Chapter 10 #2
"Thank you, Elena."
"The accounts can wait." Her expression was serious. "But Kai—you and Miss Romano need to be more careful. People notice things. Luca especially. He's already suspicious."
Aria emerged from the bathroom. Fully dressed. Hair smoothed. Face composed.
Except for the guilty flush staining her cheeks.
Mrs. Rossi's gaze softened when she saw her. "I understand. I was young once. I remember what it feels like. But this is dangerous. Don Salvatore returns in less than two weeks. You need to be smart. Both of you."
"We will be—" I started.
Footsteps in the hallway and I could see the frame of the man I have come to despise walking towards us. Luca.
Mrs. Rossi smoothly transitioned, raising her voice. "—so I was thinking we could do a traditional seven-course menu for Don Salvatore's return dinner. What do you think, Kai?"
"Sounds perfect. We'll need to coordinate with the wine cellar—" I fell into the role easily. "Aria, you should weigh in. This will be good practice for you."
"The seven courses sound wonderful, Mrs. Rossi. Thank you for thinking to include me."
Her voice was remarkably steady. No one would guess that two minutes ago she'd been half-naked on my desk.
Luca appeared at the end of the hallway. His sharp eyes swept over the three of us. Lingered on Aria's flushed face. The slightly disheveled state of my office visible through the open door.
"Am I interrupting something?"
"Just discussing the menu for Don Salvatore's return." Mrs. Rossi's voice was perfectly pleasant. "I was just leaving. Kai, Aria, we'll finalize the details tomorrow."
She left, taking Aria with her. I watched them go, my jaw tight.
Luca stepped into my office. Looked around. At the papers still on the floor. The knocked-over lamp I hadn't bothered to right.
"Quite a mess in here."
"I was frustrated with the northern shipment reports. Knocked some things over." The lie came easily. "What did you need?"
"To discuss those northern shipments, actually. Can we speak privately?"
"We're alone."
"Good." He closed the door. Turned to face me fully. "I've noticed something, Kai. You and the Romano girl. You seem... close. Very close. Some might say inappropriately close."
I kept my expression neutral. Bored, even. "I'm following Father's orders. Watching her. Making sure she doesn't cause problems. We've become friendly. It makes my job easier when she's cooperative."
"Friendly." He didn't sound convinced. "Is that what we're calling it?"
"What exactly are you implying, Luca?"
"I'm not implying anything. I'm stating facts. I've seen the way you look at her. The way she looks at you. The amount of time you spend together. " He moved closer.
"Is there anything else, or are we done making baseless accusations?" I didn't give him the pleasure of a response from me.
"They're not baseless. I have eyes. I have instincts. And both are telling me that something is going on between you and that girl." His voice hardened. "Don Salvatore wouldn't be pleased if he knew his son was touching his future wife. Wouldn't be pleased at all."
"Then it's good nothing is going on. Just your paranoid imagination working overtime."
"Is it?" He stared at me for a long moment. "Friendly is acceptable, Kai. Even useful. But anything more than that? Anything inappropriate? That would be a problem. A very serious problem. One that would have consequences for you. And for your sister."
The threat against Lia made my hands clench into fists. But I kept my face blank.
"There's nothing inappropriate happening. It's all business. All professional. You're seeing problems that don't exist."
"Am I?" He headed for the door. "Less than two weeks until Don Salvatore returns. I suggest you use that time to examine your priorities. To remember what's at stake. Because if I'm right about what I'm seeing—if there is something happening between you and that girl—it won't end well. For anyone."
He left, closing the door behind him.
I stood there for a long moment, trying to control the rage building in my chest.
He knew. Maybe he didn't have proof, but he knew. And it was only a matter of time before he gathered enough evidence to take to my father.
I pulled out my phone, texted Marco: We have a problem. Luca is suspicious. How's the case progressing? Do we have enough yet?
His response came immediately: Close but not there yet. Father Benedetto wants more concrete evidence of the Council violations. Maybe another month.
We don't have another month. My father returns in less than two weeks.
Then you need to cool things down with the girl. Whatever's happening between you two, it needs to stop. Now.
I stared at the message. Knew he was right. Knew the smart thing—the only thing—was to put distance between Aria and me until my father returned and left again.
But I didn't know if I could do it. Not now. Not after having her in my arms again. Not after being seconds away from finally having her the way I'd been fantasizing about for weeks.
My phone buzzed again.
Kai? You still there? Tell me you understand what I'm saying. Tell me you're going to back off until we have the evidence we need.
I typed back slowly: I understand what you're saying.
That's not the same as agreeing to do it. Marco responded almost immediately like he could read right through my words.
I know.
You're going to get yourself killed. You're going to get her killed. And you're going to get Lia caught in the crossfire. Is that what you want?
He wasn't asking I knew, I ran my hands through my messy hair before typing.
Of course not.
Then back the fuck off. Be smart about this.
I didn't respond. Couldn't respond. Because the truth was, I didn't know if I could be smart about this anymore.
Aria Romano had gotten under my skin in a way no one ever had. She made me want things I couldn't have. Made me willing to risk things I shouldn't risk.
Made me feel like burning down the entire world was worth it if it meant keeping her.
And that was the most dangerous thing of all.
Because I'd spent years being patient. Being strategic. Building a case against my father methodically, carefully, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
But now? With Aria? I was losing that patience. That careful calculation.
I was becoming reckless.
And reckless people in this world didn't survive long.
I texted Marco one more time: Keep working the case. Push Father Benedetto harder. We need this wrapped up fast.
How fast?
Before my father gets back. Before I do something we'll all regret.
That's less than two weeks, Kai. That's not enough time—
Make it enough time. Please.
He didn't respond immediately. When he finally did, his message was simple: I'll do what I can. But you need to do your part. Stay away from her.
I'll try.
Try harder.
I pocketed my phone. Looked around my destroyed office. Evidence of how close Aria and I had come to crossing a line we couldn't uncross.
Luca was watching. My father would be home soon. The case wasn't ready yet.
Everything was falling apart.
And all I could think about was how good Aria had felt in my arms. How right it had felt to finally touch her again.
How I wanted nothing more than to find her right now and finish what we'd started.
Fuck. I was so screwed.