Make her unhappy
Luca's POV
What was she doing?
Her heartbeat was irregular. It started fast, but as her touch lingered on my skin, it got slower.
Aria had a way of making me lose control... At least want to. Even without her trying. Or was she trying?
Was this her plan? To get me to notice her?
Did she think that by getting my attention, I would allow her to leave and go back to her stupid life?
No.
Rather it would be the opposite.
The more she got my attention, the more I wanted to keep her grounded to my side.
The more I burned for her.
My gaze slowly moved down to her tiny hands wrapped around mine. She clutched on to it like it was her lifeline.
"Please." Aria pleaded her eyes filling up with tears. "This is my fault, everything is my fault. Blame me... Not Marcus."
I felt like a bucket of cold water was poured on my burning heart, quenching the fire immediately.
Marcus.
I snorted, roughly pulling my hand away from hers.
This was because of him... That bastard.
She was acting cute, begging me... Just because she didn't want Marcus to get hurt.
How dare she?!
I clenched my teeth, glaring at her.
"Keep this up and I swear to you... Marcus won't survive the next 24 hours." I swore in a low voice. But loud enough so she could hear me.
I was sure she heard because Aria's face immediately paled.
Her skin was as white as paper and her eyes went round.
She still held her hand in the air, as though she was frozen by my words.
My eyes swept past her, and I felt a pang in my heart.
Seeing her this hurt... Hurt. I hated how much she had grown on me.
I wanted nothing more at that moment than to console her.
To turn that frown she had on her trembling lips upside down.
But I couldn't do that.
No...
I just couldn't.
I couldn't give her what she wanted.
How dare she try to trick me into letting Marcus go? I couldn't.
That bastard had overstepped... He had to face the consequences.
But...
I couldn't stand seeing her like this.
I inhaled, shutting my eyes for a second before flipping them back open. "Keep your distance from Marcus, and maybe... Just maybe he would survive long enough to see you die."
I didn't wait for her to tell me to explain what I meant... She would have to figure that out on her own.
I turned around and walked away.
I had just broken my own rules... Just so she wouldn't be too unhappy.
Would I regret it? Most definitely.
But at the moment... It just felt right.
Ignoring other distractions, I walked straight to my study where Marcus was currently waiting for me.
I may have told Aria to keep her distance if she wanted him to live... But I didn't say he was going to be complete and unharmed.
Marcus had violated my instructions. He had to be penalized.
Yes... I wasn't going to kill him.
Not because Aria begged for his life... No. If anything, I wanted to kill him even more after she begged.
But I was going to keep him alive, and that was because I never wanted her to beg for Marcus' life ever again.
A part of me knew she was going to hate me if I killed Marcus and she found out... And that part of me dreaded the thought.
So I was going along with her demands... Just this one time.
As I got closer to my study I noticed someone standing there... A man I had been too familiar with.
Payson.
Because I got sick, Payson had to travel in my stead to take care of business.
It had been a few days. And judging from his appearance, he just came back.
"Boss." He bowed once I was close enough.
I nodded acknowledging him.
I moved towards the door, but Payson was faster. He pushed the door open for me before stepping aside.
"How was the trip?" I asked walking into the office.
I spotted Marcus almost immediately. He stood as a pole by a corner, staring at my desk.
As soon as I walked in, he turned his head towards me.
His back straightened, and the pained look on his face vanished. Morphing into one of calmness... Ready for anything I would throw at him.
At least... So he thought.
"Just as you predicted boss," Payson replied. "Mr Rogers did try to outsmart us, but we had him cornered and trapped."
"The goods are back in our custody and so is Mr. Rogers."
"Good." I nodded in affirmation.
Good job.
I knew Payson was going to do a good job, that was the reason I trusted him with it.
I directed my gaze back to Marcus who now had his head lowered. "Why do you keep going back to her?" I asked, agitated by seeing his face. "What the fuck is your problem?"
Aria's face when she held my hand reappeared in my head. The way she begged... For him...
I clenched my jaw, curving my hands into a tight fist.
"I'm sorry boss." Marcus apologized. "I... I didn't know she was going to be there. I just ran into her..."
"Ran into her?" I scoffed rolling my eyes.
How was that a believable excuse?
"If you ran into her... Why didn't you just run away when you saw it was her?"
"Boss, why do you insist?" Payson suddenly spoke.
My eyes blinked involuntarily in surprise as I turned to look at him. "What?"
"I understand Aria is your prisoner. Her father killed boss Jared and took her to you as your revenge on him... But, if you claim to hate her, hate her completely."
Again... What?
"What are you trying to say?" I asked Payson walking a little closer to him.
It felt to me as though he was accusing me of something I was guilty of.
Even though... How dare he?
Payson had been with me for years. He was one of the few men whom I could testify knew me.
He was also one of the few who could object to my words, but he seldom does.
So why now?
"Boss, I am not trying to accuse you of anything. But I just don't understand why you are being this protective of Aria. She should have been dead a long time ago, but you chose to keep her alive. You wanted to torture her... Yet I've seen you do is take care of her, look after her... Love her."
My eyes d
ilated, my heart beat racing.
Did he just...
"What did you just say?"
Payson repeated his words, this time as a clear question.
"Boss, are you in love with her?"