Page 203 of Kissing the Villain

“We still haveLegare,” I pointed out.

He shook his head. “It’s not what you think.”

Before he could respond, the door slammed into the wall. My breath caught in my throat. Luca stood in the doorway, a bottle of Macallan in his hand, a blood-red tie hanging loosely around his neck. He wore a black suit, the jacket open, his white shirt wrinkled, looking like he’d been to hell and back again.

Marcello narrowed his eyes at his brother. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

Luca leaned against the doorframe, so drunk he could barely stand up. “She’s mine, Marcello.” Nostrils flared, and Luca plopped into an oversized armchair across from the bed. He spread his thighs and drank from the bottle. “Alex doesn’t want this.”

“Luca,” I cut in with a groan. “I was telling Marcello I can’t be with him.”

He cocked his head at me. “No?”

“No,” I confirmed.

Luca fisted the bottle, a brutal look in his eyes as he stared through me. “Why not?”

“Because of you.”

Luca strolled toward the bed with a drunken sway and dropped to his knees in front of me. He pulled my legs apart, his fingers tracing my inner thighs. “You chose me?”

“Yes, Luca. Like there was ever a choice.”

He laid his head on my lap and hooked his arm around my back. “I’m so sorry for playing that game with you. When I saw you on top of Marcello… I wanted to rip my heart out to make the pain stop.”

“You only have yourself to blame,” I pointed out. “I’m not responsible for what I did tonight. That’s on you.”

“I know,” he breathed.

I slid my fingers through his black hair, tugging at the ends. “You put me in that position.”

He lifted his head from my lap and stared into my eyes. “I can’t live without you. You know that, right? I’d rather fucking die than lose you.”

I stroked his hair. “You have me, Luca.”

“I don’t deserve you.”

“Duh,” I shot back.

“I didn’t touch another woman.” He clutched my thighs, gutting me with those beautiful but terrifying blue eyes. “You’re it for me, baby.”

Marcello sat painfully still on the bed, keeping his distance from us. I glanced over at him, and he looked somewhat deflated, but he knew nothing could break the bond I’d forged with Luca.

Drunk off his ass, Luca held on to me to maintain his balance. I gripped his biceps, and he looked up at me with one eye open.

“I love you, Drea,” he slurred. “I didn’t understand my feelings for you until tonight. Not until I saw you with Marcello. I’m so sorry, baby.”

Despite his drunken state, I believed him. Seeing me with his brother was the final straw that made him snap. If he had realized sooner, we could have avoided years of heartache. I couldn’t say I loved him back after what I’d done with Marcello.

“You need a shower,” I told him. “And some sleep.”

“Stay with me,” he said in a hushed tone. “Sleep in my bed.”

Luca had never asked me to spend the night. Sure, we’d had sex in his bed, but I usually went home afterward. Our moments of intimacy never lasted because Luca almost instantly withdrew from me. I could feel him slowly rebuilding his walls.

“Okay,” I agreed. “But you’re taking a shower, and we’re going straight to bed. Nothing more.”

Luca pushed himself up from the floor and extended his hand. Before we left the room, I glanced over at Marcello. He gave me a nod of approval. I would miss what I had with him, but I could never replace the feelings Luca stirred inside me.

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