Page 52 of Sinful Mafia Prince

Didn’t mean you had to spill your guts,Dom thought as he shut off the water and grabbed a towel.

Then again, maybe Luca had a right to know what his family had done. What had set this whole war into motion. After all, he’d been a pawn in their game, hadn’t he?

Dom quickly dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist, and when he stepped out of the bathroom, he stopped dead at the sight of Luca standing in his bedroom. His back was facing Dom as he picked up a picture frame off the dresser, one of the only ones in the entire house. Dom didn’t like to be reminded of the people he’d lost in his life, but considering he’d barely been back since the tragedy, the photo of the family had stayed, frozen in time.

“They’re beautiful,” Luca said softly.

Dom swallowed, finding the sting of tears behind his eyes an unfamiliar and unwanted feeling. He strolled over to Luca, ripped the framed photo out of his hands, and set it facedown on the dresser.

“Did I say you could come in here?” Dom’s voice came out a little more forceful than he’d intended.

“I didn’t realize I needed permission. I just wanted to make sure you were okay—”

“What the fuck makes you think I wasn’t?”

“Well…you know. You got quiet after everything we talked about, and then you ran in here—”

“I didn’t run.”

Luca sucked in a breath and then let it out slowly, like he was trying not to let Dom get him riled up. Good to see he still had that effect on him.

“Look, I know it was hard for you to do what you did today. I can’t imagine what you’ve gone through, and you have every reason to want revenge. I get it, I do. But you’re allowed to feel, too.”

“Oh, I feel—”

“Angry? Yeah, you’ve got that one nailed down.”

“You know, if you came in here wanting to make me feel better or whatever the fuck, then you’re doing a shit job.”

“Wow. That’s how you speak to someone who cares?” Luca shook his head. “Have a good fucking night.”

He moved to leave, but Dom grabbed his arm. Luca didn’t turn, didn’t move a muscle, as Dom closed his eyes and took a deep inhale. He knew he was being a shit. That Luca didn’t deserve his wrath. But he also knew if he let down his guard any further, things between them were going to get way too complicated.

“I’m sorry,” he finally said, releasing his hold. “This isn’t a topic I’m good at talking about.”

Luca turned, and the anger from seconds ago had been replaced with that emotion Dom hated more than anything else—sympathy.

“Nor should it be. I just wanted you to know that I’m hereifyou ever want to talk some more.”

Dom sighed and shook his head, then moved over to an old antique dresser where his comb sat and ran it through his wet hair. “I don’t get you. I kidnapped you, threatened your life, and now here you are offering me a shoulder to cry on?”

Luca shrugged. “Well, that was a long time ago. A lot has happened since.”

“You mean we fucked.”

“No,” Luca said. “I mean, yes, but notonlythat. We’ve spent a lot of time together over the last however many days, and been through a lot. I don’t know about you, but you start to, I don’t know, feel something when things like we’ve been through happen.”

Dom placed the comb down. “And what exactly are you feeling?”

Luca worried his lower lip and slipped his hands into his pockets. “I don’t really know. But whenever I’m around you, I feel…alivefor the first time. Which is kind of ironic, considering you wanted me dead.”

“Wanted being past tense.”

“Right.” He nodded, and when Dom didn’t say anything else, Luca took a sudden interest in the hardwood floor.

Dom knew he should end this conversation right now, but with his defenses shattered and Luca’s words playing on a loop in his head, he found himself walking over to Luca.

“The day I got my first look at you, I knew I was in a world of fucking trouble.”

---