirt of my dress that has risen to mid-thigh and shake my head vehemently. “No, not even a taste. Besides, you know what it tastes like.”
He grunts and shoves his hand against his crotch to adjust himself. “Yeah… fucking amazing. If the only thing I could ever eat again was your pussy, I would be a happy man.”
I slap my hand against his shoulder. “Gross, Luca! There’s nothing special about the way I taste. It’s just like any other woman… slick, musky and…”
He cuts me off as he cups his hand over my mouth. “You are not allowed to talk negatively about my new favorite treat. I’m not kidding that I will jump at the chance to get my tongue inside of you at every opportunity. All you have to do is ask and I will gladly lick your sweet little...”
Before he can get crude, I bite his finger, my eyes focused on his face. He yowls and jerks his hand away from my face, shaking it. “Damn woman. What was that for?”
I shrug and smirk. “My pussy is not on the menu tonight. You promised me a three-course meal and attention. No phones… no work… and no sex…”
Luca pouts as I remind him of his earlier promise.
Laughing, I pat his thigh. “Luca… the whole house knows we’re compatible sexually. I’ve had more sex in the last couple of weeks with you than in a year with… well, it doesn’t matter now what’s in the past. My point is… we’ve obviously got chemistry in the bedroom. I want to see what else you can offer me…”
Luca puts the car into gear and eases it down the driveway. “You mean… aside from anything your heart desires? Money is no object for me, Emily. Anything you want, you can have… just say the word and I will have it delivered to you tomorrow.”
I shake my head and thread my fingers through the hand that he has resting on his thigh. “While it’s certainly new and sometimes fun to be able to not count pennies, what I want from you isn’t something you can buy. You also can’t lie, cheat, or steal your way into giving it to me. It’s something you’re going to have to dig down deep for and something you’ve never given to anyone else…”
He pushes his sunglasses up on top of his head and cuts his eyes at me as he drives down the highway. “Emily, if you’re talking about what I think you’re talking about… you should know now that it’s not worth giving to anyone. I haven’t tried because nobody would want it. The things I’ve seen, the sins I’ve committed… my heart is cold, black, and dead.”
I squeeze his hand gently and brings it up to my lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the rough skin. “Why don’t you let me be the judge of that. Not every woman you meet is a prissy, pretty princess. All of us have our secrets and yours don’t scare me…”
He sighs. “Emily, I’m a murderer…”
I nod as I rest our hands back on his thigh. I swallow hard and shift in my seat so that I’m facing him as he pulls up to a red light. “And I watched you murder Andre in cold blood….”
He tenses at the reminder. I brush my thumb gently over his fingers and I watch his clenched jaw tick. The vein in his neck pulses along to the same rhythm.
I nudge him gently. “And yet, here I am… sharing your home, sharing your bed… and still asking for you to share your heart with me. Let down the walls. Let down your guard. I may not be deserving of your love when all is said and done, but I want the chance to try… you owe it to me… to yourself… to try...”
He remains silent as he puts the car into park outside of a dimly lit building in the Warehouse District of downtown New Orleans. He turns to me and narrows his eyes at me. I guess he’s trying to gauge what I’m feeling. Trying to feel me out to see if I’m yanking his leg.
I’m about to say something to him when he turns to face me suddenly. I yelp in surprise as he lunges in my direction. Before I can even blink, he has one hand threaded into my hair and the other against my back, pulling me against the console as his mouth devours mine. I don’t even have time to think about pulling away before his tongue breaches my lips, hungrily tasting me like I’m his last meal.
Blood rushes to my head as he overpowers me. The thundering swish in my ears is intoxicating as every one of my sense fires like a car in overdrive. He twists his fingers in the waves of my hair and tears his lips from mine with a grunt. Breathing heavily, he mutters, “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into, Emily…”
I groan softly and lean my head back as he tugs on my hair. The cold air that skates across my exposed throat makes me shiver. Goosebumps ripple across my skin as I twist my head so that I’m freed from his grasp. I lean up into his face, our noses grazing each other as I reply, “It’s my choice to live with wolves, Luca…” I nip his bottom lip sharply, then purr, “I’m expecting to get bitten…”