Page 40 of Mafia Princess

“I do, I’ll call valet and have it ready.” He pulls his suit pants on and grabs the phone to call through to the valet.

My heart hammers against my chest, the ache becoming unbearable at the thought of someone harming my dogs. I watch Luca in awe as he gathers all our things and is ready at the elevator doors before I’ve even managed to get my dress on. I’m so thankful for him at this moment. Not even a hesitation with the idea of stepping into enemy territory to help me.

“Come on.” He presses the elevator button again, his haste as urgent as mine.

I hurry to him and grab his neck, pulling his lips to mine. “Thank you.”

He kisses me back as the elevator doors open, snaking his arms around my waist and pulling me in with him. It feels as though the descent takes longer than ever, the feeling of impossibility sinking further into my heart.

I gaze up at the man standing here beside me; his eyebrows drawn together as he texts away on his phone. Allowing me to be silent and knowing I’ll speak when I’m ready. The elevator stops in the basement parking lot and I practically burst out of it.

“Over here.” Luca grabs my hand and leads me to the valet parking where his black Murcielago sits, purring. “I figured you wouldn’t want to go running through the hotel lobby barefoot and wearing that sexy as fuck afterglow.” He smiles at me, but it doesn’t touch his eyes like usual.

I squeeze his hand in appreciation. “Thanks, now get me home as fast as this thing can get me there, please.” I kiss him before climbing into his car and watch him hurry to the driver’s side, climb in, and throw our things at my feet.

Luca eases the car out of the hotel parking and drives into the New York traffic like a maniac, the tires on the Lamborghini spinning like circular blades. I’m hoping his fast sports car shaves off some of the time it takes to get to Staten Island.

I glance at his profile, his face serious with concentration, and I wonder what is going through his mind right at this minute. He didn’t bother buttoning up his shirt as we left the penthouse and I watch his muscles tense as he takes the corners and weaves in and out of the traffic.

We sit in silence for a few miles, the quiet not uncomfortable. I feel at ease when I’m around him, like he doesn’t expect me to change who I am or how I act. He takes me in his stride, outbursts and all. We’re not perfect together. We’re usually a dysfunctional mess. But he gets me. I reach a hand over and place it on his thigh, running my thumb in circles, helping ease my anxiety.

“Thank you, you’re way too good to me.” I squeeze his leg.

He glances at me and grins, the corners of his eyes crinkling. There’s the smile I’m used to, lighting up his face, and making him seem his usual sarcastic self.

“As if I was going to pass up getting behind enemy lines.” He winks at me.

“Oh my god.” I roll my eyes at him. “Have you text Enzo yet.”

“You betcha,” he laughs. “But seriously, I could be going into the firing line here, so they needed to know.”

My heart stammers again. “I’m a fucking idiot.” I slap myself on the forehead. “Luca, turn around, you can’t come to my Papa’s house. They’ll kill you,” I worry.

He looks over at me as though I’ve grown a second head. “Are you kidding me? There’s no way I’m passing this opportunity up. Enzo is jealous as shit that he’s not here with me. Babycakes, it’ll be okay, I’ll hide behind you if I have to. Let’s just get you there to check everything is okay.” He swerves around a car driving too slow and guns it over the Verrazano.

We pull up outside the gates of my house and my insides are in turmoil. I’m terrified of what I’ll find behind closed doors. Luca opens his window as our guard bends down and checks to see who has arrived. His eyes go wide when he sees me in the passenger seat.

“Miss Capelli, are you alright?” He asks as his gaze slices to Luca and back to me.

“Yes, just let us in. I think something’s wrong.” The urgency in my voice has him pausing for a moment, and finally pressing the gate open.

We slink up to the front of the house and I jump out without thinking, leaving Luca behind. The front door is unlocked, thank fuck, because I don’t know where my keys are at this point. I push the doors open, slamming them into the walls as I race into the kitchen.

“Hello,” I shout in panic and run to the back of the house to look outside. “Midnight, Storm,” I call through my cupped hands.

Nothing. Not one fucking twitch of movement anywhere. “Vana,” I yell at the top of my lungs.

Nothing.

I turn in circles in the middle of the kitchen, too afraid to go upstairs alone. The unease spiking my insides with jagged thorns, their barbed wire points piercing my heart. I spot Luca walking toward me, barefoot and his shirt undone. His usually calm and carefree stance tucked away and out has come the mafia son. I’ve not seen this side of him and he looks truly terrifying.

I’ve heard the rumors of the Russo cousins and the vicious and depraved way they play with their enemies. But we’ve kept this side of our lives from each other. I watch as he stalks toward me, with a Glock in his hand, and a trigger happy grin. His eyes scan the rooms leading off the main area before he comes to a stop in front of me.

“Are you okay?” He asks, concern ebbed with a need to kill in his deep voice.

I lock eyes with him. “There’s no one here?”

He looks past me out the doors. “Is that your housekeeper?”

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