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“Was it all an act?”
His eyes skipped around the room, pulling in a deep breath before focusing back on me. “No, it wasn’t all an act. What I said were lies but the man you saw was real. All those times I tried to explain to you what a terrible man I am, that is what I was talking about. That was the monster I’d become before you came along. Cruel. Unfeeling. No mercy. I never wanted you to see that side of me.”
I stared at him for long moments trying to connect the man looking at me to the cold, empty human I’d seen at the warehouse. It was hard, and in truth I didn’t want to, but excepted the fact that Luca had a dark side that I never truly understood or knew the extent of.
Did it change the way I felt about him? No.
“I never want to be that man again, Becka. I didn’t want to be him tonight, but I had to. If I’d shown weakness in the form of revealing how much you mean to me, he wouldn’t have hesitated. He would have hurt you to get at me. I had to stall to give Matteo time. Understand?”
“Yes. It just seemed so natural for you. And after the fight… I was afraid I lost you. The real you.” I placed my hand over his heart, feeling it pulse against my palm.
Luca covered my hand with his, squeezing tight. “Never. You are what shut the beast back in its cage.” Then he leaned in so our foreheads rested against each other.
“Luca?”
“Yes.”
“What are we doing here? Why didn’t we go home?”
“Because that will no longer be our home.” My head shot up. Before I could ask a million questions Luca went on to tell me about the conversation between him and Matteo back at the house.
“You were going to send me away?” Tears sprung into my eyes.
Springing forward Luca cupped my face, pressing close until our noses brushed. “It was a desperate plan as a way to get you away from all this. I knew it was going to kill me but also knew you deserved better. But once your grandma died I couldn’t send you away alone. I never wanted to let you go.” There was pain in his voice and I saw that at the time he thought he’d been doing the right thing.
“I understand. But you should know, I wouldn’t have gone. I would have fought you tooth and nail.”
A small chuckle rumbled from his chest. “I anticipated a fight. But none of that matters now.”
“No, I guess not.” It still stung to think that he had planned to send me away but lingering on it when it was no longer relevant would serve no purpose.
“So, when Matteo said that we could use this, he meant as an escape?” I asked, getting back on track. My mind spun in circles. We no longer had a home, money or anything except the bloody clothes on our back. None of what happened was planned. What were we going to do? Wait!
“Does Arianna think I’m dead?” I shrieked, practically jumping out of his lap. “That I’m dead!” It’s going to kill her!
Luca gripped my arms gently to prevent me from falling to the floor. “Calm down, baby. Matteo will tell her the truth.”
“But everyone else? The men, the wives, other organizations…”
“They will all think we burned up in the fire. It was so big and hot with too much fuel that nobody will question the fact no remains can be found.”
“But what do we do now? Where will we go?”
“Matteo will be here in a bit. He will help us. Everything is going to be ok. You have to trust me. I love you.” Soft lips still tasting a bit like smoke brushed against mine, sending shivers down my spine.
“And I love you.” I kissed him, moving to straddle him so I could press close. “Is this real? Are we really getting out?” For the first time since the warehouse a smile crept onto my face and he smiled back, making my head drowned in desire.
A night that started out as a nightmare turned into a wishful dream. One I’d placed in a bottle weeks ago and let drift away in a tide of acceptance the night Luca said there was no getting out. Even at the party when he’d sworn to find a way, I’d held back the hope. Now it was happening. We would be free. Together.
“Yes baby, it’s real.” My smile spread until my cheeks hurt. Tears burned the backs of my eyes.
His expression changed to concern. Sliding his hand into my hair to hold the back of my head, stroking my pulse point with his thumb he asked, “What are you thinking?”
“That everything happens for a reason.” I took a steadying breath to keep from fully falling apart from the warm ache thrumming in my chest. “When all this first started, I thought God was punishing me. But now I know it’s a gift, because he gave me you. A man I will never doubt loves me, and makes me feel alive in a way I never thought possible. Someone to spend the rest of my life with when I’d been alone for so long. I believe we were meant to be.”
Luca’s face went blank and I held my breath while trying to gage his reaction. I probably sounded crazy but I couldn’t help it. Deep in my heart, I believed it.
“Is that really what you think?” His voice was so flat it stalled my breathing with fear. I nodded unable to form words. When he began to shake his head my heart stopped.
“No Becka, you have it all wrong.”
I wanted to cry again and not the good kind, but he hurried on.
“I don’t think I’m your gift.” His eyes hardened with a seriousness I would’ve normally flinched at. “I agree that somehow we were always meant to be, but He made you for me. The one He sent to save me from the dark I’d fallen into. You are the love of my life. A gift I don’t deserve. And I will love you until the day I die.” His words rasped out like he was angry but the tenderness in his eyes had me melting into a gushy puddle of emotion in his lap. “I love you, Becka.”
“And I love you,” I said, happy tears streaming down my face. Then he kissed me and my world burned bright.
