“Not really. That was just life; it never occurred to me that there was anything wrong with it.”
“What about the dangers?”
“I know this is going to be hard to believe after what you’ve just gone through, but there isn’t much more threat being in the family than there is driving at rush hour. Sometimes, things happen. It’s an unfortunate part of life—there’s never any way to be totally risk-free.”
“Yeah, but it seems like it would be best to minimize that risk if at all possible.”
Mom’s head listed to the side, and she gave me a sad smile. “Sometimes, risk is the only way you get to the most beautiful parts of life. Your father was worth whatever risk came with him. I don’t regret one day I’ve spent with him, even when he leaves his dirty dishes on the counter.”
My mom hounded my dad incessantly about cleaning up after himself, and it never stuck. Maybe it was some kind of bizarre game between them. I had no idea, but it was an endearing part of their relationship that made them my parents. The reminder made me smile, but it quickly fell from my face when I thought of what I needed to ask next.
“What about Marco?” The words were nothing but a frightened whisper. I didn’t want to hurt her, but I needed to know how she reconciled Dad’s role in my brother’s death.
She physically recoiled at the reminder. “I think a parent always shoulders an unbearable amount of guilt when their child dies, no matter the cause. Your father and I will always regret not keeping Marco safe, but we can’t take responsibility for the actions of monsters. When a school is shot up, a parent can’t blame themselves for not homeschooling their kids. Drunk drivers and terrorists, murderers and rapists—bad people are everywhere, in every walk of life.”
I stared at my mom, my eyes searching hers and finding the strength and compassion I’d always known from her. “I’m scared, Momma,” I admitted softly.
“I know, baby. But your father and I don’t want you to miss an opportunity just because you’re scared. We know how you like to walk the straight and narrow, but sometimes, you have to step out of your comfort zone.”
“You and Dad?” I narrowed my eyes at her. “Did Dad send you over here?”
She huffed out a breath and squirmed in her seat. “I would have come over to check on you anyway, but Luca came to talk to your father, and this killed two birds with one stone.”
“Luca went to talk to Dad? About me?” I was stunned. Luca wasn’t the type of man to cower, but I also couldn’t imagine him approaching my dad about dating me. Maybe it had been about business matters, and I was just being presumptive.
“That man has it bad for you, honey. You should give him a chance.”
“Mom! You should be on my side!”
“He’s cute,” she shrugged. “You could do a lot worse.”
I shook my head, fighting the pull of a smile. We finished our lunch without any further heavy conversation. When it came time for her to leave, I was almost sad to see her go. We weren’t best friends like some mother/daughter combos I knew, but I preferred the way things were. She was my mother, not my friend. I could count on her to give me hard truths and to love me with her whole heart.
I spent the afternoon growing more and more bored, making me realize it was time to go back to work come Monday. Being a stay-at-home wife had worked for my mom, but I wasn’t sure that was in the cards for me. I loved my job and the feeling of accomplishment that came with it. Pacing in my apartment as the city moved on without me was excruciating.
I had just wiped down my countertops for the third time when a knock sounded at my door. I wasn’t expecting anyone, which never would have bothered me before, but now, an unannounced visitor gave me reason for pause. I quietly approached the door and peeked through the peephole.
Luca.
The tension in my neck eased, and my cheeks warmed in anticipation of talking with him. I’d told myself I didn’t want to see him until I’d decided what I wanted, but the temptation was too great. It had been days since I’d laid eyes on him, and the draw of knowing he was just a few steps away had my hand undoing the lock.
When I opened the door, the unobstructed sight of him stole the air from my lungs. He was more beautiful than I remembered, and the magnetism between us was impossibly strong after our brief separation. He was dressed casually, t-shirt and jeans, but his hair was neatly styled, and his face was unreadable, making my stomach clenched with unease.
“Hey,” I offered softly. “Come in.” I stepped back, making room for him, sure to lock the door behind him.
He didn’t off a greeting, not with words. Luca was a man of action, and he let his body do the talking. Stepping close, his eyes devoured my face, searching, learning, memorizing every detail. I would never be more revered than I was in this man’s eyes. He cupped either side of my face, and I stared into those black eyes, twin vortexes sucking me deeper into the depths of his darkness.
He had become the air I breathed, and only now that I was with him again did I feel alive.
My lips tingled with the urge to kiss him. His hands ran up my back, pulling me closer until I was pressed flush against him. I could feel his length hardening, pressing against the confines of his pants, and I reveled in the knowledge that he was just as addicted to me as I was him.
My hands found their way to his belt, fumbling at the buckle before he took over and made quick work of it. I slid my hands up under his shirt to the delicious warmth of his hard stomach. As his pants dropped to the ground, I slid my hands lower and cupped his solid length. The warmth of his stomach was nothing compared to the searing heat of his cock. Our lips devoured one another as each article of clothing was discarded to the floor.
He stood back for a moment and took in my bandages and the exposed wounds that were small enough to heal on their own. His face went feral with the promise of revenge. Uncomfortable under his gaze, I maneuvered my arms to hide some of the uncovered wounds, but he grabbed my hands and pulled them away.
“Don’t cover yourself. I want to see you, all of you.”
“Luca, there are going to be scars—I won’t look like I did before.” My eyes fell as worry set in.
“Look at me,” he commanded, waiting to continue until my eyes met his. “There’s nothing that man did or could ever have done that would make you any less beautiful to me. Understand?” He paused, waiting for my agreement. “Now, I know you’re still hurt, but I need to be inside you, feel you, know that you’re mine.”
His guttural demand roused an aching need in my core, making my breaths shaky and shallow. “I’m okay, you won’t hurt me.”
Luca lifted me into his arms gingerly and walked us back to my bed where he lay me down, hovering over me. For long minutes, he worshipped every inch of my body, kissing, sucking, licking until I was writhing with need. Not waiting for permission, Luca lined up his cock with my entrance and pressed inside me in one long motion.
My eyes went wide at the delicious pressure of my body adjusting to his size, and his eyes held mine as his fingers entwined with my own.
Allowing me an unguarded view into his soul, Luca made love to me. He flayed me open, bare for him, the swell of electric pressure building inside me, threatening to shatter me.
“I love you, Alessia. You’re mine, and I can’t let you go. Not now, not ever,” he rasped as he pumped inside me.
His words ignited my fuse, sending me careening over the edge into a place without rules or boundaries—a place where it was only the two of us and infinite serenity. As he rocked into me languidly, allowing me to coast on the waves of pleasure he’d given me, I was swallowed by a swell of emotion. An emotion so blinding and pure, there was no mistaking it.
Love.
I was in love with Luca Romano.
Regardless of what he did for a living or who he associated with, I loved this man. My eyes drifted open, and I met his gaze, knowing every bit of my revelation was being broadcasted on my
face. He stilled, his body going eerily motionless above me, and I wonder if I had done something wrong. There could have been no misunderstanding his words, but his reaction to my confession was unsettling—such disturbing intensity, I squirmed under his scrutiny.
Whatever had come over him only lasted a matter of seconds. His eyes blazed with triumph and determination before he pulled out and slammed back into me. I gasped at the blinding stab of sensation his assault created in my sensitive core. Over and over, he pummeled into my body with the ferocity of a man possessed, as if he were trying to force his way inside me until we were one body.
Still stimulated from my orgasm, my body was instantly back on the precipice, but this time, the building pressure was too much. I panted and flexed, trying to control the feeling that threatened to annihilate me.
Without pausing for breath, Luca demanded my submission. “Don’t fight it, Alessia. Don’t fight me. Give it to me, give me everything.”
My body detonated, limbs convulsing, and an inhuman cry tore from my throat. At the same time, Luca roared his release, dropping his head down like a man kneeling at an altar.
He was just as much a prisoner to this thing between us as I was.
The realization struck me as I coasted down from my orgasmic high. Luca lowered himself and nuzzled my neck, placing reverent kisses against my sweat-lined skin. Our bodies heaved with exertion, intertwined as we recovered together silently.
I was at peace when I was with Luca. I didn’t feel the need to prove myself or strive for acceptance. With him, I wasn’t just enough—I was everything. He accepted me just as I was, and I owed him nothing less.
Love was unconditional, and I felt that when I was with him.
I never wanted to lose that feeling.
“I love you, too,” I whispered in the dimly lit room, and the words hung in the air. I didn’t feel as nervous voicing them as I thought I would. They were a natural part of this thing that had grown between us.
Luca stared at my face until I gave in and met his gaze. “Say you’re mine. I want to hear the words.”
I didn’t hesitate. “I’m yours.” I wanted to say the words—I wanted to be his.
Neither of us said another word. There was no reason for any other sentiment. As complex as everything else was, what existed between us was simple, and there was no need to sully it. He rolled to his side and pulled me back against his chest where I fit perfectly into the curve of his body.
I never imagined myself with a man like Luca, but now that I had him, I couldn’t imagine my life without him. Plans and aspirations were great, but sometimes, life threw a curveball, and you simply had to adjust your swing.
My family was in the mafia, as was the man I loved.
It wasn’t the life I’d seen for myself, but it was the life I was choosing—my new path, which promised to be every bit an adventure.
Epilogue
Alessia
“I can’t believe you’re doing this,” I muttered with my eyes cast outside the car window, watching the city blocks whiz by.
“It shouldn’t be such a shock. You go to family dinners every Sunday—we’re together now, so I’m going with you.” Luca’s voice was light with amusement, clearly enjoying my discomfort.
“It hasn’t even been a full week, and you’re already inviting yourself to my parents’ place for dinner? Yeah, I’m a little shocked—shocked and anxious.”
“Baby, you have nothing to worry about. Your dad and I have an understanding.”
My head whipped to the side where he smirked in the driver’s seat, one arm draped lazily over the steering wheel. “What do you mean ‘an understanding?’”
“He knows I’m not letting you out of my sight, not when things are still so turbulent. Plus, he gave me his blessing to date you, so it’s not a problem,” he explained as if describing his favorite dessert rather than the status of our relationship.
“When did this happen?” I gaped at him. Why hadn’t my father mentioned they’d had a conversation about our relationship?
“It was while you were … gone.” His voice deepened, and he took hold of the steering wheel with a white-knuckle grip. “It wasn’t something he said in so many words, but he gave his approval. Trust me.”
Well, this should be interesting. “Glad you two sorted everything out. Maybe next time, you’ll want to fill me in when it’s my love life you’re arranging.” I gingerly crossed my arms over my chest, more interested in broadcasting my annoyance than avoiding the discomfort of my healing wounds.
Luca’s eyes glanced my direction, and his lips pulled back in a broad grin. “Try and be annoyed all you want. You know that sass just makes me hard.”
I tried not to smile, I really did, but that damn playboy charm of his got me every time. I shook my head, and instead of arguing, opted to enjoy the scenery as we finished the drive to my parents’ house. We pulled up at the same time as Sofia, so I exited the car with a deep breath and prepared for the introductions.
“Hey, Sof.”
“Lessi, oh my God, it’s so good to see you!” She pulled me in for a gentle hug, then searched my eyes for confirmation I was alright. We’d spoken over the phone since my kidnapping but hadn’t seen each other in person.
My father had suggested we tell her that my abduction had been a freak kidnapping and I’d managed to escape my captors by sheer luck. The lie about what had happened to me was not too far off the truth, but it still felt eerie how easily it had slipped off my tongue. She didn’t ask many questions, and those she did ask had been centered around my current welfare rather than the circumstances of my abduction. She knew that Sal and our father had parted ways, but she didn’t know he was in any way connected to my kidnapping. Looking at her golden hair glistening in the sun, I hoped none of that ugliness ever touched her.
I smiled at her warmly, then stepped back toward Luca. “I’m doing great, Sof, I promise. I suppose I have some introductions to make. Luca, this is my little sister, Sofia. Sof, this is Luca, my … um …”
“Boyfriend,” he filled in, taking Sofia’s hand in his.
Holy crap, Luca called himself my boyfriend!
Warmth filled my chest, easing some of the tension that had coiled on the way over.
“It’s wonderful to meet you,” she offered shyly but smiling ear-to-ear.
“Alright, let’s get this over with,” I murmured, pulling a smiling Luca toward the front door. I pushed down on the lever to find the door locked, so I pressed the bell. Within seconds, the door swung wide, and my father welcomed us inside.
“Alessia, Sofia,” he said as he kissed each of our cheeks, then turned to Luca with a hand outstretched. “Luca, I’m glad you could make it.”
The two men shook as I stared on in astonishment. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get used to seeing my dad welcome a man I’d brought home. There’d only been a couple in the past, and each time, my father had been positively brutish.
Dad turned to me with a questioning raise of his brow. “You two go help your mother. I need to have a word with Luca.” Without waiting for a response, Dad ushered Luca toward his office.
I turned to Sofia, who gaped at me with a mirrored look of surprise. “I feel like I’ve walked into a funhouse full of mirrors and illusions. Who was that man?” I asked as I looked back to where my father had disappeared down the hall.
“No idea. They’ve both been acting odd. Mom took me shopping with her yesterday to get a dress for my party. She hasn’t asked to shop with me in years—we never agree on anything.”
“Did you find a dress?”
“Eventually, but it wasn’t easy. Everything she liked had rhinestones or tulle.” She did an exaggerated full-body shiver. “And that wasn’t the worst of it! She tried to set me up with a guy—the worst possible guy she could have picked.”
My eyes bulged wide. “Nico?”
“The one and only,” she confirmed, her lips pursed firmly
together. “I have no idea what she was thinking.” Sofia shook her head in exasperation and led the way back toward the kitchen. My mother didn’t know everything that had gone on between Sofia and Nico, nor did I for that matter, but she should have known enough not to try to set them up on a date. I was just as confused as Sofia.
We joined Mom in the kitchen, the men meeting us in the dining room just as we placed the food on the table. The new addition to our family dinner helped give a new flow to the conversation, which was far less awkward than expected. My dad was unusually engaging, and Luca was the perfect gentleman. I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.
By the time we said our goodbyes and made our way to the car, I was exhausted. The night had gone well, but my overactive nerves and still-healing body had drained every ounce of energy. I laid my head back against the headrest and took a deep breath as Luca made his way to the driver’s side.
“Let’s go home,” I said softy, my head turning to take in his stunning features in the dim light of the car.
He reached out and traced his knuckles down the line of my jaw. “And where would that be?” he rumbled in a voice I felt deep in my belly.
“Wherever you are.” It was a little cheesy, but it was how I felt. I didn’t care if he took me to my place or his, as long as he was with me.
“My girl’s tired. I enjoy the sass, but there’s always room for soft and sweet as well. We’ll head to your place—I want you to get a good night’s sleep.” He pulled the car out of the driveway and started the thirty-minute drive home.
“Thanks for making dinner go so smoothly.”
“I told you there was nothing to worry about.”
“Easy for you to say, it wasn’t your parents. Speaking of, what did my dad say to you in his office?” I peered at him curiously, a small surge of energy giving me life as I remembered their private conversation.
“It looks like Sal was doing more than lighting fires among the families—he’s done something to piss off the Russians. Your father is amping up security for you girls until we can get it all sorted out. I don’t want you to worry, though. We’re going to get it all sorted and find that bastard, Sal. In the meantime …” he said, his voice growing warm and honeyed. “I’m going to take excellent care of you, all day and all night.” He glanced at me, and our eyes locked for a long second full of promise.
Forever Lies (The Five Families Book 1) Page 21