4. Luca
FOUR
LUCA
I stared into an empty shower.
My brain glitched as the steam swirled around me.
He wasn’t here.
The world slowed. Every sound stretched—the drip of water, the hum from the ventilation, the faint noises from the street.
I stepped back, my foot brushing against the bathmat. I swung my head toward the doorway.
Nobody there.
My breathing shallowed. I edged out of the bathroom. The bedroom was empty, lit by the glow spilling in from the city.
I clutched the knife tighter.
Where the fuck is he?
My eyes darted to the rumpled sheets on the bed. I moved closer, and the floorboards creaked. I glanced behind me. The bathroom door still hung open, steam creeping into the bedroom. He couldn’t have left. Could he?
I turned, and arms locked around my chest and neck, yanking me against a solid body. My feet slipped.
We crashed to the floor, Dominic’s weight pinning me down. He gripped my arm, the one clutching the knife, and forced it above my head. His other hand wrapped my throat. His face hovered inches from mine. Every line of his naked body pressed into me, the contact searing through my clothes.
Heat rippled through me as Dominic tightened his grip on my throat. My fingers relaxed around the handle. He snatched it, turning it against me. My heart raced, my gaze traveling down his face to his muscled chest.
The blade bit into my throat, dragging my focus to his face. Then Dominic yanked me upright. His hazel eyes burned into mine.
“You’re here to kill me, and this is the best you could do?”
He tilted the blade in his hand, inspecting it like he was judging its worth. The bastard smiled, and my stomach churned. He tossed the knife onto the bed and strode to the nightstand.
I froze, my eyes darting to the door. I could make it?—
“ Don’t .”
His voice stopped me. My blood chilled as he grabbed a few things. Handcuffs and a gun. He turned, the barrel leveled at my chest.
“Sit.”
I hesitated.
He darkened. “Don’t make me ask twice, Luca.”
The sound of my name in his mouth twisted inside me. My knees buckled before my brain caught up, and I sank into the chair by the desk.
Dominic approached me. “Keep your hands where I can see them.”
I complied, my fingers twitching on the armrests. My eyes flicked to the nightstand. I didn’t even think to check for weapons. Fuck me.
Dominic stood over me, his lip curling. “You’re bold, I’ll give you that. Stupid , but bold.”
He leaned over me, his bare skin inches from my face. Keeping the gun on me, Dominic moved with infuriating ease. He grabbed my wrist, snapping the first cuff on, then dragged my arm behind the chair. His bruising grip disappeared as the second cuff clicked into place.
Dominic stepped back. The gun lowered slightly, but his eyes didn’t lose their edge.
“You comfortable, baby?”
“Go fuck yourself.”
His smirk deepened. “I think you’re confused about who’s in charge. You’re going to tell me exactly why you’re here, or I will hurt you.”
I clenched my fists, my heart thundering.
Dominic stood there, the gun hanging loosely in his hand. My throat tightened, the cuffs digging into my wrists. He was too damned naked.
Don’t look down . “Jesus, put some clothes on.”
Dominic blinked. “You broke into my apartment. You don’t get to make demands.”
“You’re making it worse,” I snapped.
“You’ve barely scratched the surface of worse .”
“I don’t care. Grab a towel or something.”
“Awfully timid for a man planning to walk on me in the shower.”
Heat prickled the back of my neck. “I wasn’t planning on…I didn’t think you’d be…”
“Naked?”
Dominic’s smile didn’t falter as he set the gun on the bed. He grabbed sweatpants from his closet and slid them on, the slow stretch of fabric over his hips making me flush. He faced me, shirtless.
“Better?” he asked.
I stared at him, refusing to answer.
He lifted the gun, leveling it at me again. “Why do you want to kill me?”
“You know why.”
He stepped closer. “I have some ideas, but I’d rather hear it from you, sweetheart.”
“Stop calling me that.”
“Why? It bothers you?”
“Yeah,” I blurted. “It’s weird.”
His eyes gleamed. “Weird that you lost your nerve the instant you saw my cock.”
“Fucking hell.”
He chuckled again.
I gritted my teeth. Dominic was too close, and too fucking hard under those sweatpants for me to think straight. Jesus—he was getting off on this.
“You’ve hated me since we met, Luca. Why is that?”
“Because you’re a prick.”
“Or because I have a prick? Know how to use it, too.”
“Kill me. Get it over with.”
“I’m not gonna kill you.”
Dominic’s lips curved as he circled the chair. Every step he took made the air feel thick. He stopped behind me, his breath ghosting my neck.
“What did you think would happen tonight?” he whispered.
His touch skimmed my neck. He played with my hair, and my cheeks burned. I fought to keep still. I wouldn’t give the fucker a reaction.
“I thought I’d get rid of an annoying problem,” I ground out.
“I live to annoy you another day. Too bad.”
Dominic’s hand lingered too long at the back of my neck, his fingers trailing to my shoulder. My skin crawled.
“Get off me!”
“Relax, Luca. I’m making sure you’re comfortable.”
“The restraints could be tighter.”
“Noted.” He prowled to the front of the chair. “You’re blushing.”
I stared at the floor. “Just pissed.”
Dominic tapped the gun on my thigh. “Oh, I know you’re angry. All torn up inside. You want to hurt me. You want to hurt yourself. You just want someone to make it all make sense, don’t you, sweetheart?”
The world spun. I jerked my hands, but I couldn’t escape the handcuffs or his voice.
Or the playful tease that revealed too goddamned much.
“ Stop calling me that .”
“Which pet name would you prefer?”
I raised my head, scowling. “None.”
Dominic’s hand shifted to my arm, his thumb brushing the inside of my elbow.
I clenched my teeth. “Why are you touching me?”
“Because I can,” he purred. “And because it’s bothering you.”
“I-I’m not bothered.”
Dominic paused. “You can’t even look at me.”
“I’m not afraid of you.”
“Then why are you shaking?”
Fuck. I was trembling. I inhaled deeply. Dominic’s hand trailed my jaw, so light it felt like a caress. A shiver ran down my body.
Why was I reacting this way?
Maria touched me. Often. Even when I didn’t want her to. Wasn’t bad, but it didn’t mean anything. A warm hand was a warm hand, but she was too soft. Too gentle. Didn’t mind the rough hand with calloused fingers. Felt far more right than the tap of her manicured nails.
He tilted his head, his gaze dropping to my burning neck. “When you snuck in here like a wannabe hitman, were you hoping to catch me off-guard, or was there something else you needed?”
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I think you do.”
My fists clenched behind the chair.
He flashed me a brilliant smile. “Do you want to know one of my favorite kinks?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Fucking a man’s mouth while he’s utterly helpless.”
I tensed. “ No .”
“It’d teach you a lesson.”
“You don’t have to do that .”
Dominic gripped my chin. “Why not? You already think I’m a monster.”
I swallowed hard. “I’m not your type.”
“I don’t think you get it, Luca. My type is a man who thinks he can break into my house, threaten me, and expect to walk out untouched.”
“I’ll take a beating.”
Dominic tilted my face up. “I don’t need fists to make a point.”
“What do you want from me?”
“To watch that tough-guy act of yours fall apart.”
I forced myself to keep steady.
His smirk widened. “What’s wrong? Afraid I’ll find something out?”
“I’ll do anything you want. Just…not this.”
“That’s more like it, but you’re in too much of a hurry. I prefer to draw these things out.”
I flinched as he pulled back, his eyes narrowing as something behind me caught his attention. He stepped away and moved toward the bag tucked in the corner.
“What’s this?”
Fuck .
I fidgeted as he grabbed the black bag. He dragged it across the floor, stopping in front of me. Then he unzipped it.
Dominic’s gaze sharpened as he removed a coil of nylon rope, letting it slide through his fingers. He lifted a roll of duct tape and held it up, smirking. “If you wanted to play rough, all you had to do was ask.”
I struggled against the cuffs, but there was no way out. Dominic watched me thoughtfully. He turned the tape over in his hands before setting it aside.
“You went all out, huh?” he murmured. “Let’s see what else you have.”
Dominic’s hand slid down my side, patting me down. His fingers pressed into my thigh, moving lower until he paused at my pocket. His touch lingered, and he pulled out the cufflinks. His initials, carved into the gold, caught the light.
Dominic’s smirk faltered. “You took these ?”
“I—”
His brow furrowed. “Why?”
I had to get the fuck out of here.
Dominic took a slow step back, his face cracking with an evil grin.
“Oh.” He exhaled a soft laugh. “Oh my God.”
“Enough, Dom.”
His laughter deepened, rolling through the room like thunder, and he ran a hand through his thick hair.
“Little boy Luca. Thinking of playing dress up? A trophy for killing me…or a memento for when you jerk it to me at night?”
“You think everyone wants to hop on your dick?”
“Only you, sweetheart.” He held up the cufflinks. “This isn’t hate. This is obsession. ”
Yes, Dominic dropped into my thoughts often. Wasn’t that normal? People hated their bosses. He was worse than some asshole boss. He held my future in his hands—one good word from Dom and I’d be back in the family—trusted and respected and…
Loved?
Not possible. No one loved me. They used me. Traded me for leverage against competing families. Hunted me down like a dog for murdering the Pakhan.
The only way forward was through Dom. The only life I could have and future that belonged to me by right and name and the hell I’d paid for fourteen years living in the Bratva.
And he had me fetching sandwiches.
Calling me at his beck and whim at all hours of the night. Abusing who I was meant to be in some fucking political feud that controlled my fate without giving me the slightest choice in what I wanted do.
How I could help better the business.
How I could finally fit into the family.
He crouched in front of me. “What is it, Luca? Why do you have these in your pocket?”
I didn’t take the cufflinks because I wanted to keep them. No. They were leverage, a reminder of who I dealt with. Dominic lived for power. He had it etched into every damn thing he owned, right down to his initials. Stealing them meant nothing.
Dominic’s eyes sparkled. “What were you going to do once I was gone? Pretend you didn’t get off on me?”
“You’re insane.”
“Sweetheart, you can’t stop staring at me like you don’t know whether to kiss me or kill me.”
My whole body went rigid. “Fuck you.”
He smiled wickedly. “You keep saying that, but I don’t think you’d survive it.”
I turned my head, trying to put some distance between us, but he caught my jaw. Fuck. I had no way out. I wasn’t nervous because he was shirtless. Not at all. My gaze flicked down, catching on the sharp lines of his torso.
Stop looking at him .
Dominic chuckled. “The more you fight, the more obvious it gets.”
“I should’ve killed you when I had the chance.”
“Would’ve had a better shot if you hadn’t hidden in the closet .”
A black fear swept through me.
I forced a laugh. “I’m straight.”
His fingers tightened on my leg, and I hissed. Fuck . His hand slid up my thigh. A flush spread down my neck to my abdomen. Oh God . This wasn’t supposed to happen. His lips grazed my jaw as his hand inched closer. I could barely take it.
I fought the pulse throbbing in my cock. I opened my mouth, desperate to say something that’d cut him down. His fingers almost touched my dick. I couldn’t breathe. His palm pressed into my thigh, feeding the unwanted heat until I was hard.
No .
I closed my eyes, but the tented outline in my pants burned in my vision. I thought of dead bodies. Sewage. Eating rotten meat. Anything to make it disappear, but when I opened my eyes, my cock could still drill nails into concrete.
My pulse pounded in my ears. I wanted to shove his smug face into the wall and remind him why I was here, but every time his hand shifted, pleasure stroked my shaft.
“Stop,” I begged.
“Why should I? You’re finally being honest.”
His finger brushed the head of my cock, and it twitched.
What the fuck?
“Luca,” he purred. “You’re a big boy. What are you, eight inches?”
My chest tightened. “Don’t talk about my dick.”
“But it has a lot to say. You’re so hard you’re leaking.”
I glanced down and wished I hadn’t. A dark wet stain confirmed his words. He’d never let me live this down. This was the worst night of my life. I wanted to die.
God . “It’s not because of you.”
“Oh, no. It knows exactly what it wants.”
His hand cupped my erection. His touch seared through the fabric, sliding along my cock. My whole body went taut and melted. This couldn’t be happening. I came here to kill him. Now I was shackled, hard, and at his mercy. He lifted his hand, and the delirious warmth faded.
“You’ve given me a lot to think about,” he said in a deep voice. “I was going to fuck you up for breaking into my house, but now I’m weighing my options.”
My insides seized. “Get away from me, you sick fuck.”
“You walked into my house with a knife, and now you’re tied to my chair with an erection you can’t control. So who’s the real sick fuck?”
His taunt scraped my chest.
“I hate you.”
“Hate is passion twisted up. You need to unwind it, see where it leads.”
“Leads nowhere.”
“Let’s test that theory.”
His hand wrapped my throat as he leaned in, but his lips never touched mine. They traveled lower, his tongue tracing my Adam’s apple and along my jaw. Electricity shot to my groin, and I moaned.
Dominic’s lips latched onto my neck, sucking at the skin. My cock lengthened, pressing against the fabric. The world narrowed to his mouth on me. Wet heat lashed my skin, and then his teeth sank into me. The handcuffs dug into my wrists. The sting of them jarred me to reality.
What am I doing?
Dominic pulled back, releasing my skin with a wet pop. He held the cufflinks up before his fingers slid along my leg, pushing them into my pocket. “Now you can carry me with you.”
Forget it. They were going in the trash the instant he set me free.
Dominic moved behind me, unlocking the cuffs. The metallic click echoed. I yanked my arms forward, rubbing my skin. I needed to forget this twisted night and pretend it never happened.
Dominic clutched my neck. “I’m letting you walk out of here, sweetheart. But next time? Make sure you’re ready to finish what you start. Capisce ?”
I nodded.
“Good boy. Now get the fuck out.”
Pushing myself out of the chair, I bolted toward the door.
“Sweet dreams, Luca.”
I froze, but I didn’t turn. I wrenched open the door and stepped outside, the cool air hitting me like a slap.
I didn’t breathe until I reached my Toyota. I slid into the driver’s seat and pulled the cufflinks from my pocket.
Toss them .
I willed my hand to hurl them into the gutter, but I couldn’t. Fuck. I shoved them back into my pocket. Then I started the car. The engine roared to life, but it couldn’t drown out his voice.
Sweet dreams, Luca.