Bound To Be Yours

Chapter 35

It had been a month since I came to the estate.

A month since that night.

I still dreamed about it sometimes. The cold press of Nico's hand against my cheek, the way my breath caught in my throat as fear crawled up my spine. But the nightmares had faded, little by little, replaced by something else.

Warmth. Safety.

I liked it here.

The estate was nothing like the penthouse. It didn't feel lonely. The halls were always alive with voices, with the faint clatter of dishes from the kitchen, with the sound of Leo's laughter echoing through the rooms. I didn't feel trapped.

And Luca was always near.

He took me out to the gardens when he caught me staring at the windows too long, down to the dining hall even when I insisted I wasn't hungry. He fed me when I barely had the appetite to pick up my fork. Held me steady when my hands trembled too much to button my dress.

He washed my hair for me, his fingers gentle, patient, even when I whispered that I was fine, that I didn't need help. He didn't push, didn't demand anything in return. Just wrapped me in a towel afterward, pressed a kiss to my temple and carried me to bed like a baby.

Even when I told him I could do it myself, he never listened.

And now, a month later, I wasn't weak anymore. My lip had healed, though it still had a little scar. The bruises were gone, only a faint trace of them left behind.

But Luca... he hadn't changed.

He was still careful with me. Still treated me like I was fragile, like he was terrified that if he touched me too roughly, I had break.

But that was the problem.

He didn't touch me at all.

Not in the way I wanted.

He was gentle, protective but he never tried to take things further. Never kissed me past the soft press of his lips against mine. Never let his hands linger where I wanted when he held me close at night.

I laid in bed now, curled under the covers, staring at the ceiling as I waited for him. He usually came back late, after handling whatever business took him away during the day. But he never failed to come back. Never failed to slide into bed beside me even if he thought I was already asleep.

The door opened.

I turned my head just as Luca stepped in, his dark hair slightly disheveled like he had run his fingers through it too many times. His jaw was tense but the moment his gaze landed on me, something in him softened.

"You should be sleeping" he murmured, shutting the door behind him.

I swallowed, shifting under the blankets. "I was waiting for you."

He walked toward the bed, unbuttoning his cuffs, rolling them up as he sat down beside me.

"You need rest," he said, brushing his knuckles over my cheek. "You are still recovering."

I hesitated, staring up at him.

Luca had done everything for me. Protected me. Cared for me. But there was still a distance between us. A distance that I hated. Because I wasn't broken anymore.

I reached for him before I could second-guess myself, my fingers curling around his wrist.

"I need you."

The words left me barely above a whisper but the tension in his body told me he had heard them.

"Alessa..."

I shook my head. "You don't want me."

His brows pulled together. "What?"

"You never touch me," I said, my voice quieter now. "Not like before."

Luca exhaled sharply, jaw flexing. He shifted, moving so close I could feel his warmth against me. His fingers trailed down my arm, slow and deliberate, before he caught my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"I don't want to hurt you." His voice was low, firm. "We can wait."

I swallowed against the lump in my throat. "So you don't want me."

His grip tightened, not enough to hurt, just to make me feel him.

His next breath came out ragged. "You think I don't want you?" He scoffed, shaking his head. "Alessa, you have no idea how fucking much I do."

Something inside me cracked but I kept my voice steady. "Then why-"

"Because I almost lost you." He pressed his forehead against mine, his breath warm against my lips. "Because every time I look at you, I remember how close I came to-"

He cut himself off, his grip tightening for a second before he exhaled. "I need you too, Alessa. But I need to know you are okay first."

I let out a slow breath, my hands cupping his face, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath my touch.

"I am okay" I whispered. "I'm here, Luca. With you."

I pushed myself up, the sheets pooling around my waist as I reached for him. I placed my palm against his chest, right over his heart, feeling the steady, strong beat beneath my touch.

"You won't hurt me," I whispered, my fingers curling slightly, clutching the fabric of his shirt. "You could never hurt me."

His throat bobbed, his gaze dark as he stared at me. For a second, he didn't move like he was warring with himself, like something inside him was holding him back. Then, slowly he reached for my hand, lifting it to his lips.

His mouth was warm as he pressed a kiss to my knuckles.

Then my palm.

Then my wrist.

Then moved to my forehead.

His lips brushed over my closed eyelids, my nose, my cheeks.

By the time he reached my lips, my breath was already shallow, my fingers fisting in his shirt to keep myself steady. But Luca didn't rush. He didn't take.

He just kissed me.

His lips moved against mine, slow at first, almost hesitant like he was giving me a chance to pull away. But I didn't.

I pressed closer, my fingers curling tighter in his shirt, silently begging for more. And he gave it to me.

Luca deepened the kiss, his hand sliding to my waist, pulling me against him. His body was engulfing me in a way that made my breath hitch. His lips were soft against mine, stealing the air from my lungs, leaving me dizzy.

I whimpered when he pulled away, his forehead resting against mine, his breath ragged.

His voice was hoarse when he finally spoke. "I will always be attracted to you, Alessa."

My heart pounded. I swallowed, my fingers smoothing over his chest as I whispered, "I know."

I looked down at his shirt, then to him. He nodded.

My fingers trembled slightly as they moved to the buttons of his shirt. The first button slipped through, then the second.

A memory stirred in my mind, soft but vivid.

"This reminds me of our wedding night," I said.

Luca's hand lifting to brush a strand of hair from my face. His touch was soft, reverent. "You were scared," he said.

I nodded pushing through the lump in my throat as I worked on the next button. "I was."

I had been shaking that night too. But not like this.

That night, my hands had trembled with uncertainty, with nerves. I had barely known him then, barely understood what he wanted from me. What I wanted from him.

But now...

Now, my hands shook for an entirely different reason.

Because I wanted this.

Because the weight of his gaze made my heart race, made heat coil low in my stomach, made my breathing ragged in a good way.

Because now I wasn't afraid of Luca. I was afraid of how much I needed him.

Button by button, I undid his shirt, my fingertips ghosting over the skin I revealed.

Luca let out a slow breath, his fingers curling around my wrist, stilling me before I could push the fabric from his shoulders. For a moment, I thought he was going to stop me completely that he was going to pull away.

He shook his head, lifting my wrist to his lips, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to the inside of it. "Tonight is about you. Not me."

Before I could protest, he was already moving. Gently he pressed his palm to my shoulder and eased me back, guiding me down against the pillows.

Luca shifted, shrugging out of his shirt in one fluid motion. The muscles of his chest flexed under the dim light. My fingers twitched with the urge to reach for him but before I could, he was already settling between my legs, his hands gripping my waist as he pulled me to him.

Luca leaned down and his lips crashed against mine, no longer soft, no longer hesitant. This wasn't careful or restrained. This was hungry and desperate. What i wanted, craved for.

Luca kissed me like he wanted to consume me, like he was done pretending that he could keep himself away. His tongue parted my lips, sweeping against mine. He groaned into my mouth, a sound so raw, so needy that it sent a fresh wave of heat crashing through me.

His mouth left mine only to trail lower, down my jaw, my neck, his breath hot against my skin.

He pulled back, his hands roaming over my nightgown. His fingers curled into the fabric, dragging it down my arms, my breasts, exposing me to the cool air and to him.

"Fuck, I missed them." he rasped.

Then his hands were on me again, covering me completely. His thumbs flicked over my hardened nipples, sending a shiver coursing through me. I gasped, arching into his touch, but it wasn't enough.

It wasn't enough.

Luca must have sensed it, because he didn't make me wait. His mouth replaced his hands, tongue flicking over the sensitive peak before he sucked it into his mouth, his teeth grazing just enough to make me cry out.

"Luca-"

He groaned at the sound of his name, his free hand squeezing my other breast, kneading, teasing, his thumb circling my nipple in slow, torturous strokes. His tongue swirled and flicked, then he sucked harder, his mouth greedy, devouring me like he had been craving this for so long just like me.

"You like that, huh?" he murmured against my skin, his voice rough, wrecked.

I whimpered, my fingers tangling in his hair pulling him closer. He chuckled low in his throat, before shifting his attention to my other breast.

"Fuck, Alessa." His voice was ragged, his hands gripping my waist, pulling me against hard cock. "I should have done this sooner."

He leaned down again, sucking, biting, soothing with his tongue until my skin was flushed and sensitive, my breath coming in ragged pants.

Then, without warning, his fingers curled around my nightgown and ripped.

The fabric tore apart like it was nothing. A sharp, needy growl rumbling from Luca's chest as he tossed the ruined material aside. His eyes darkened as they raked over my bare body, his jaw clenching.

"Mine."

The single word sent a shiver through me.

And then he was moving again.

His hands roamed lower, gripping my thighs, spreading me open beneath him as he pressed himself against me. I could feel him hot, hard, still trapped beneath his pants but not for long.

I reached for him, my fingers found the waistband of his slacks. He sucked in a sharp breath when I brushed against him, his muscles going taut.

I met his gaze. "Take them off."

Luca didn't need to be told twice. His fingers went to the button of his slacks, undoing it with a quick flick before shoving them down, kicking them off the bed in one swift motion. The boxers followed.

My mouth watered as he shoved the fabric down his hips, revealing more, all of him and fuck-

I swallowed hard, stomach tightening at the sight of him, thick and heavy, standing proud against his abdomen. My thighs instinctively pressed together but Luca was already there, prying them apart with his hands, settling himself back between them.

I reached for him, my fingers tracing the sharp lines of his abdomen before wrapping around his length.

He sucked in a sharp breath, his muscles tensing as I stroked him slowly.

His head tipped back for half a second, a growl rumbling in his chest but then he was moving, grabbing my wrists and pinning them above my head.

He slid his free hand down my body, over my stomach and lower. My hips jerked when his fingers teased my pussy. His jaw clenched.

"You are so fucking wet for me."

A moan escaped me as he stroked my clit, circling the most sensitive part of me before dipping a finger inside. My body clenched around him, a desperate noise slipping from my lips.

He groaned, pressing his forehead against mine. "I need to be inside you."

"Yes, please" I whispered.

He pulled his hand away, guiding himself between my thighs, the thick head of him pressing against my entrance. His eyes burned into mine, searching, waiting.

I lifted my hips, needing more of him. "Luca, please"

He pushed inside me in one slow, deliberate thrust.

A sharp gasp left me, my nails digging into his shoulders as he filled me. Luca let out a strangled groan, his breath uneven.

He moved slow at first, making sure I felt every inch of him. My breath hitched with each thrust, my body arching into his, desperate for more.

Luca kissed me, swallowing my moans, his tongue sliding against mine as he drove into me again, harder this time. My legs wrapped around him, pulling him closer.

I felt like I was unraveling, my body burning with pleasure. My fingers tangled in his hair, my lips brushing his jaw as I whispered the words I hadn't even realized were on my tongue.

"Luca - I love you."

Luca froze.

His body tensed, his breath stopping for a fraction of a second. Then he pulled back just enough to look at me, his dark eyes searching mine.

Then he kissed me.

Not rough this time. Not desperate.

Just slowly and softly.

When he pulled back, his forehead resting against mine, his voice came out hoarse, almost broken.

"Say it again."

I cupped his face, running my thumb over his cheek. "I love you."

"I fucking love you too" Then he started moving again.

This time, there was no restraint, no holding back. Luca fucked me like he was claiming me. His hands gripped my thighs, angling me just right, each thrust driving deeper, harder.

Pleasure coiled inside me, tight, overwhelming. My nails raked down his back, my body trembling, teetering on the edge.

His hand slid between us, his fingers finding my sensitive clit, circling, teasing-

I shattered.

A cry tore from my throat, my body clenching around him as pleasure crashed through me, wave after wave. Luca groaned, thrusting into me once, twice more before he followed, his body tensing, his breath rough and uneven as he spilled inside me.

For a moment, we just stayed like that. Our bodies tangled, our breaths mingling, our hearts hammering in sync.

Then Luca lifted his head, brushing his lips over mine.

"I mean it," he murmured against my lips. "I love you, Alessa."

My chest ached, warmth blooming inside me. I smiled, my fingers smoothing over his back. "I love you too"

A low growl rumbled in his chest at the words.

"I should let you rest" he murmured, trailing kisses down my neck.

I arched into him, my nails raking down his back. "Don't you dare."

Luca chuckled darkly. "You are going to regret saying that, carina."

Luca stayed inside me for a moment longer, his forehead resting against mine.

Slowly, he pulled out, a soft sound escaping me at the loss. His hands ran over my thighs, almost soothing, before he pressed a lingering kiss on my hip.

I expected him to slide back into bed, to pull me against his chest. But instead, he stood and walked toward the closet.

I propped myself up on my elbow, watching the flex of his muscles, his broad back and the tight curve of his ass as he moved.

God.

I bit my lip, torn between appreciation and curiosity. "Where are you going?"

"I need to give you something." he said from inside the closet.

Luca turned back, something small in his hand. My breath hitched when I saw the velvet, deep red box, unmistakably holding one thing inside.

A ring.

I pushed myself sitting upright as he made his way back toward me. My heart pounded harder with each step he took.

When he reached the bed, he sat on the edge, his fingers tightening around the box for a brief second before flipping it open.

Nestled inside was a ring. Not the one I had left behind at the penthouse the night I walked away.

A new one.

A beautiful and elegant gold band, with an oval-cut diamond in the center.

I swallowed, my fingers trembling slightly as I looked up at him. "This isn't..."

"It's not the old one," Luca murmured, his voice low. "That wasn't mine. That was something arranged, something forced." His eyes held mine, dark and intense. "This one... I chose it myself."

A lump formed in my throat.

His hand reached for mine, his thumb running over my knuckles.

"I didn't just want to put back what you left behind," he continued, his voice raw and honest. "I wanted to give you something that was mine to give. Not my father's. Not my family's." He exhaled, squeezing my fingers. "Mine."

Tears burned the back of my eyes, my chest tightening overwhelmingly

"Luca..."

"I don't want you wearing something that reminds you of duty, of obligation." His thumb traced my knuckles, slow, reverent. "I want you wearing something that reminds you of us. Of what we have become."

He slid the ring onto my finger, a perfect fit.

"You were never just given to me, Alessa." He lifted my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to the band now circling my finger.

"You were bound to be mine"

I nodded pressing my lips to his. Bound to be yours.