by Lux Miller
I nod and look back up at her. “Noemi, they’re trying to charge him with murder… three counts, in fact. They’ve since discovered that the bouncers who were at Piacere the night Luca kidnapped me are missing too.”
She narrows her eyes at me and puts her hand under my chin, lifting my face up so that I’m looking straight at her, “Emily, anybody with half a brain knows they aren’t missing…”
Sighing, I nod in agreement. She chews on her bottom lip, then asks, “Charges being levelled against my brother doesn’t explain why you married him. Most women would realize that he’s in a lot of trouble and run screaming the other way. They certainly wouldn’t be jumping into marriage.”
Realization dawns on her face, and her mouth drops open. “Emily! You were there. Shit. Kyle mentioned something about the prosecution coming up with a failsafe witness that’d nail Luca. I figured he was bullshitting, or they’re just fretting over something, but… they’re gonna call you to testify against him… that’s what Kyle meant.”
I tilt my head to the side. She’s definitely smarter than the perception she puts out there to people. It helps that Kyle apparently has a big mouth when it comes to her. Who knows what else he’s told her, but he didn’t mention the marriage to her, so maybe he does have some kind of filter. “Noemi, please tell me you haven’t bribed Kyle for information.”
She shakes her head, fluttering her eyelashes at me. “Who me? I don’t have to bribe him for anything. He just does what I say.”
I snort softly. “That’s because your brother is his boss… and he’s probably too scared to tell you no.”
It’s her turn to snort as she shrugs. “Yeah, let’s go with that… so, you married Luca to protect him? Is that the only reason?”
I watch her expression with piqued interest, but decide to let my suspicions go for now. She’s watching my face as closely as I watch hers, so there’s no way to pull the wool over her eyes. She’ll know if I’m lying. “Yes… and no. I do care for your brother. More than I care to admit, in fact. But I don’t know if I’m ready to be married to the mob… for real….”
She crosses her arms, and I can tell she’s not buying it. “Emily… just tell me one thing. Do you love him? Do you love Luca enough to fight for him? Do you love him enough to make this marriage thing real, no matter what happens at trial?”
A single heartbeat thuds in my chest before my answer tumbles out of my mouth. Seems I don’t have much of a filter, either. “Yes…yes, I do...”
SEVEN
Despite Luca’s initial reservation about throwing such a large party, Noemi’s birthday celebration is going off without a hitch. I think half of the city’s most influential businessmen are here with their teenage daughters. Most of the girls are busy vlogging about the lavish shindig on Instagram, and whatever other kind of social media these girls live on, but I can already feel Noemi’s popularity growing.
Speaking of Noemi, I don’t think I’ve seen her once tonight without an enormous smile on her face. Seriously, she’s been smiling so much that her cheeks must hurt by now. I know mine do, and it’s not even my party. I did have some major input on the decorations and on the birthday girl’s attire, but I can’t even pretend to take the credit for how spectacular this thing has wound up being. Even Bianca seems to be having a good time. I’m pretty sure I even saw her with a glass of wine, so it seems that everybody is letting loose, except Luca.
I haven’t actually seen much of him to be fair, but every time I have, he’s been scowling. I know that fancy parties, especially those aimed at teenagers, isn’t Luca’s cup of tea. He tolerates the numerous charity balls and auctions as an affluent member of New Orleanian society, but he’d rather send someone in his place to handle those kinds of things for him. While he’s a sharp-dresser by design, he doesn't like going full-on tuxedo like Noemi’s requested for her party. My hope is that he’s just feeling stuffy and uncomfortable and that there isn’t something more sinister going on. Shit, who am I kidding? He’s running the fucking mafia in New Orleans… of course, something is going on.
I spot a flash of green across the room and take two steps in that direction when I’m pulled backward. I collide against a hard body, and I can already tell by the possessive hands that encircle my waist that it’s Luca. “Well, hello to you too…”
He grunts and pulls me back against him. He leans down and murmurs in my ear, “God, how am I supposed to keep my hands off of you when you’re wearing that?”
I shrug and turn around to face him, smirking up at him as he shudders when he gets a good view of what my shapewear is doing for my chest. “Where did you get those?”
Giggling, I shake my head and put my index finger under his chin, pushing his face up so that his gaze meets mine. “I’m up here, Luca. And those are the freaking genius of Royce. My under layer is so tight that what little bit of boobs I do have are damn near shoved up to my chin by this adhesive bra thing he’s got me wearing. Don’t get attached to them, though. They’re going to go back to bee sting status when you inevitably rip this silicone contraption off later tonight.”
Luca groans and shifts. “Don’t put ideas in my head, Emily. It’s hard enough for me to not throw you on the floor in the middle of this party in front of everyone and fuck you until you scream my name. And it’s taking every ounce of my willpower not to put my fist into the face of every associate here who is clearly thinking the same thing.”
I chuckle and shake my head. “First of all, nobody’s staring at me, and nobody but you is undressing me with their eyes. Secondly, it’s not like any of them have a chance, even if they were brave or dumb enough to ogle the boss’s property. Besides, I guarantee you that more than half of them are staring at Noemi… talk about making a grand entrance into society. Forget debutante etiquette - she had every man in this room paying attention to her, and only her, when she walked in.”
Luca growls, “Any of my men who get anywhere near my sister will be eating and shitting out of the same hole for the rest of their lives. And that’s if I’m in a good mood and don’t break their neck with my bare hands on the spot…”
I raise an eyebrow as I wince. Luca spins around and follows my gaze, his body stiffening when his eyes land on what I’m watching. Noemi has climbed on top of the dessert buffet and is strutting her stuff down the length of the mahogany table where most of the sweet delicacies have already been polished off. It’s impossible not to notice her, and she’s captivated the attention of nearly every man in the room.
I can hear hushed whispers all around me, and I grab hold of Luca’s arm quickly. “Luca… don’t make a scene. It’s her birthday, let her have a little fun.”
Luca’s voice is low and feral as he grinds out his words. “My men are looking at her like she’s a fucking piece of meat. And of all places for her to prance around… on top of the dessert buffet like she’s a god damned chocolate delicacy to sample…”
I pat his arm gently. “Stay here. I’ll handle this…You go out back and chill. Have a beer for fuck’s sake before you murder somebody.”
Slipping away from him, I turn just before I disappear into the crowd and give him a withering look as I see that he’s following me. I put my hand up in a signal to stop and mouth, “I’ve got it. Go.”
Luca stops and takes in a sharp breath as Noemi wobbles on the bar, throwing her arms out for balance. Her desperate attempt to steady herself is pointless as she topples sideways off the bar. A collective gasp rises from the crowd gathered in the room. “Shit,” I mutter and make a mad dash for where she fell.
The crowd parts as I weave in and out of the dozens of people who are staring in surprise where Noemi tottered off the side of the furniture. As I skid to a stop, I breathe a sigh of relief. Noemi is giggling in the arms of Kyle, who was apparently right near her side the whole time, despite our view of him being blocked by the crowd. He sets her down on her feet, and she bubbles with giddiness as she pets his arm gently.
I glance
over my shoulder at Luca and hold both hands up. I point to the sliding glass doors that lead outside to the lanai and Luca’s incredible pool. He scowls at me, but turns on his heel and trudges to the open bar, ordering something. The bartender pushes it across the bar, and Luca snatches it up, downs it instantly and stomps outside, nearly slamming the glass door behind himself.
I blow out a breath, watching as several tendrils of hair flutter about my face. Luca is pissed. I can only imagine he’s outside breaking something. Hopefully, it isn’t anyone’s face. He’s super protective of Noemi, and the way a few of his men were looking at her like an appetizer was unnerving… even to me. It was mostly the younger guys, and mostly those I don’t recognize. Likely some of the green boys who are still getting their feet wet. They haven’t learned yet that the boss’ sister is about as taboo as you can get.
I push my way through to Kyle and motion toward the doorway with my head. “What the hell she did drink?”
Kyle shrugs, “Nothing she shouldn’t have. A bit of champagne, mostly water.”
Noemi rolls her eyes as she pushes past us. I watch her stomp off through the crowd and disappear into the kitchen. I follow behind her and grab her arm. “Hey, are you okay?”
She puts her hands on her hips, a sour expression twisting her pretty face. “I was until my turn as catwalk lioness ended up with me looking like a drowned cat…”
I can’t help but chuckle. “Oh good grief. Royce told you to do that?”
She shrugs. “Not exactly. He told me to work it and make the room mine.”
I nod with a smile. “Well, honey… you were owning the room until the dessert table owned you. I don’t think Royce meant for you to work it on the furniture.”
Noemi pouts and walks nervously in a circle. That’s when I notice her slight limp. It was so subtle, even I wouldn’t have noticed it if I hadn’t been watching for it. “Noemi, did you hurt yourself?”
She looks up at me, biting her bottom lip in frustration. She’s so much like her brothers, it’s uncanny. She’d never admit it out loud, but I can see from the look on her face that something is wrong. I turn to Kyle and nudge him. “Can you take the princess upstairs? I bet we’re looking at a twisted ankle. I have to go talk to Luca and talk him down off the edge… he’s super pissed off about something. I mean, he didn’t appreciate the way the men…” I look at him pointedly, “...were staring at Noemi, but it’s something more. She’s eighteen now. He can’t protect her forever. He can’t avoid the politics of his position forever. And no matter how much he wants to think about it - there’s a very real possibility she’s going to end up with one of his men despite his insistence he’ll never allow it.”
Kyle bows his head at me curtly, then scoops Noemi up into his arms, cradling her gently against his chest. Kyle doesn’t come across as a man who’s ripped, but I suspect that under the thousand-dollar suits, he’s as muscular as Luca and Dante, if not more. He’s not quite as tall as the Barresi brothers, but he’s just as strong. He walks out of the room with Noemi in his arms like she weighs nothing. She’s tiny, but he’s not even breathing heavy as he begins to head up the stairs.
Now that I know Noemi is being taken care of, I wade through the thinning crowd to the back door. I glance around to make sure that nobody is watching me and slip out the glass door onto the lanai. I kick off my shoes and walk across the cold smoothness of the stone and rockwork that form the grotto surround of the pool.
It doesn’t take me long to find him. Despite the fact that his back is to me, I can feel the tension rolling off him in waves. He’s seated on the edge of the pool in his expensive, tailored, linen suit. I sigh softly and approach him, scooting his shoes and socks aside with my feet. “You okay?”
Luca shrugs his shoulders, but doesn’t turn to face me. He’s staring out over the water silently. “Do you mind if I sit?”
He shrugs again and pats the masonry beside him. I take that as an open invitation and shed my skirt, folding it up carefully and setting it several feet behind him on one of the chaise lounges. I sit down beside him and plunk my legs in the water, suddenly thankful that Royce had to foresight to put me in shorts. I lean my head on his shoulder and rest my left hand on his thigh. He’s still silent and doesn’t turn his attention away from whatever he’s staring at, but he does grip my hand in his, rubbing his fingertips along my ring finger with a just-audible sigh.
“I meant it, Luca. Despite whatever farce we may be pulling with this marriage, it doesn’t change how I feel about you. I love you, no matter what. Can you talk about it?”
He tenses and wraps his fingers around my hand, turning to look at me finally. “I feel like I’ve no control over my life anymore, Emily. Dante’s body count is creeping up; mine is astronomical. Noemi’s eighteen and prettier than ever. Did you see the way my men were looking at her? And she’s convinced she’s grown. I was supposed to protect them. My father was supposed to be doing this. But he’s dead. And I’m running La Cosa Nostra. I’m barely thirty. It isn’t my time, yet. It may be a family business, but I don’t know if I’m qualified to head it up. What if I bring our empire to its knees because I’m not good enough to be in charge?”
I nod in understanding. He’s overwhelmed. I get it. And it’s a weakness he can’t show in the presence of his men. And his position is even more complicated, because his brother, who should be his instant confidante, is one of those men. I squeeze his hand and lean up, brushing my lips over his cheek. I’ve noticed that while he has cleaned up the heavy spattering of facial hair, he hasn’t returned it to its former carefully curated style.
“Luca, I can’t help you with Dante and Noemi. They’re children of the mob, just like you. Their lives were never going to be normal, but they’re both adults. You’ve done what you set out to do. And you protected them from this family for far longer than you were ever protected. As for the men… your men have never once questioned your ascension in your father’s stead. They follow you because they’re loyal to you. They’ve always been loyal to you. Not your grandfather and not your father… you.”
Luca closes his eyes and exhales deeply. I bring his hand up to my face and kiss each of his knuckles. “It’s okay to not always have it completely together. Despite your God-like status, your men know that you’re still human. You’re allowed to have feelings, sometimes. But especially right now… it’s just me, and I’m not going anywhere. There’s not a single thing you could tell me about your past that would make me believe that I belong anywhere but right here.”
A slight smile cracks Luca’s lips as he watches me. He’s probably trying to figure out if I’m bullshitting him. I reach down to the water and flick several droplets at his face. He flinches and shakes his head quickly. “Emily, this suit is dry clean only…”
I look down at his legs which are hanging into the water and notice that he’s rolled his pants up. I shrug and stand, then deftly work my way out of the top of the dress and neatly fold it up and set it on top of the skirt. Luca turns and watches me, unabashedly eyeing my body. Nothing is hanging out, but all that’s between me and skinny dipping is a pair of skin tight white shorts and an adhesive bra that may not be waterproof.
“Emily… what are you doing?”
I shrug and walk to the edge of the pool, glancing down at him. “Dante and Mike were pretty much clearing the place out when I came out here. Kyle was taking care of Noemi. That means that I’m going to take a well-deserved pat on the back for a successful party for Noemi… and I’m going to unwind in the best way I know how.”
I put my hands over my head and dive into the pool, creating a decent splash that I hope didn’t soak Luca. I shudder as the cold of the water causes every muscle in my body to tighten, but I’m able to hold onto my breath for several more heartbeats before surfacing. When I break through the water’s surface, I notice that Luca isn’t still sitting on the side of the pool. I search around, but still don’t see him.
Then I feel the wave of water t
hat assaults my back. Coughing in surprise, I whip around in the pool, but still don’t see him. It’s dark, and the pool lights aren’t turned on, so I’ve no idea where he is, but I don’t doubt that he’s in the pool somewhere. I almost scream as he surfaces right in front of me, a glint in his eye that reflects the moon above.
“Luca!”
He chuckles and brings his hands to my sides. “What?”
“Your suit! Are you fucking crazy?!?”
He shrugs and jerks his thumb over his shoulder behind himself. He grins devilishly and pulls me up against him. Leaning in, he brushes his lips softly over me, sending a jolt of electricity through my body. “You’re not the only one who can strip fast. As for whether I’m crazy or not… probably, but the jury’s still out that one.”
EIGHT
It feels amazing to see Luca let down his guard, even if his relaxed state is in a constant state of fragility. I know his playful mood is running on borrowed time. Something big is going on within la famiglia, but Luca isn’t sharing the information with me. I haven’t been able to get anything out of anyone, in fact. Mike refuses to discuss it with me. Dante keeps changing the subject, hinting that whatever it is, it’s dangerous. Kyle doesn’t share much with me anyway, even if I’ve been spending a lot more time around him lately.