Page 21 of The Mafia's Seamstress

I woke up in my own bed. I gingerly sat up and grabbed my head immediately. Fuck, it didn’t matter how careful I was sitting up, there was still a lingering pain. How did I get here? My bedroom door was slightly ajar and I could hear someone in my kitchen. Who the fuck was in my apartment?

All I could remember was a familiar voice calling to me and being carried inside. I placed my feet on the floor carefully, not wanting to upset my stomach. I didn’t need the nauseous acting up.

Taking a deep breath I stood up. The door opened wider and it was Luca. My shoulders sagged in relief. I guess I didn’t need to punch anyone for breaking into my apartment. Although given the state I was in earlier I think I had known it was Luca that saved me.

He was wearing a gray polo tucked into dark slimming slacks. His blonde hair was loose around his face in waves.

"How did you know where I—mafia," I said, closing my eyes. He offered a small smile. In his hands were a wet towel and a cup of tea.

"Why don't you lay back down?" His voice was gentle. I squinted at him. I wasn't sure why he was being nice. Did Dante send him? Unlike Dante, Luca had been kind from the beginning. There was an easy air around him that relaxed me. "You're not the first person I've left speechless," he said with an easy smile. I sighed. I moved to sit on the edge of the bed as he walked over.

"You can leave now," I said, my voice scratching against my ears. He softly scoffed, setting the tea on my bedside. The smell of ginger and lemon hung in the air. Ginger was good for nauseous which happened whenever I had a migraine.

"I'm not leaving," he said, taking a seat next to me. The bed shifted under his weight. I should be nervous even scared that a slightly strange man was in my apartment and sitting on my bed but I wasn’t. My lips twitched.

“You look like you’re about to laugh,” he pointed out. My cheeks heated.

“I just thought about how you’re on my bed and Dante hasn’t even made it towards my bedroom door,” I said. Luca’s eyes sparkled.

“Mhmm you sure know how to make a man feel good,” he said with a lopsided grin. I couldn’t stop myself from returning the same smile.

“You should leave,” I whispered. I tilted my head at him. His eyes looked lighter like the sky on a clear day. They were warm and inviting. He placed the towel on my forehead. I hissed at the contact. The coolness instantly relaxed me.

"I can't leave you when you're like this," he said softly, leaning closer. I noticed many dots on the outskirts of his face. I felt the urge to trace them with my finger.

"I've dealt with this before," I said as he provided delicious pressure with the towel.

"Just because you're used to doing this alone doesn't mean you have to," he whispered. He rubbed slow lazy circles on my temples. "You also realized if I wasn't there you would have been passed out on the street," he pointed out. I rolled my eyes through the pain.

"I would have made it into my car if you hadn't called my name," I said. He chuckled while shaking his head.

"You can leave," I said, reaching for the towel. He continued staring at me. He was as stubborn as Dante. I sighed. "Fine you can stay out in the living room," I said, pointing towards the door. He glanced at my bed.

"I don't know your bed looks pretty comfy," he said, patting the mattress.

"It's for one person," I said. He let out a chuckle. It wasn’t as deep as Dante’s but I couldn’t help but be slightly entranced by the sound.

"I could sit on the floor," he said, glancing at the spot by my window. I couldn't stop the smile from spreading across my face.

"Like a dog?" I teased. His eyes widened and a spark of excitement briefly coursed through me.

"Are you my master?" he asked. My cheeks flushed. My plan had briefly involved seducing Dante to get him to talk but Luca might be an easier route.

“Would you mind having a woman tell you what to do?” I asked. I placed the towel on my nightstand. He stared at me in silence as I crawled under my covers, settling in my bed. Luca didn’t answer and so I decided to ask another question.

"Does Dante know?" I asked. I reached for my tea and took a sip. I hissed at the burning liquid. Luca leaned forward, hands on either side of me.

"I haven't decided if I want to tell him yet," he said and then blew a breath to cool down my tea. My eyes were trained on his lips. They were a dusty rose and his top lip was slightly fuller. I swallowed and nodded in thanks. I took another sip and enjoyed the taste. Luca smirked and made his way to the window. He sat down, crossed legged.

“Lucia,” he called out from his position. I glanced at him as I buried myself beneath the covers.

“Yes, Luca?” I asked.

“Woof.”

CHAPTER 7

A Wolf in Rabbit’s Clothing

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