14. Giada
Giada
Chapter fourteen
Iwake to an unfamiliar room with what feels like a furnace pressed to my back and a heavy arm banded around my waist. Luca. He stayed all night. The thought brings a smile to my lips. Yesterday was beyond hard. I think I ran through every emotion possible. From nearly paralyzing fear to anger to relief, then a soul-deep sadness that Luca tried to ease by simply staying with me all night like I asked. There’s still so much to deal with—to process—but having him with me lightens the load just a bit, and I’m so grateful. Finally, I feel like I’m not completely alone, that someone is in my corner and we’re going to figure it out together. Scratch that, several someones. We have the support of the Monaghans now, which is something I never thought I’d say or find comfort in.
When Luca’s phone rings, he stirs behind me and peels himself from my back, grabbing it and answering with a soft hello.
“She’s sleeping. I’ll wake her and let her know.”
He says goodbye to whoever he’s talking to, and I turn to face him. I’ve never seen Luca first thing in the morning before he’s showered and dressed for the day. Well, except for yesterday, but I don’t think that counts, considering the frantic way I barged into his room. But this morning, looking at him with sleep-mussed hair, his eyes still tired after just opening them, a little flutter of…something makes itself known in my chest.
“Sorry, did I wake you?” he asks as we lie facing each other in the same position we fell asleep in last night.
“No, I was awake.”
His eyes search mine before he uses his finger to swipe away the hair covering half my face and tuck it behind my ear.
Okay, that little flutter is turning into a riot.
“How are you feeling this morning?” he asks.
I exhale a breath through my nose, conscientious of my morning breath. “Honestly, I’m not sure. I’m feeling a little of everything right now. Scared, relieved, pissed, acceptance. It’s all tangled inside at the moment.” Giddy with excitement that I’m waking up next to you. That one is definitely mixed in there too.
“That was Finn on the phone. Alessia is on her way with some breakfast and coffee from her favorite café. I think she wants to have a little time with you. Make sure you’re really okay since she’s the only one you kind of knew when you walked in here yesterday.”
I smile, grateful that she’d take it upon herself to reach out, especially after my brother nearly kidnapping her.
“Finn is going to meet us here in a bit, too. He just has to take care of a couple things this morning.”
“I like Finn. Actually, I like all the Monaghans.”
“And you thought you had something to be worried about.” Luca sits up and extends his arms above himself then tilts his head from side to side, stretching the muscles in his neck. Is this how he starts every morning when he wakes? Am I going to spend another night in his arms and find out for myself?
Throwing the blanket off me, I realize I’m only in a thin tank and sleep shorts. I turn and see Luca’s eyes flare when he sees my next-to-nothing pajamas before he turns his head to give me a bit of privacy, a light blush covering his cheeks.
“I’ll hop in the shower,” I say.
“Take your time, I’ll wait for Alessia downstairs.”
I head into the bathroom, and just before I close the door, I catch Luca shaking his head like he’s arguing with himself about something. Seems I’m not the only one with errant thoughts running through their head this morning.
When I come down fresh from the shower and dressed in an oversized sweater and yoga pants, Alessia smiles wide from the kitchen, where she’s laying out an array of bagels and other breakfast pastries.
“I didn’t know what you like, so I grabbed a few of everything. And, of course, coffee.” She holds up a bag of grounds. “Don’t worry, I already made some,” she says, nodding to the state-of-the-art coffee machine on the counter.
“Thank you,” I reply and walk over to fill my cup.
“You can make espresso, too. I have one at home and loved it so much I bought one for this place.”
“I’m going to head upstairs and take a shower,” Luca says from the couch.
He stands and gives me a look, asking if I’m okay. I smile back at him and nod slightly. When did we become the couple that talks without words? When did we become a couple at all? Oh right, maybe when we said I do yesterday.
“You look well rested,” Alessia says. “I’m sure yesterday was a lot to deal with.”
“Oh, you mean nearly being traded to a Russian by my brother, going on the run with my bodyguard, marrying said bodyguard, then coming to the home of my family’s sworn enemy for protection?”
Alessia chokes on her coffee and then laughs as she wipes her mouth. “Yeah, that’s a lot.”
I shrug and send her an apologetic smile. “Sorry, it’s all mixed up in my head right now. I certainly didn’t wake up yesterday expecting to end up here,” I say, looking around the spacious penthouse.
“You don’t have to talk to me about everything if you don’t want to or if you don’t know where to start. But I’m an ear if you need one. I know all about men like your father and brother, though mine was vastly different. But I was raised in the life, too.”
“Thank you.” I sip the delicious coffee and shake my head. “I don’t even know where to begin.”
“Let’s start small. Do you have any hobbies? What did you do in your spare time?”
“I kind of had nothing but spare time. My dad didn’t see the point in me going to college since I’d never be allowed to work.” I know Alessia worked for her father and now with her husband, but that was definitely not something most women were able to do. “When I graduated high school, I traveled to Italy and stayed with my mother’s family as much as I could.” It was the one place I felt loved for just being me. “And I started dancing again. I took ballet when I was little but quit when I was in high school. The last few months, I started taking classes to get out of the house and do something rather than sit around waiting for my father to go to prison.” That would have driven me crazy. “What about you?”
“I like to shoot to relieve stress. And box. I enjoy mixed martial arts.”
It’s my turn to nearly choke on my coffee. “Wow. That’s not what I expected.”
She shrugs a slim shoulder, and her green eyes sparkle. “My dad taught me how to handle a gun after…some things happened to me. It helped me work through my shit and not feel so powerless. I could teach you if you want?”
I mull her offer over for a moment. “I’ve never shot a gun before,” I tell her.
“Neither had I the first time I went to the range. But I’ve found it helps me work through things when it all gets too heavy.”
That’s exactly how I feel right now. Everything is too heavy.
“Okay, I’d really appreciate it.”
“Great,” she says. “Grab a Danish.”
Alessia walks to a door I noticed yesterday at the far end of the penthouse and opens it, placing her hand on a scanner on the other side before the narrow elevator door opens.
“Now?” I ask, grabbing a pastry and folding it into a napkin.
“No time like the present,” she says, shooting me a broad smile.
I follow her inside and we travel down a couple levels before the door opens into a brightly lit room with more guns hanging on the walls than I’ve ever seen in my life.
“Holy shit,” I say and take a bite of the Danish in my hand.
“That was my first reaction, too. Finn has a room like this in all of his homes. Some aren't quite as well stocked as this one, but the man likes variety.”
I shoot her a wide-eyed look.
“With guns only. He’s not getting any variety anywhere else. Trust me.”
I can’t help the laugh that escapes. It’s more common than not to be married and step out on your wife whenever the mood strikes. I’ve overheard how plenty of married men speak about other women and their side pieces. It’s so common in this life I’m surprised Alessia is as confident as she is. But I suppose if any of those men were married to a woman who looks like Alessia when she takes a gun off the wall and loads it with practiced efficiency, they wouldn’t be so inclined to disrespect their wives or marriage vows.
“This one is a little lighter. I think it would be a good one for you to start with. Now, the first thing you do when you pick up a gun is keep it pointed in a safe direction. No accidentally shooting the person with you. Then check to see if it’s loaded.” She shows me how to do that even though I watched her load it.
She flips a switch on the wall and the rest of the room illuminates, revealing a long range with a paper target at the end. Alessia presses a button and the target moves toward her so she can unclip it and replace it with a fresh one.
“I’ll go first then you can give it a try.”
She hands me ear protection, and when she fires, the noise is muffled but still distinct. Not that I’ve been around much gunfire in my life. Though, I guess that could change at any time now.
She brings the target back to her, and I see where the three shots she fired hit their mark. Two in the chest and one through the forehead.
“Impressive,” I say as she takes the target off the clips and replaces it.
“Practice makes perfect,” she says with a smile and hands me the gun. “Your turn.”
Thirty minutes later, we head back to the penthouse. Though now I know how to fire a weapon, I’d say I’m a long way off from being comfortable with a gun in my hand or being anywhere near as efficient with the weapon like Alessia is.
When the elevator doors slide open, Finn is there talking with Luca on one of the sofas.
“I understand your hesitance in involving your wife, Luca. Trust me, I fucking get it, but it’s the fastest way to put an end to this, and you know it. I’m just asking you to consider.”
“What are you talking about, Finn?” Alessia asks as she comes to sit next to her husband on the leather sofa.
Finn looks between Luca and me. “Ways to get that snake out of hiding.”
“And I told him there’s no way in hell I’m asking Giada to put herself in danger. Who the hell knows what he’ll do if he gets his hands on her?”
“Nothing pleasant, I’m sure,” I mumble, sitting next to Luca on the other couch across from one of the most powerful couples in all of Boston.
Luca turns his body toward me. “I promised you I wouldn’t use you to bring down your family. You’re more than someone we can use to our advantage. I don’t want you to feel like you’re stuck in the middle. Or that by not helping us, we’ll send you back to that monster, Giada. That would never happen.”
“Of course it wouldn’t,” Finn confirms. “I was just suggesting that she can draw him out.”
“Which is using her,” Luca shoots back at his cousin, obviously tired of explaining himself.
“I don’t like it, Finn,” Alessia says, looking her husband dead in the eye. “It’s dangerous as hell and Giada has no way to defend herself. Hell, today is the first day she shot a gun for chrissake.” I’ve never met a woman who would contradict her husband in front of other people. That was certainly never tolerated in my house.
“We would be with her the entire time. I’d make sure to have our guys placed around her so Carlo wouldn’t get even close to taking her.”
“No. There’re too many variables that could fuck that plan up,” Luca says.
“What do you have in mind?” I ask Finn, curious about his idea.
“Giada—” Luca starts.
“No, I want to hear.” My gaze turns to Luca. “I understand what you’re saying, Luca. Yes, anything having to do with my brother is dangerous. But that’s because my brother is dangerous. Look what he tried to do to Alessia. Look what he tried to do to me. Hell, look what he’s been doing with other women. I hold no loyalty to him.”
When I made Luca promise he wouldn’t use me, it was under the assumption that it was the only reason he was marrying me. That once he’d accomplished whatever plan he was concocting with the Monaghans, he would throw me away like some useless thing he no longer needed or had an interest in. Yesterday, especially last night, showed me something else. Maybe I’m just seeing what I want and have dreamed of since I was younger. Someone who cared about me for me and not the advantages I can offer them. Someone who’s more interested in protecting me than feeding me to the wolves for their own benefit. My long-buried feelings for Luca may make me naive to have me wishing with everything in me that person’s him. But seeing the way he took care of me yesterday and the way he’s willing to stand up to his cousin in my defense makes me believe he’s that man for me, at least for now.
“I was thinking you could call him and set up a meeting. Tell him you made a mistake in trusting Luca, that you were just scared. You want to come home, and you’re ready to sign a marriage contract because you’re loyal to your family.”
“That plan has more holes in it than Swiss cheese,” Alessia comments, rolling her eyes.
“To you, yes,” Finn says, turning to his wife. “But Carlo is running scared and desperate. Trying to take you is proof he isn’t thinking clearly and is basically throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. Plus, he doesn’t think things through like you and me. That’s something his capos have been complaining about for years.”
Luca nods in confirmation. “That’s true. They’ve always thought he was more of a liability than a leader.”
“Exactly. That’s why he’s desperate. He isn’t getting the support he needs within his own organization. I always knew the Cataldi family would crumble with Francesco gone. Now, with Giada gone, he has nowhere to turn. It sounded like the deal with the Russians was contingent on her marriage to Nikolai. With her out of the picture, he doesn’t have anything,” Finn says.
“Right. Which is why I say we wait for him to poke his head out then go after him with everything we have,” Luca argues.
“That could take months, and who knows who he tries to work with or what he offers them in the meantime. Carlo is out for blood. It needs to be handled right away.” Finn is trying to get Luca to see his point, but he continues to shake his head in disagreement.
“Finn’s right, Luca. Carlo won’t stop.” I turn back to Finn. “But I don’t know that he’d be willing to meet with me. Carlo doesn’t find women particularly useful, even if he thinks trading me to the Russians is going to work in his favor. Especially now that I’m missing. Plus, I’m not entirely sure my father’s capos won’t work with him again. If he can guarantee that following him will make them money, there’s definitely a few who will be more than willing to go along with him until they can get rid of him themselves.” I take a deep breath. “I’ll do whatever you need.”
“I’m not risking your safety,” Luca says firmly.
“And I’m not asking for your permission. I need this over as much as you do, Luca.”
I notice a small smile on Alessia’s face, but she smothers it before Luca can notice.
Finn is silent for a few moments. “So we need to make sure the other Cataldi capos know what working with Carlo will bring them. I’ll reach out and set up a meeting. Luca, you’ll come with me. We’ll make it clear that working with Carlo means death for them, and Giada is now your wife, which means she’s under our protection. I’ll let them know we’ll go to war with anyone who supports Carlo from this day forward.”
“There’s still the Russian problem,” Alessia points out.
“One thing at a time, wife,” Finn says. “Giada is safe from the Russians for the time being since she’s married to Luca. Their beef over Carlo not being able to hold up his end of the bargain is with him.”
“One can hope,” Alessia mumbles.
After lunch, Finn and Alessia head back to their house since they have to work at the casino tonight. It’s still a little surprising to me that Finn allows her to work in his casino, but it’s just another testament to how different the Monaghans are compared to every other organization I’ve ever seen.
“I don’t like that you’re so willing to put yourself in harm’s way for Finn,” Luca says while we’re washing the dishes from lunch.
“Seriously?” I ask irritably. “We’ve been over this. Carlo isn’t going to stop until he gets what he wants and that’s the Monaghans cut off at the knees. He already tried when he tried to take Alessia. I refuse to look over my shoulder at every turn. None of us will have any peace until Carlo is gone.”
“It’s dangerous. I hate the idea of you being used as bait. There are a million things that can go wrong between now and when we finally have Carlo. Don’t you see? I’m trying to protect you. Finn’s plan is half-baked at best, just like Alessia said.”
“Then come up with a better one. Try going to the capos. Hell, try whatever you want, but if it fails, we’re going to try it Finn’s way. There isn’t another choice.”
“There’s always another choice, Giada,” Luca says, his irritation matching mine. “I’m willing to do just about anything to keep you safe. Even if it means from my cousin.”
“I know, I know,” I mock. “It’s your job.” I scrub the bowl I’m holding that much harder. “In case you haven’t noticed, Luca, you aren’t my bodyguard anymore.”
Luca sets the plate he was drying down and turns to me, leaning his hip against the counter with his arms crossed over his broad chest. Damn, have his arms always been that big? Knock it off, Giada. He’s being insufferable and that does not turn you on.
“It’s been more than just because it’s my job for a long while. Honestly, since you came back from Italy with a tan and an attitude. I never allowed myself to see you as more than Carlo’s little sister or Francesco’s daughter. I knew what would happen if Carlo or your father thought I was going to make a play for you. But when I saw you walking down the stairs, so sure of yourself, ready to put me in my place.” He quirks his brow and gives me a look that says he knew exactly what I was doing that night. “There was this challenge in you to make me see you as more than that. As the women you’d grown into while I was away. And I saw it, Giada. God, it was so hard watching you give that asshole attention, knowing what a piece of shit he was. But I couldn’t claim to be any better. I had to play my part. It was the first time I wanted to say fuck it and prove to you I’m not the man I made you believe I was.” Luca pauses and takes a deep breath, collecting his thoughts. “You have no idea how hard I had to work after that to keep myself in line. But I couldn’t dare show my cards. If I had, it meant I would’ve had to leave you alone in that house with no one looking out for you, and I wasn’t willing to risk it. Just like I’m not now. Which is what pisses me the hell off. You’re too damn willing to run headfirst into danger.”
“No. I’m willing to do what it takes to finish this. Are you?” The challenge is clear in my voice. “The time for sitting back and waiting for something to fall into our laps is over. If we don’t do what needs to be done now, Carlo is going to get away with everything. I refuse to let that happen just because you have reservations.”
“God, you’re so fucking stubborn,” he says, the volume of his voice increasing with every word.
“Yes. I am,” I yell back. “You should know that by now. You should also know you can’t protect me forever.”
“The hell I can’t. You’re my wife.”
“In name only.”
His eyes are hard as he stares at me, and before he says another word, his lips crash to mine. I drop the bowl in the sink and let out a gasp, allowing Luca to invade my mouth with his demanding tongue.
He pulls away and stares into my confused gaze. “Not in name only.”
Before I can think better about what a monumental mistake this could potentially be, I do what any rational person in my position would do and throw my arms around his neck, fusing my lips to his.
Teeth clanking and tongues tangling, I let out a deep moan, which makes Luca tighten his grip around my waist, pressing me so tightly into him it’s as though he’s trying to meld our bodies into one. He spins me around and my back crashes into the counter of the island separating the kitchen from the living room, and I let out a grunt of discomfort.
“Shit, sorry,” Luca says, breaking the kiss.
“It’s fine. Don’t stop.” I slam my mouth to his again, tangling my fingers in the short strands of his dark hair.
His strong hand cradles my lower back to keep it away from the edge of the counter as his other moves to my waist under my sweater. His fingers glide up my waist and around to the front of my shirt and over my ribs, his thumb rubbing the skin just under the cup of my bra.
Luca breaks the kiss, and his gaze bores into me, his touch so close to where I want it but not quite there.
“This is probably a bad idea,” he says but doesn’t make a move to pull away.
“It could be.”
“I know you don’t see this marriage as real, and I unders—”
“Luca,” I interrupt. “Can we please talk about this later when your hand isn’t up my shirt?” I quirk a brow. “If you stop now, I will fucking scream. We can figure it out later, but right now, I need you to please shut the hell up.”
“You’re very demanding,” he says roughly as the tension between us threatens to explode. “I thought Italian wives were supposed to be sweet to their husbands.”
“Um, have we met? What part of me do you think is sweet?”
The feral grin that widens his mouth sends shivers down my spine. “I’m not sure. But I’m going to find out.”
Luca’s lips travel down the column of my neck, licking and sucking the heated flesh as he goes. “That’s pretty sweet.” His hands find the bottom of my sweater, and he tears the material over my head before grasping my waist in his large hands. His lips continue their descent over the hollow of my throat to the tops of my lace-covered breasts. “Still sweet,” he says, trailing his palms up my sides, landing just below my breasts as he swipes his thumbs over my hardened nipples. I stare at him, my breaths coming in hard pants as I watch him lower himself to his knees. My hands grip the edge of the counter to keep myself upright as my legs threaten to give out from the sight before me—Luca on his knees, his blue eyes darkened with a look I’ve never seen from him. Lust, pure and unadulterated and finally able to be acted upon.
His hands move to the waistband of my pants, and he pulls just a touch, his brows lifting as if asking permission.
“Please,” I say in a whisper. “Don’t stop.”
His eyes hold mine as he kisses my skin right above the elastic waist of my pants then slowly pulls the material down past my hips and over my thighs—holding my gaze with every inch of skin he exposes. When my pants are completely off, his eyes move to my center, surely seeing my panties soaked through. If I could form thoughts, I might be embarrassed to have him on his knees staring at the wet spot on the front of my panties, but the only thing I feel is an intense ache in my core that I need him to fucking do something about. But apparently my husband loves to torture me.
His thumb glides right over the wet spot, and I gasp. He lets out a low growl deep in his throat before pulling the lace down my legs then using the tip of his tongue to part my lower lips. I jerk my hips at the slight contact and thank the fucking heavens he’s done teasing me in the next breath. His tongue runs over my clit in quick, precise movements before my fingers grab hold of his hair, holding his head at my center as he devours my pussy with his hot mouth. Luca slips a finger inside me, then two, stretching me and pumping his hand in and out.
“Oh fuck, oh fuck. Right there,” I moan as my legs begin to shake. He groans and between the vibrations, his expert tongue and his finger, I come undone, screaming out his name as waves of bliss wash through me. He removes his fingers from my core, but his tongue still moves in circles around and over my clit as he follows me down, wringing every last bit of pleasure from me.
When he pulls away, he looks up at me, a wide, wet smile taking over his face. “Very sweet.”
“Holy shit…that was…” I can’t seem to form words as he stands to his full height.
“That was the first one,” he says, quirking his mouth in a satisfied smirk.
Holy. Shit.