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A gasp jumped from my mouth, heart plummeting to my toes. My hand slammed over my lips in horror. Oh my God.
“I told you not to come in here.” Luca stood at the sink using his shirt to blot away the red liquid seeping from a wound on his face. He threw the shirt on the floor in frustration at my presence. “I didn’t want you to see me like this.”
As my eyes took in Luca my heart shuddered. Dried blood covered the side of his head running down his neck. A small gash above one eyebrow and a cut on his cheek bone still dripped. More blood covered his bare chest. His blood soaked shirt lay on the floor in a heap, now staining the rug. Bruises ranging from bright red to purple dotted his abdomen, and his knuckles looked like he’d taken a cheese grader to them.
“What happened,” I whispered as my head shook in disbelief.
He didn’t answer. Just stared at me with an unreadable expression and so many emotions dancing in his eyes I couldn’t keep up. Luca’s gaze hit the floor. Unwilling or unable to look at me, I couldn’t tell.
“Luca, what happened?” I asked again, unable to move.
His gaze stayed downcast. “The guy I hit was one of the Irish’s lawyers. They wanted blood. I had to fight as a consequence.” There was something in his tone I couldn’t read as his muscles coiled.
I didn’t know what to say. My stupid, foolish heart didn’t even want to remember that this man had hit me. All I could think about was how much pain he must’ve been in. How I wished I could take it all away. I pinched my lips together as tears welled in my eyes.
Luca looked at me and whatever he saw in my expression made his turn dark. “Don’t do that,” he demanded.
“Do what?”
“Have sympathy for me. I don’t deserve your pity. By all rights you should hate me.” His eyes flashed to my inflamed cheek, then he turned away to lean over the bathroom counter. “I’m sorry, Becka.” He took in a long shuttering breath. “I don’t deserve you. Never have and never will.”
Sadness welled up inside me. Luca was so tangled inside he didn’t believe himself worthy of anything but disgust. And yes, what he did was unacceptable and fucked up, but not unforgivable; especially when it was clear his actions were ripping him apart. He thought that I would only hate him and resent him. We’d both made mistakes.
Luca stood before me, a man without hope.
I stepped into the bathroom and moved right up to him. With light hands I cupped his face, pulling him around to stand so he could meet my gaze, the blood made my stomach jerk. He swallowed hard, as if frightened about what I might say or do. Guilt washed over his features when his eyes took in my bruise up close.
Looking him straight in the eye I said, “No one deserves anything in this life, Luca. All we have, are the choices we make.” His breathing came in heavy pants, puffing against my face as his shoulders shook. “And I choose to forgive you, Luca.”
For a moment his eyes widened in shock, chased quickly away by angry confusion. Luca’s eyes narrowed while his shoulders bunched. “Why?” Fast as lightning he took my wrists and pulled my hands away, giving me a little shake. “How can you possibly forgive me for all the things I did? Why would you choose to forgive me?” he growled, searching my face for the answer. Disbelief made his eyes hop back and forth between mine.
“Forgiveness is one of the greatest things you can give someone.” Because I want you to know I see who you are inside. The man you are capable of being.
“But why me? Why forgive me? I’m a shitty person that does horrible things. Just look at what I did to you? How can you forgive so easily? No matter how many times I say sorry?” His words were desperate as his grip tightened painfully on my wrists.
“Because despite everything you think you are, I have seen more. Because every time you look at me it takes my breath away.” My voice was pleading, I wanted— needed— him to understand. “Every time you touch me you set me on fire. Every time you kiss me the world falls away. And because I…” The words stuck in my throat, choking me with fear. Say it!
Tiny explosions went off behind Luca’s eyes as they widened in shock at what almost fell from my mouth. Then I saw the overwhelming joy making his pupils explode. Before I could get my mind to make my lips move his mouth came crashing down on my lips.
Soft lips pressed into mine igniting an inferno. It wasn’t hard or desperate, but longing. Luca cupped my face and leaned my head back so he could deepen the kiss. My hands slipped around his waist feeling his muscles twitch in excitement. The world shrank to the size of a pin, leaving only enough room for Luca and I.
My heart fluttered like a hummingbird in my chest as our bodies touched. As he held and kissed me tenderly, the kiss took on a feeling we had never shared before. Not just passion or lust, but sizzled and flamed with that unspoken word.
Suddenly Luca broke the kiss to stare down at me, searching the very depths of my soul for the truth. I held his gaze letting him know that it was real. Both of us started breathing hard, frantic and a pit panicked. And I saw it. The same emotion being reflected back at me. Neither of us had said it but its presence was as real as the air we shared.
He feels it too.Euphoria spilt me wide open. Adrenaline tingled along my skin.
His strong arms wrapped around me and lifted. My legs went around him as he took my mouth and I moaned to the pleasure of his abs rubbing against my core. He breathed in deep through his nose, taking half the air in the room.
Luca carried us backwards until we stood in the shower. Too busy enjoying the feel of our tongues sliding together I didn’t comprehend the water coming on and running hot. Searing heat pulsed low in my now soaked panties. When he set me down I took his face in my hands, not willing to let him go.
He gently took my wrists and pulled away. “I have to get this blood off me, baby,” he panted, voice horse with restraint.
I pulled away reluctantly. Wanting nothing more than to jump in his arms and have him take me against the shower wall. I restrained myself. The blood really was gross.
I pushed him back under the spray. “So wash.”
His hands went to his belt, then pants as he shucked everything including his shoes in one go, never taking his eyes off me. I saw his willpower straining as he turned away into the spray of the water.
