29. Luca
29
LUCA
S leep eluded me most of the night, my mind racing with thoughts of Mia and her visit to her family. Mia leaves as I shower and dress, and I try to push away the gnawing anxiety in my gut. I have a business to run, after all.
I can’t spend the day worrying like some lovesick teenager.
But as I make my way to my office, the house feels emptier than it ever has before. It’s amazing how quickly I’ve grown accustomed to Mia’s presence, to her laughter echoing through the halls, to the warmth she brings to every room she enters.
I shake my head, forcing myself to focus. There’s work to be done.
My first meeting of the day is with Marco. He’s waiting in my office, a stack of papers in his hand and a scowl on his face.
“What is it?” I ask, settling behind my desk.
Marco hands me the papers. “We’ve got a problem with the Rossi family. They’re moving in on our territory in the south.”
I scan the documents, my jaw clenching as I read. The Rossis have always been ambitious, but this is a bold move, even for them. “How many men have they sent?”
“At least fifty,” Marco replies. “They’ve taken over three of our warehouses already.”
I lean back in my chair, considering our options. The Rossis need to be dealt with, and quickly. But a full-scale war could be disastrous for both families.
“Send a message to Alessandro Rossi,” I decide. “Tell him I want to meet. Neutral ground.”
Marco nods, but I can see the hesitation in his eyes. “And if he refuses?”
A cold smile spreads across my face. “Then we show them why it’s a bad idea to cross the Strambos.”
As Marco leaves to carry out my orders, I turn my attention to the mountain of paperwork on my desk. Shipment manifests, financial reports, intelligence briefs—the mundane side of running a criminal empire. But it’s necessary work, and I throw myself into it, grateful for the distraction.
Midmorning, I’m interrupted by an urgent call from one of our lieutenants. There’s been a raid on one of our clubs downtown. The police are asking questions, looking for names.
I curse under my breath. We’ve always had the local police in our pocket, but there’s been a new chief lately, one who can’t be bought. He’s becoming a problem.
“Handle it,” I tell the lieutenant. “Use whatever means necessary, but make sure our people keep their mouths shut.”
No sooner have I hung up than Marco bursts back into the office. “Boss, we’ve got a situation. The Rossis have taken hostages at the docks.”
My blood runs cold. This is an escalation I wasn’t prepared for. “Fuck. How many?”
“Five of our men,” Marco says grimly. “They’re demanding we pull out of the south entirely.”
I’m on my feet in an instant, grabbing my jacket. “Get the car ready. And call Johnny—tell him to meet us there with his team.”
The drive to the docks is tense. I run through scenarios in my head, trying to find a way out of this that doesn’t end in bloodshed. But with hostages involved, our options are limited.
When we arrive, the scene is chaotic. Police have cordoned off the area, but I can see our men moving into position, hidden from the officers’ view. Johnny, my best strategist, is waiting for me.
“What’s the situation?” I demand as soon as I’m out of the car.
Johnny points to a warehouse at the far end of the docks. “They’re in there. Five hostages, at least ten armed men. They’ve got the high ground and clear sightlines.”
I nod, assessing the situation. It’s not good, but we’ve dealt with worse. “Options?”
“We could try to negotiate,” Johnny suggests, but I can tell from his tone that he doesn’t think much of that idea.
I shake my head. “No. If we give in now, they’ll never stop pushing. We need to send a message.”
Johnny grins, a predatory gleam in his eye. “I was hoping you’d say that. I’ve got a plan.”
I feel the familiar rush of adrenaline as Johnny outlines his strategy. This is what I’m good at—not the paperwork or the politics, but the strategy, the risk, the thrill of outmaneuvering an enemy.
We move quickly, our men taking up positions around the warehouse. I can see the Rossi men through the windows, nervous and jumpy. They’re not prepared for a prolonged standoff.
I give the signal, and all hell breaks loose.
Smoke grenades crash through the windows, filling the warehouse with thick, choking smoke. Our men move in under cover of the chaos, swift and silent.
I hear shouts, the sound of breaking glass, a few muffled gunshots. Then, silence.
When the smoke clears, it’s over. Our hostages are safe, the Rossi men subdued or dead. As I survey the scene, I feel a grim satisfaction.
The message has been sent.
But as the adrenaline fades, as we begin the process of cleanup and damage control, my thoughts return to Mia. Is she safe? Is she happy? Will she come back?
The rest of the day passes in a blur of meetings and phone calls. I negotiate a truce with Alessandro Rossi, who’s suitably chastened by our show of force. I deal with the fallout from the police raid, calling in favors and making thinly veiled threats where necessary.
Through it all, I keep glancing at the clock, counting down the hours until Mia said she’d be back. But as the appointed time comes and goes, the knot in my stomach grows tighter.
Where is she? Why hasn’t she called?
As evening falls, I find myself unable to concentrate on anything. I pace my office, alternating between worry and anger. I shouldn’t have let her go. I should have known better than to trust the Marinos.
The rational part of my brain tries to argue that I’m overreacting. She’s probably just lost track of time, caught up in the joy of reuniting with her family.
But the part of me that’s been hurt before, that’s always waiting for the other shoe to drop, won’t be silenced.
What if she’s chosen not to come back?
Or worse—what if Dom has decided to keep her there? What if he’s holding her against her will, using her as leverage against me?
The thought sends a surge of rage through me. If Dom has laid a hand on Mia, I’ll tear him apart with my bare hands. I’ll burn the entire fucking Marino empire to the ground if that’s what it takes to get her back.
Rork O’Malley was willing to do so. And so am I.
But even as I contemplate storming the Marino estate, guns blazing, a small voice in the back of my mind whispers a painful truth… What if she wants to stay?
The thought stops me cold. If Mia has chosen to leave me, to return to her family… can I really force her to come back? Do I have the right?
I sink into my chair, my head in my hands. For the first time in years, I feel utterly lost. The empire I’ve built, the power I wield—none of it matters if Mia isn’t by my side.
I don’t know how long I sit there, lost in my spiraling thoughts. The room grows dark around me as night falls, but I can’t bring myself to move, to turn on a light. The darkness feels appropriate, a reflection of the despair growing in my heart.
Then, suddenly, a voice cuts through the gloom. A voice I’ve been longing to hear all day.
“Luca? What’s wrong? What happened?”
My head snaps up. Mia is there, kneeling in front of me, her face etched with concern. For a moment, I think I must be dreaming.
“Mia?” I whisper, hardly daring to believe it’s real. “You… you came back.”
She reaches out, cupping my face in her hands. "Of course I came back. Luca, what's wrong? What happened?"
The relief that washes over me is so intense it’s almost painful. Without thinking, I pull her into my arms, holding her tight against my chest. I can feel her heart beating, smell the familiar scent of her hair. She’s real . She’s here .
“I thought…” My voice breaks, and I have to swallow hard before I can continue. “I thought you weren’t coming back. That you’d chosen to stay with your family. Or that Dom…”
“Oh, Luca,” Mia says softly, pulling back to look at me. In the dim light, I can see tears shining in her eyes. “I’m so sorry. I lost track of time. I should have called.”
I shake my head, suddenly feeling foolish for my fears. “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have doubted you. I just… the thought of losing you…”
Mia leans in, pressing her forehead against mine. “You’re not going to lose me, Luca. I promise. I’ll always come back to you.”
“Always?” I can’t keep the hint of doubt from my voice.
Mia nods, a soft smile playing at her lips. “Always,” she repeats. Then, so quietly I almost miss it, she adds, “I love you, Luca.”
The world around me fades away as Mia’s words sink in, the weight of them settling deep inside me, filling the empty spaces that fear and doubt have carved out over the past few hours. “I love you.”
I’ve craved those words, but hearing them now, the soft sincerity in her voice, it almost undoes me. My chest tightens, my throat constricts, and I can barely breathe through the emotion choking me. But it’s not the darkness that holds me anymore—it’s her.
I run my hand up the side of her face, cradling her cheek, my thumb brushing over the soft skin beneath her eye. She leans into the touch, her eyes never leaving mine. There's a quiet intensity in her gaze, something raw and vulnerable, and I can’t help but wonder how I’ve gotten so lucky as to have her love me.
“Mia,” I whisper, my voice rough. I don’t know what else to say. How can I possibly express how much she means to me in words? Instead, I lean in, pressing my lips gently to hers, and the kiss is everything—soft, tender, full of the love and promises we’ve only just put into words.
Mia melts against me, her body fitting perfectly in my arms, as though this moment were always meant to be. The kiss deepens, but it’s slow, unhurried. There’s no rush, no urgency to our movements.
It’s different this time—sweet, tender, the weight of our confessions settling between us in the most beautiful way. I pour everything I feel for her into that kiss—the relief, the love, the overwhelming need to keep her close.
Her hands come up to my chest, and I can feel her fingers tracing slow, lazy patterns across my skin, sending soft shivers down my spine. When we finally break apart for air, our foreheads rest together, and I can hear the sound of her breathing, the soft rise and fall of her chest against mine.
“I love you,” she says again, this time quieter, almost as if it’s just for me to hear. The words wrap around my heart, squeezing tight, and all I can do is nod, too overwhelmed to speak.
Lifting her up, I carry her over to the couch and gently push her back, my hands sliding down to her waist. I lift her up, bringing her closer to me, her legs straddling my hips as I settle her in my lap. She gasps softly at the movement, and I can see the blush creeping up her cheeks, but there’s nothing but love in her eyes.
Her hands find the back of my neck, fingers tangling in my hair, and I can’t stop the groan that escapes me as her body presses against mine.
I kiss her again, slower this time, savoring the warmth of her lips, the softness of her skin beneath my hands. I let my fingers slide up her back, brushing over the smooth fabric of her shirt before slipping beneath it, tracing the curve of her spine. Mia arches into me, a soft moan escaping her lips, and it sends a jolt of heat straight through me.
But this isn’t like the other times. This isn’t about claiming or control. This is about love—pure, raw, overwhelming love. I want to give her everything, to show her how much she means to me, how much I need her.
I pull back slightly, my lips brushing against hers as I speak. “Are you sure?”
Her eyes meet mine, and there’s no hesitation in her answer. “Yes, Luca. I’m sure.”
That’s all I need to hear. I kiss her again, deep and tender, before shifting her gently onto her back, her body stretching out beneath me on the couch. She looks up at me, her lips swollen from our kisses, her cheeks flushed with desire, and she’s never looked more beautiful.
My hands move slowly, reverently, as I undress her. I take my time, savoring each new inch of exposed skin, pressing soft kisses to her collarbone, her shoulders, her stomach. Mia shivers beneath my touch, her fingers threading through my hair, guiding me as I kiss my way down her body.
When she’s finally bare beneath me, I pause for a moment, just taking her in. The way her chest rises and falls with each breath, the soft curve of her hips, the way her eyes darken with desire.
She’s perfect—more perfect than I ever could have imagined.
“You’re so beautiful,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion.
Mia’s eyes flutter shut, a soft smile playing at her lips. “I love you,” she murmurs again, and it sends another wave of warmth crashing through me.
I lean down, pressing a kiss to her lips, her neck, her breasts, until I’m completely lost in the feel of her. My hands explore every part of her, my lips following the same path, and Mia’s soft moans fill the room, encouraging me, pushing me further.
When I finally slide inside her, it’s slow, deliberate, every movement filled with tenderness. Mia gasps, her hands gripping my shoulders, her legs wrapping around my waist, pulling me deeper into her. I can feel her heartbeat against mine, the warmth of her body surrounding me, and it’s overwhelming in the best way.
We move together, slowly at first, savoring every touch, every kiss. There’s no rush, no need for anything other than this moment, just the two of us, wrapped up in each other. Her nails dig into my back as I thrust deeper, her breathy moans spurring me on.
I bury my face in her neck, inhaling her scent, the softness of her skin beneath my lips. “Mia,” I groan, my voice thick with need. “You feel so good.”
“So do you,” she whispers back, her voice breathless, full of love and desire. She tightens her legs around me, pulling me impossibly closer, and I can feel the way her body clenches around me, the way she’s teetering on the edge.
I move faster, my hand sliding down to where we’re joined, my thumb brushing over her clit, and Mia cries out, her body arching off the couch as she comes, her muscles tightening around me, pulling me over the edge with her.
I come with her, burying myself deep inside her, my body trembling as wave after wave of pleasure crashes over me. I collapse against her, my chest pressed to hers, our bodies still joined as we catch our breath.
For a moment, we just lie there, tangled together, the weight of our love settling between us. I can feel her fingers tracing lazy circles on my back, her breath warm against my neck, and I’ve never felt more at peace.
“I love you,” she whispers again, and I smile, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.
“I love you too,” I murmur, my voice soft but full of meaning. I pull her closer, wrapping my arms around her, and we stay like that, holding each other as the night fades away, lost in the warmth of each other’s love.