“Great, get all fucking protective, I don’t care. Just do it somewhere else.” Raf waves a hand dismissively. “You’ve already made enough of a mess. Just get out of here, you two. We’ll talk later.”
Raf stares at me, and some of his anger softens. I think back to what Elisa said about Dad, and I want to ask him how much longer we have before everything falls apart. But he just shakeshis head and walks away, and Luca steers me toward where we parked the car.
I feel the family watching as we leave. Nobody comes over to say anything. “I hate this,” I say softly, more to myself, but Luca hears.
“I’m sorry, baby. I thought about hurting him, but I figured that would’ve only made things worse. Should I have broken his nose for you?”
“No, you did the right thing. I just… this is all so messed up. Tommy’s dead, Corrado’s trying to rip our family apart, and Dad’s going to die soon.”
“Not to mention Dominic’s in the hospital.” Luca only shrugs when I look at him. “I’ve been busy.”
I lean against him. I don’t even want to know what he did to Dominic. This man’s the source of so much pain, but he’s also been there in a way nobody else has. He goes out of his way to make me feel better. He brought my car when it seemed like that wasn’t even possible. And he gave me an afternoon I won’t ever forget.
I have to tell him about the baby.
It hits me all at once. He has to know. It’s not right to keep this child from him. But the second I tell him is the second I shackle myself to this life forever. There won’t be any going back. There’s no way in hell Luca will ever let me run away, not if he knows his baby is out there somewhere.
He deserves to know.
But I desperately want to be free.
Those two feelings clash in my stomach, and I suddenly feel sick as he steers me away from the church. We leave together, and it’s like the weight of the whole family is crushing down on my shoulders.
“Baby? You okay?” He supports more of my weight. “You look like you’re going to pass out.”
“No, no, I’m fine, honestly.” But I’m not fine at all. My heart’s racing so fast I’m afraid it might pop like a balloon, and sweat’s beading down my back. “Just need… to sit down… for one second…”
The heat is suddenly too much for me. I feel dizzy and lightheaded. I see Dad lying in a casket in my mind, Elisa lying next to him, Raf in an unmarked grave beside them, and my own corpse strewn across the gravestone, my belly swollen with an unborn child. I feel like everything’s collapsing, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. I want to escape my family, but I want to save them too, and I don’t know how to make all my pieces fit together.
Luca lets out a soft snarl as we reach the church steps. He sweeps me up into his arms, and I let out a shocked yelp as he carries me easily toward the sidewalk.
“What are you doing?” I hiss at him, squirming slightly.
“Hold on to me,” he commands, his voice hard and authoritative.
Under other circumstances, I might struggle. I might complain. But instead, I wrap my arms around him and bury my face against his neck. I breathe in deep, smelling him, feeling tiny and soft and weak, but his strong arms protect me in a way I’ve never experienced before.
Not even back when I was younger, living at home with all the guards around. Not when Elisa used to sleep in my bed after the panic room incident, and she was the only thing keeping the nightmares at bay.
Not a single moment before right now.
Men in this life have always been dangerous.
That only got worse after their selfish neglect nearly got me and my sister killed.
But Luca’s different.
He puts me before everything else. I don’t think this is about the alliance for him anymore. I think he’s doggedly pursuing my uncle because he wants to keepmesafe.
And that’s an incredible feeling. I’ve never been first for someone before. I’ve never been a priority.
It’s always just been me and Elisa against everyone else.
But now how am I supposed to twist and bend myself back into shape when Luca’s slowly breaking me apart?
“Here you go, baby.” He gently gets me into the passenger seat before hurrying around to start the engine. Cool air blasts from the vents, and I slump back as Luca fans me with his hands. “Deep breaths. You’re okay.”
“I don’t know what just happened.” I turn my face to look at him. Concern stares back at me. “I was fine, and then I just?—”
