Chapter 20
The Choice
The Moretti family’s private jet sat on the tarmac, its engines humming softly as the late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the runway. The air was thick with tension, the kind that lingered after a storm had passed but left its mark. A week and a half had gone by since the showdown with the cartel, and though the danger had been neutralized, the scars, both physical and emotional, were still fresh.
Luca stood at the base of the plane’s stairs; his arm wrapped securely around Caleb’s waist as he helped him climb up. The man moved slowly, his face pale and drawn, his free hand pressed against his bandaged side. The bullet wound was healing, but it would take time, and the journey back to New York was necessary. Enzo had insisted on it, his voice firm and unyielding.
“We’re not safe here,” he’d said, his dark eyes scanning the horizon as though expecting another attack. “We need to get back to our territory. All of us.”
Caleb winced as he took another step, his breath hitching, and Luca tightened his grip, his jaw clenching. “Easy,” Luca murmured, his voice low and steady, though his heart was anything but. “I’ve got you. Just a few more steps.”
Caleb nodded; his lips pressed into a thin line as he focused on the stairs. He hated feeling like a burden, hated the way Luca’s eyes never left him, filled with a mixture of worry and guilt. But he also knew there was no point in arguing. Luca had been like this since the shooting; hovering, protective, refusing to let Caleb out of his sight for more than a few minutes at a time. It was both endearing and exhausting.
Finally, they reached the top of the stairs, and Luca guided him into the plane’s cabin. The interior was sleek and luxurious, with plush leather seats and a small bedroom in the back. Enzo and Julian were already seated, their faces grim as they exchanged quiet words. They glanced up as Luca and Caleb entered, their expressions softening slightly.
“How’s he doing?” Julian asked, his voice calm but laced with concern. As the family’s medic, he’d been the one to patch Caleb up after the shooting, and though he’d done everything he could, the worry still lingered in his eyes.
“I’m fine,” Caleb said before Luca could answer, his voice firm despite the fatigue etched into his features. “Just sore.”
Julian nodded, though his gaze flicked to Luca, as if seeking confirmation. Luca gave a small nod, his arm still wrapped around Caleb’s waist. “He’s okay,” Luca said, though the words felt heavy on his tongue. “Just needs to rest.”
Enzo stood, his imposing frame casting a shadow over the cabin. “Take the bedroom,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Caleb needs to lie down, and you...” He pointed at Luca, his expression softening just a fraction. “You need to stop hovering like a damn mother hen. He’s in good hands.” he finished as his arm wrapped around Julian, making the man in question smile demurely.
Luca opened his mouth to argue, but Caleb squeezed his arm, cutting him off. “Come on,” Caleb said, his voice gentle. “Let’s go.”
Luca hesitated for a moment before nodding, his arm tightening around Caleb as he guided him toward the small bedroom at the back of the plane. The room was cozy, with a narrow bed, soft lighting, and a small window that offered a view of the tarmac below. Luca helped Caleb sit on the edge of the bed, his movements careful and deliberate as he knelt to remove Caleb’s shoes.
“I can do that,” Caleb said, his voice tinged with frustration, but Luca shook his head.
“Let me,” Luca said, his tone leaving no room for argument. He tugged off Caleb’s shoes and then helped him out of his hoodie and sweatpants, his hands gentle as he guided Caleb to lie back against the pillows. Once Caleb was settled, Luca sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes scanning Caleb’s face as though searching for any sign of discomfort.
“Are you hungry? Thirsty? I can get you whatever you want,” Luca said, his voice soft but edged with urgency. He’d been like this since the shooting, constantly asking, constantly checking, as though he could somehow make up for the fact that Caleb had been hurt because of him.
Caleb reached out, his hand closing around Luca’s wrist. “I’m fine, Luca,” he said, his voice steady but gentle. “I’m okay.”
Luca’s breath hitched, his eyes dropping to where Caleb’s hand rested against his skin. For a moment, he said nothing, his chest rising and falling with the weight of everything he’d been holding back. Then, without warning, he leaned forward, his forehead resting against Caleb’s as his free hand came up to cradle Caleb’s cheek.
“You almost weren’t,” Luca whispered, his voice breaking. “I thought I was going to lose you. I thought...” His voice cracked, and he swallowed hard, trying to force the words past the lump in his throat. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you, Caleb. I can’t... I can’t do this without you.”
Caleb’s eyes softened, his thumb brushing over Luca’s knuckles. “You’re not going to lose me,” he said, his voice steady despite the pain etched into his features. “I’m not that easy to get rid of.”
A choked laugh escaped Luca, but it was wet with unshed tears. He closed his eyes, his breath shuddering as he tried to hold himself together. But Caleb’s hand on his cheek, the warmth of his skin, the steady beat of his heart beneath Luca’s palm; it was too much. The dam broke, and Luca’s shoulders shook as he finally let himself feel the weight of everything he’d been holding back.
“I was so scared,” he admitted, his voice barely audible. “I couldn’t... I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. All I could see was you, and all the blood, and I...” He broke off, his breath catching as Caleb pulled him closer, his arms wrapping around Luca despite the pain it must have caused him.
“Shh,” Caleb murmured, his lips brushing against Luca’s temple. “I’m here. I’m here.”
Luca clung to him, his fingers digging into Caleb’s back as he buried his face in the crook of Caleb’s neck. He breathed him in, the familiar scent of his cologne, the faint hint of antiseptic from the bandages, and something that was just Caleb. It grounded him, anchored him, and slowly, the panic began to ebb.
When Luca finally pulled back, his eyes were red-rimmed, his cheeks wet, but there was a softness in his gaze as he looked at Caleb. He cupped his face in both hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears that had fallen onto Caleb’s skin.
“I love you,” Luca said, the words raw and unfiltered, spilling from him like a confession. “I love you so much, Caleb. I can’t... I can’t lose you, again.”
Caleb’s breath caught, his eyes searching Luca’s face as though memorizing every detail. “I love you too,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “Always.”
The space between them disappeared as Luca leaned in, his lips brushing against Caleb’s in a kiss that was almost hesitant at first. It was a gentle press of lips that spoke of relief and gratitude, of two souls reconnecting after teetering on the edge of loss. Luca’s mouth moved against Caleb’s with a tenderness that bordered on reverence, as though he were afraid Caleb might vanish if he pushed too hard, too fast.
But as the seconds stretched, the kiss deepened, the quiet desperation between them bubbling to the surface. Luca’s hand slid from Caleb’s cheek to the back of his neck, his fingers tangling in the soft strands of Caleb’s hair as he pulled him closer, needing to feel him, to know he was real.
Caleb responded in kind, his own hands gripping Luca’s shoulders, his fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt as if anchoring himself. The kiss grew hungrier, more insistent, their breaths mingling in sharp, uneven gasps. Luca’s tongue brushed against Caleb’s lower lip, a silent plea for more, and Caleb opened to him without hesitation. The taste of Caleb, warm, familiar, and achingly sweet, flooded Luca’s senses, and he groaned low in his throat, the sound raw and unfiltered.
Luca’s hands began to roam, trembling slightly as they traced the lines of Caleb’s body. They slid down his arms, over his chest, careful to avoid the bandages but unable to resist the need to touch, to reassure himself that Caleb was whole and alive. His fingers lingered on the curve of Caleb’s jaw, the dip of his collarbone, the steady rise and fall of his chest. Every touch was a silent prayer, a promise that Luca would never let anything take this away from him again.
Caleb’s hands were no less desperate, his fingers clutching at Luca’s back, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them. His lips moved against Luca’s with a fervor that matched Luca’s own, his breath coming in short, ragged bursts.
The kiss was a collision of fear and relief, of love and longing, each movement conveying everything they hadn’t been able to put into words. It was as if they were trying to fuse themselves together, to erase the distance that had been forced between them by violence and circumstance.
But then, as Luca’s hand drifted lower, skimming over Caleb’s hip, Caleb stiffened, a sharp intake of breath escaping him. A small, pained sound slipped past his lips, and Luca froze, his entire body going rigid. He pulled back immediately, his eyes wide and filled with guilt as he searched Caleb’s face.
“I’m sorry,” Luca said quickly, his voice rough and strained. He shifted back, putting a fraction of space between them, though his hands still hovered over Caleb as if afraid to let go completely. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m sorry, I...”
Caleb cut him off with a soft laugh, his hand coming up to cradle Luca’s cheek. “You didn’t hurt me,” he said, his thumb brushing over Luca’s bottom lip. “I’m just… a little sore. But I’m okay, Luca. I promise.”
Luca hesitated, his eyes still clouded with worry, but Caleb pulled him down again to lie next to him, this time into a gentle hug. Luca rested his head on Caleb’s chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, letting it soothe the ragged edges of his fear.
“Stay with me,” Caleb murmured, his fingers carding through Luca’s hair. “Just like this.”
Luca nodded, his arms tightening around Caleb as he pressed a soft kiss to his chest. “Always,” he whispered, the word a vow. “Always.”
And for the first time since the shooting, Luca felt like he could breathe again.
???
Luca stirred awake, the soft hum of the plane’s engines pulling him from a restless sleep. He blinked, disoriented for a moment, before his surroundings came into focus; the small, dimly lit bedroom, the faint glow of the overhead lights, and the warmth of Caleb’s body beside him.
He turned his head slightly, his eyes landing on the man sleeping next to him. Caleb’s face was peaceful, his breathing steady, the lines of pain that had been etched into his features over the past week softened by sleep. He looked better, healthier, and something in Luca’s chest loosened at the sight.
He checked his watch, the numbers on the dial telling him they’d be landing in half an hour. The thought of returning to New York, to the chaos and danger that always seemed to follow the Moretti name, should have filled him with a sense of purpose. But instead, it only made his stomach churn. His gaze drifted back to Caleb, his heart clenching as he remembered the question Caleb had asked him before the shooting.
What if you had?
At the time, Luca hadn’t known how to answer. The idea of leaving his family, the life he’d known since he was a child, had felt impossible. But now, after coming so close to losing Caleb, the answer was clear. He couldn’t stay. Not if it meant losing him again.
Luca’s mind wandered to his brothers; Enzo and Matteo. They were his family, his blood, and the thought of disappointing them, of walking away from the business they’d built together, made his chest ache. But he knew, deep down, that they would understand. They loved him, just as he loved them, and they would do anything for him, even if it meant letting go. He would do the same for them if the roles were reversed.
Caleb stirred beside him, his body twitching slightly before his eyes fluttered open. He blinked up at Luca, his lips curving into a small, sleepy smile. “Hey, you,” he whispered, his voice rough with sleep. He reached up, his palm pressing gently against Luca’s cheek, his thumb brushing over the stubble there.
Luca’s heart swelled at the touch, but his mind was still racing, the words he needed to say lodged in his throat. He took a deep breath, his eyes dropping for a moment before he met Caleb’s gaze again. “Do I?” he asked, his voice quiet but steady.
Caleb’s brows furrowed in confusion, his hand stilling on Luca’s cheek. “Do you what?”
Luca swallowed; his throat tight. “Do I have someplace else to go?” he clarified, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes flicked down again, unable to hold Caleb’s gaze as he asked the question that had been weighing on him since the shooting.
For a moment, Caleb was silent, his hand frozen against Luca’s face. Then, slowly, his fingers curled beneath his chin, tilting his head up so their eyes met. Caleb’s gaze was soft but intense, filled with a warmth that made Luca’s chest ache. “Yes,” Caleb whispered, his voice trembling with emotion. “Yes, you do, amati.”
The word, amati , beloved , hit Luca like a punch to the chest, and he felt the sting of tears in his eyes. He nodded, a smile spreading across his lips as he leaned into Caleb’s touch. “Okay then,” he said, his voice firm now, the uncertainty gone. “Once we’re back, you’ll go to your boss, clear your name. I’ll talk with my brothers, and then we’ll go.”
Caleb’s smile widened, his eyes shining with a mixture of relief and joy. He pulled Luca closer, his hand sliding to the back of Luca’s neck as he pressed their foreheads together. “Yes,” he whispered, his breath warm against Luca’s lips. “Then we’ll go.”