Page 78 of Claimed By the Enforcer

Stefano hesitated, casting me an evil glare and Luca yanked up on his arm, straining his shoulder to an unnatural angle.

"Last chance or they will be doing reconstructive surgery on your shoulder just to help you keep some use of it."

"Okay, okay. Fine. She's a useless bitch anyway. You can have her."

Luca released Stefano's arm. He rolled his shoulders stiffly, wincing a bit before Luca punched him square in the jaw.

"Now, get out."

Once he steadied his footing, Stefano spat blood on the floor in my direction and stormed out of the room. I stared, dumbfounded, at where he had been standing.

"The nerve of that guy," Luca started, turning to me before rushing to my side. "Mira? Are you okay?"

"He's right." My voice came out void of all emotion.

"What?"

"He's right." My voice wavered. "It's my fault that my baby is dead."

And with those words, my heart fully shattered. I sobbed so hard that I thought I might die. I cried out in anguish as pure agony overtook me.

Chapter 28

Luca

I drove to the Venturi compound to see Mira as I had every day for the three months since her return from Sicily. Getting past losing a child was more than I could imagine and yet, Mira had made great strides from the woman curled up in bed, crying, like she had for the first month.

At first, I’d worried that she would never be the same again. That losing her baby would be the thing to break her completely but each day, I’d witnessed her gradual improvement. I was particularly excited to spend the day with her because we had plans for me to take her to the Venturi office complex where she would be opening her own law practice.

None of the particulars had been planned yet and the office building was little more than white walls and a few abandoned pieces of office furniture, but we would have it up and running in no time.

Teo had wanted to set up the whole office for Mira as a surprise to help encourage her, but I thought that it would be better to see what design she had in mind and let her put her own stamp on the space.

It would be good for her to keep busy sooner rather than later. She’d been so heartbroken from the accident that I wanted to do anything and everything I could to take her mind off of it.

I pulled up at the house and climbed out of my car but just before I knocked on the door, Mia opened it and stepped outside, looking slightly suspicious.

“Mia, what are you doing?” I stepped back from the door to give her room on the stoop.

“We need to talk.”

“Of course. Is everything okay?”

“Mira wants to back out of your plans today.”

“Why?”

“She’s having trouble leaving. She said that she could just set up an office in the house, but I told her there was no room for another office at home. I could tell she didn’t believe me, but she didn’t bother to ask questions about it.”

“I’ll talk to her.”

“You have to convince her to leave the house. She hasn’t been off of the family property since the day she came home.”

“Really? I knew it was bad, but I didn’t realize it was that bad.”

“Please, Luca? I don’t know what else I can say to convince her that she needs to get out and see something besides the walls of this compound.”

“I’ll do what I can.”

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