Page 26 of Silent Night With Luca

“She can handle it,” I say, my jaw tightening. “She will stay out of it with the exception of delivering the note.”

“Hiding a fucking note,” Adrian laughs. I still can’t get over that one. Whatever it takes, I guess.

Adrian stands, rolling his shoulders. “Alright. We set the trap, take him down, and make it clean. No mess, no noise. And no more Marco.”

“One last thing. Do we need to let Massimo know?”

“No, you’re right, let’s keep the circle on this one close. No need to ruin everyone’s holiday. I’ll get a guy for the decoy, one for the masseuse, a couple of guys on lookout, and then you, me and Fiamma. That’s it. I don’t want anyone else knowing. Set it up in the spa for tomorrow at three. The rest of the family will be at the parade and I’ll makesure the spa is locked down. Except, of course, the back entrance that will be conveniently unlocked for Marco.”

“Got it.”

I nod, the plan settling into place. It couldn’t have fallen into place more perfectly. Now, all I have to do is keep Fiamma safe—and make sure Marco doesn’t see what’s coming.

I feel her fingers first,tracing lightly over my skin. A soft, deliberate touch that moves across my back, following the lines of the tattoo that stretches from shoulder to shoulder, an eagle with its wings spread wide.

I don’t open my eyes yet, savoring the moment. Her touch is gentle, soothing and invigorating. This isn’t the normal chain of events for me when I have the odd hookup with a woman. I’m not usually a touchy-feely kind of guy, and I certainly don’t hang around after the deed is done. The fact that I came back to her bed after Adrian left instead of retreating to my own is aberrant.

“Mmm,” I murmur, still half-asleep, but the warmth of her fingers keeps me tethered to this moment.

“You’re awake,” she says softly, her voice playful, almost teasing.

Before I can respond, I twist, catching her by the small of her back, pulling her down toward me. She squeals, laughing as I start to tickle her, my hands dancing along her sides. Her laughter fills the room, a sound I didn’t realize I loved until now.

“Good morning,” I say, pressing my lips to hers in a quick, playful kiss, her laughter still bubbling against my mouth.

She pushes against my chest lightly, still giggling. “Okay, okay, I give up!”

I let her go, leaning back against the pillows, my arm slipping around her as she snuggles into my side. Her head rests on my shoulder, and for a minute, we’re quiet, just enjoying the warmth of the bed and the peace of the early morning.

Outside, the pillowy blanket of the muted white snow reflects off the windows, the faintest shimmer of lights still twinkling from the roof’s edge above.

“You seem alive again,” I say, running my fingers lightly through her hair. “Do you feel better this morning?”

She nods, her cheek resting against my chest. “Waking up beside you sure does help. It’s amazing what a little sleep and some amazing sex can do for a person.”

I laugh softly, squeezing her closer. “I’m glad. Turns out the sex was good for both of us. You needed rest and I needed the release.”

“You’re a pig, you know that?”

“What? I’m just being honest.”

Her eyes meet mine, her gaze soft but curious. “What about you? You were up last night, weren’t you? I thought I heard you in the living room talking to someone. Is everything okay?”

I nod, my expression growing more serious. “Adrian came by after you fell asleep. We talked about Marco. I told himeverything you went through and what he wants you to do. We have a plan”

Her brows furrow slightly, but she doesn’t pull away. “And what’s that?”

“We’re going to set a trap,” I say, keeping my voice low, even though it’s just the two of us. “You’re going to plant the note like Marco told you to do. Your idea about the massage is a perfect set-up. You’ll tell Marco he has a massage at three when the family will be gone.”

“And when he shows up?” she asks, her voice steady but laced with tension.

“We’ll be ready for him,” I say, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “We’ve got everything set. Adrian’s handling the decoy, and I’ll be waiting to take Marco out. All you have to do is write the note and hope Marco or one of his goons picks it up as planned.”

She’s quiet for a moment, and I can see the wheels turning in her head, processing it all. But then she nods, and her face hardens with determination. “I can do that. I was worried it was too quick when he said it had to be today, but the sooner we take him out the sooner we can all try to put this behind us. I’m ready, let’s do this.”

I smile, leaning in to kiss her forehead. “It turns out that the holiday season he thought would be the best time to catch Massimo and the rest of us off guard will actually help us lure him to his demise.”

We lie there for a while longer, the warmth of the blankets keeping us wrapped up in our own little world. Scents of pine and cinnamon wafts through the air, mixing with the faint crackle of the fireplace from last night. It’s a quietreminder of the contrast between the sacred time of year and the brutality that we have to maintain, regardless.

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