20: He is the source of my happiness

Bella

"You need to eat more angel." Lucca ordered softly as he took the food tray that was in front of me and placed it on the bedside table next to my bed.

"I am full." I whispered back to him. As my throat was still recovering from the strangulation and yelling, talking was still a bit painful. I closed my eyes and rested my head back on the head rest of the bed, feeling a headache building up.

I felt Lucca's warm hand cupping my cheeks "Take this, it will help with the pain." I opened my eyes looking right in the eyes of the man I was deeply in love with. I notice his jaw clench when his eye fall on my neck. Then bring a pill close to my mouth asking me to open. I slowly part my lips and without taking my eyes off his. He grabs a glass with straw in it and brings it close to my lips.

"Take slow sips for me angel." He says as I start drinking the water. I release the straw after taking a two small gulps and pushing the cup away from me. He places the cup back on the bedside table and then holds my hand in his.

"Angel, do you want me to massage your head?" He said looking helpless. Lucca has attached himself to me since we arrived at his home. He didn't even leave me alone for a single second and for some unknown reason my I love it. I love his over the moon protectiveness, his need to touch me all the time and to constantly ask me if I needed anything or if I was in pain.

I was resting my back at the headboard, and Lucca was sitting in front of me near my legs. I shifted slightly and patted the mattress next to mine, inviting him to sit with me. I only too Lucca a second before he removed his house slippers and tugged himself close to me.

I rested my head over his chest hearing his heartbeat underneath. Lucca muscular arms engulf pulling me more closer to him from the side.

"I love you angel." He says, and I can feel a tightness there like he is worried, scared that something will happen to me again.

I tilt my head up and kiss his jaw before muttering "I love you too Lucca." I feel his chest expand and then relax underneath me before he adds, "I don't think I have the power to survive anything like that again. I can't live without you angel."His voice sound vulnerable, causing my heart to ache.

I curled up around him from the side and closed my eyes as I felt Lucca run small circle behind over my back. I sighed with contentment as I inhaled in his sent and before I know I fall into an exhausted sleep.

---------------------------------------------

"Are you sure you are going to be okay Angel?" Lucca ask me for the umpteenth time as he circles his arms around me and spins me gently so I was now facing him.

I looked up into his warm eyes and smile at him "I am feeling much better Lucca, and before you ask, yes I am sure about cooking lunch for you guys. I want do it, it's my way of thanking you guys for saving us and taking care of us. Please don't say no" I say as I give him a sweet pout along with some flutter action of my eyelashes.

He looks down at me, and I see his wall break down as he sighs loudly and drops his head in the crook of my neck. "Okay." And before I could smile up with excitement Lucca pull his head back and gives me his serious look that I am too accustomed too "But you have to let my staff help you, Okay?"

I nod and bite back my smile but he notices that "Angel I am serious you are still recovering and I don't want you to overexert yourself."

"I have plenty of hands around me to help me, Lucca. So please don't worry about me and go attend your meeting and come back to me." I say as I kiss his sexy jaw before moving back.

But I should have known Lucca hates letting me go, "Aren't you forgetting something angel?" He asked with a smirk look and raised eyebrows. I pretend to act like I didn't know what he was talking about as I tapped my index finger on my chin.

"..ah I can't think of anything," I say trying to hide my smile.

"Oh really," Lucca says as he pushes me back slowly, up against the wall behind me. I gasped when I noticed the exact moment his ocean blue eyes turned a shade darker than the normal.

"Lucca" I tried to warn him but this time he acted all naive.

"Angel" He says in a low husky voice causing a shiver to run down my spine. My back hits the wall behind me, and he places both his hand on either side of me prevent me from running.

I move my hand and place it over his chest, feeling his heartbeat fast underneath my touch. "You are getting late Lucca." I remind him sounding all breathless.

"I don't care." He replies as his eyes roam over my face before landing back at my eyes and then he kisses my right cheek and then the left one. "I can do this all day angel." He adds, and I know he means it.

"Lucca," I sigh and use my other hand to push him away, but he doesn't budge.

A loud knock on our door followed by Francesco bark stops us "Lucca we are getting late. C'mon hurry up."

Lucca growls as he dips his head in my hair and takes in deep breaths. I try to hold back but start laughing when I hear Francesco knock again.

"I knew getting your family to work for you was a bad idea. They always put there nose in business they shouldn't and annoy you." I chuckle some more. I know Lucca is just kidding he loves his brother more than anything.

"I am serious angel. We seriously need a vacation from our nosy family." He says it in a serious tone as he pulls his head back but I can't hold back my giggle. He looked like a boy who was told he was never going to get chocolate ever again.

"Oh you think I am joking," He smiles with me "I am very selfish when it comes to you angel. I want you to myself, completely mine."

"Lucca can hurry we really need to attend this meeting, it's important." Francesco's voice from behind the door ruins the moment once again and Lucca just sighs in defeat before he places a soft kiss on my forehead and then head out the room.

Four hours later.

"There you go Bella dear." My mom says as she hands me the tray of freshly baked cheese sticks.

I thank her as I carefully grab the hot tray and place it on the kitchen island. Then I start grabbing each one of them and arrange them beautifully in the dish. They smelled so good that I couldn't resist myself and grabbed one. After cooling it down by blowing on it, I chewed on the delicious goddess.

"Omg mom they are so good." I compliment her, and she smiles up at me "Make sure to leave some for the boys too."She teases me as she pulls out another bale tray. This one was filled with freshly baked bread seasoned with butter, garlic and oregano. The kitchen smelled so good.

It took us less than four hours to get the lunch sorted out and now just the presentation was left. I made Lucca's favourite Fiorentina Steak with mixed veggies on the side. While my mom, who I should say is a pro at cooking Italian dishes. She made Osso Bucco along with Risotto alla milanese.

For dessert I made tiramisu and cheesecake. According to Ciro they were both Lucca's favourite dessert. But for some reason I have my doubts on that information. Because he had a smirk look on his face when he gave me this information. But either way I was more than happy to cook for them.

All three of the brother had done so much for me and my family that I was more than happy to cook for them.

"Its almost done, I just hope Lucca likes them." I say as I garnish the Risotto dish with saffron flakes.

"He will don't worry Bella. If you haven't noticed that man would literally eat anything you make for him."My mother says as she comes to stand next to me places her hand over my shoulder "He is clearly in love with you and the way I see, you got it bad for him too."

I dip my chin down shying away. She turns me using my shoulder, and I look up at my mother's sweet honey eye. They hold so much care and love for me.

"Bella, I know I haven't been a good mother to you. But trust me when I say I would do anything to get back all those years that you have lived without me." She holds both my hand in hers and takes in a deep breath. For some reason it feels like she wants to say something but she is trying her best not to.

For the last two days every time I talk about Lucca or how we meet and how we started dating, my mother's expression changes. I have no idea what they mean or how to read her facial expression. So I decided to ask her straight forward. "Is there something you want to say mom?" I ask politely looking at her expression change ever so slightly.

She looks behind me, avoiding my eyes before bringing them back to me "I know I don't have the right to say anything in your life, especially how I have been such a bad parent. But what I am about to tell you come from the bottom of my heart, the women who loves you more than anything - your mother. Okay?" She asks, and I nod my head up and down letting her know I get what she means and encouraging.

She squeezes my hand before saying "I see the way your face lights up when ever Lucca enters the room. I also notice that every time you are around that boy has his eyes on you. It is clear to everyone that you both love each other." She sweetly smiles up, and I keep staying at her in confusion.

"I just want to warn you. I don't want you to break your heart like I did with Corbiniano." I start shaking my head to tell her my Lucca is nothing compared to that evil monster but she continues.

"I know Bella, Lucca is not like that and I really hope he never hurts you. But he belongs to the underworld, the mafia and so did your fa.." She corrects herself and starts again " And so did Corbiniano and I have seen the dark side of this world, the way they treat womans. It looks fancy from the outside but Bella, my child it is a dangerous world. There is no stopping the bad people. They don't follow the rules, they make their own. I just don't want you to get hurt Bella. I am just worried about you."

"Mom, Lucca is..." I try to get my mind clear, I have no idea where this is all coming from "Lucca loves me and he is nothing like the rest of them, how can you even compare him to that person? or to the rest of them." I tell her in a firm voice, hating her comparing my Lucca to that monster. I know Lucca, and I don't have the traditional boyfriend and girlfriend relationship start. I meet Lucca when he was literally fight a battle between life and death, and saved him. But that doesn't mean he can't be the one for me.

I have seen couples break-off their wedding or engagement after years and years of dating. And I have also seen couples getting engaged on their third date. Love doesn't have a timeline; it simply happens. I agree we might be going fast but when you know deep down that he is the man you want to spend the rest of your life with, time is just a number.

"Oh child, I am not comparing him to Corbiniano, I am just saying that they both are belong to the underworld and this world is not a safe place. The other gang leaders don't care about family. They just destroy everything and everyone that comes in their way." She tries to explain what she said earlier, but I couldn't hear anything more.

But I stop her again just to tell her how special Lucca makes me feel and he would never let anything harm me. "Mom, the day I meet Lucca was the exact day everything around me changed. I started smiling a lot more, started enjoying my life more. He makes me not only happy but special too. He literally treats me like his queen. And every time I cry he hurts, and everytime he smiles I smile." I choke on my own words, getting all emotion.

I swallow the huge lump that had formed in my throat before adding "He means a lot to me mom, and I don't know if this is how it is supposed to be or not. But he is it for me mom and I love him."

My mom tilts her head to side as she cups my face "I know dear, I know you love him and so does he. But I just don't want you to get tangled up in this world and burn like I did." She adds in a low tone as she looks into my eyes with an apologetic look.

"And I promise to you that I won't let anything happen to my angel ever again." Lucca's deep voice said from behind my mother and my eyes instantly moves up to look into his.

The love of my life, Lucca stood there at the entrance of the kitchen observing us. He was dressed in deep emerald suit and his tie was missing. His hairs were disheveled and all out of place, making me wonder what was he thinking and how much of our conversation has he heard. His jaw was tight like he was annoyed but controlling it from lashing out. His dark intense eyes were fixed on me and only me alone.