Page 51 of Protecting Charity

“You better be joking.”

I wiped the tears from my eyes in time to see Charity pick her suitcase up to carry it up the stairs, and in a sing-song voice, she said, “Kidding.” She turned her back on him and left Luca to fume in his own pile of annoyance.

She squealed as he chased her up the stairs. “Charity, I'm going to chain you in the garage and beat your ass.”

Her laughter ricocheted down the stairs. It had been too long since these walls heard happiness, and it warmed my heart.

Chapter 20

Charity

This was oddly domestic, and I liked it. I begged my heart not to get used to it.

I slept next to Luca in his bed, his heavy breathing coming in deep and slow, telling me he was in a deep sleep. My body stirred with aches and pains from the car accident plus nerves from the upcoming masquerade. Another sleepless night I can add to the count.

Shifting in bed, my mind raced with the events that kept reminding me of the control slipping through my fingertips, which seemed to be most of the scenarios lately. One of those events almost cost me Nico, causing me to become physically sick.

When I came up empty at Nora’s, it brought about feelings of failure and worthlessness. That’s how I felt now. How many more times would someone try to kill me and, in turn, put them at risk? After we handled Allie, maybe I should distance myself from them until I find out who was after me. I couldn’t live with myself if they got caught in the crossfire.

Striking out repeatedly was never good for anyone’s psyche. I was failing my brother, and I damn near failed Allie the moment her sister gurgled to death. Second chances don’t come often, so I’ll take full advantage of it tonight. But if this assassin takes me out, I’ll fail her too. That wasn’t in my hands as much as I hated to admit it. It was too early to be bringing up fate, but it sure felt like she had it out for me. It almost feels like I’ve cheated death one too many times, and my number was coming up. The ticket was in my hands, but I couldn’t see the number or when it was coming.

I turned on my side, facing Luca to stare at his tranquil, dreaming face. The first time I saw him sleeping, I thought I’d never see it again, and now, here I am, sleeping in his bed, admiring his strength. What I’d give to have the amount of perseverance he has to deal with all the moving chess pieces while I was just the pawn navigating the trivial obstacles. How did he keep it together when I felt like each new hurdle broke off a part of me?

Cannoli jumped onto the bed, finally settling down and curled up between Luca and me. He rubbed up against my hand and purred louder as if he knew my soul needed soothing. I settled my head into the crevice in my pillow and closed my eyes while trying to resist the urge to open them and stare back at the ceiling. Not too long after, my body became heavy and sank into the mattress like quicksand. My mind took a dark dive into the wild waves of imagination and dreams. Another uncontrollable place, but one where I knew I was safe no matter how scary the world around me became.

∞∞∞

My eyes shot open from shouting and Cannoli’s cries of protest.

The sun shone in through the curtained windows, causing me to blink rapidly and squint. Wasn’t it just dark? How long did I sleep? What was that god-awful noise?

I shot up in bed and rubbed my eyes, looking for the source of the sound to find Luca trying to pull Cannoli off the bed as his claws dug into the comforter, tearing it to shreds. Luca refused to let up. I guess he really wanted him off the bed.

“He’s more tenacious than you, so I suggest you allow him to stay.”

“Not fucking happening. He’s going to shed all over the bed.”

“Let him go before he teaches you who is the boss in this place.” I flopped back to my pillow and covered my mouth as I yawned. “Get back in bed.”

“It’s one in the afternoon, Charity. You get up,” he said, tugging one more time before Cannoli whipped around quicker than a viper and sunk his claws and teeth into his hand. “God-fucking-dammit.”

That would explain why he had his clothes on, looking ready to rule the day with an iron fist. Luca shook his hand from the pain as he hopped around to escape the pissed off feline—can’t say that I didn’t warn him.

“That’s kind of what you get for battling a wildcat. He’s fierce,” I said as I let it sink in that I slept away most of the day. My body didn’t agree with the time. I still felt like I had just closed my eyes in the middle of the night and opened them seconds later. I stretched my arms over my head and groaned as the muscles burned and elongated from their cramped position. Luca suddenly stopped his flailing to stare. I followed his line of sight, noticing I bared my breasts, and he was soaking up the view.

“Like what you see?”

A smirk danced across his lips that brought visions of kissing it away with a fire of devotion.

I gave him a lopsided smile of my own and swung my legs from the bed, then waltzed into the bathroom, careful to avoid tripping over the peeved cat winding around my legs. I shut the door behind me and did my business without being disturbed, thankfully.

When I came back out to the room, Luca had left, and the door was wide-open. Thanks for the courtesy. I swung the door closed with a louder-than-necessary slam, dressed in my black jeans and a plain gray t-shirt, and then tied my hair back into a high ponytail.

I could hear a muffled conversation in the kitchen, which was convenient because that was the direction I was headed. I walked up to all three men, having a discussion I don’t think they meant for me to hear.

“Why haven’t you told her yet?” Max asked.

“I have, just not in as many words as one pathetic sap might spew,” Luca said.

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