Page 104 of Broken Prince

“They didn't do that alone, you know that, right? The whole thing—it was too well executed.” He spoke for Luca’s benefit.

Luca sighed. “I know but that’s a problem for another time.”

Matteo nodded before taking the white pocket square from his dark-gray suit and extending it to Luca.

Luca wiped my cheek so gently it almost made me cry. This big man was always so tender to me.

“Blood?” I gasped when he folded the fabric to put in his pocket. I didn’t feel hurt.

Luca cradled the other side of my face with his big hand. “Not yours, tesora.” His eyes flickered to his side.

I followed his eyes and winced. I’d seen dead people at the hospital but this one was different. Savio was lying on the floor right beside me, his left dead eye looking straight at me as the other was completely gone by a bullet wound, his blood slowly soiling the concrete floor.

“Oh, Luca…” My eyes trailed off to the body a bit further to the dead Benny. “Are you going to be in trouble?”

His whole face morphed into so much tenderness. “Oh, anima mia,” He let out a tired chuckle. “You’ve been drugged, kidnapped, and almost killed, and you worry about me?”

“Of course.” I frowned, why was he so surprised? “I love you.”

Matteo cleared his throat. “Sorry to interrupt the most touching moment in history,” he started, clearly not sorry at all. “But we need to move now. She can’t be here when the team comes and leave the kid to me.”

“Kid? What kid?”

Matteo threw me an exasperated look. “Nothing of your concern and just to appease your mind. Gianluca didn’t kill anyone. I took this one out,” he said, pointing to Luca’s uncle.

“And I killed Savio,” Dom said, coming back with another bottle of water. “I could not let anyone hurt my OTH buddy, right?” He gave me one of his cheeky grins, trying to hide the real fear he just had.

“I don’t even want to know what that means,” Matteo huffed. “Grab her, take the car, and go.”

Luca reached for me and carried me bridal style.

“What did Matteo say to you?” I asked as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

“When?” he asked before kissing my temple and sighing with relief.

“When he gave you the water.”

Luca rolled his eyes. “Matteo is a little old-fashioned. He said that a capo knelt for no one.”

“I see…”

“I replied that I would not kneel to anyone including him, but that the woman who holds my heart and tattered soul, was an exception to the rule.”

I gave him a little smile and rested my head in the crook of his neck, feeling his warm skin, his light stubble, smelling his intoxicating aftershave; I’ve never felt safer than in his arms.

I kept going in and out of sleep all the way to the hotel.

“I’m going to order some food for you and some coffee. I’ll help you take a shower now, okay?”

He called food service and walked me slowly to the bathroom. He turned on the water on the gigantic wall shower and as the luxurious bathroom started to lightly steam up, he removed my clothes and his with almost military precision and he took me with him in the shower, lathering me with the lilac-smelling soap and then washing my hair with such tenderness.

I leaned against his back as he massaged my scalp. “You’re so good at taking care of me,” I whispered, feeling so relaxed despite everything.

“You are good at taking care of me too; it’s a partnership that we have, Cassie.” He twirled me around so I could look at him. “It’s you and me.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “Always.”

“Always.”

He rinsed the shampoo out of my hair and made me sit on the tile seat in the shower as he washed quickly.

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