Page 61 of Siren's Heart

"Then look away.” In a very mature move, I stick my tongue out at her. She flips me off with a laugh and directs her eyes right back at her phone, where she’s already been messaging back and forth with someone the whole morning.

Shaking my head, I turn back to Luca, whose hands are now on my hips, keeping me close to him.

"How did you even know we’re here today?"

"I asked Kayla," he admits with a slight shrug and nods in her direction. I jerk and look up at him, surprised. "I told her I wanted to surprise you."

"Well, you definitely achieved that." I sigh and lean into his embrace. I've been pacing our wardrobe for the past twenty minutes, counting down the seconds until we have to go and face the mob of reporters.

Today is one of those days that I'm glad that most of their questions are directed at Kayla because I'm just feeling... off. There is no way to describe it; there's just an uneasy, prickly feeling in my stomach that hasn't gone away since Luca left my apartment yesterday.

"Thank you," I mumble against his shirt. "I really needed that."

"Always happy to help." He shoots me a happy smile and presses his lips against my forehead.

I love when he does that. It makes me feel safe and cared for. His love language is most definitely touching, which works perfectly for me, because I'm enjoying every single moment of it and melt under every single one of his touches.

"Don't you have training today?" I ask him, tilting my head until I can meet his eyes

The match is only three days away now, and everyone is starting to stress about it. Naroa is tenser than I have ever seen her, shouting at anyone and anything that moves. Mike is stupidly worried that he forgot to go through anything with us, making us go through the whole choreography over and over again, correcting the smallest movements he deems mistakes, and from what I'm hearing, the football trainers are on edge as well.

"I have to be there in twenty minutes, and it's one minute to get to my car and then a fifteen-minute ride to the stadium, so I have four more minutes with you." He nods, clearly proud of himself for having thought so far ahead.

"How's Asher getting to the stadium?"

"Oh, he's sitting in the car waiting for me." From the corner of my eyes, I see Kayla tense.

I'd love to ask her about what's going on with the two of them, but whenever I breach the topic, she immediately shuts down the conversation. One time, she just turned around and left without a word, which, I mean, was fair. I’m pushy, I get it, but it’s not like she’s telling me anything if I don’t push for it.

But now I've decided to let the topic rest. If she wants to talk to me, she will. She’s an adult. She can use her mouth. I've tried enough to be there for her, but right now, I need to focus a bit more on myself.

And Luca. Pushing out a heavy sigh, I lean my head against his collarbone, thanking God for setting powder and setting spray that prevents me from leaving an imprint of my face on his shirt.

I can hear his heart beat furiously in his chest, and I can't help but feel satisfaction that I'm the reason it beats this fast.

I have no idea how I got lucky enough to find Luca, but I feel so much happier than I’ve been in a long time. Despite the uneasy feeling in my gut, despite the media or people hating on us.

"One more minute," he whispers against my head, tightening his hold. I do the same, digging my fingertips into the small of his back.

"I don't want to let go," I whine softly, making him shake with laughter and drop a kiss on my head.

"Neither do I. But I'll see you tonight?"

"Your place?"

"I'll come to yours so Rob can have the night off." Poor Rob and the rest of his security team got hired just to keep an eye on me. Poor guys. The only place where they don’t need to stand guard at my door is in my apartment building since they deem its safety measures enough.

I nod, and Luca gives me one more kiss before disappearing out the door just as quickly as he appeared there.

"Match made in heaven, I'm telling you," Kayla grumbles, and I giggle, my cheeks warming. "Or maybe hell. I repeat, disgustingly sweet."

"Are you jealous?” I can't help but tease her. She tenses for a second, before shaking her head, making her hair fly.

"Not in a million years."

Sure, Kayla, I think to myself. Keep telling yourself that.

"Naroa, I'm going to get some coffee," I shout into the room. Rob hasn't left my side all day, even standing guard while the reporters were able to ask their questions. Some of them eyed him curiously, and others seemed more suspicious, but nobody dared ask any questions about him.

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