Luca's pov
When I walked into the VIP room, it was a mad sight. Bottles of vodka and whiskey were littered about, all empty. The frosted glass table was smeared with the illegal powder and a couple of women were tangled up on the floor in the middle of a cat fight.
"He's mine, he's mine, he's mine!" Valentina was saying over and over like a possessed person as she tugged hard on another girl's hair.
A muscle ticked in my temple. I picked one of the bottles and threw it against the wall.
CRASH!
Their actions stilled immediately and all five pairs of intoxicated eyes flew to where I stood.
"You have two minutes to pull yourself together and stop making a scene." I growled, my voice tinged with warning.
They instantly got off each other, their movements slowed and unsteady because of their current state. I winced, it was pathetic.
Aside from Valentina, I recognized two to be daughters of prominent dons in the Cosa Nostra. The rest, I couldn't place a link to.
Valentina gave me a bright grin as she tried to restore balance to her feet. "Luca!" She beamed. "You came for me!"
The other girls eyed her as she said or slurred, "I told you he would come for me."
Well, I certainly did not. I came because my business was at the risk of getting vandalized.
"The four of you, out." I ordered and they attempted to gather their addled minds as they searched for whatever property they owned.
I turned to the soldier closest to me. "See that they're delivered home safely."
When they left, I turned my whole anger on Valentina. "What the fuck is your problem?"
Her eyes dimmed. "You weren't picking my calls." She shrugged. "I was sad."
I inhaled a deep breath. Patience, Luca. She's a woman. "Why couldn't you be sad somewhere else?"
Something gloomy crossed her features. "You're mean to me, I don't like it."
"And I don't give a fuck Valentina. Go home."
She dropped down on a couch, also smeared with the substance. "No."
"Don't make me toss you out."
A sigh left her and she looked up at me with those puppy eyes I despised so much. The only woman I'd welcome such a look from only gazed at me like she wanted to strangle me, well except for the times we fucked.
Nonetheless, Cara never had spared such an expression for me while I got it from virtually almost every woman I came across.
It was a sick, sick joke by God.
I marched to Valentina and yanked her to her feet, ignoring her cries of protest as I pulled her all the way out of the dim lit room.
She glared at me, nursing the spot I had grabbed her. "Tu, fottuti bruto!"
"Bada a come parli."
She immediately comported herself, zipping her mouth. She lifted her head, trying to appear like the mafia princess she was but it was pointless, my soldiers had witnessed her tussling on the floor, high on coke.
She fixed me a firm stare. "I'll leave if you agree to take me home."
"You're in no position to be making bargains or demands, principessa."
I spotted a crack in her bravado but she pressed on. "You should, it's your fault after all."
What in the world did that even mean?
"My men will escort you home, that's the most generosity I would grant you."
Her eyes twitched in annoyance. "Luca-" she began but I cut her off, headed back inside to grab her purse.
"You're no gentleman." She said as I shoved the shiny thing in her arms.
I walked away, leaving her standing there.
I never claimed to be one.
Cara's pov
No matter how hard I tried to stop, I couldn't stop picturing them together. It came in flashes: Luca hugging Valentina, Luca kissing Valentina, Luca laughing with Valentina as he fed her bruschetta. Luca hugging and kissing a pregnant Valentina.
"Arghhh!"
I marched out of my room and dropped down on my couch, turning on my old TV. I was immediately assaulted with a smutty scene.
I changed it faster than light but the next one wasn't any better. A Spanish couple were fighting and it looked like Valentino, the husband, was cheating on his wife, Camilla.
"You said she was just a coworker!" Camilla was screaming.
"Ay! She is!" The fucker Valentino had the audacity to say.
I dropped the remote beside me and got cozy on the couch.
"So, since when do you kiss your coworkers?!" Camilla threw a flower vase at him. Unfortunately, she missed.
"Mi amour, calm down."
"Don't tell me to calm down, you cheater!"
Yes girl, tell the cheating snake.
Valentino moved to her and grabbed her face. "Please cariño, forgive me."
He kissed her nose and pressed his forehead to hers.
"I'm so sorry. I hate that I hurt you."
A scoff left me and I waited for Camilla to push him away.
She never did.
I stared in disbelief at the passionate make out scene now happening before my eyes. Clothes were getting strewn across, desire bursting along with tears and empty promises.
I was disappointed.
I decided I've had enough so I changed the crappy telenovela to something else but my TV just seemed to be airing only romance dramas so I turned it off altogether with a groan.
I got up and made my way to my fridge, hoping to God that I still had some beer left.
A knock rapped at my door. My eyebrows pulled together as I wondered who would be visiting at this hour. My blood ran cold when I considered it being Mr Edwards. My two months ultimatum was long overdue and I had only been able to off set a measly amount of the payment.
I stalked to the door, swallowing before I called out. "Who's it?"
Silence.
"Hello?"
"Cara."
Chills spread across my body and spiraled in my chest.
"Luca? What are you…"
"Open the door, bambina."
I stayed transfixed to the spot, frozen in place by surprise and the foolish pleasure of hearing his velvety voice.
You're supposed to be pissed with him. A reasonable voice piped up and I remembered my anger. It washed over me anew and laced into my voice.
"Go away." I snarled.
"Cara, if you don't open this door, I'm going to kick it down."
I scoffed. He wouldn't.
"Three, two…" I heard him take a step back. "One."
Wait, would he?
I quickly unlocked the door, just in time to find him throwing down his foot. I pulled away to avoid getting crushed by his powerful kick but lost my footing and fell back.
He caught me before the ground did, his strong arms wrapped protectively around me.
"You could have just opened the door when I knocked, why do you complicate your life?"
His eyes trailed to the low cut of my silk nightgown and they darkened.
I blinked at him, unconsciously loosening up in the safe cradle that were his arms, his musky scent reassuring as it took away my initial fear. I could lay in his unwavering embrace all day, knowing I was safe.
You're supposed to be angry.
I snapped out of my trance and wriggled against his hold, making a nasal humph. He sighed deeply and pulled me up, his eyes falling on my wrists.
They narrowed into slits.
I quickly hid them behind my back. "What are you doing here?"
"What happened to your wrists?"
"I fell."
Disbelief took over his stormy expression. "How?"
I rolled my eyes. "Luca, why are you here?"
"Tell me what happened, Cara mia."
My heart leaped treacherously at the endearment but I stiffened against it. He probably called Valentina better things after all. Like my precious jewel or some other soapy shit.
I exhaled an impatient breath. "I told you, I fell." I wasn't going to let him know I kind of self-harmed myself whenever I was plagued by my trauma.
He regarded me for a moment that had me squirming under his scrutiny then finally gave it up. "Someday, you will tell me but today, I'll let it slide."
He pushed past me and walked into my living room.
"Hey!" I protested but was ignored.
He looked around, hands folded behind him as he took in the crabby sight.
"Your place is so you." He commented and I didn't know if that was a compliment or not. It dawned on me that this was the second time he was in my apartment, the first being the time he had arrogantly followed me up to demand I stop seeing- what was his name? Tony? Yes Tony.
He had proceeded to fuck me with his fingers and not let me finish then he fucked my ass crack and came all over me.
He definitely didn't have the time to appreciate my space. More like he didn't care.
I threw him a scathing look, he was still very much an assh0le but gawd he used to be an even bigger assh0le back when we just met.
His lips drew back in a small smile and I wondered if my thoughts reflected on my face.
"What are you doing?" I asked in puzzlement when he started taking off his shoes.
"Preparing for bed." He said and the words weren't enough warning when he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the bedroom.
Panic pulsed up my chest. "What do you mean?"
He dropped my arm and got busy with unclasping his expensive looking watch before placing it on my tiny bedside table. His gaze was lazy and amused when it returned to me. "Bed. I'm staying the night."
My eyes widened in terror. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. I was going to give him a piece of my mind, call him every bad word there is before ending whatever it is between us and tossing him out.
My panic addled my ability to speak and the next words that flew out of my mouth didn't make any sense at all. "Luca Salvatore, are you homeless?"
There was a long pause.
And then he laughed. Like a genuine, hearty laugh that warmed my insides and tingled my senses. I have never heard him laugh so freely before and I wanted to hear it a million times over again.
But I blinked away the effect of the sound, storing my arsenal of jokes for another day.
Wait, there won't be another day. I frowned.
"Cara, come to bed." His deep drawl brought me out of my head. I focused back on him and my mouth instantly watered. He was shirtless, when had he taken off his shirt.
"Put your shirt back on." I said in alarm.
"No."
"We have to talk, remember? You- you said you wanted to talk… back in your office. Remember?"
Something inexplicable flashed across his face but in the next second his expression was back to being relaxed. "I did." He strode over to me, "but I don't feel like it anymore."
I was picked up and carried to my small bed and the thought of how he'd fit into it crossed my mind. I shook it off.
"You know I'm angry with you right?"
He put me down with a gentleness that was unlike him. "Yes. For some unknown reason."
I glowered at him. "You think I'm angry for no reason?"
His sigh was deep and irritated when he laid down beside me. "What is the reason, Cara?"
My frown deepened and I focused on the lacy frills on the neck of my nightgown. "Aren't you supposed to be with Valentina instead?" I grumbled.
He remained silent and I looked back at him to read what he was thinking. I couldn't. It was like I was staring at a shuttered window.
Then a smirk appeared on his face. "So that's what this is about, jealousy."
Heat bloomed on my cheeks. "Jealous?" A scoff. "Why would I be jealous?" I flipped my hair. "I have no reason to."
I tried to appear unconcerned but it was hard when a million questions ran through my mind. I wanted to know just where he and Valentina started and ended, I wanted to know what I was to him, what we were.
But asking would make me seem like a pathetic loser even if I was virtually dying to know.
"There's nothing going on between Valentina and I, Cara." Luca drawled sleepily.
I waited for him to provide more explanation but he didn't.
"Now sleep, bambina. It's been a long day."
"But-"
"Shhhh. Allow me to rest in your arms." His deep voice mumbled.
I didn't know what to say to that. And no matter how hard I pressed on the matter it was certain I wouldn't get any answers tonight.
I took my time to admire his half sleeping form, he looked so exhausted and it tugged at my heart. It thrilled me that he came to me for rest, made me feel happier than it should.
I stroked his hair and watched him fall deeper into slumber until sleep pulled me down as well.
I yawned and snuggled into him, loving the way his large body warmed mine.
And before I drifted off into dreamland, I realized I was no better than Camilla.