Chapter 252 THIS MAN.
Chapter 252 THIS MAN.
\~~~RAINA.
By the time Luciano finally returned to the room, I was already annoyed.
Not genuinely annoyed, just enough to pretend I was.
I sat against the headboard with my arms folded while the television played softly in the background.
The moment the bedroom door opened and he stepped inside, my eyes immediately lifted toward him.
And unfortunately for me, the fake irritation almost disappeared instantly.
God.
This man was unfairly attractive.
Luciano loosened the first few buttons of his shirt as he walked in before finally noticing the expression on my face.
His brows lifted slightly.
“What?”
“You are late.”
A faint smirk tugged at his lips immediately.
“Are you timing me now?”
“Yes.”
I watched amusement flicker across his face before he shut the door fully behind him and walked toward me slowly.
“I told you I would not take long.”
“You lied.”
“Hmm.”
He stopped directly in front of me afterward and before I could continue pretending to be upset, his arm suddenly slid around my waist and pulled me closer immediately.
“Luciano.”
“I’m sorry.”
The apology came out so easily that it almost ruined my act completely.
Almost. I tried keeping my face straight regardless.
“You are forgiven conditionally.”
“Conditionally?” he repeated with amusement.
“Yes.”
“What are the conditions?”
I pretended to think deeply for a second before answering.
“I have not decided yet.”
That made him chuckle softly under his breath before he leaned down and kissed me gently.
Just one slow kiss. And it was so warm that it immediately made my annoyance disappear completely.
When he pulled back, I sighed dramatically.
“You think kissing me solves everything.”
“It usually does.”
Unfortunately… he was not entirely wrong.
I rolled my eyes softly while my hands moved toward his tie.
“You look exhausted.”
“So do you.”
“I was waiting for you.”
His expression softened slightly at that.
God, that look again.
Like I had somehow become the center of his entire world without even trying.
Slowly, I loosened his tie while he kept one arm wrapped around my waist the whole time.
The intimacy of it felt strangely domestic.
Not Pakhan and Donna.
Just Luciano and me.
“You ate?” I asked softly.
“Yes.”
“Liar.”
A small laugh escaped him.
“How would you even know?”
“You always sound less grumpy after eating.”
“Interesting observation.”
“I study you too.”
His eyes held mine quietly for a second before he leaned down and kissed my forehead softly.
My fingers slowly pushed his tie off fully afterward before I tossed it somewhere across the bed carelessly.
Luciano watched me with obvious amusement.
“That tie was expensive.”
“You can buy another one.”
“I liked that one.”
“Too bad.”
His hand suddenly squeezed lightly against my waist before he finally sat beside me on the bed.
I immediately shifted closer unconsciously and rested my head briefly against his shoulder.
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.
The silence between us had become comfortable now.
Eventually, I lifted my head slightly to look at him.
“So?”
His eyes shifted toward me.
“So?”
“What did you decide about Shane?”
Something flickered briefly across his expression before disappearing almost immediately.
“I made a decision,” he answered calmly.
I studied him carefully for a moment.
“And?”
“He lives.”
That honestly surprised me slightly.
Luciano noticed immediately too. “You expected me to kill him.”
“Maybe a little.”
A faint smirk tugged at his lips before fading again.
Then quieter, he muttered, “I feel like I might have failed him somewhere.”
I immediately frowned. “No.”
His eyes shifted toward me again.
“You didn’t fail him at all.”
“Raina.”
“No,” I repeated firmly.
“How exactly did you fail someone you did not even know existed for years?”
That made him pause slightly.
Good, because I meant every word.
Shane’s resentment was not Luciano’s fault.
And honestly?
Luciano had spent most of his life carrying responsibilities nobody else wanted.
The fact that he even felt guilty at all already said enough.
I reached up slowly and brushed my fingers lightly against his jaw.
“You are not responsible for every broken person around you.”
His gaze held mine quietly and then suddenly, “You sound very wise tonight.”
I narrowed my eyes immediately. “Do not mock me.”
“I would never.”
“You literally are right now.”
A laugh escaped him softly before he suddenly moved.
His fingers dug lightly against my ribs and I gasped loudly before bursting into laughter immediately.
“Luciano!”
“There she is.”
“Stop!”
I tried moving away from him instantly but he only caught me faster.
God.
This man was irritatingly strong.
I squealed again between laughter as I tried escaping across the bed but Luciano grabbed my waist immediately and dragged me back toward him.
The sudden force sent both of us falling sideways onto the bed together.
My laughter filled the room while Luciano hovered above me looking far too pleased with himself.
“You are evil,” I accused breathlessly.
“Very.”
I stared up at him while trying to catch my breath properly again.
And suddenly…
The realization hit me all over again.
Luciano Moretti.
One of the most feared men in the world. A man who made men tremble when he walked into rooms, organizations feared disappointing him and yet here he was…
At my mercy.
Laughing with me and letting me loosen his tie and climb all over him and complain when he came home late.
It felt unreal sometimes.
My hand slowly slid into his hair and his eyes softened almost immediately at the touch.
This dangerous man… This beautiful man... He is mine..
Luciano lowered his head slightly and kissed me again, slower this time and deeper too.
My fingers curled lightly in his hair while his hand rested against my waist possessively.
When he finally pulled away, I stayed looking at him quietly for a second before speaking softly.
“I was scared.”
His expression shifted instantly.
“That you would die?”
I shook my head slowly.
“No.”
My fingers brushed lightly through his hair again.
“I was scared I would become your weakness. I still am, by the way.”
The room grew quieter after that.
I swallowed softly before continuing.
“People are never going to stop trying to use me against you.”
Luciano stared at me for a few seconds.
Then suddenly laughed softly.
He actually laughed loud which made meI frowned immediately.
“I am serious.”
“So am I.”
His hand slid slowly against my waist again before he leaned down and kissed the corner of my mouth softly.
“I would love to see them try.”
I blinked at him.
“That is not comforting at all.”
“It comforts me.”
I laughed despite myself while shaking my head.
“Luciano.”
His forehead rested briefly against mine afterward.
“Raina,” he murmured back softly.
The way he said my name alone nearly melted me completely.
“I mean it,” I whispered quietly.
“What if one day…”
“One day nothing,” he cut in calmly.
His eyes held mine steadily now.
“You are not my weakness.”
I stayed quiet.
“You are simply the person foolish enough to love me despite everything.”
That made my chest tighten painfully.
God. This man.
“And for the record,” he continued dryly, “I was terrifying long before you existed.”
I burst into laughter again.
“There he is.”
“What?”
“The ego.”
A faint smirk appeared on his lips immediately.
“Accurate ego.”
I rolled my eyes softly before pulling him down toward me again.