Gianna managed to get a ticket for a flight two days later. That day I was full of excitement . It had not been long since I had last seen her, but it seemed like an eternity. It was already getting dark outside when Luca and I pulled up at JFK. I wished Gianna could have taken a morning or afternoon flight.
Since I had said Luca would kill me to protect the Familia, he had retreated emotionally, not that he had been an open book even before. We interacted only at night, when Luca gave me pleasure with his hands and mouth, and I in turn him. Perhaps without Gianna’s impending visit I would have tried to talk to him or even begged him to show me where he worked , instead giving him the space he evidently wanted. Luca parked the car and we got out. He didn’t try to take my hand. I didn’t think he was the kind of man to hold hands, but he touched my lower back as we entered the airport arrivals area.
“Are you sure you will be okay with Gianna living with us for the next few days?”
“YES. And I promised your father to protect her. It’s easier when she lives in our apartment.
“She will provoke you,” I said.
“I can handle a little girl.”
“She’s not that little. She’s barely younger than me.”
“I can handle her.”
“Luca,” I said firmly. “Gianna knows how to push people’s buttons. If you’re not absolutely sure you can control yourself, I won’t let her near you.”
Luca’s eyes flamed. He had been nervous all day. “Don’t worry. I won’t kill her or you in the next few days.”
I took a step back. Where did he come from? Was he angry about what I had said? It was the truth; we both knew it.
“Aria!”
I turned around. Gianna rushed toward me, dropping the trolley along the way. We collided in an almost painful way, but I held her tightly to me. “I’m so glad you’re here,” I whispered.
She nodded, then pulled back, scanning my face. “No visible bruises,” she said aloud, her gaze darting behind me to Luca. “Do you only hit places covered by clothes?”
I took her hand and gave her a warning look.
“Get the luggage,” Luca ordered. “I don’t want to be here all night.”
Gianna glared at him but retrieved her trolley and returned to us. “A gentleman would have gotten it for me .”
“A gentleman, yes,” Luca said with a tugged smile.
We walked back to the car, keeping my arm linked with Gianna’s. Luca took a few steps forward and got behind the wheel without saying a word.
“What’s wrong with him? He’s even more of an asshole than I remembered.
“I think the Russians are giving him trouble.”
“Aren’t they always?” Gianna put the trolley in the trunk of the car before we both sat in the back seat.
Luca looked at me, raising his eyebrows. “I’m not your driver. Get in the front with me.”
I was surprised by his harshness, but I did as he said and sat with the rifle. Gianna’s face was wrinkled with anger. “You shouldn’t talk to her like that.”
“She’s my wife. I can do and say whatever I want to her.
I frowned. Luca turned toward me, meeting my gaze. I could not place my gaze in his eyes. He turned back toward the road.
“How are Lily and Fabi?”
“Damn annoying. Especially Lily. She won’t stop talking about Romero. She’s in love with him.”
I laughed and Luca’s lips twitched too. I didn’t know why, but I reached out and placed my hand on his leg. His eyes snapped briefly to me, then he covered my hand with his until he needed it to shift gears again. Gianna’s eyes were alert as they watched. No doubt she would bombard me with questions the moment we were alone.
*** As we entered the apartment, the smell of roast lamb and rosemary reached us.
“I told Marianna to prepare a nice dinner,” Luca said. Gianna’s red eyebrows rose in surprise.
“Thank you,” I said.
Luca nodded. “Take your sister to her room and then we can eat.” He was still reserved and stiff. I watched him head around the corner toward the kitchen area.
I showed Gianna to her guest room, but she quickly dragged me inside and closed the door. “Are you okay?”
“YES. I told you on the phone. I’m fine.”
“I prefer to hear you say that when I can see your face.”
“I’m not lying to you, Gianna.”
He squeezed my hand. “Did he force you to sleep with him?”
“No, he didn’t. And I didn’t.
Her eyes grew wide. “But something happened between you two. I want the details.”
I turned away. “We have to have dinner now. Marianna will be upset if the food gets cold. We can talk tomorrow when Luca is busy with business.
“Tomorrow,” Gianna said firmly.
I opened the door and led her toward the dining room. Her eyes absorbed everything, then became slits when she saw who else would be dining with us: Matteo. He and Luca stood by the table, discussing something, but they turned away when they noticed us.
“What are you doing here?” said Gianna, wrinkling her nose.
Flashing his shark-like smile, Matteo walked over to her and grabbed her hand to kiss it. “Nice to see you again , Gianna.”
Gianna pushed her hand away. “Don’t touch me.”
She had to stop provoking him; he really enjoyed it too much. Luca and I sat next to each other and Matteo next to Gianna. I wasn’t sure if this was the best decision. I cast a glance at Luca, but his wary gaze settled on his brother and my sister.
Marianna bustled in, serving roast lamb, rosemary potatoes and green beans. We ate in silence for a while until Gianna could no longer hold her tongue. “Why did you crush that boy’s throat?”
I put down my fork, expecting Luke to explode, but he merely leaned against the back of the chair and crossed his arms over his chest.
Gianna huffed, “Come on. It can’t be such a big secret. You have your nickname for it.
Matthew smiled. “Vice is a good name.”
Luca shook his head. “I hate it.”
“You’ve earned it,” Matteo said. “Now tell them the story or I will.”
I had been curious about this for a while. No one in the Chicago mob wanted to give me details, and I had not yet dared to ask Romero.
“I was seventeen years old,” Luca began. “Our father has many brothers and sisters, and one of my cousins had a career in the mob with me. He was several years older and wanted to be Capo. He knew my father would choose me, so he invited me to his house and tried to stab me in the back. The knife only grazed my arm, and when I had the chance I wrapped my hands around his throat and choked him.”
“Why didn’t you shoot him?” asked Gianna.
“He was family and it was tradition that we laid down our weapons when we entered the home of a family member,” said Luca coldly. “Not anymore, of course.”
“The betrayal made Luca so angry that he completely crushed our cousin’s throat. He choked on blood because the bones in his neck cut his artery. It was a disaster. I had never seen anything like that .” Matthew looked like a child on Christmas morning. He was more than a little creepy.
Luca lowered his gaze to the plate, his hands clutching his thighs. No wonder he did not like to trust people. Being betrayed by family must have been horrible.
“That’s why Luca always sleeps with his eyes open. He never even spends the night with a woman without a gun under his pillow or near his body.”
Luca cast a grim look at his brother.
Matteo raised his hands. “It’s not like Aria doesn’t know you’ve fucked other women.”
I didn’t think that was the reason for Luca’s reaction.
“So you’re wearing a gun now?” asked Gianna. “After all, we are all family.” “Luca always wears a gun.” Matteo leaned toward Gianna. “Don’t take it personally. I don’t even think I’ve seen him without a gun since that day. It’s Luca’s tic.”
Luca didn’t carry a gun when we were alone. He carried one when Romero or Marianna were there, even when Matteo was there, but when Luca and I shared a bed, there was no gun under the pillow or anywhere else. That’s probably because he could overpower you with his hands tied behind his back. It still seemed an unnecessary risk.
Luke spent the rest of dinner tense and silent, but Gianna and Matteo’s arguments filled the silence. I wasn’t sure who was having more fun in their fights.
When we finished eating, I got up to clear the table. Marianna had already left and I didn’t want to leave the dirty dishes waiting for her when she returned tomorrow. Luca surprised me when he too got up and took the serving dishes and plates to the dishwasher. I yawned, exhausted.
“Let’s go to bed,” Luca said quietly.
I cast a glance at Gianna. There were so many things I wanted to talk to her about, but it was late and tomorrow was another day. “Not before Matteo leaves. I won’t leave him and my sister alone.”
Luca nodded somberly. “You’re right. She shouldn’t be alone with him.” He walked over to Matteo and put a hand on his shoulder before leaning over and saying something in his ear. Matteo’s face darkened in anger but he got up smoothly, turned his shark-like smile on Gianna, and then walked out of the apartment without adding anything else.
Gianna came toward me. “He’s obsessed with me.”
Worry clawed at my insides. “Then stop teasing him. He likes it.”
“I don’t care what he likes.”
Luca leaned next to me against the counter, his arm encircling my waist to Gianna’s obvious displeasure. “Matteo is a hunter. He loves hunting. You’d better not make him want to chase you .
I was afraid it might already be too late for that warning. Gianna rolled her eyes. “He can chase me all he wants. He won’t catch me.” She looked at me. “You’re not planning to go to bed now, are you?”
“I’m really tired,” I said guiltily.
Gianna’s shoulders slumped. “Yes, so am I. But tomorrow I want you all to myself. She cast Luca a sharp look before heading for his room. He paused in the doorway. “If I hear screams, no gun under the pillow will save you, Luca.” With that said, he closed the door.
Luca brushed my ear with his lips. “Will you scream for me tonight?” He licked my skin and I shivered.
“Not with my sister under the same roof,” I said, though a tingle between my legs betrayed me.
“We’ll see,” Luca growled, then gently bit my throat. I groaned, but quickly bit my lip to stifle the sound. Luca took my hand and led me upstairs. With each step we approached the bedroom, the pressure between my legs increased. I could not believe how eager my body was for his touch, for the release he was giving me. It was the only time I forgot everything about my life, the only time I felt free from the chains of our world.