Chapter 3
Have you ever had that feeling where you’re floating through nothing, completely weightless, in a dreamlike state? The world around you seems to pass by, though you can’t really see anything because it’s just a blanket of darkness. But you’re at peace, gently following the invisible current. I’ve always wondered if this is what death feels like, warm and fuzzy, not at all daunting or terrifying. Though I know I’m not dead, I can’t deny that the thought hasn’t crossed my mind recently.
I’m aware of the warmth wrapped around me, a firmness keeping me in place. It’s comforting, a distinct contrast to the room I’ve been held captive in for god-knows how many days.
I shiver as my body is shifted slightly. Whoever has a hold of me isn’t prepared to let go just yet. I kind of like it, though. I’m not afraid. I’m not hurting. It’s tender, almost loving.
That thin veil that has been keeping me in the darkness seems to disintegrate the more I succumb to the comforting touch. My body, still warm, decides that whatever has kept me still for so long is wearing off and it’s time to wake up.
My eyelids flutter, my vision blurred by the faint light streaming in through my curtains. My dreams seem to dissolve away as I come to. I take a deep breath, like it’s the first time in so long that I’ve felt this relaxed.
“Good morning, Bellissima.”
I shiver under the heat coiling up the back of my neck, smiling at the raspy voice full of sleep and sexy as sin. It’s then that I realize where I am. I’m safe.
The arm banded around my waist pulls tighter, making me hiss out from the pain radiating up my side and back. But the comforting closeness of the men lying on either side of me makes me forget about that for a moment.
“What are you both doing here?” I whisper, voice dry and raspy.
“Well,” Levi leans in closer behind me, pressing his not so subtle hard-on against my ass. “This asshole wouldn’t leave your side, so I had no choice but to join in.”
“You were supposed to debrief everyone,” Luca mumbles into my hair.
I look up to see his eyes still firmly shut, but there’s a hint of a smile curling his delicious lips.
“The only people I want to debrief are you two,” Levi murmurs flirtatiously, snaking his arms around my waist, effectively pushing Luca’s away.
But Luca reaches around me. I don’t know what he does, but Levi lets out a yelp as Luca growls at him. “Not until she’s better.”
“She is not an invalid,” I rasp, pushing myself up. My energy wanes almost immediately though as my shoulder gives way. I drop back onto the mattress with a loud groan, unable to ignore the way my arm and shoulder ache.
Luca rolls onto his side, nuzzling into my neck. “You were saying, Dolcezza?”
“Fine,” I grumble, surrendering to the fact my body isn’t quite ready to move. Everything is still a bit hazy. The last thing I remember is my stupid brain conjuring up visions of my dead best friend, right after Luciano attempted to take my last shred of dignity. “When did I get back here? I feel like I’ve been asleep for… days.”
Luca totally avoids the first part of my question, settling to answer with only a few words. “Only two days.”
Levi combs his fingers through my tangled hair, nuzzling into the other side of my face. “How are you feeling?”
“Aside from my entire body hurting? I’m okay.” My brows furrow as I think more about what happened, how I got here, who got me here. I don’t remember anything past the gun shot; it still echoes in the back of my mind. The last thing I vividly remember was me fighting Luciano and then he just… stopped.
“What happened?” I ask, swallowing dryly.
Levi must notice my hesitation because he sits up almost immediately to pass me a glass of water from the bedside table. “Don’t worry about that for now. Doctor’s orders are to stay in bed, and be treated like the queen you are.”
Luca helps me sit up so that I can take the water and painkillers. Graciously, I sip it before realizing what Levi just said. I raise a brow at him suspiciously. “The doctor told you to treat me like a queen?”
I don’t even remember a doctor coming. The fog in the back of my mind is telling me something but I’m just too exhausted to make out what it’s trying to say. Something niggles, like a creature trying to break through the hazy confusion.
“Drink up, Dolcezza.” Luca takes the tablets from Levi, placing them into my hand as he guides the glass to my dry, cracked lips.
“What happened to Luciano?” I ask, gulping back the painkillers.
“We’ll tell you later.” Levi jumps out of the bed, almost spilling the water in my hand. “First, I need coffee, and you need sustenance.”
I catch a glimpse of Levi’s tight boxers hugging his peachy ass. God, I’ve missed that ass.
“Take a picture, Bellissima. You need rest before doing anything strenuous,” Levi winks over his shoulder, that boyish grin making me blush. I feel like it’s been weeks since he graced me with that smile. The dimples in his cheeks soften his features, making my heart swell. I’ve missed that smile.
“Please Levi,” I whisper. “What happened to him?”
“He’s taken care of,” he answers flatly.
I gulp nervously. “And Giovanni?” The last thing I remember is Luciano driving a knife into him and the piercing scream that escaped me. I have to know what happened to him.
Looking up at Levi, I see him and Luca sharing a look, a silent conversation passing between them. I notice they’re both wearing the same expressions, in fact they’re wearing matching black eyes and split lips.
“What is it?” I rasp, fearing cracking in my voice.
Luca grips my hand, his thumb stroking over the back of it. “There’s a lot to unpack. But we want you to get your strength back before we discuss our next steps.”
“Next steps?” I croak. I’m so exhausted that my confusion only tires me out more. But I don’t get the chance to fight them for more information.
Luca hands the glass of water back to Levi before wrapping his arms around me,
“What happened to your face?” I ask Levi as he steps into his sweatpants.
He leans down, pressing a kiss to my lips. “Your dad happened, Bellissima.”
I fight the gasp threatening to escape. My father would have killed a lesser man for what happened to me, yet Levi’s still alive. My stomach twists with guilt that Levi had to take a beating for something he couldn’t have prevented. If anyone is to blame, it’s Giovanni. But I keep that detail to myself.
“Come on, Dolcezza. You need to rest.” Luca slowly guides me back under the covers. He holds me close to him, gentle and comforting until his breaths even out, signaling his sleeping state. But no matter how hard I try, I just can’t get back to sleep. It’s like I’m past the point of exhaustion. There are so many questions I have, and nobody is willing to answer them. It does nothing for my erratic thoughts, and nothing for the fear slowly snaking its way into my mind.
I lay there for what feels like hours. By the time the sun is high in the sky, my bladder is full and my stomach is rumbling so badly that I’m past the point of hunger. Still, I push past the pain that radiates through my body, desperate to relieve myself.
Attempting to go to the toilet is harder than I thought. Between the pain in my ribs, the constant sting shooting up my spine and the tightness of my shoulder, I’m not sure I can manage it. I’m too damn stubborn to ask for help, though, so I try to ignore the pain.
After cleaning up, I pad back to bed, quietly surveying how soundly Luca sleeps. He’s on his back, the covers barely covering his toned chest and abs. I stand for a moment, staring long enough to commit the image to memory because it’s a sight worthy of remembering. The way the covers drop around his waist, exposing his mouth-watering v-line. His taut abs contracting with every breath. He’s so peaceful, a complete contrast to the bruises marking his beautiful face. I can only imagine how he got those, and I’m certain it had something to do with me since Levi is wearing matching black eyes.
“You’re supposed to be resting,” Luca murmurs softly.
Damn him.Those tablets must be working because I should have noticed he wasn’t really sleeping. He’s far too stubborn to fall asleep before me, and that thought only makes my heart ache. I slip under the covers and tuck myself in against Luca’s embrace, stealing some of his warmth as he presses his lips to my forehead.
“I was about to wet the bed,” I admit in a whisper.
A small chuckle bounces beneath my head as Luca combs his fingers through my hair. Between his touch and that delicious sound, I find myself a lot more relaxed, a peaceful state washing over me.
“I’ve missed you, Dolcezza.”
Fuck. It feels like an iron fist is squeezing my heart because I’ve missed him too. Luca is never one to really voice his emotions but those few words make my eyes sting. I fight back the tears as I think about what these guys must have gone through to get me back because it couldn’t have been easy. There’s no way Luciano would have let his guard down. I know for certain because when he wants something, nothing will stop him.
I snuggle harder into Luca’s chest, ignoring the sharpness in my own. “I knew you would find me eventually.”
Someone clears their throat behind me, but I’m too comfortable to turn. Instead, I wait for Luca to invite Levi back into our bubble, back where it’s safe. As soon as his arms wrap around me, I feel the peacefulness, the tranquility; it’s like a wave of calm overwhelming me. It feels right. It feels safe.
“You know we have to tell her.”
“And say what exactly? She needs to rest, not deal with more bullshit.”
“She’s going to want answers.”
“I know, which is why we have to wait until she’s better.”
I grumble inaudibly through the hushed voices, blinking back my exhaustion until all I can see is the heavy glow of my bedside lamp.
“This is all so fucked up,” I hear Levi sigh.
“Yeah,” Luca huffs. “But this isn’t a bandaid you can rip off. She’s already been through so much.”
“You know I can hear you both,” I groan out.
Levi pokes his head around the door to my bedroom, his boyish smile making my heart melt just a little. I forgot how much that smile brought me joy. He always managed to light up the room with it, and tonight is no different.
“How are you feeling?” Luca asks, pushing past Levi to perch on the bed. They’re both dressed now, no longer parading around in just their boxers but in jogging pants and tees. Shame.
“How long was I asleep?” I yawn, my hand landing on my cheek when I feel the tightness of a bandage stuck to it.
“In total?” Levi chuckles. “Three days. I brought you some food earlier, but you and Fontana were passed out cold.”
“Mmhmm... food.” My stomach grumbles, earning an incredulous look from both Levi and Luca.
“We’ll go make you something.” Luca goes to stand, but I grab his wrist to stop him, silently pleading for him not to go.
I’m not quite ready to be left alone just yet. Though I know they’ll only be downstairs, I don’t want to be on my own. I can still feel the bone-breaking coldness of that cell. I can still feel the frigid air whipping over every inch of my body. And now that I’m back, every moment with my men counts.
My men.
“Can you tell me where Gio is? Is he…?” I drop my gaze, feeling the burn of my tears as they sting my eyes. I can’t find the strength to say the words. Part of me doesn’t want to know even though I have an idea. The state I last saw him in leaves me little hope and while he doesn’t deserve my tears, it still hurts.
Luca catches a tear that escapes slowly down my cheek, swiping it away with the pad of his thumb before he gently cups my chin and lifts my gaze back to his.
“He’s alive,” Levi says with a nod. Though his words don’t quite fill me with the certainty I was hoping for.
“I want to see him,” I rasp, choking on a sob. The thought of what he did still leaves a bitter taste on my tongue. I know he had no choice; he had someone he loved taken from him and used as leverage. It just hurts that he didn’t trust any of us after what we’ve all been through together. My heart breaks for the man who was meant to protect me, his betrayal slicing right through the muscle that is trying to keep me alive.
Levi shakes his head silently, leaving no room for argument.
Luca cups my face in his warm palm. His blue eyes mirror my own pain, but I can’t figure out why. “That’s not a good idea, Sera.”
The look in his dark gaze tells me he knows what Giovanni did. But does he understand why? Judging by the way he’s looking at me, I’d say he doesn’t, because Luca isn’t heartless. Family always comes first, and if he knew the reasoning behind Giovanni’s actions, he would know why I need to see him.
The lump in my throat increases three sizes and try as I might, I can’t swallow past it. “I know what he did was…”
“Unforgivable,” Levi answers for me from his position by the door.
I nod defeatedly. “But he did it for his daughter.”
Luca frowns, dropping his hand from my cheek. “His daughter?”
“Luciano took her. Used her as leverage to get what he wanted. To get to me.”
“Fuck,” Levi sighs deeply, rubbing his hand over his face. I can see the exhaustion warring with his morals. We both know what happens to those who betray family, and while I know Giovanni won’t be the exception, I made him a promise.
“He had no choice. I need to see him.”
“Fine,” Levi huffs, sliding into bed beside me. “But not right now.”
Luca follows, sliding in on the other side, both men caging me in with their secure warmth.
A small smile graces my lips. I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be than with these two. I don’t want to think about what I went through. I don’t want to talk about it and Levi and Luca haven’t asked a single question about it. All that seems to matter is that I’m here.
My brows furrow as I linger on that last thought. “How did you find me?”
Levi sighs, draping his arm around my shoulder and tucking me into his side. “Well… let’s just say we found the mole.”
I lift my head, unsure of what he’s implying. I thought Giovanni was the mole.
“And the person who helped us at the warehouse,” Luca adds.
We’re no longer talking about Giovanni anymore. Whoever this mole is, it’s someone entirely different.
“Who was it?” I ask, turning my attention to Luca.
He raises a brow at Levi over my shoulder, his lip slightly tucked beneath his teeth. His eyes flicker with resignation, indecision washing over his features that only makes me more anxious. “You’re not going to like the answer.”