Chapter 4
four
. . .
Dana
I pause outside Luca's study, which is cracked open. I haven’t spoken to him since our last charged interaction, though I still can’t get it out of my mind.
That domineering glint in his piercing blue eyes as he pulled me close, his powerful body pressing against my curves... No . I shake my head. The further I stay away from the notorious mafia king, the better.
But then I hear it. A choked sob, barely audible through the cracked door. Against my better judgment, I inch closer, peering inside.
Luca sits at his mahogany desk, head in his hands, broad shoulders shaking. Anguished gasps rack his muscular frame. In this unguarded moment, the ferocious mafia leader looks utterly...broken.
My chest constricts. I've never seen Luca like this—so raw, so human. The urge to go to him, to offer solace, builds inside me.
But I know better than to cross that threshold, so I don’t.
I inch away and head to my room, but my perception of him is forever changed.
Luca
A single tear rolls down my cheek and splashes onto the framed photo of my brother Marco clutched in my trembling hands. My eyes burn but I blink back more tears, clenching my jaw.
I shouldn't let my guard down, even for a moment. If someone saw me, the notorious Luca Romano, reduced to a blubbering mess.
Pathetic.
Weak.
But the grief caught me off guard. It slammed into me like a punch to the gut, and now here I am doing something I never do.
I’m sitting her crying like a fucking woman. I disgust myself.
I sniff and wipe my eyes, scowling as I get myself under control.
I slam the photo face down on the desk and push to my feet, pacing to the window. Crossing my arms, I stare out at the sprawling estate grounds, not really seeing them.
All I can see is Dante's face. My brother. My responsibility. And I failed him.
Self-loathing sears through me and I welcome the familiar burn of it. It's better than the alternative—that aching chasm of loss that threatens to swallow me whole.
A soft knock at the door startles me and I whirl around, my hand instinctively going to the gun holstered at my side.
I narrow my eyes at the door, barking out a gruff "What?"
The door opens and Marco steps in, his expression carefully neutral. "Sorry to interrupt, Sir. But I thought you should know—Dana took Matteo off the premises. For ice cream, apparently."
Red hot fury explodes through my veins, searing away any traces of weakness. How dare she? I trusted her with my nephew, and this is what she does?
I slam my fist on the desk, relishing the sharp sting of pain. It clears my head, focuses me.
"Where?" I growl, already moving toward the door.
Marco steps back, giving me a wide berth. Smart man. "The gelato shop in town, I believe."
I don't waste time with more questions. I'm already out the door, stalking down the hallway with a singular purpose: to find them and bring them back. Now.
How could she be so reckless, so stupid?
Dana
I sit across from Matteo in a cozy corner booth at the bustling gelato shop, his little legs swinging under the table as he eagerly licks his double scoop of stracciatella. A smile curves my lips, seeing the pure joy radiating from him. The poor boy has been through so much lately. I thought some sugar and sprinkles could bring a little light back into those big brown eyes.
The door chimes and a hush falls over the previously lively shop. My heart drops into my stomach as I look up and see him .
Luca.
And he looks furious.
He stands in the doorway, his imposing frame filling it, his expression thunderous. Those piercing blue eyes blaze with barely contained fury as they lock onto me. He looks like the very devil himself, darkness swirling around him, ready to drag me under.
Matteo oblivous to the storm approaching waves his spoon in the air happily. "Zio Luca," he chirps happily. “Look, I’ve got gelato.”
Luca doesn’t even spare the boy a glance. He starts toward us, his stride predatory, his eyes never leaving mine. The other patrons scurry out of his way, pressing themselves against the cheery striped walls.
I swallow hard but lift my chin. I won't let him intimidate me.
He stops at our booth, towering over us, his hands clenched at his sides. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he growls, his deep voice vibrating through me.
"I'm taking Matteo for gelato," I reply evenly, trying to keep the tremor from my voice. "He deserves to feel like a normal kid sometimes."
Luca slams his palms on the table, making Matteo and I both jump. He leans in close, his face a mere inch from mine. The spicy scent of his cologne invades my senses.
"You had no right," he snarls. "No right to take him off the premises without my permission. It's too dangerous."
Anger flares in my chest and I meet his seething gaze head on. "He's a child, Mr. Romano. He needs more than just rules and guards. He needs moments like this." I gesture at the half-eaten gelato.
Luca scoffs harshly. "What he needs is to stay alive. And I can't ensure that if you're going to pull stunts like this."
His words are like a slap and I flinch. Matteo's chin begins to wobble, tears welling in his eyes.
Luca notices and some of the fury bleeds from his expression. He straightens, running a hand over his face.
"Come on. We're leaving," he says, his tone brokering no argument.
Matteo's bottom lip trembles but he obediently slides out of the booth. I clench my jaw but obey.
There’s nothing but silence as Luca walks us outside. He hands Matteo off to his head of security. “Take him directly home,” he instructs him.
I move to follow Matteo, but Luca’s hand grabs my arm like a band of iron. “You’re coming with me,” he growls. He opens the backdoor of his town car and pushes me into the backseat, barking at his driver to drive.
The air crackles with tension as Luca settles into the backseat beside me, slamming the door with a resounding thud. His overwhelming presence fills the confined space, his fury a palpable force pressing against my skin.
I press myself against the cool leather, putting as much distance between us as possible in the small backseat. But there's no escaping the heat of his furious gaze. It scorches me, sending a shiver down my spine that's equal parts fear and...something else. Something I refuse to acknowledge.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Luca snarls, his deep voice reverberating through the car. "Taking Matteo out in public like that, without any security? Without telling me?"
I lift my chin defiantly, even as my heart races in my chest. "He's a little boy. He deserves to have normal childhood experiences. You can't keep him locked away forever."
Luca leans in closer, his face a mere breath from mine. The spicy scent of his cologne invades my senses, making my head spin. "You have no idea the dangers that are out there. The threats against my family. I'm trying to keep him safe. And you're undermining that with your recklessness."
Anger flares hot in my veins and I glare right back at him. "Recklessness? I'm thinking about his emotional well-being. Something you clearly know nothing about, you cold, heartless bastard."
Luca's eyes flash dangerously and before I can blink, he has me pinned against the leather seat, his hard body pressing into my soft curves. I gasp at the sudden contact, heat unfurling deep in my belly.
Luca's hand slides up my thigh, his touch searing through the thin fabric of my skirt. His eyes blaze with a dangerous mix of anger and desire as they bore into mine.
"Cold and heartless?" he growls, his breath hot against my ear. "You have no fucking idea what I feel. The lengths I would go to protect what's mine."
His possessive grip tightens on my thigh and a traitorous shiver runs through me. I should push him away. I should be disgusted by his brutish behavior.
But my body betrays me, arching into his touch, craving more. Craving him .
"I'm not yours," I manage to get out, but my breathless voice lacks conviction.
A dark chuckle rumbles from Luca's chest. "No?" His hand slides higher, grazing the lace edge of my panties. I barely suppress a moan. "Your body tells a different story, dolcezza."
His fingers brush against my covered sex and a whimper escapes me. He groans, pressing his hardness against my hip. "Fuck, you're already wet for me."
Shame and desire war within me as he strokes me through the damp lace. I should stop this. It's wrong. He's dangerous.
But it feels so right.
I'm saved from my internal battle as the car glides to a stop.
Luca pulls back slightly, his heated gaze locking with mine. "This isn't over," he promises darkly. Then he's gone, the car door slamming behind him.
I sit there for a moment, my chest heaving, my body thrumming with unsatisfied desire. What the hell just happened?