Luca's pov
Cara was silent all through our ride back to the penthouse, a stark contrast from the mood she had on the way to the restaurant. I suspected her shift in emotions has something to do with Valentina and whatever the fuck she said to her when I was away but Cara insisted she was fine whenever I asked what was wrong.
She was doing that thing where she shut me out and retreated into her head and I hated it.
I reached for her hand on the car seat, hoping for her bright smile but all I got was a wobbly curve of her lips.
"Cara."
"I'm fine, Luca. I promise."
"No you're not. What did she say to you?"
"Nothing I'm not used to."
"You can tell me, is there something she said to hurt you?"
"Really, it's nothing."
"You know better than to believe whatever she says right?"
She regarded me and it was one of those rare moments I couldn't read her. "Of course." She said but I didn't find the two words convincing.
When we got back to the penthouse, I whipped us both a quick snack since we barely had any bite at the restaurant. Cara ate it up, gushing over how delicious the food was but I knew better. I could tell she was overcompensating for shutting me out.
We showered together like we usually did then went straight to bed. I pulled her into me, relaxing a little when she didn't try to get away. She burrowed into me, sighing deeply into my chest.
Soon after she was overcome with sleep and I stayed awake for another hour, worrying about her as I stroked her hair before giving in to sleep as well.
The next morning, I woke up to the smell of something burning.
Cara wasn't in the bed.
Rushing out of bed, I made my way downstairs, my heart tripping in my chest as I feared the worst.
"Luca?" Cara called from the kitchen, looking confused as she took in my probably crazed expression.
"What's that smell?" I asked, my voice tight.
"Omelets," she blinked innocently.
Here I was thinking the building was on fire with her in it meanwhile it was just her cooking omelets. "It smells weird- unique." I adjusted at the fall of her face.
She twirled around and went about clanging pans. "I used your recipe."
Yeah, right.
I moved to the kitchen island and took a seat. "Mm."
"I think the taste is almost the same."
Highly doubt that. "I'm sure it is."
She turned around again, holding up a plate. "Breakfast is ready." She singsonged, dancing over to the island and placing the plate in front of me.
"Wow," I said, staring at the blob that was supposed to be omelets. "It looks… delicious."
"Wait till you taste it." She grinned excitedly.
I managed a small smile before helping myself to a bite. It took all of me not to gag.
"How is it?" Her voice was impatient.
I chewed painfully on the worst omelet I've ever tasted. I wanted to tell her how awful it was, how inedible it felt on my tongue but she was looking at me with hopeful, bright eyes and I was reminded of their dullness of yesterday so I did something I never did, I gave the wrong feedback. "Your cooking is improving. You're on the right path."
"Really?" She beamed. "That's great to hear!"
Even though I was smiling through the pain, my heart swelled at her genuine delight. I wanted her happy at all times.
"I'll be doing all the cooking from now on."
My smile disappeared immediately. "Why?"
She shrugged. "I just wanted to do more around here. Salma doesn't come in everyday and you're always so busy so it's fair that I take over the task."
"I'm not complaining."
She gave me a faraway look. "You never do."
I was about to ask what that was about when voices flooded into the living room.
"I'm telling you man, she has the hots for me." Santino's jovial voice was saying.
"You think every woman has the hots for you, I'm not taking you seriously."
"You wouldn't know attraction if it body slammed you to the ground. I'm not listening to you either."
They fell silent when they noticed I and Cara.
"Well, isn't it our favorite couple."
"Good morning to you too, Santino." I said dryly as Cara blushed crimson. It made me want to haul her back to our bed.
"What do we have here?" The hitman asked, coming over to the kitchen island. He snatched up my food immediately. "Omelets, nice."
I watched with restrained laughter as he took a huge bite and began to chew, his face draining of color.
"Delicious right?" Cara prompted and I was genuinely curious to know how she was so blissfully ignorant of the terrible taste.
I cleared my throat loudly as soon as Santino opened his mouth to speak, giving him a warning stare when his eyes met mine.
He smiled stiffly. "Yeah, delicious."
"I knew it." Cara clapped her hands. She turned to Dominic, tentatively asking, "would you like a plate?"
Dominic sat down beside Santino, staring at the omelet like it was horse shit. "No."
"Yes, he would. Fix him a plate bambina." I said, smiling warmly at Cara and completely ignoring the glare Dominic shot my way.
Cara's crumpled expression at his refusal brightened and she hurried to the task. Soon shoving a plate of her egg blobs in front of Dominic. He scrunched up his nose at it.
"I'd leave you boys to discuss whatever it is you have to discuss, seeing as my job here is done. Enjoy your breakfast!" She said airily, kissing me on the cheek before flitting upstairs.
Santino barfed up into the plate the second Cara disappeared. "Your girlfriend might be hot but she's a terrible cook."
"Mention she's hot again and I'd be smashing your face into that plate."
"Is this even safe to eat?" Dominic mused.
"You guys can dump it in the trash can over there." I informed, rising from my seat.
"Do it." Dominic said to Santino.
"Why the fuck would I?"
"Because unlike you I'm here with important news and I got a million other things to do, things that do not include frolicking and flirting with girls."
"Hey, it's not my fault the boss has been too busy with his girlfriend to find the next person he hates and wants me to take care of. And I don't "frolick", I have important things to do too."
"If you consider gambling important."
"Man fuck you." Santino retorted but proceeded to discard Cara's awesome omelet.
Dominic followed me to the living area. "Word's on the street that Mikhalov is trying to sway Alesky's trusted clients from dealing with you."
The information didn't come as a surprise, I expected the pakhan to do exactly just that.
"Let him be. He should be busy with that when the blow hits him."
"What blow?"
"It appears that our dear Alexei harbors a huge guilt for the unforgivable sin he committed against his unsuspecting father, one that led to the death of the retired pakhan's late wife. A sin enough to cause a divide between father and son. One that'd give his power hungry cousins the excuse they need to usurp him."
Dominic's eyes glinted. "Now I want to know just what exactly the fucker had done."
My smile was dark. "All in good time."
The restlessness in my friend's eyes belied his accepting nod. "Alright then." He said, pulling out a flash drive from his pocket. "Grigori would have given this to you himself but he had a couple of things to take care of in his office."
I took the ultra slim device. "What's it for?"
"He said and I quote, 'something on the signorina.'"
I looked back down at the flash drive, my pulse kicking up as I registered what that meant. Grigori had found something about Cara's life before her vile stepmother like I'd instructed him to a long while ago.