Page 10 of Finding Love

“I’ll walk you down.” He’s almost able to hold back a groan when I hesitate but not quite. “You have nothing to worry about. There’s something I need to discuss with you, that’s all.” It’s clear he’s annoyed, at the very least. I’m not giving him what he wants, like falling into his arms or something.

“We’ll see you tomorrow, only if you’re feeling up to it.” His mother takes my hand and pats it gently before Luca leads me from the room. “We’ll have a big dinner for you.”

“Thank you so much.” I sort of hate to leave her, not to mention Guilia. But her instincts were spot on. I need to be alone. My headache feels slightly better, and the blurred vision is no longer there, but who knows how long it will last.

Two armed men follow us out of the house and down the steps. “Take your time,” Luca urges. “Don’t tire yourself out.”

“I’ll be okay.” I’m not so sharp with him anymore. How can I be when he is so protective? It’s a little annoying, yet I’m starting to believe it comes from a good place.

“What is it you want to talk about?” I ask as we walk down a gravel path to a smaller house than the one we left, but one too big to be called a tiny dwelling or however they’re referred to. It’s definitely newer than the main home, with gray stone and oversized windows spread out over a single floor.

“Like I said, your phone is waiting for you inside,” he reminds me. “There’s something you need to know. You hadn’t yet told your parents about us. We were going to work out a plan for that together, you and I, while we were on vacation. We never got the chance.”

It makes sense. No matter my reasons for being with Luca, it’s not like I could tell my parents without things getting very tricky and fast. I’m having a hard time believing I ever had anything to do with him. It would be ten times worse for my parents, especially Mom.

“They should be back soon from their trip,” I offer, mentally crossing my fingers. “Where were they going again?” I whisper, pretending I don’t remember.

He jumps straight in. “It was supposed to be a tour of the Outback. Three months, if I remember correctly.”

He’s right. They spent a year planning that trip, anticipating and bringing it up at every opportunity. No way I could’ve forgotten that. And he knew about it. Another bit of proof.

“But they came back already,” he continues. “You didn’t know how to tell them. On top of that, there was your resignation.”

Reaching the house, Luca comes to a stop before turning to me. Solar lights cast a glow across his finely chiseled features. Between that and the moonlight, a girl could swoon. Of course, that could also be the exhaustion threatening to take my legs out from under me.

“They don’t know about that, either,” he explains with a sigh. “I thought you should know before you reach out to your mom or dad.”

“I guess this is another secret I’ll be keeping for a while.” I run a hand over my head, shuddering at what I feel. I’ve never been vain and have been known to go months without a trim, too busy, distracted by work. I still feel like a monster, thanks to the stitches running along my scalp.

“We’ll figure something out. You don’t have to go through this on your own.” He takes half a step closer, and I find myself trembling. Is it fear or anticipation that makes goose bumps pebble across my skin?

For one second, a flash of desire explodes deep in my belly. It’s almost enough to make me strain upward, standing on my toes to meet his lips with mine.

In other words, I need to lie down.

Alone.

“Hopefully, I’ll be able to think better once I’ve slept,” I murmur, wrapping my arms around myself and blowing out a shaky breath that turns to vapor.

His brows draw together, eyes narrowed dangerously, and there’s a second where my chest tightens until my air is cut off before he heaves a sigh. “Right. Come on. Let’s get you inside,” he grunts out, clearly offended.

Two guards flank the front door, both nodding in silent greeting as Luca unlocks the door and opens it, ushering me inside. This is no humble little cottage. It’s luxurious, full of furniture, electronics, and appliances I wouldn’t dream of having in my apartment if I could afford them.

He moves quickly, walking through the living room and past the open kitchen until he reaches the doorway through which I see the bed. “Bathroom’s in here,” he tells me, flipping a switch to turn on the lights. “I’m going to grab a few things to take up to the house.”

Meanwhile, I can’t take my attention off the king-size bed. I’ve slept in this bed. My skin tingles against my will at the thought of rolling around in the sheets, my body locked with the body of the man now moving around the room. That’s something I wish I could remember. I mean, if I degraded myself by associating with a mobster, I hope the sex was good.

I have a hard time believing it could be anything but, especially when our eyes meet across the room and a flash of heat races through me. “Thank you for everything,” I whisper for lack of anything better to say. It isn’t easy to get my thoughts together when I’m this aroused.

“Whatever it takes to get you well again.” There’s something sweet in that simple wish, even if he delivers it awkwardly. “You’re going to get well. You’ll be your old self again.”

I wonder which of us he’s trying to convince.

He hesitates, stalling for time, before finally leaving me on my own. Well, not exactly. The house will be surrounded by men all night. When Luca’s gone, it’s like a weight has lifted off me—the pressure of trying to compose myself and put on a brave face in the middle of so much confusion. Right away, I grab my phone from the nightstand. It’s off but plugged into a charger. Once powered up, I find a dozen missed texts from Mom, along with a handful of calls she made over the past few days.

Mom: Can’t wait for our dinner.

Sent three days ago.

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