Page 44 of Inescapable Ties
Without saying a word, Luciana gently caressed my hand, offering comfort and support in her touch.
“She didn’t even say goodbye,” I continued.
“What happened after that?” she asked.
“Ettore’s dad took me in. Raised me like his own son.”
Luciana drew in a breath, her eyes reflecting the empathy and understanding within her. “You know, Emilio, we all have our pasts…some are just harder than others,” she murmured, her voice soft yet firm. “And we can’t change them. All we can do is make the best out of what we have, and use our pain to become stronger. It seems like you’ve done just that.”
As she gazed at me with her soft, hazel eyes and words of adoration, my heart filled with warmth for her. In that moment, I knew without a doubt that she was the most perfect and beautiful person on this earth.
I didn’t even think to respond. Instead, I slammed my lips against hers; her kiss was the only thing I needed at the moment. She was the air I breathed, and she held me to this earth like an anchor.
Her body melted into mine, arms wrapping tightly around my neck as she eagerly returned my kisses. The warmth of her touch consumed me, and I lost myself in the sensation of her lips against mine.
At that moment, I knew she was everything I had ever wanted. But I wasn’t sure if that made me happy or anxious.
Chapter twenty-two
Luciana
Ithadbeenalmostten days since the poker table event. In that time, Emilio hadn’t made a move to touch me again, and it was driving me insane.
I wanted him to throw me on the bed and eat me out again until I was screaming his name so loud our entire apartment building could hear it.And maybe go even further than that. A rush of heat spread through my face as the thought crossed my mind, making my cheeks flush.
But how did I ask him? Each scenario I envisioned in my head became increasingly more embarrassing than the one before it. I guess I’d just have to wait.
Or maybe -
“Whatcha thinking about, Jaws?” Emilio asked.
The two of us were sitting at the kitchen bar, eating the dinner I had made for the two of us. It was a rare night when he was home to eat with me - normally I just left him a plate in the fridge.
“Nothing,” I blurted out, probably a little too fast.
Emilio raised his eyebrow, looking like he was about to pry, but ultimately dropped it. “So,” he said. “What do you like to do? You took me to Broadway, so I think it’s fair we do something you think is fun, too.”
“Relationships aren’t scales, Emilio,” I said, giggling at him. “It doesn’t have to be ‘fair.’ And, I enjoyed Wicked.”
“Fine. Well, I want to do something you like.”
“Hm…well there was this abandoned house I’ve been wanting to explore,” I said.
“You do it for fun? I thought you just did that to make money on YouTube?”
“Well yeah. I made the YouTube channel because I was having fun and wanted to share it with someone. And…”
“And?”
I had got lonely when I was exploring the abandoned places. One day, I brought a camera with me, and it was almost like bringing a friend along. I uploaded the footage to YouTube, and for a long time, I was only getting a couple hundred views on each video. A few months later, a video exploring an abandoned apartment building went viral, and I quickly catapulted to YouTube fame, now sitting at over one million subscribers.
“That’s amazing,” Emilio said.
Crap. I hadn’t meant to say all of that out loud.
“I mean it,” he said. “Let’s go.”
“Right now?!”
