Cara's pov
Luca stayed in bed with me for about twenty minutes more in spite of my nagging. He only got up to leave when he got a call and he'd put his clothes back on in a bout of cursing. It had been amusing to see the sulking side of him and I'd captured the moment and stored it in my head to revisit it whenever I think of him. Which was all the time.
I hadn't wanted him to leave but I understood he was a busy man with a billion responsibilities. It was irksome how touched I was that he sacrificed some of his precious time for me, making me deepen things that are not even there. I was quickly discovering that I had a delusional streak.
I could still feel the memory of his parting kiss and from how lightheaded I felt as I put my clothes back on, I was also still very much affected by it. I loved his kisses so much, they were hard and passionate just like sex with him. Kissing Luca was an exciting experience and I enjoyed it almost as much as I enjoyed having him inside me.
A dreamy smile was plastered on my face as I made my way back to the "fun area" as Luca described it. I weaved my way around the strotting and dancing half-dressed women, my skin flushing as I imagined doing their erotic dances with Luca as my audience.
I successfully got to the exit without bumping into any of the lust hazed folks, an embarrassed blush heating my cheeks and ears so hard they almost blasted to bits when one of the bouncers from earlier asked if I had a great time. I responded with a hysterical chuckle, noting the judgy stare of his partner before fleeing down the corridor of sin.
I slammed the secret door behind me, leaning into it as I took huge chunks of relieved breaths. It was a sensory overload back there. The intense arousal and exhilaration I felt would stick with me for a long time. So will the nervousness, embarrassment and the hint of shame.
But will that stop me from returning?
Not a chance.
I tried to envision what Luca and I would have done to each other if we were given more time to explore the place. I imagined acting out my sexual fantasies of him in such a setting, heat pooling in my belly as the imaginations ran wild.
"I don't believe you. He must have been there to inspect things like always."
The husky female voice tore me out of my freaky thoughts, panic setting deep in my chest as I shuffled on my feet on where to hide.
I ducked into the next passageway, slipping into an open space. I hid behind the narrow door, holding my breath as the footsteps belonging to the voice I heard drew nearer.
A second voice spoke. "I'm telling you Nyla, he wasn't just there to inspect things, he was there with a woman. The whores saw them."
That was Julietta, my heart dropped to my stomach.
Oh my God! Have I been caught already? Exposed? So soon?
"Right." Nyla said in a sarcastic tone. "If that was true, who was she then?"
I wasn't sure, but I think the organ stopped beating altogether.
Julietta doesn't speak and with each passing second she remained silent, I died a little. I couldn't even decide if I wanted to hear her answer or not.
"Ugh!" She groaned, finally saying something. "How the hell do you expect me or the other whores to know?"
All my nerves went haywire when they entered the narrow passageway and decided to stop right in front of the room I was hiding in. My heartbeat thundered in my chest and I was so certain that its loud, heavy thumping would betray my wish to be undiscovered.
I could hear Julietta's voice right in my ear when she spoke again. "Whoever the bitch is, she must be so lucky. All the whores have been trying their luck and failing."
My face scrunched up. Trying their luck with what?
Nyla chuckled. "You talk as if you aren't part of them. Your clothing choice grew more brazen since the man appeared."
"Well would you blame me, a girl's gotta try her luck." Julietta said with an irritating purr. "I heard he wasn't just any mafia don but the most powerful. Imagine being the girl of such a man."
I was never bothered by Julietta like I was at the moment. I bit my cheek to stop myself from snorting. Luca's girl? I could almost laugh. She was such an ignorant bird.
"Really bold of you to aim that high." Nyla responded and the urge to go kiss her cheek filled me.
"Why? You think I'm not up to par?" Julietta asked, sounding affronted.
"I don't know baby but a man like that only sees women like us as a fun time. A good lay. His *real* girl is probably on a cruise ship shooting for some rich people magazine."
I hated that Valentina was the first woman that came to mind at the description and with it was my heart sinking into my stomach, the Luca induced haze cleared from my eyes.
I now hated Nyla for being such a cynic. I didn't feel like kissing her cheek anymore.
Julietta's tone was acerbic. "Speak for yourself."
I heard her stomp away, heard Nyla sigh deeply before following after her. "I'm just being real here." She called after a pissed Julietta.
I waited another minute before coming out of my hiding spot, rotating my hip bones to loosen the soreness in them. Nyla and Julietta had kept me in the tight space for far too long.
Julietta had referred to the other girls working in the whorehouse like she wasn't a part of them. She might not work full-time like most of them but she definitely did what they do.
'What about you? You swore never to be there but couldn't even stick to your decision.' I shook off the ruthless voice, hating how right it was. I was the last person to judge Julietta.
I might not be sleeping with men for money but I was definitely not a saint either. I've been having sex with my step brother, Julietta didn't need my criticism.
I thought back to what Nyla said, not liking the fact that I fit right into the category of Julietta and the rest. I might be the one to have Luca for now but it was a matter of time before he moved on to the next woman.
There was nothing secure about our relationship. There never would be. He made that clear of the cryptic answers he gave whenever I brought Valentina up. I couldn't even call what we had a relationship, more like an undefined arrangement.
Something burned in the back of my eyes and I shut my lids to reel it in. "Just enjoy the ride while it lasts and stop overthinking everything." I muttered to myself. "It's how you've always done it."
I needed to put an end to the unwarranted and irrational notion of the promise of a real relationship. I didn't even know when I'd begun to nurture the stupid thought.