Chapter 38

FREYA

I succeeded in avoiding Luca’s room until late into the night. I was hoping that I could sneak in while he was sleeping and use the couch across from his bed. I didn’t want to sleep in the same bed as Luca until we talked. But I also didn’t know where else I would sleep if it wasn’t in Luca’s room.

I could feel the anxiety building up inside me as I approached his door, hoping that he wouldn’t be angry at me anymore. I opened the door and peeked in to see if he was asleep, then frowned when I saw an empty bed. Maybe he was still working?

But right as I stepped in, I was immediately slammed against the door, my head banging painfully against it. I yelled out in pain and shock.

“Who the fuck do you think you are, huh?” Luca yelled at me.

I whimpered at the harsh grip he had on my arms. “W-what do you mean?”

“What happens between you and me stays between you and me, got it? You don’t go blabbering to the first person you see just because your precious feelings get hurt.”

My anger flared. “Get off of me!” I shouted. I pushed against his chest with all my strength, furious that he would even think about putting his hands on me in this way.

I heard a loud slap, and the most intense pain I had ever felt in my life spread across my cheek. I screamed and grabbed my face as shock raced through my system.

~He…he just hit me!~

I didn’t have time to process what had just happened because before I knew it, Luca had his hands on my shoulders, pushing me back against the wall.

“You’d better listen to me when I’m talking to you,” Luca said, spitting his words into my face. I whimpered in response, completely terrified. “What exactly did you tell him?”

“Do you mean Matteo?” I sobbed. “I swear I didn’t tell him anything! I just told him to tell you I was sorry!”

“Yeah, that’s all you better have told him.” His hand came up and gripped my jaw tightly. I winced. I knew I’d have a bruise there tomorrow to add to my new swollen black eye.

“Listen here. You tell a single soul about anything that goes on in this room, and I swear you will find out just how angry the don of a powerful crime family can be. Understand?” His grip tightened on my jaw. “I said, do you understand?”

I nodded, “Yes! Yes, I understand!”

“Good,” he grunted.

He dropped his hold on me, and I immediately dropped to the floor, holding my face. The tears were streaming again, and I desperately wished for them to stop, remembering how Luca had reacted the last time he’d seen me crying.

Suddenly, something soft hit my face. I looked down. He had thrown my pajamas at me.

“I want you sleeping somewhere else tonight. I slept better last night without you in the bed.” He paused for a second. “That is… Unless you want to crawl up onto this bed and show me just how sorry you really are?”

He raised an eyebrow at me and then slowly looked my body up and down. He licked his lips.

Never had I thought that Luca’s eyes on my body would make me feel this disgusting and used. I didn’t even know how to respond.

So instead of saying anything, I just brought my legs up to my chest and shrank in on myself, hoping that would give his eyes less of my body to roam.

He just laughed bitterly. “Fine. Room 101 is free on the bottom floor. Use that one and get the fuck out of my sight.”

I let out a silent sob. I knew then and there that I was losing him. He didn’t want me anymore. I’d only met this man a few weeks ago, and he’d already become my entire life. And now I was losing him.

Luca began to walk away from me, leaving me sobbing on the floor by the door.

“What did I do wrong?” I whispered through my tears. “What did I do?”

Luca groaned and ran a hand down his face in frustration. He turned to look at me.

“I don’t have time to deal with you right now. Just stay the fuck out of my way and don’t cause any more problems. I didn’t sign up for this shit,” he said, gesturing to my hunched form.

My heart sank deep in my chest, and I sucked in a breath.

I paused for a second, not sure if I should ask this question. But then I knew that I didn’t really have another option. “Luca”—I took a breath—“do you not want me anymore?”

His eyes narrowed, and he slowly approached me, moving like a lion that was about to catch its prey. “Look here,” he spat. He lifted his pointer finger at me.

“I’m going to let you in on a little secret: the only reason dons want their ~destinos~ is for the power they give them. The prestige and the respect and the acknowledgement of all the other mafia families.”

His nail traced my chin and then trailed up my swollen cheek. I whimpered, absolutely terrified.

I knew that the bruise and swelling would be hard to cover up tomorrow. I hadn’t realized that I was bleeding before, but when Luca took his hand away from my face, there was blood on the tip of his nail.

I watched in horror as he brought his finger up to his mouth and sucked it clean. He smirked at me. “You are here to bring me pleasure and power, that’s all.”

It felt as if he’d opened up my chest, grabbed my heart, and crushed it in his palm.

I squared my shoulders and looked him dead in the eyes. “Then I’m going to leave. And you can’t stop me.”