AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Benny glances at me in question and squeezes my hand.
I shake my head, just wanting to go home.
“We’re going home,” he tells his father. “The house is secure.”
Cristian scoffs. “Your wife snuck out only hours ago.”
Benny shoots me an annoyed glare, and I mouth, “What?” while shrugging.
“Luca is there with Isabella,” Benny continues. “I’ll have him take her home. We all need to keep our guard up.”
They end the call, and I press my hand on my heart to calm it as Benny drives. Ten minutes later, we pull into the driveway of the two-story brick home, and Benny parks in the garage. The interior door inside the garage swings open, and Luca comes into view, gripping his gun.
He lowers the gun and tucks it into his pants when he sees Benny. “What the hell happened to the Range Rover?”
“Some dumb,now-deadmotherfuckers shot at us,” Benny explains, stepping out of the SUV. “Now, get out of my house and take Isabella home. I’ll deal with you later.”
Luca winces at Benny’s response, runs a hand over his stressed face, and returns through the doorway. My posture slumps in guilt as I climb out of the SUV. The Range Rover makes weird noises as I pass it. Benny waits for me to walk ahead and follows me into the house.
As soon as I walk into the foyer, Isabella rushes forward and hugs me tightly. She’s now wearing a pair of my plaid pajamas I might never see again, and her eyes are sleepy.
“Oh my God, are you okay, Nee-Nee?” she asks in a shaky voice.
I nod, shoving my face into her shoulder.
Thank God she or Bria wasn’t in the SUV with us.
My gaze slips to Luca when we separate, my cheeks reddening in embarrassment as I offer him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Luca.”
His face is unreadable, and he only looks away.
I’ll understand if he hates me. What we did was stupid and reckless.
Benny jerks his head toward Isabella. “Take her home.”
Luca waits at the door while Isabella gathers her belongings, hugs me again, and kisses my cheek. When she’s finished, Luca ushers her out the door.
I follow them and linger in the doorway as Luca helps Isabella into the Suburban.
“Call or text when you get home,” I call out to her. “Bria should already be there.”
She gives me a thumbs-up, and I wait until they disappear down the road before returning inside. Benny shuts the door, and the click of the lock is the loudest sound in the house. We came here with the hope that we could finally give ourselves to each other, but all that has been replaced with fear.
Benny lingers at the bottom of the stairwell and holds out his hand. “Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
“What?” I peer down at my body. Sure, my dress is wrinkled, my hair wild, and I have some back-alley grossness on my feet and ankles. But I’m notthatbad. “Are you saying I’m too dirty to touch, Benny Marchetti?”
He flashes me a megawatt smile. “Neomi, I’ll touch you any way I can get you—clean, dirty, ripe, you name it.” He licks his lips. “I’m absolutely game.”
My heart spasms.
All the heat in my body rushes to my core.
Benny advances a step and hoists me into his arms, like he did in the Seven Seconds parking lot. The movement is so sudden that I nearly whack my head on the railing. The smell of his cologne and sweat soothes me, and I rest my head in the crook of his neck as he carries me upstairs.
I want to forget tonight.
Forget about the high-speed chase.
