Page 45 of Bound By Honor

“I love you too, Luciano,” I reply, my voice barely above a whisper.

We lie there, our bodies entwined, our hearts beating as one, as the world around us fades away, leaving only the two of us, lost in a sea of pleasure and desire.

Later, wrapped in sheets and starlight, I trace the scar on his shoulder where Dominic’s bullet struck. “We’re quite a pair, aren’t we? Both marked by love and violence.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” He catches my hand, pressing a kiss to my palm. His voice grows softer, more vulnerable. “Sometimes I think this is a dream. That I’ll wake up and you’ll be gone, taken from me like?—“

“I’m here,” I interrupt, reaching for him. “I’m real. We survived, Luciano. We’re stronger together.”

He pulls me closer, his kiss gentle now, tinged with the fear we both carry but rarely voice. “You and Luca... you’re everything. My whole world.”

“Then I need you to let me know what’s going on. We need to be a team..” I prop myself up on an elbow, meeting his gaze. Promise me.”

“Aurora—”

“Promise me, Luciano.”

He studies me for a long moment, then sighs. “I promise. We’re on the same team.”

His phone chimes, shattering the moment. We both freeze, knowing before he even reaches for it. The screen illuminates his face, casting harsh shadows that remind me of hospital rooms and gunshots.

“Another photo?” I ask, though I already know the answer.

“They’re watching.” His jaw clenches. “Always watching.”

I curl closer, refusing to let fear win. “Let them watch. They’ve seen us survive impossible odds before.”

“This time is different.” He pulls me tighter against him. “This time, they’re targeting what matters most.”

“Luca?”

“Both of you.” His voice drops to a dangerous whisper. “They think they can use my love against me. They forget—love makes me more dangerous, not less.”

I press my lips to his chest, feeling his heart race beneath my touch. “Then we’ll be dangerous together.”

Because some bonds, once forged in fire and blood, become truly irrevocable. And ours? Ours is written in scars and starlight, in whispered promises and shared strength.

Let them come.

We’re ready.

18

LUCIANO POV

Dominic’s hand trembles slightly as he lifts the crystal decanter—an unprecedented show of vulnerability from Chicago’s most feared Don. The subtle movement sends ripples through the formal dining room, where faces I’ve known for years watch with varying degrees of anticipation: Enzo’s masked curiosity, Marco’s watchful assessment, and Aurora—my Aurora—her eyes bright with unshed tears.

“Family,” Dominic begins, his voice rough with emotion, “means standing together through fire. It means protecting our own, even when—” He breaks off, meeting my eyes across the polished mahogany, and I see the ghost of that night in his gaze—the gunshot, Aurora’s scream, blood on pristine sheets. “Even when pride and anger blind us to what matters most.”

Aurora’s hand finds mine beneath the table, her fingers warm and steady against my palm. The simple touch anchors me as Dominic continues, his words carrying the weight of weeks of guilt and revelation. The chandelier light catches in his tumbler, sending amber shadows dancing across the imported wallpaper as he searches for words.

“Luciano.” My name carries years of brotherhood, betrayal, and redemption. “Years ago, you stepped in front of a bullet meant for me without hesitation. And now, after taking one from me—” his voice catches slightly, “—after giving your kidney to our sister, you still stand beside us with unwavering loyalty. That’s not the act of a consigliere. That’s the act of family.”

“Here, here,” Enzo raises his glass, his usual smirk softened by genuine warmth. The ice in his tumbler clinks musically, a counterpoint to the emotional tension.

Marco leans forward, trademark intensity lightening. “Though I have to say,fratello, getting shot was a bit dramatic. A simple‘I love your sister’would have sufficed.” His lips twitch. “Maybe a nice card. Some flowers.”

“Since when do you know anything about romance?” Enzo counters, earning a dinner roll thrown with impressive accuracy.

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