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“What? You saw it? No one ever said you saw it.”
“I didn’t tell anyone. I claimed to have been in my room when it all happened. I wasn’t. As usual, I was hiding under the stairs as a nosey little brat.”
“Oh my God, Luka.”
“I don’t want your sympathy.”
“You were a child,” she whispers.
“They came in looking for him. My father. They stormed the house leaving nothing untouched, looking for him. One shot. That’s all it took one shot. I watched her lifeless body fall to the floor, and I remember sitting there, staring at her, waiting for her to move, but she never did. When the men left, I stood over her body. Maybe I was waiting for her to move or tell me to go away. I don’t know,” I shake my head before going on. “She never moved though. And I stepped over her body, went back upstairs, and sat in my bathroom until my father came home.”
“My God, Luka. You were traumatized,” she says as she sits on the bed next to me. Her hand rests on my back, and I relish the touch, although I know she’s only being sympathetic.
“I don’t know what I was. I think about that day. I dream about it at times.”
“I’m so sorry,” she whispers next to me. I turn my head to look at her and shake my head.
“Don’t be sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I can’t be the man you want me to be, but this is the best I can do. For you, Delaney, I’ll be a good man but only for you.” She reaches up and runs her free hand along my cheek as she looks me in the eye. I didn’t tell her this to get anything out of it. I’m telling her because I need her to know about my life. To know everything about me just like I know about her.
Delaney leans in slowly and presses her lips to mine. Her kiss is soft and slow, and I part my lips to kiss her back. She tastes like everything a man could want, and she’s mine. All mine.
When Delaney pulls away, she doesn’t smile or say a word. She just watches me for a long second.
“If I had to trust anyone to tell me the truth about this life, Luka, it would be you. You’ve never lied to me before, and I don’t expect you to now.”
“I’d never lie to you,Bellissima. That isn’t something I need to do. I want you to understand me.”
“I want to understand you too.”
“Then ask whatever you want while we’re here in Italy. I will give you every answer you want.” She nods her head before standing from the bed and walking to the dresser.
“Why don’t you like clothes?” she asks, noting that I still haven’t put any on.
“They’re constricting. Get used to seeing me naked.” She laughs a little, and it’s the best sound I’ve heard in a long time. Hearing Delaney laugh or seeing her smile is always at the top of my list of things to do.
“You’ll swim with me?”
“Of course, I will.” She pulls out a two-piece swimsuit and slowly pulls on. Delaney doesn’t care if I see her naked body, which is another thing I like about her.
She tosses me my shorts, and I pull them up to my knees while finishing my cigarette. I snuff it out in the ashtray and stand to my feet, pulling my shorts up.
“Why don’t you want to see the sights while we’re here?”
“I don’t feel like going out right now. Tomorrow.” I don’t care what the hell we do as long as I’m with her.
We grab some clean towels, walk out the back door, and down the small walkway to the pool. A few people linger nearby, but I ignore them knowing we’re safe here. Our villa may be private, but the pool isn’t.
I toss the towels on the chair and watch as Delaney climbs into the water, a smile on her face. That’s what I want to see. I take a few minutes to watch her when I see a man approach her. He extends his hand, and she takes it in hers. Rage simmers in my veins at the sight of them. I know it shouldn’t bother me. People are going to talk to her, and hell, she’s fucking gorgeous. However, seeing another man touching what belongs to me doesn’t sit well with me.
I walk over and climb into the pool heading straight for Delaney. The man sees me coming and slowly inches his way back when Delaney turns her head to look at me.
“He was introducing himself, Luka.” She’s already trying to diffuse the situation. How sweet of her.
“And now he’s leaving,” I growl low in my throat. The man takes the hint and moves away from her. I turn to her, wrapping my hand lightly around her throat before leaning closer.
“Don’t let people touch what’s mine, Delaney. You don’t want me to kill anyone, yet you let a man touch you,” I tell her.
“He was only saying hello, Luka.”
