Luca

“You and Luca are like chalk and cheese, black and white, night and day. I always know what you’re thinking and yet with Luca…I’m clueless.”

“What’s prompted all this Chloe?” he turned his body to face me now, a look of growing concern etched onto his face to replace the smile.

“I don’t know. I think I feel…vulnerable. I feel like I’m giving more of myself than he is and I’m scared I’m heading for a big fall. Does that make any sense?” I looked across at him but he just shook his head, puzzled by my wittering.

“I have no idea what you mean. How are you vulnerable? You mean with the threats and Sanchez?”

“No…I mean I’m putting myself out there…again…as usual…with Luca and I don’t think he’s even meeting me half way.”

“How do you know he isn’t feeling as vulnerable as you are right now?”

“Because he never tells me how he feels, he’s never had to put himself out there…like ever. Freddie, I tell him I love him and he can’t even bring himself to say it back.” I hung my head down and concentrated on the grains of sand I was filtering through my hands, afraid to look up and see pity in his eyes.

“Just because he says it doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel it.” Freddie replied softly.

“He’s never said it though, not once. Why? Am I a plaything? A distraction for now until he gets bored?”

“Fuck no, you know he adores you. We can all see it.”

“But I can’t, not really.” I sighed again. “I guess I’m just scared Fred, I don’t want my heart broken. It’s been bruised and battered so much I don’t think it would survive another knock.” I joked.

“Oh hell what am I even saying? Honestly? It doesn’t even bother me that much, I mean I’m not some needy loser that needs to hear ‘I love you baby’ every day to justify my worth.” I held my head high, to signify my nonchalance. I don’t think it came off that way though.

“Wanting to hear that you mean something to someone isn’t a sign of weakness. Everyone needs to know they’re loved. I’d kick Damon’s ass if he didn’t tell me every day. Luca does love you Chloe, more than you know. I just think he finds it difficult to put his feelings into words. My brother worships the ground you walk on.”

“I highly doubt that Freddie, he doesn’t worship anyone or anything. I’m pretty certain he means more to me than I’ll every mean to him, it’s always been that way. I should be used to it by now, but you know… a girl can always hope.” I sighed irritated by my own whining. “Hell listen to me moaning, just ignore me Fred; forget I ever said anything. I am not going to lose another minute of my life debating how someone else feels or doesn’t feel. I have no control over it, it’s out of my hands. Wasted energy.”

“If you need me to kick his ass you know I will.” Freddie teased back.

“No ass kicking will be necessary. However, I may do a bit of ass whooping if you don’t introduce me to your man Damon soon. I mean come on I am your sister after all. I need to vet him, check him out, make sure he’s good enough.”

Freddie laughed and stood up. “You will be the first one I’ll be introducing him to when I pluck up the courage to involve him in my crazy life. Right now though, we’re enjoying our bubble.”

“Aww I love that, Freddie and Damon’s bubble of love. I like him already because he makes you happy. If he makes you sad I’ll condemn him to hell.” I said with a massive grin.

Freddie took off back to the house laughing over his shoulder at me.

“I can believe that little sis and I wouldn’t want to get on your bad side, ever!”

Chapter 24

My night was one of broken sleep and various degrees of fucking courtesy of Luca and his insatiable appetite. He’d come home late from the club, wound up about something but unwilling to talk about it. He got his frustrations out through sex as usual, and although I wasn’t complaining about the multiple orgasms and sex hazed sleep he induced in me throughout the night, I would have liked for him to share some of himself with me and not just in the carnal way. I even woke to find him already inside me on one occasion, so desperate for a release, to use me in his perverted fucked up way. He had no problem talking dirty, it was just talking after sex he couldn’t master. I held him throughout the night and whispered ‘I love you’ and

he always replied with some variation of ‘you’re mine’ or ‘only mine’. Maybe that was his way of saying he loved me, telling me I was exclusively his.

When I woke the next morning I felt the deeply burning ache from the exertions of the night before in every muscle. I stretched out and twisted around in the bed but Luca had already left. His side was cold and empty. I threw the covers back and plodding into the bathroom to start the shower and brush my teeth. Today I would focus on the positive I decided, no more negative brooding and trips to the beach to wallow. I’d contact my medical school and find out when I could return and maybe do some catch up sessions for my course. I needed to make sure Teresa was okay too and think about what to do about our shared apartment. Would I move in here with Luca or keep my independence and move back in with Teresa? Things with Sanchez had to have settled down by now.

I stepped into the steaming hot shower and stood under the flow of water, my stress melting away with the warmth and the massage of the sharp jets helping to ease my sore muscles. I hadn’t heard him come in, but my skin prickled as he wrapped both of his strong arms around me; his warm front caressing my back. He nestled into my neck and I turned my head to kiss him. Having him surround me, blanket me like this was pure heaven. He had this uncontrollable magnetic pull that drew me in, he was a force of nature to me.

“You started without me.” He said in his low gruff voice as he squeezed my waist, nibbled along my neck and down across my shoulder.

“I thought you’d left.” I sighed into the air as I let his dirty sexy mouth take me away.

“No, I had some emails to send but I’m not leaving yet. Still time for a morning shower with my baby.” He smiled as he lifted one arm to run over my breast, his other arm going downwards over my tummy.

“You think I’d miss this?” He pushed me forward to lean against the tile of the shower wall and told me to, “put your arms out…that’s it sweet heart…on the wall.”

I did as I was told, I always did where he was concerned lately. He ran a hand up and down from my neck to my ass and then back up, then pushed me down so I was slightly bent over.