Page 65 of Their Reckless Thief
He loosened his grip on my wrist, his touch lingering for a moment. “You can leave whenever you want. I’m not holding you prisoner.”
There was something in his voice, something so calm and sure, that it made the words sound like a promise. Before I could fully think it through, I nodded.
“Okay.”
He released my wrist and gestured for me to follow him. We walked in silence, my legs still shaky, my breath still uneven. Luca moved with a predator’s grace, like he owned the sidewalk beneath his feet. He didn’t say a word until we reached a tall, sleek building. He keyed in a code, and the doors slid open with a quiet hiss.
We stepped into the elevator, and it shot up with a smooth, almost imperceptible motion. I kept my eyes trained on thefloor, trying to calm my breathing, trying to ignore the fact that Luca was standing mere inches away. I could feel the heat of his body, the sheer force of his presence, and every ounce of me was screaming to get a grip.
Stay in control, Celeste.
But it was hard to stay in control when he was so damn close.
The elevator doors slid open, and I stepped out into a space that took my breath away. Luca’s penthouse apartment was nothing like I’d ever imagined. Sleek and modern, with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the entirety of The Below. Everything was crisp and clean, with sharp lines and minimalist décor. It felt like I’d stepped into another universe, one far removed from the gritty, suffocating reality of the world I usually navigated.
Dazed, I followed Luca into the open living area. He moved with ease, like he didn’t even notice the luxury surrounding him. He grabbed a glass and filled it with water from the sleek, chrome faucet, then handed it to me without a word.
I took it with trembling hands and gulped it down. The water was cool and calming—my mind was anything but.
“What the fuck were you doing?” Luca’s voice cut through the silence like a knife, colder than I’d ever heard it before.
I blinked, trying to process the shift in his mood. “I…”
He was in front of me now, so close I could feel his breath on my face. His silver eyes were so dark they were almost black as he looked down at me with an expression that could only be described as… hatred? No. It was something more conflicted. Like he was fighting something inside himself.
“You were almost killed,” he growled, his jaw tight. “Do you have any idea what would’ve happened if I wasn’t there?”
Defiance flared to life in me. “I had it under control.”
Luca scoffed. “Control? Is that what you call it? You were a second away from being roadkill, and you think you had it handled?”
“How the hell did you even know I was in a dangerous situation?”
He sighed as if answering me was a drag. “You’re delusional if you think for a second Vincenzo isn’t keeping tabs on your every damn move. He has to make sure you’re keeping up your end of the bargain.”
The mention of Vincenzo and the reminder of him telling me to stay out of trouble made my stomach tighten. “If it was such a fucking imposition for you to help, then why did you?” I shot back. “I didn’t ask for your help. I had them.”
He took another step forward, closing the distance between us. My entire body tensed, every nerve on high alert, but there was something else too. A pull. A desire to bridge the remaining gap between us. To close it completely. What was it about these men?
“Youhad them?” he repeated, his voice a low, dangerous snarl. “I watched you nearly get killed, Celeste. You were reckless. Stupid.”
His words were like a punch to the gut, but I stood my ground, even as my pulse hammered in my ears. “Then why did you help me, Luca? Why do you fucking care? Just let me die if I’m such a huge burden!”
He was so close now, his face inches from mine. Every ounce of my being yearned to touch him, to reach out and close the space between us, to feel the press of his body against mine. But I didn’t move.
His eyes darkened more, like he was battling with himself. He wanted me. I could see it. And damn it, I wanted him too. I hated it. I hated him. But the pull was undeniable.
He leaned in closer, his lips hovering near my ear. “You think I don’t care?”
Every inch of my skin burned under the weight of his gaze. I swallowed hard, my entire body screaming for him.
And then, just as quickly as he’d closed the gap, he pulled away. The intensity of the moment shattered, leaving me standing there, breathless, my heart pounding.
Luca’s expression hardened again, that cold mask slipping back into place. “Stay as long as you need,” he said, his voice devoid of emotion. He turned and walked down the hall, disappearing into a room. He shut the door behind him without a backward glance.
I let out a heavy breath, my body still trembling from the charged energy.
What the fuck had just happened?
