31. Lucia
31
LUCIA
T he final bell rings, and I let out a sigh of relief as my students grab their backpacks and begin to file out of the classroom. It’s been one of those days—endless questions, spilled juice, and a math lesson that felt like pulling teeth. All I want to do is get home, curl up with a book, and forget the world exists.
I gather my things and mentally prepare myself for another night with Raffaele. For the last week, he’s been waiting outside my door after the school day has ended. But when I step into the hallway, there’s no sign of him. I blink, half expecting him to jump out from behind a corner, but there are only students straggling on their way out the door.
A smile tugs at my lips as I make my way to the parking lot, my steps lighter than they’ve been in days. Maybe I’ve finally caught a break. I scan the area, half-expecting to see Raffaele’s hulking form, but he’s nowhere to be found. He isn’t standing beside my car, peering at me from behind a bush, or lurking in any shadowy corners.
For the first time in what feels like forever, I have no constant shadow dogging my every step. It feels like a small victory, a tiny taste of freedom in my otherwise controlled life. I savor the moment, relishing the sensation of having somehow managed to reclaim a little bit of independence. A nagging voice in the back of my mind suggests I should be worried about Raffaele’s whereabouts, but I quickly push it aside. I’m sure the big lug can take care of himself, and frankly, I deserve this moment of peace. As I unlock my car, I can’t help but hope this reprieve lasts just a little bit longer.
As I drive home, a wave of gratitude washes over me. How did I manage to get so lucky? Did Raffaele finally realize that I could handle the simple task of commuting to and from work without his ever-watchful supervision? Or perhaps Saverio called him away for something more pressing, something that required his attention elsewhere? Regardless of the reason, I refuse to question it. I crank up the radio, filling the air with a sense of freedom as I navigate my way home.
However, when I turn onto my street, my heart plummets like a stone. There, parked in my driveway, is Saverio, leaning casually against his car with that infuriatingly confident smirk plastered across his face. Great. It seems I’ve merely traded one annoying house guest for the prospect of an even more persistent house husband. The irony isn’t lost on me as I grip the steering wheel, bracing myself for the encounter ahead.
I pull into the driveway and park next to his car, ignoring the way my heart skips a beat at the sight of him. He has that look in his eyes, the one that always makes me feel like he’s two steps ahead of everyone else. It’s both thrilling and maddening that he always looks like he knows something I don’t.
I step out of the car, the gravel crunching beneath my shoes as I sling my bag over my shoulder. “What do you want, Saverio? Can’t you send your bodyguard to hover over me instead?” I toss the words out with a mix of irritation and sarcasm, trying to mask the flutter of nerves in my stomach. It’s strange—almost ironic—that I find myself longing for Raffaele’s presence, his steady, watchful demeanor now a curious absence that leaves me feeling strangely off balance.
But before I can get another word out, he’s on me. In one swift movement, Saverio pins me against the side of the car, his hands gripping my waist as his body presses against mine. I barely have time to catch my breath before his mouth crashes down on mine with a hard and demanding kiss. The gravel beneath my feet shifts as I instinctively lean into him, my body betraying my mind’s protests. His scent—a heady mix of cologne and something uniquely him—clouds my senses. My fingers clutch at his shirt, torn between pushing him away and pulling him closer. The cool metal of the car against my back contrasts sharply with the heat radiating from Saverio, leaving me dizzy and breathless in the onslaught of sensations.
I’m caught off guard at first, but then it all comes rushing out like a dam bursting. All the pent-up frustration from the past week—Raffaele’s constant, suffocating presence, the barrage of questions from my overly curious students, even Saverio’s endless stream of well-intentioned but smothering concern for my well-being—spills over in a torrent of emotion. I kiss him back with everything I’ve got, my lips moving against his with a fierce intensity that surprises even me. I pour all my irritation, my longing, my desperate need to feel something real and visceral, into that kiss. My hands slide up his chest, gripping his shirt tightly as if he’s an anchor in the storm of my emotions. The world around us fades away, leaving nothing but the connection between our bodies and the cathartic release of days’ worth of tension.
Saverio’s hands slide up my sides, his grip firm and possessive, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. It’s just us, tangled up in each other, our bodies intertwined like vines seeking sunlight. The rest of the world around us fades into a distant blur, inconsequential and forgotten. I lose myself in the heat of the moment, surrendering to the desire coursing through me. The way his lips move against mine, urgent and demanding, sends shivers down my spine. His body, pressed flush against me, is solid and reassuring.
But then, just as suddenly as it started, he pulls back. I’m left breathless and wanting more—of him, of this, of anything. My body aches for his touch, every nerve ending alive and crackling with electricity. The absence of his warmth is almost painful, and I find myself leaning toward him instinctively, chasing the connection we’d shared moments ago. My lips tingle, still feeling the phantom pressure of his kiss, and I have to fight the urge to close the distance between us once more.
Saverio’s eyes lock onto mine, dark and smoldering with an intensity that steals my breath away. His gaze roams over my face, lingering on my lips before returning to my eyes. When he speaks, his voice is low and rough, a primal growl that sends a shiver of desire coursing through me. “I have to have you, Lucia,” his words drip with raw need. “Right now. I can’t wait another moment.”
His hands come up to frame my face, thumbs brushing over my cheekbones in a touch so gentle it contrasts sharply with the urgency in his voice.
His words send a jolt of electricity through me, and all I can do is nod, my mind too foggy to form a coherent response. I don’t care that we’re in my driveway, that all my neighbors can see us. All I care about is the way he’s looking at me, like I’m the only thing in this world that matters to him.
“Inside,” I whisper, my voice barely more than a breath.
Saverio grabs my hand and brings it to his lips for a final kiss before dragging me inside. I’m lost to the moment, to him. The world could burn down around us, and I wouldn’t care.