Chapter 99
A bruise bloomed along her cheekbone, darkening into deep violet. Her lower lip was split slightly, swelling faintly.
His hands curled at his sides.
It would have been worse without Nonnina. He knew that.
And there were injuries he had not even seen yet.
She was studying herself in the mirror, tilting her chin slightly. She saw him in the reflection before she heard him fully step inside. She turned immediately. “Luca,” she stood there, facing him fully. Guilt was etched plainly across her features.
She knew.
Of course she knew she had f’ed the hell up.
He took in the sight of her slowly.
Luca’s anger did not cool when he saw her up close. Instead, it intensified.
The image replayed in his mind with merciless clarity.
Inferi would have been dead already. The second Luca saw him hitting her, he had imagined driving a blade straight through his throat.
But there had been witnesses. A place of business tied to Veronica’s name.
Killing a man in that space would have splattered more than blood.
So Luca had done what he rarely did.
He had swallowed his rage.
“Luca, I’m fine, really. It’s worse than it looks. Nonnina did a fine job. I don’t even feel any pain.” She spoke quickly.
He stepped closer. His eyes moved slowly, methodically, cataloguing every injury. He memorized them. He was going to stab Inferi in exactly those places. He would mark him with the same map. “I told you what would happen if you lied to me,” he said.
She lifted her chin. “I had to p>
“You had to lie to me p>
“Yes, Luca,” she shot back, a flash of heat in her eyes. “Because I knew what you would do p>
She did not intend to shoulder all of the blame. Not entirely.
“So you decided to what? Take matters into your own hands p>
“I thought I could handle it!” Veronica snapped back. “I had a plan p>
“You should have told me! God fucking dammit p>
“I would if your default setting wasn’t to kill,” she shot back. She planted her hands on her hips, standing defiant. She wanted him to see she was a storm in her own right.
“And what did your little stunt achieve?!” Luca snarled, stepping closer. “He is still going to die—in the most gruesome way possible p>
“See what I mean!” she yelled, frustration cracking into desperation. She shook her head, hair tumbling across her bruised cheek.
“Are you seriously sitting on your stupid high horse right now?!” he demanded. “If you hate who I am so much, why did you try to leverage my reputation? You used me p>
“No less than you are using me!” she shot back. Her eyes narrowed, the intensity of her gaze burning into his.
“I fucking bought you, for fuck’s sakes!” he shouted. “It’s what you do with things you buy p>
The fight drained out of Veronica’s eyes instantly. The color fled from her face. The truth slammed into her: of course. She was just a property he owned. A possession purchased—ten million dollars’ worth. Her stomach twisted, a bitter taste of reality she could neither swallow nor spit out.
“Don’t look at me like that!” Luca snapped. “You don’t want to hear the truth. Don’t poke the bear p>
“I’m sorry. I really am. I thought…I allowed myself… I can’t believe that I Her eyes, wide and luminous shimmered with unshed tears. Her hands fidgeted at her sides.
“That you what p>
“Never mind she murmured, biting back the words, trying to retreat into the safety of silence. She wanted the moment to vanish.
“That you what p>
“Luca she tried, but he was relentless.
“Answer me!” The punch to the mirror behind her shattered the fragile calm of the room with a deafening crash.
“That I fucking love you!” she shouted. Luca froze, the impact of her words hitting him, his eyes widening slightly. He shook his head slowly. “And I am ashamed that I do,” she whispered. Her gaze dropped to the floor, the intensity of the moment bending her shoulders forward.
“Okay he said slowly. “You’re… you’re ashamed p>
“Yes,” she admitted. “How can I love you? For starters, you are married. Second, you kill people like it’s your first instinct. You are not a good man. And I am ashamed that if I can love you, it means that maybe, just maybe, I am… just like you p>
Luca stepped back, giving space yet unable to tear his gaze from her.
“Luca she whispered again, trembling, reaching for him with hands that shook. Her fingers stretched out.
“I understand, Veronica. You should get some more rest. Heal That was all he gave her.
Just distance.
He did not look at her again when he finished the sentence. He turned and left the apartment.
She stood there for a long moment, staring at the space he had occupied seconds ago.
“Fuck!” She dragged her hand through her hair. That was the most twisted love confession in the history of confessions. “’I’m ashamed’? What the fuck p>
She sank onto the edge of the bed, elbows on her knees, staring at the floor. Of all the things she could have said, she chose shame.
Because it was true.
And because she wanted to hurt him back.
When Marco gave Veronica the details of Luca’s usual Tuesday guests, he had not expected her to show up.
Marco spotted her the moment she stepped through the entrance.
She wore black. A fishnet bodycon dress that clung to her curves. The mesh revealed skin strategically. Matching arm warmers extended from wrist to mid bicep. Her hair fell loose down her back.
Even Marco nodded appreciatively before he caught himself.
He knew Luca would probably kill him for even looking.
Veronica did not acknowledge the attention she drew as she walked through. She passed Marco without slowing. She reached Luca’s office door. She had messed up last night.
Okay. They both had.
They had cut deep. Said things meant to wound.
But someone had to move first.
(Brought to you by: Jennifer Willard)