Chapter 14
Fourteen
Luca
I can’t say I’m thrilled that Harper and Zeke both missed my hockey game. I kept looking in the stands, though I knew they weren’t there.
It stung.
The worst part? Knowing my father was the reason and Harper wouldn’t be at any more games this season because of the job my father forced on her.
“We won. Why are you in such a sour mood?” Ashton asks. He grabs his bag as he follows me to the car.
It’s late, nearly midnight, and we’re driving up tonight to stay at my parents’ house. I don’t want to miss another minute with Harper. I take a sip from my travel mug, tasting the hot coffee and hoping the caffeine gives me a much-needed jolt for driving at this hour.
I’m also worried about Zeke.
He’s been having nightmares and sharing our bed. I don’t want Harper to go through that alone with him, waking her up every couple of hours and her trying to put him back down to bed.
“I’m not in a sour mood.” I scowl at Ashton.
Maybe he’s right, but I don’t admit it.
I throw my bag in the backseat, and Ashton does the same.
Nova is staying the weekend with Liam, Sophia, and Bristol at the house. It’s crowded for a weekend, but after the crazy week they had, I don’t blame the girls for not wanting to go home yet.
“Right. You’re just chipper.” Ashton grabs a seat, secures his seatbelt, and glances out the side window.
“I did win us the game,” I boast, and Ashton laughs under his breath. “What’s so funny?” I grit between clenched teeth as I pull out onto the street.
“You thinking you made that winning shot.”
“I did make the winning goal.” Has he lost his mind? Did he forget what happened tonight already? I head toward the main thoroughfare. We’ve got an hour’s drive, and I reach for my cup of coffee, ensuring I stay awake.
“Yes, but I made the other two, which tied the game. We were down most of it.”
I roll my eyes and shift in my seat, hitting the gas a little harder. “Whatever you say, Rinaldi.”
He laughs under his breath. “Can’t stand when someone else plays better than you?”
I grind my teeth and grin in his direction. “Happy for you, brother.”
“That’s a bit condescending, even for you. You should be happy we won, that I did good tonight. But no, instead, you’re such a bastard, you’re only focused on how good you played.”
“Tell me what you really think.” My hands tighten on the steering wheel.
The remaining drive is met in silence, which is fine with me. Even if Ashton’s right, and perhaps he is a tiny bit, I don’t give him the satisfaction.
Tomorrow, our disagreement will blow over, and everything will be back to normal.
However, right now, the tension in the air is thick.
Ashton eventually breaks the silence as we near my parents’ house. “I know you’re pissed that Harper missed our game. Just don’t take it out on her.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I grumble.
When we finally get to the house and park the car, I head inside. The house is quiet. It seems Mom and Dad are asleep, or at least tucked away for the night. I don’t see either of them, and Mom usually comes to greet us.
Quietly, I head upstairs to my bedroom, bringing my overnight bag with me. I’m only here until tomorrow afternoon. I may have even avoided coming up this weekend, but I want to be here for Harper.
After all, Dante and Nikki are my parents. She shouldn’t have to deal with them, especially Dante, alone.
Opening the bedroom door, the light is off and I glance toward the bed. It’s empty.
I flip the bedroom light on, surprised Harper isn’t home yet. Although she did text me, mentioning working until close.
She’ll be at least another hour.
Zeke is in his own room, a pleasant surprise, and I peek in, making sure he’s sound asleep before returning to my room.
I leave my overnight bag beside Harper’s and strip down to my boxers, climbing under the covers. There’s a book on the bedside table. It’s one of Harper’s, and I grab it, deciding to give it a read while I wait for her.
I lose track of time and am startled when the bedroom door opens and Harper enters. She sways slightly, a rosy tinge to her cheeks. “You’re here?” Harper whispers, surprise evident in her tone, and she giggles.
I close the book, placing it back on the nightstand. “I am. I wanted to see you,” I say and pull back the covers.
Harper strips down to absolutely nothing before climbing onto the bed, kneeling as she towers over me. “I missed you,” she mumbles and I can smell alcohol on her breath.
“I thought you were serving alcohol, not drinking it?” I ask, running my fingers through her hair, brushing the strands behind her ear. There’s no accusation, just a question.
“Jayden bought me bourbon,” she says with a grin and leans in, her lips on mine. She pushes me onto my back, climbing above me, straddling my hips.
“Who is Jayden?” A tingle of jealous flutters through me.
“Just a guy at the bar. He was a good tipper, too.”
“Sounds like he was hitting on my wife.” Can’t say I’m too happy about that.
“He was just being nice. Besides, he’s got bad taste, since the liquor was gross.”
I ignore her bad taste remark. Anyone hitting on my wife has good taste, at least in women, but they ought to know she’s off-limits. “Bourbon is pretty strong.” I run my hands down along her bare back, my fingers itching to touch every inch of her skin, but she’s tipsy.
It’s the one thought forcing me to stop.
“It’s disgusting.” Harper leans down, her mouth on mine, pushing her tongue past my lips and I gently guide her off me. “You don’t want to?” she asks, surprised.
“I want to, but I’m not going to.”
Her brow furrows and she lies on her side, staring at me, thoroughly confused. “Zeke isn’t in our bed. It might be our only chance for a while.”
She’s right about that. I’m hoping that however they managed to put Zeke down in bed, we’ll have the same success at home tomorrow night.
“You’re drunk; I’m not taking advantage of you.” I press a kiss to her cheek.
“But we’re married,” Harper proclaims. “I’m yours to do with as you please.” She’s grinning at me.
I’m glad she’s in a good mood, but I didn’t drive all this way just to have sex with my wife. I’m also not about to take advantage of her while she’s intoxicated.
“Yes, but I’m still respecting the fact that you can’t give consent while you’re drunk.”
Her nose scrunches. “I’m just a little tipsy.” She holds up her index finger and thumb, squishing them nearly together, but they don’t touch. “Why are you such a gentleman?” she whines, her hand resting on my chest.
“Come on, let’s cuddle and go to bed,” I suggest, moving onto my side and holding my arms open for her to lie with me.
She mumbles under her breath and then shuffles down to rest with me.
“What was that?” I ask, unsure what she said.
“For someone in the mafia, you’re way too nice.” She smirks, staring at me as I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her flush against me.
We both know being the mafia wasn’t a choice, for either one of us. “Does that feel nice?” I growl at her, my hard-on poking her thigh, trying to make a point.
Harper nods, and I swear she’s going to kill me with her words. “I always love your cock.” Her hand slips down between us, and I grab her wrist, stopping her.
She’s really not helping the situation.
“Not tonight.”
She curls against me and rests her head on the pillow, before closing her eyes. A small yawn escapes past that perfect little mouth. “I love you,” she whispers, and already, she sounds sleepy.
“Love you too.” I press a kiss to her forehead and reach for the lamp on the bedside table.
“Luca,” she mumbles.
“Yes, babe.” I want to tell her to get some sleep, she’s tipsy and it’s late. We’ll both be up early because of Zeke, and that’s assuming he doesn’t startle in the middle of the night.
“I’d do anything for you.” Her fingers graze my cheek in the darkness of the bedroom.
I bring her palm to my lips, planting a kiss on her skin.
I know.
She’s buried a secret because of me, one she never should have known: I killed Massimo DeLuca.
And now, I’m keeping her secret about Santino.
The only reason I can sleep at night is knowing that dead men don’t talk. They also can’t threaten my family.