Chapter 81 BIG WAVES
••Luciana••
The restaurant had quieted down as the last of the plates were cleared. I was left alone at the table, still reeling from the tension-filled dinner, all the guys had stormed out. What I thought was going well just scattered within few minuted, leaving me with my thoughts.
I stared down at my glass, my fingers tracing the rim absentmindedly. The events of the evening were still swirling in my mind, but my own emotions were catching up.
The server came over with the bill, and I instinctively reached for my purse. But then, it hit me. My purse was in the car, I left it went we came in. Of course. I had been so distracted that I forgot the simplest things.
Normally, I wouldn’t worry about this. I had Roman, who always took care of everything. But this was different, this wasn’t their territory. We were out in the world, surrounded by normal people who didn’t know about the mafia business.
I sighed deeply, pushing myself to my feet. "Excuse me," I told the server, giving him an apologetic smile. "I’ll just be right back." I made my way to the exit, trying to ignore the occasional curious glance from other patrons in the restaurant. I stepped outside, the cool air hitting my face, and made my way towards the car.
As soon as I was outside, a wave of flashes hit me. Cameras, phones, all directed at me. I stopped in my tracks, stunned, as voices and questions rushed in from all sides.
How’s your marriage been?
How do you manage being married to Roman Orlov?
Is it true that the Orlovs don’t allow their women to work?
The questions bombarded me, one after another, each more invasive than the last.
I froze, fear gripping me as the flashes continued. I wasn’t used to this, being under a spotlight in such a public way. In the mafia world, everything was controlled. I was protected, shielded from the outside world, but out here, in the public eye, it felt different. I felt exposed. I wanted to run, to escape the overwhelming attention, but my feet were rooted to the ground. The fear that had been building inside me for months now surged, flooding me with emotions I couldn’t name.
I heard a familiar voice then, cutting through the chaos. "Get away!" Theo shouted, forcing his way through the crowd.
He reached me just in time, pushing through the people with a protective fury I hadn’t expected. With a gentle but firm hand, he guided me towards the car, my heart still racing from the barrage of questions. "Get in the car, Luci," he said, his voice steady.
Theo opened the car door for me, and I stepped inside, my chest heaving as I let out a shaky breath. The car was a safe haven. As soon as the door closed, I collapsed into the seat, my tears finally flowing freely. The feeling of exposure, of being out of control, overwhelmed me.
Theo settled into the seat beside me, his hand resting on my shoulder in a comforting gesture. "It’s okay," he murmured. "They’re gone now."
But even though the immediate danger had passed, I couldn’t shake the feeling of vulnerability. I had always known my life would be far from normal, but this was something else entirely. The media’s interest in me wasn’t something I had prepared for.
Roman arrived shortly afterward, his presence a welcome comfort amidst the storm of emotions. His eyes softened when he saw me, and I could see the concern etched on his face.
"You should have waited for us inside," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
I nodded, trying to compose myself, but the tears kept coming. Roman didn’t say anything more. He simply reached over, pulling me into his arms. His embrace was warm and safe, "I’m sorry that all of this happened," he whispered.
"I’m here now, Luci. You don’t have to face it alone."
When we got home, I couldn’t stop the flood of emotions that had been building up all evening. I sat down on the couch, my hands trembling as I smoothed the fabric of my dress.
Roman sat beside me, his hand gently brushing against mine. "Luci," he said softly, "I need you to talk to me. Tell me what you’re feeling."
I swallowed hard, trying to gather my thoughts. "I feel like I’m not a good sister," I said, my voice cracking. "I feel like I’ve let Antonio down. I should have been there for him, and instead, I’ve let everything change. I don’t know if I can handle this."
Roman looked at me, his expression gentle but full of understanding. "You’ve done nothing wrong, Luci," he said. "You’re not a bad sister. You’re here, and that’s what matters. You’re doing your best. Don’t make yourself feel like you’ve failed."
I let out a shaky breath, leaning against him for support. "But what about Marco? What if he’s really planning something against us? How dangerous could he be?"
Roman took a moment before answering, his brow furrowed in thought. "Marco is dangerous, Luci. He’s always been a threat. But we’ve dealt with worse before. We’ve got people in place, we’ve got our alliances, and we’re stronger than ever."
I nodded slowly, trying to process his words. "But what if that’s not enough? What if he’s already ahead of us?"
Roman placed a hand on my cheek, lifting my face so that I met his eyes. "Luci, listen to me. We’re not going to let him win. Whatever he’s planning, we’ll stop him before it gets out of hand. I promise you that."
"Well, I have also been planning to take him down too since that time but I just need it to be strategical so I can take him out once and for all." He continued.
"Since what time?" I asked.
"The morning before the accident, I received..." The knock on the door cut him short.
Roman stood up, his expression shifting to one of alertness. "It’s Theo," he said, recognizing the knock. "I’ll be right back."
"It's urgent." Theo voice came from outside the door.
Roman turned back to me, his expression hardening. "Stay here. I’ll be right back."
I watched him go, my mind still swirling with everything that had happened. I felt the weight of the situation pressing down on me, but I also knew that Roman would do everything in his power to protect me.