Lucca looked down at the glowing tip of his cigarette. He wanted peace for Chloe’s sake, but it was Dante’s wife they had killed.
“Dante,” Vinny repeated sadly. “Whatever you do will not bring Melissa back. If the Lucianos redeem themselves, then what have you lost? You already lost what was most important to you. A child born with Caruso and Luciano blood could accomplish what generations have tried to do—bring true peace.”
Dante held out his hand to Dominic then, and the younger man took his hand in his firmly, agreeing to the terms.
A threat came to Dante’s eyes and voice when he warned, “Don’t you fucking disappoint me.”
Lucca inhaled deeply, letting the end of his cigarette burn bright red. He remembered an old Italian proverb Dante had drilled into his head when he was younger. Come semini, cosi raccogli.
As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
Forty-Five
Not Even in Death
Chloe had stayed at the house with Lucca for a week, not leaving, giving herself time to heal and for Lucca to make sure all threats were gone.
It was weird to think of the future, something she had pushed out of her mind for the past week, unsure of where exactly she belonged anymore.
Ever since her scars, she had no longer felt she belonged in this city because it had betrayed her, but she no longer felt she could belong anywhere without Lucca, and Lucca did belong in Kansas City.
She once thought she always belonged beside her best friend Elle, but it had been unrealistic for her to think it would last past college. Now, Elle had found her place in the city beside Nero.
The future was a scary, dark thing, especially when she felt the bond between her and Lucca so strongly and so soon. It scared the shit out of her, to be honest.
On one hand, she loved being protected by him. And the power he held made her feel as if she could never be hurt and always be saved. And yet, the little girl in her still believed it was too good to be true, that Lucca might get sick of her and toss her aside, just like her parents had.
So, when Lucca had asked her to pack her bags, a creeping fear had snuck in that it was already that time. Then he had brought her to the casino hotel, carrying her bags up to the top floor and heading down toward Nero and Elle’s place.
Even though she was excited to see her best friend for the first time in a long time, she was also scared that Lucca was leaving her, dropping her off to become Elle’s problem until she could go to Stanford, for real this time.
Getting to almost the end of the hall, Nero’s door flew open and Elle ran out. Then she froze in place the second she saw Chloe, who was just as frozen.
A furious Nero came out of the door a moment later.
“Lucca, I tried t—” He stopped when Lucca raised his hand behind Chloe, stopping him. That was when Nero finally noticed the girls hadn’t yet moved.
Not until Chloe saw Elle’s face had she realized just exactly how much she had missed her. Then Chloe was the one to take the first step toward her, opening her arms when Elle closed the distance between them. They held each other tightly for a few minutes, their eyes becoming teary.
“I’ve missed you so much,” Elle cried. “I haven’t even been able to watch a movie without crying, wishing you were here.”
Chloe giggled through her own cries. “I’ve missed you so much, too.” She had been sure Elle would probably hate her guts for lying to her for over a month. “I-I’m sorry I didn’t tell—”
Elle quickly pulled away from her then, going right up to Lucca’s face and shoving him right in the chest as hard as she could.
What the—
“I told you that you couldn’t have her!” Elle pushed him harder this time. Lucca didn’t budge.
“What the fuck!” Nero yelled, running to get her away from him.
Lucca held his hand up, stopping him again.
“I told you that if you hurt her, I will kill you!” Elle hit his unresponsive chest again.
Chloe’s mouth dropped to the floor.
Lucca stood there, taking the hits. “I promise you that if I do, I’ll let you.”
Elle, who was mid-hit, stopped, shocked by the answer. “Really?”
Lucca nodded. “Yes.”
What Chloe saw next shocked her even more while it also warmed her heart.
Elle wrapped her arms around Lucca, hugging him. “Thank you for saving her.”
“You’re welcome, Elle.” He accepted her hug, patting her on the back.
Aw … Chloe felt herself getting emotional again.
“I still don’t like you.” Elle composed herself, going back to pushing him. “You’re not good enough for her. She deserves a nice boy. I know why you’re so secretive at your place. All you do is fuc—”
Lucca reached out, grabbing her and covering her mouth with his hand. “Okay, you can fucking get her away from me now,” he growled at Nero.
Nero, completely stunned, hurriedly went for Elle.
“W-What did she just say?” Chloe bit her lip.
Elle managed to get her mouth free when they transferred her. “Women. Probably hundr—”
Nero slammed his hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry, Lucca. I’ll get her under contr—OW!” He jerked his hand from her mouth when she bit him.
“No, you will not. I’m still mad at you for knowing she was with Lucca this whole time!”
Chloe could see by Lucca’s face he hadn’t even known Nero had known.
He then pulled Chloe to the door opposite of Nero and Elle’s and started unlocking it.
“Is this your place? Where she said you fu …?” She couldn’t even think clearly.
“Yep! He answered the door, covered in sweat, with no shirt on. Me and Lake think he has a sex dunge—”
“Shut her the fuck up before I do it my-fucking-self!” Lucca yelled over his shoulder while trying to hurry up and unlock all his bolts.
“I’m trying, but she’s fucking slippery!” Nero tried to push a fighting Elle back into his place.
“I-I-Is all that true?” Chloe started wringing her hands. A sex dungeon?
“She’s just assuming, darlin’,” he assured her as he started pushing her quickly inside, along with her things. “When she needs to look at who she’s with.”
“Fuck it.” Nero quit worrying about Elle’s mouth and just picked her up over his shoulder.
“Don’t let him call you that. He calls every girl darlin’. You got to nip it in the bud like I did with Nero when he called me bab—”
Both doors slammed at the same time.
She wasn’t even able to look up at him, not knowing what to think.
Lucca’s ferocity simmered out at seeing Chloe’s nerves, and he gently took her hand in his. “Come with me.”
Following him, she looked around the space, noticing it was laid out just like Nero’s, but mirrored. The styles, however, were completely different. Lucca’s had earth tones of dark wood and greens, just like in his room at the house. It was modern, but not too modern. More traditional than the other penthouses she had seen. It was cozy, warm, and perfect, reminding her of the outdoors that perfectly sat in downtown Kansas City.