Chapter 23

FREYA

Just after the sun began to set and night truly descended onto the city, brilliant white streaks began to dart through the night sky.

I gasped— a meteor shower!

The radiant lights burned a trail across the stars, and I couldn’t help the smile that took over my face.

“Is this what you were waiting for?” I asked Luca.

He nodded as he watched me, giving me a smile that took my breath away.

“When I was a kid, my mom and I used to come here after the families met to discuss business and watch the meteor shower. It only happens every few years. She would take me to the exact store we just went to and buy the most expensive bottle of wine they had.

“Then we would go and get bread and cheese from the grocery store down the street, and then we’d come and sit here and watch the meteor shower light across the sky.

“She would even let me have my own glass of wine. It was one of my favorite days of the year—one reason I love Naples so much.”

I had never seen this side of Luca. I’d seen him as an aggressive lover and as my caretaker, but I’d never seen him be vulnerable. I hadn’t even known that this tough, possessive mafia don had a vulnerable side. It touched me that he was willing to share it with me—made me like him even more.

“What?” he suddenly asked.

That shook me out of my admiring daze. “What?” I asked back.

He chuckled. “You were staring at me. Not that I minded. I would just like to know what’s got you thinking so hard.”

I blushed. There was no way I could let him know that I was thinking about how much I liked him.

“Nothing,” I said quickly. “I was just imagining what a beautiful scene it must’ve been, you and your mother sitting under the stars.”

He nodded and looked up at the tower solemnly. “Yeah. It was.”

“Does she not come with you to Naples anymore?”

His eyes turned glossy and he was quiet for a moment. “No. She and my father died almost eight years ago.”

“Oh, Luca, I’m so sorry.” I put my hand on his shoulder. “I can see how much they meant to you. That must’ve been terrible.”

He took a deep breath and then turned his head to place a kiss on my hand.

“It was a long time ago. No need to dwell on the past.”

He leaned over to where he’d spread out our food and wine.

“I try to do this whenever the meteor shower comes to honor her memory.” He opened the wine and held the bottle out to me. “And now you get to join me.”

I smiled. “I’m honored.”

We spent the next several hours talking and sipping our cheap wine out of the bottle.

Soon, all the people around us were gone, leaving just Luca and me, staring at the dark ocean in front of us, the lights of the city blazing out against the night. The sun began to rise behind us, but Luca and I stayed, talking about anything and everything.

Conversation was so easy with him. By the time the sun rose over the horizon, I found myself completely taken with Luca.

I was lying on the blanket with my head in his lap as he played with my hair when he finally said, “Do you want to go get some coffee? I know a great place in the city.”

I smiled and nodded.

Once in the coffee shop, Luca told me to find a seat while he ordered for us, but I quickly grabbed his hand, pulling him back to me.

Luca gave me a questioning look.

“Don’t leave me,” I said quickly, afraid of the pain that I might feel if I lost contact with him again. I didn’t think I could handle it.

My cheeks turned bright red at the request, but Luca just smiled. He brought his hand up and tucked a piece of stray hair behind my ear.

“The tracker should be completely healed by now. You shouldn’t experience any pain being apart now. Just a dull ache.”

My eyebrows rose in surprise.

“Are you sure?” I asked nervously.

Luca leaned down and kissed my forehead.

“I’m sure. And if you feel any pain at all, I’ll only be a few steps away.”

He tried to step away slowly, but I didn’t let go of his hand.

“I, um—” I gripped his hand tighter. I didn’t want to be away from him, not even a little.

“I think I would feel better if I just went with you.”

Luca didn’t protest. Instead, his face broke out into a breathtaking smile.

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him, nuzzling his face in my hair and breathing in deeply.

“I am more than okay with that.”