Page 41 of Silent Night With Luca

My mind races, torn between trusting Luca and not wanting to leave my friend in the dark. My stomach twists with unease, and I quickly put my phone away, deciding not to reply to Luca. Not yet.

I’ll wait until Arianna gets back. As far as I’m concerned, we will enjoy our lunch and I can meet Luca at two. Then we can get to the bottom of whatever has him all hot and bothered.

As soon as Arianna slides back into her seat, her eyes light up with curiosity. “Alright, give it to me,” she says, leaning forward with a grin. “Where the hell have you been hiding the last few days? You sounded like some wild shit was going down when we talked.”

I freeze for a second, my mind racing. I can’t tell her the truth—not with Luca’s warning still fresh in my head. I force a smile, trying to keep things casual. “Oh, you know… just roped into a bunch of family stuff. You know how it is during the holidays. Elio has been relentless and Luca won’t let me out of his sight for more than a second.”

Arianna’s eyes narrow, her grin fading into something more skeptical. “Come on, Fia. That’s not what you said on the phone. You made it sound like something serious happened. That I wasn’t far off when I said I thought you’d died, remember?”

I laugh, though it sounds forced even to me. “Yeah, well, I was being dramatic. I just meant that I’ve been stuck inside, dying a slow death. Needed to get out and breathe.”

She doesn’t look convinced. Arianna’s gaze stays locked on mine, searching my face like she’s trying to figure out what I’m not saying. The air between us feels thick, tension creeping in despite the festive warmth of the restaurant.

I shift in my seat, playing with the napkin in my lap. “I’m serious. It’s just been family drama. Luca’s been overbearing, basically I’ve been in hell.”

Arianna leans back in her chair, her eyes still sharp but she doesn’t press further. “If you say so,” she mutters, but I can tell she doesn’t quite buy it.

Just as the awkward silence stretches between us, the waitress arrives with our sandwiches, placing them in front of us. The smell of melted cheese and fresh bread hits me, and for a moment, I’m grateful for the distraction.

“Oh, thank God,” I say, picking up the sandwich and taking a bite. “This is exactly what I needed.”

Arianna takes a bite of hers too, and her expression softens. “Told you this sandwich would be the bomb.”

I nod, savoring the flavors, the tension easing ever so slightly. “You weren’t wrong. Good call.”

For a few minutes, the conversation shifts to safer ground, both of us focused on the food. But in the back of my mind, Luca’s message lingers, a knot of worry tightening in my chest.

As Arianna and I finish the last bites of our sandwiches, the door to the café swings open with a loud jingle, and in strides Luca, his face set in stone. He doesn’t even glance at Arianna, his eyes fixed on me as he strides over to our table.

“We have to go. Now,” he says, his tone rushed and clipped.

I blink up at him, caught off guard. “What? What’s going on?”

Arianna looks between us, a nervous smile tugging at her lips. “Luca, hi… nice to see you too.”

But Luca barely acknowledges her, throwing a crumpled hundred-dollar bill onto the table, his focus still on me. “Fiamma, get up. We’re leaving.”

I glance at Arianna, feeling the tension radiating off Luca like a storm about to break. My stomach knots as I try to diffuse the situation. “What’s going on? Why are you being so strange? We’re just having lunch.”

Luca leans closer, his voice lowering dangerously. “Either you get up and come with me now, or I take you by force. It’s not up for discussion.”

Heat rushes to my face as I look around the café, feeling the weight of curious eyes on us. I’m embarrassed and angry at the way he is suddenly doing exactly what all the other men in my life do. “Luca, seriously, this is?—”

“I’m done talking, Fiamma,” he growls, cutting me off. The intensity in his voice sends a shiver down my spine.

Arianna’s eyes widen, clearly not expecting this level of tension. She forces a small laugh, trying to temper the situation. “Whoa, calm down there, cowboy.”

But Luca doesn’t waver. His entire body is rigid, coiled with urgency.

The heat of embarrassment washes over me, and I stand up quickly, smoothing my coat. I look at Arianna, forcing a smile that doesn’t reach my eyes. “I’ll call you later, okay?”

Luca’s voice cuts in, low and cold. “No, she won’t.”

“Bye, Ari,” I say softly, turning away before she can ask more questions.

FIFTEEN

Luca

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