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29
Iglared at Luca across the living room of my parents’ home, eyes slitted in fury. The man has lost his mind if he thinks he can bulldoze his way back into my life. The waning sunlight filtered in through the windows, accentuating the vivid golden highlights of his hair. I ground down on my back teeth in simmering rage. Lounging back in the armchair like a king on his throne, he returned my glare with a smirk. God, I wanted to smack that smug grin right off his gorgeous face. It was one of the rare times I’d seen him without a tie. With a couple of buttons undone, I caught a glimpse of smooth skin. Why did the bastard have to look so good without even trying?
The coffee table was covered in drinks and food. Bunica was making a statement, showing Luca respect with her bounty of traditional dishes. She really pulled out all the stops. Besides the different plum brandies, ?uica and palinca, she had made her famous stuffed cabbage leaves, sarmale. The scent wafting off the mici—grilled minced meat rolls—made my stomach grumble, but I refused to partake. Instead, I lifted my nose at the food, showing my displeasure at my grandmother, who I knew was lurking around the outskirts, peeking in to eavesdrop. I might be acting like a spoiled child, but I refused to be bribed with my favorite food.
Slapping his knees with both hands, my father stood up and gestured to my mother to follow him. “Let’s leave the lovebirds alone to get reacquainted.”
Rising to her feet, my mother smoothed her skirt and gave me a narrow-eyed look, her message loud and clear. I should be nice and make this work. Those were her exact words to me earlier, right before Luca showed up at our doorstep. Despite my father’s anger and grief over Simu’s death, he resigned himself to the loss when he found out the details surrounding Simu’s death. There were rules, and this had been a clear-cut case of kill or be killed. I was grateful that I wouldn’t have to marry him, but that didn’t mean I was going to fall into Luca’s lap.
Like I’d predicted, he failed my test. My eyes narrowed on him again. Asshole.
My mother was relieved that our family name would be restored, and my father got a chunk of change to pay back enough of his debt to hold off the Hagi. More than anything, they were grateful that Luca and Alex had stepped in to save Cristo. This new appreciation for Luca only served to irritate me further. My parents assumed that his visit meant the marriage was back on. If he thought I was going to marry him, he’d lost touch with reality.
With one last warning glance my way, my mother slipped out of the room, leaving us alone. Bunica popped her head in, nodding encouragingly before retreating.
Silence descended.
The tension was thick, but I refused to break first. Crossing my legs and folding my hands over my knee, I waited. He could try to pressure me as much as he wanted, but it would be nothing more than a sham marriage. I didn’t even have to have sex with him again, since everyone and their brother knew he’d already taken my virginity.
Luca broke the silence. “Are you done pouting?”
I averted my eyes because the urge to claw his beautiful cold ones rode me hard. Bastard.
He picked off nonexistent lint from the linen of his pants and let out a tired sigh. “I see. I’m getting the silent treatment.”
I rolled my eyes condescendingly. “I’m sure we covered all the bases. What more is there to say?”
Placing his hands on the armrests, he raised himself up slowly, almost as if he was in pain. I watched him indignantly as he crossed the room and took a seat beside me. Stretching his neck a little, he absently massaged it. Close up, I saw the outline of bruises in the shape of fingers around his throat.
I bit down on my gasp. God, Luca had been in real danger if Simu had choked him hard enough to leave marks. Luca’s thick neck looked unbreakable, and yet those faint bluish shadows spoke to how close he had been to losing his life. I gulped around my suddenly tight throat. Unlike most mafie women, I’d witnessed a man getting choked to death. Luca’s face was superimposed on the image branded in my mind. The back of my eyes burned. My anger burned off, and I could feel my resolve was about to follow.
I asked, “Are you okay?”
It came out husky. I cleared my throat and wet my lips. That last movement brought Luca’s gaze to my mouth. The flames in his eyes burned right through me, like fire.
“Yeah, I’m good. It was touch and go for a few moments, but I managed to beat him off me.”
“God, I don’t even know what to say, Luca.” My voice dropped. “What if you had died?”
He waved me off. Of course, he did. “Nicu flew through the door like an avenging angel. I wouldn’t have died.” His perceptive eyes sharpened on me. He leaned in and asked, “Why, Kitty? Would you have missed me?”
I threw up my hands. “Of course, I didn’t want you to die. Isn’t that why I made my pact with Simu?”
“That wasn’t my question.”
I dropped my hands and fidgeted with my skirt. Giving him a bland look, I said, “Sorry, what was the question?”
He returned my look with a baleful one. Embarrassment crawled up my throat and I clasped it to try to hide my emotions. Having fair skin was the worst in moments like these.
Gently, he pulled my hand off. “I like seeing the pink. Gives me a glimpse of what your ass will look like when I give you a punishment.”
I jerked in my seat. A punishment? The center of my chest went up in flames. My core, on the other hand, got wet in anticipation.
“Oh, I love how dirty you are. I can’t wait to have you back underneath me,” he drawled, his eyelids dropping to half-mast.
“Is that all you want from me?” I snapped.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not hard up for partners, and I don’t risk my life for just any woman. We have chemistry. I was only stating the obvious. Now, back to my question, and in case you want to pretend you don’t remember, let me remind you. Would you miss me, beautiful?”
