Page 134 of A War Around Us

Talia’s eyes widened as they scanned my face and quickly lowered as her hands shot to her chest.

“My apologies.” She ushered, wiping her hands across her flour-splattered apron. Her high ponytail swayed as her head moved from side to side. Her eyes lifted softly, and she offered a mournful grin and quickly left.

“I didn’t think they were that bad,” I said, lifting the spoon.

“They’re not,” he assured me. “But while she’s aware of who she works for, she’s never been exposed to the ugly parts. Seeing it on your face was a surprise.” Good, they’ve sheltered her.

Viktor nodded at my bowl, ushering me to eat.

With a spoon full of tomato and spice I blew out and sipped. It didn't take more than a second before the spoon was back down due to the sting and burn from its heat.

“Here, take mine. I’m not a fan of tomato soup and it should be lukewarm by now.” Viktor pushed his bowl in my direction but stopped as his attention shifted to the far corner on my left.

I followed his gaze and met Lucca’s dark eyes on me, twisted and far from reach. His inked hands adjusted his tie before they fell back to his side as his strides offered the dominance and violence of his state of mind. Eerie silence echoed inside the walls he’d built.

When his body passed behind my chair, I turned my head, not wanting to miss any further tells of his vicious aura.

My hair flew over my features with momentum, but Lucca hadn’t sat down. Rather, he stood next to me, and my head froze in place.

In all black, from his shoes to the pits of his eyes, Lucca dressed for bloodshed.

I focused on the button of his jacket, unsure of how to proceed with the storm he’d conjured.

Any other day, I would have put up a fight. A pull, a jab of defiance. But I was over the games, and a part of me looked forward to his presence. Even if in turmoil.

His fingers twitched before his hand lifted. Lucca’s rough palm pressed against my jaw, and his fingers spread, taking my face into his hold.

My eyes closed by his touch and my breathing eased, drawn to his darkness. When they opened, his piercing eyes roamed over my lips, my temple, until they bound to mine.

Then he let go and took a seat at the head of the table. As if it had never happened. And while my eyes were freed, they still felt shackled to where he once stood.

I shook the haze away and glanced down at the bowl Viktor had offered. But I had been so consumed by Lucca’s pull that I missed Viktor leaving us alone.

How could I overlook such detail?

Lucca.

He was cutting all my senses—my instincts. And slaying every wall in the process.

Lucca was wounding me from the inside out. Slowly taking, leaving me bare with an exposed heart.

And as I realized he had already conquered my mind games, my body tells, I wasn’t just looking forward to his presence.I wanted to be near him.Inneedof him.

Damn him.

“What’s the matter?” Lucca asked in Italian.

Nothing if I didn’t allow it. But could I? Could I really keep the physical need, the mental greed from filtering deeper?

“Katia?”

“Niente.” Nothing.

Mrs. Greco appeared with two bowls of soup, and Talia followed close behind with two salad plates and her eyes on the ground.

Mrs. Greco didn’t flinch at my appearance. Instead, she concentrated on the task ahead, cleaning the spot Viktor had once sat and setting the food down. When she offered Lucca’s, his hand stopped her from placing the bowl in front of him.

“I’ll just take the salad.”

---