Page 61 of Bones

His sister looks at me with concern. “Do you have someone to talk to?”

I smile softly as Luca squeezes my shoulder affectionately. “Luca hired a therapist for me. I saw her earlier today.”

Her face registers surprise, but she smiles. “Good.”

Luca’s mother looks at him with obvious disappointment. “I know everything, Luca. You have always known I wanted you to marry for love, not for money, or to become the head of the family. Marriage should never be a business arrangement. You made this woman, who has already been through hell, marry you. I can only imagine how you achieved this.”

Leaning down, he kisses my cheek. “I love my wife very much. We did not marry for love, but I love her now. Does anything else really matter?”

Her gaze turns to me. “Are you here against your will, Athena?”

My eyes widen at her direct question, and I shake my head.

“No. I love Luca. There is nowhere else I want to be.”

It’s the truth. Of course, it didn’t start out that way, and I will never tell his mother the things he did to me in the beginning, because while they seem to think they know what he’s capable of, I doubt they really do. Not to that extent anyway.

His mother releases a relieved sigh. “Very well. Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do?”

I glance at Luca, because I’m unsure how to answer her. Clearly, I don’t want her to know I’ve lived in captivity for so long, that I don’t really know what I like to do. It should be an easy question, but it’s not. Even when I was with Manny, I wasn’t free.

My husband saves me and says, “She loves the outdoors. We spent the morning outside today.”

“I enjoy shopping too, but I don’t like spending enormous amounts of money like some people.”

Luca chuckles as he pulls me even closer. “You’ll get used to it, Butterfly.”

Penelope says, “We should go shopping next weekend. Shopping and lunch. Just the two of us.”

I glance at him, waiting for him to say no, but instead, he chuckles. “It won’t be just the two of you. My wife goes nowhere without security.”

She waves her hand in the air. “That’s fine. And probably wise.”

We sit comfortably, talking about everything from the day his father bought this house for Luca, to what he was like as a boy, and his lack of dating experience. I’m tempted to ask how his father is doing, but I don’t, because I don’t want to upset anyone. I’m sure it’s difficult for all of them to know he’s going to die. While I don’t have experience with a close family, I can tell they are one.

When they stand to leave, both Luca and I join them. His mother smiles at me fondly. “Welcome to the family,figlia.”

Luca glances at me and mouths, ‘daughter’.

“Thank you.”

She hugs me and whispers in my ear, “I’m sorry you had the family you did. We are your family now. You’re my daughter. If you need anything, you call me.”

I’m overcome with emotion when they leave. My heart is full after hearing her say that to me. For a moment, I allow myself to feel like I matter. I’ve always thought your family is the one you were born into. Maybe it doesn’t have to be though. For the first time, in possibly my entire life, I have hope for the future. It’s a foreign feeling, but one I welcome.

Once he says goodbye to his family, he turns to me with a grin. “Dinner outside as promised?”

“I was wondering if we could go out for dinner.”

He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me in, until my body is pressed against his. “Whatever you want, baby.”

I sigh as I return his embrace. “I was hoping you might help me read the menu. I don’t want Penelope to know. And if she wants to go for lunch, I’ll need to read the menu.”

“Of course,” he says, as he leans down and kisses my neck.

“She will likely want to go to Manhattan’s, so I’ll take you there.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

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