For the Love of Luca

by Soraya Naomi

  “How are you feeling?” he asks, his eyes sweeping up the length of my body, from my wide black pants to the long-sleeve merino shirt that’s tucked inside and ending at my gold hoop earrings.

  “Good since the twins slept at the same time today.”

  His eyes linger at my breasts as I stifle a chuckle, and when I wave my hand, Luca’s gaze snaps up to my face.

  “You were talking to my breasts,” I say, making his mouth turn up into a grin.

  “Well, they do demand my attention in that tight shirt.” He moves toward me with long steps, and I retreat at the same pace as Luca’s playful behavior rubs off on me.

  I look up through my eyelashes, confessing, “I like how they’re a cup size bigger.”

  “Me too,” he growls around a smirk.

  And he bounds forward, but I dash to the side to run down the hall and into the bedroom, craning my neck to see Luca approaching me. As he crosses the threshold, he jumps forward and grabs my waist, tossing me onto the bed and then bracing himself over me while I kick off my ballet flats.

  The warmth of his naked, chiseled torso seeps into me while I slip my hands up his arms and neck. Luca lets out a sigh, grazing his lips over mine as my breath catches when he tenderly swipes my bangs from my forehead, his green gaze burning into me. A gaze that, for once, isn’t unreadable but bursting with desire.

  On their own accord, my nails rove over his strong, clean-shaven jawline as I whisper, “Ti amo,” right before he angles his mouth over mine, forcing my lips open with the insistent pressure of his skillful tongue.

  Then he presses his lips to my collarbone and covers it with gentle little bites, growling, “Lascia che io ti ami.” Let me love you.

  His words appease my restless heart as he gives himself to me fully again, and when his palms glide over my breasts and down my sides to pull up my shirt and remove it, I don’t feel a trace of distance between us.

  Around a wicked smile, he kisses his way down my throat and yanks my bra down, covering my nipple with his tongue and making my back arch off the bed as unadulterated longing runs through my limbs.

  “Ah, Luca,” I mutter as he sucks my nipple while unbuttoning my pants. Then he kisses down to my navel and glances up while he tongues it, dragging my pants and panties over my legs to cast them onto the floor. Luca’s dark hair falls across his forehead as he takes in my flushed skin with hunger. Breathing raggedly, he kneels on the bed between my legs, but I place my foot against his abs, and he cocks his head.

  “I want you naked too,” I say, causing the corners of his lips to quirk up as I push down his sweats with my toes, and he stands up to remove them along with his black boxers.

  Gripping my knees, he spreads my legs apart as he leans down and licks a path up the inside of my thigh, then he slices his tongue over my core, delicately stroking me and ordering, “Look at me,” as he always does.

  Unable to deny him, I look down as he parts my folds and smoothly slips his tongue inside of me, mimicking the sexual act while circling my swollen nub. My back bows off the mattress when he sucks hard as I push against his mouth, wanting more of his lashing tongue. He teases me and almost takes me to climax but then stops to pleasure me with long, languid strokes. I squirm and wriggle beneath him, which spurs him on as he fervently tastes me.

  “Fuck, Luca!” I pant right before he crawls upward and settles over me, nestled between my legs, and he rubs his hard length against my soaking center.

  Grabbing the back of my neck, Luca kisses me fiercely, and I lock my arms and legs around him, adoring the feeling of his weight on me and making sure that every part of our naked skin is touching.

  “I need you,” he whispers and eases inside before withdrawing and plunging in deeper.

  My hips arch with every push until he thrusts all the way in, letting out a growl as he bottoms out, staring into my eyes. Then he latches his mouth on to mine, our hips rubbing together, and he stimulates my tender core. He rolls his pelvis to meet me, his palms moving down to capture my behind as he begins to fuck me. Slow and steady. At last, we make love again. This isn’t a quickie. It’s the way he and I connect on a level that only true lovers do.

  A thin sheen of sweat breaks out on his forehead while our bodies slap together, and then Luca sits us up, guiding my legs around his hips so that I feel him even deeper inside me. His nails rake up my spine, up to my nape to tangle in my hair, and grip the roots as his other hand kneads my ass.

  “God, Fallon,” he rasps, his hot breath in my neck as I rock up and down his shaft.

  Then I make circles, causing Luca to groan and bite my earlobe. My toes curl as he possessively molds my behind, urging me on. I plant my feet into the sheets as Luca’s hands fit to my waist and he bucks up. Our lovemaking turns wilder as he owns me, bending forward to suck my nipple while I bow my back, mashing my center over his arousal and seeking more pleasure until it starts to crests into an outburst.

  But Luca lifts me off him, rolling me onto my stomach to pull me back on all fours, and he drives into me from behind. Pistoning inside, he grips my waist as my body is pushed forward, and when he strokes his nails up my curving spine, I shudder.

  Although I notice a frantic manner in his actions, I get distracted by sparks igniting in my belly when Luca hammers into me, his fingers digging into my skin. Biting my lip, I push back, needing more of him. And with him planted inside of me, I close my eyes, whimpering and mewling, “Oh, Luca, please...”

  Luca spreads me wide as he continues, his head buried in my neck as he commands, “Fuck! Take me deep.”

  Then pleasure bursts from my stomach to my toes as his groin slaps against my ass, and I tremble uncontrollably before falling on the bed.

  Around a low growl, he spears inside twice before going slack on top of me, and we catch our breath.

  For a long, silent moment, we lie together until he places a kiss on my temple and rolls to the side. Both of us turn so that we’re facing each other, and Luca drags me close by my middle while he scoots down a little. My arms loop around his neck as we hug each other. No, we cling to each other. When he tangles our legs, I rest my chin on his head as he kisses me between my breasts and I realize he still hasn’t called me dolcezza. The dark cloud above my head returns.

  But then Luca gazes up with half-lidded eyes and surprises me by saying, “I’ll always protect you.” Which is his way of apologizing for being distant.

  “I know,” I reply; however, the truth is, he won’t always be able to protect me.

  CHAPTER 19

  Fallon

  AFTER A NIGHT WITH only a few hours of sleep because both babies kept us up, I’m already dressed in my black jeans and garnet red sweater that hangs off one shoulder at eight a.m. While we’re seated on the couch, I wrench up Milana’s pants over her cute, big butt. She keeps kicking her legs, so I grab her feet to rub them together, making her giggle as she squirms her tiny body.

  At that moment, Luca wanders into the living room, ready for work, buckling his brown leather belt as he goes into the kitchen. It’s still dark, so he switches on the spotlights and presses the top button on the built-in coffee machine. Then he flicks on the electric kettle and grabs two black mugs from the cabinet above.

  “I’ll be home this afternoon today. I’m going to the warehouse with Adriano to check the last shipment, but I’m not going to the club afterward since we’re preparing to close it anyway.” When the coffeemaker beeps, he pours himself a cup before grabbing a teabag from the tin on the kitchen island, dipping it into the other mug, and pouring water over it.

  “Okay. I’ll be here. Rosalia’s taking the kids because Adam wants to play with them. She’s coming at nine, and I’ll get them from her apartment around noon,” I say just as Milana wraps her fingers around my pinky. “She’s growing faster than Noah. I think she’s going to be tall, like you. Her fingers are so long.”

  Luca approaches us, sipping his coffee and setting my tea on the table. But when Milana sees
Luca, she coos and charms him with a wide smile, making his controlled expression soften and melting my heart. He places his drink on the table as well before picking her up and holding her firmly against his chest. As he kisses her head and his eyes fall closed, I can tell he feels more serene than he has in weeks. And it prevents me from reopening the discussion regarding the message no one believes I received in the first place. Though the fact that Luca isn’t visiting Club 7 today works in my favor.

  When he glances at the kitchen clock, he leans down to hand me Milana, and she begins to bawl as he takes his navy suit jacket from the bar stool.

  “I’m already late. I have to pick up Adriano,” he informs yet looks torn as he stares at Milana’s sad eyes, which is adorable. Only the twins have this effect on Luca.

  “Go. She screams bloody murder every time one of us leaves.” I chuckle at him, and he sends me a pretend glare as he grabs his gun from the counter and stashes it in the back of his waistband.

  Then he walks to the elevator but spins around and moves back to me to bend forward and press his lips to mine, cradling the back of my head to deepen our kiss. A lengthy, tender kiss that solidifies our bond that can never be broken. It might bend when issues arise but will never sever entirely – I hope.

  When he straightens, I grin. “I can’t wait for you to get back home.”

  Laughing, he returns to the elevator, steps inside, and gazes at Milana and me until the doors close.

  I stroke my finger over my mouth for a long while before I decide to proceed with my plan. I need to get my phone checked again. I must have proof, although I won’t put myself or my twins in any danger, so my best and safest option is to have it screened by one of the IT guys at Club 7. I also recall that there’s always a man present in the security room, and since Luca isn’t going to be at the club, this is my window of opportunity.

  After Rosalia and Adam come to get the twins, I rush out of the apartment.

  WHEN I SNEAK INSIDE the empty club, I hurry up the staircase to the balconied second floor and go to Adriano’s corner office, which is locked. However, the adjacent door to the security room isn’t, so I ease it open and see Tez sitting behind one of four computers, dressed in a brown suit.

  His gaze whips to me. “Good morning, why are you here so early?”

  Since he’s the only man in the room, I have no choice but to ask for his assistance, “I want an IT guy to check to see if my phone has been tampered with this month.”

  He studies me but doesn’t shoot me down immediately. “Is this still about that message you claim you received? Didn’t Henry do it for you, like I advised you?”

  “Yes, but he didn’t have much time, so maybe he missed something,” I lie, not mentioning that I suspect one of the high ranking men to be involved.

  Nervously, I glance down the vacant hallway.

  “Okay, give me your phone.” Tez holds out his palm.

  Even though I’m astonished he’s willing to help me, I quickly dig through my purse that’s hung over my shoulder until I locate it and slip inside the room to give it to him.

  He connects it to the computer with a black cable and reaches for the mouse next to the keyboard. “What am I looking for?”

  “Can you see if any sent messages were deleted on January seventh? That’s the day I received a text from someone using Luca’s name.”

  “Give me a second...” He clicks away with the mouse and then scrolls down.

  All of a sudden, there’s a voice coming from down the hallway, the sound nearing us fast, and before I know it, a man enters the security room.

  I swivel around just when Tez slides a piece of paper over my phone to hide it and comments, “Paul, what do you need?”

  The beefy guy holds up a set of keys, answering with a thick Italian accent, “Adriano forgot one of his burner phones. He’s coming up but asked me to check his office for him.” Then he speeds to the connecting door and unlocks it, disappearing into the office.

  Oh, no! If Adriano’s coming, then Luca could be coming too.

  Tez and I exchange a worried glance before I rotate my hand, silently telling him to hurry. He faces the screen once again to type something on the keyboard.

  “Do you see anything?” I whisper, keeping an eye on both doors incessantly.

  “Nah...” He abruptly stops scrolling. “Wait! You’re right. A message was deleted on January tenth.”

  “What was I doing then?” I muse out loud, racking my brain while glaring at the floor before my stare lands back on Tez. “Oh, my god. That’s the day I went to see Henry.”

  A crease forms between his brows. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes!” I tuck my bangs behind my ear, my mind spinning. “Can you see what was deleted?”

  “I’d have to retrieve it—” he begins yet is cut off by Luca’s voice coming from the office.

  “Did you find it?” Luca asks as Adriano mutters some curse words, and I inch closer to Tez and point to my phone before crooking my finger to give it back fast.

  Tez yanks the cable loose as my palms perspire, and in the meantime, the other guy informs Adriano and Luca, “Your wife’s here.”

  “Cam?” Adriano says as Tez shoves the device into my hand.

  I pull open my purse.

  “No. Fallon,” Paul replies just as I toss my phone into my purse the second before Luca’s tall, commanding frame darkens the doorway.

  He looks from me to Tez and back to me, his lips thinning into a hard line, and then he arcs one brow.

  Tez pretends to be reading something on the screen yet glances over his shoulder and casually greets, “Hey.”

  Luca ignores him and as Adriano stops next to him and narrows his eyes, he demands, “What are you doing here?”

  “Got it,” Paul speaks from the other room and comes up behind Adriano, who thanks him and gestures for him to scram.

  “Fallon?” Luca repeats in a disgruntled voice while I wonder how to respond as I try to find something to do with my hands.

  I can’t update him until I know what time the text was deleted and I have hard evidence. Nonetheless, I can’t imagine that Henry would mess with me, but from what Tez said, that’s a very likely scenario.

  “I’m meeting Cam,” I answer, knowing she’s shopping in the neighborhood. “But I had to use the restroom, so I stopped by here.” Since I never use public bathrooms, this isn’t unusual.

  “Oh yeah, she’s at the mall.” Adriano turns and goes back into his office, seemingly content with my reply.

  And thank god, Luca’s coiled body relaxes as he walks into the room, and I let out a furtive sigh. Though now, I have to call Cam and go meet her. Shit!

  Regardless, when Luca approaches me with a slow grin, I crave to hold on to our moments of happiness, for the simple reason that they’ve been fleeting lately.

  He cups my cheeks, yet there’s a firmness in his touch that bothers me, and that feeling grows when he orders, “Call me when you go home.”

  I frown but murmur, “Okay.”

  Then I turn around after fake-smiling to Tez. As I withdraw from the room, I notice that Luca doesn’t return to Adriano’s office, but I don’t hear their voices as I tread down the hallway.

  Getting my phone, I call Cam, but she doesn’t answer, so I send her a message that I want to meet her. She replies quickly that she won’t be at the mall much longer, which works out well for me.

  Anxiously, I exit the club and hail a cab at the front entrance, and during my ride home in the pouring rain, my brain is all over the place. Why would Henry be behind this? Maybe to move up in rank faster? Yet it doesn’t make sense to me – he will already become the boss one day, and he doesn’t strike me as someone who craves more power at his age.

  However, the message was indeed sent, because it was deleted. At least I know I’m not going crazy now.

  As I grip my phone, I do an online search for anonymous sending texts. To my surprise, it shows me results for something called spo
ofing. Swiping down, I read that spoofing allows callers to forge ID information and present false names and numbers so that it looks like the call or text is originating from anyone you want.

  My eyes widen. This entirely explains how it looked like the message was from Luca, even though he never sent it. And Henry would know exactly how to spoof since he’s a hacker.

  What the hell is going on? The more information I unravel, the more suspicious Henry appears.

  After stopping at the Blackhall, I pay the driver and step out, lost in thought, realizing I need to tell Luca what I’ve discovered as soon as he comes home. Tez can verify my story, and then he’ll just have to retrieve the deleted text and I’ll have my proof.

  When I pass the reception area, I look up and stop dead in my tracks. Henry’s leaning against the desk and smiles at me, lifting up a package and saying, “I have the streaming box that Luca wanted. I’ll connect it for him.”

  Caught off guard, I hesitate before approaching the elevator and regard Henry.

  He seems to be at ease as he asks, “Where were you so early?”

  “Out,” I answer tersely, as the elevator pings and we move inside. I slide my key in the penthouse button so that the doors will automatically open upstairs. Going up, it’s uncomfortably silent, and once we reach the top, Henry follows me inside to the kitchen.

  Unsettled, I turn around. “Why are you really here?”

  His brows pull together. “To connect this,” he repeats, assessing me in an intimidating way.

  Then, when Henry digs inside his jacket pocket, I sink my hand into my unzipped purse, take out my gun, and raise my arm, aim fixed on him.

  His palms shoot up. “What the fuck, Fallon?! I was only getting my phone.”

  “Why are you here? You deleted my message!”

  “What?! What are you talking about?” He clenches his jaw, gritting out, “Put the gun down!”

  Yet all the information I’ve discovered plays through my mind and I’m unable to do what he says. I told everyone that someone was messing with Luca and me, and the perpetrator is in my apartment and one of the most important men in the Syndicate.