Page 36

The fire in her eyes every time I underestimated her.

I thought I could bend her to my world, shape her into someone who fit seamlessly into the chaos. But she was never meant to be tamed.

And now, I’m about to lose her for good.

The boarding announcement cuts through the din, and my eyes snap open.

"Flight 217 to Naples, now boarding."

My grip tightens on the boarding pass. My legs feel heavy, unwilling to move. I force myself to stand, but every step toward the gate feels like I’m dragging the weight of the world behind me.

Then I hear it.

“Luca!”

Her voice cuts through the noise like a lightning strike, freezing me mid-step.

I turn slowly, heart lodged in my throat, and there she is.

Valentina.

She’s standing in the middle of the terminal, clutching Leo’s hand tightly. Her hair is loose, windswept, her cheeks flushed as if she’s been running.

My eyes lock onto hers, and the world tilts.

She walks toward me, her steps purposeful, her gaze unwavering. Leo toddles beside her, half-skipping to keep up, his small hand swinging hers back and forth.

When they’re close enough, I see it—the emotion swimming in her eyes, raw and unguarded.

“Luca,” she says again, her voice steadier this time.

I don’t trust myself to speak. My throat feels tight, and the words I want to say are trapped behind a wall of disbelief.

"We’re coming with you," she says simply.

It’s a punch to the gut, but not the kind that knocks the wind out of you. No, it’s the kind that fills your lungs with air after days of suffocating.

Leo lets go of her hand and runs to me, his face lighting up. "Daddy! Mommy says we’re gonna be together now!"

I crouch instinctively, catching him as he barrels into me. His tiny arms wrap around my neck, and I hold him close, my chest aching in a way I can’t describe.

"Is that true?" I ask, my voice rough, my eyes fixed on Valentina.

She nods, her expression a mix of determination and something softer, something I haven’t seen in too long.

"This life," she begins, her voice firm, "it’s not what I wanted for him. But it’s his birthright, and I can’t deny that. What I can do is make sure he grows up knowing he has choices. That he can be better than both of us."

Her words hit me harder than any bullet ever could.

"I’ll raise him to know strength," she continues, stepping closer, "but I’ll also raise him to know kindness. And when the time comes, Luca, we’ll let him choose."

I straighten, Leo still in my arms, and close the distance between us.

"You’re sure about this?" I ask, my voice quieter than I intended.

She nods, a small, tired smile tugging at her lips. "I’m sure."

Leo squirms in my arms, and I set him down gently. He darts back to her, grabbing her hand and tugging it playfully. “Are you my dad? Mom said you are, but I want to be sure.”

It feels like there’s a stone lodged in my throat. This little boy and his mother are everything to me. I’m going to spend my life making sure I deserve them.

“I am your dad,” I tell him, kneeling down to touch his cheek.

"We’re a family, then!" he declares, his voice bright and innocent.

I reach for Valentina’s free hand, and this time, she doesn’t pull away.

As we walk toward the gate, something shifts in my chest. It’s not relief or victory. It’s something deeper— hope .

The flight attendant greets us with a professional smile. Her navy uniform is pressed to perfection, her hair coiled into a neat bun.

“Welcome aboard, Mr. Salvatore. Your suite is prepared.”

I give her a curt nod.

Leo bounds ahead, his tiny hand gripping Valentina’s. His excitement at stepping into the business-class cabin is obvious, his small voice brimming with questions about the reclining seats and the shimmering mood lighting.

“It’s a big plane, Mommy!” he exclaims, craning his neck to take it all in.

Valentina smiles. Her hand lingers protectively on his shoulder as we reach our section—a private suite shielded by frosted glass partitions, the kind of luxury reserved for those who can afford it without blinking.

The seats are plush, upholstered in buttery leather. Valentina gently nudges Leo into his seat, helping him with the seatbelt as I lower myself into the chair opposite them.

“Would you like something to drink before takeoff?” the hostess asks, appearing at my side.

“Espresso,” I reply, glancing at Valentina.

“Just water for me,” she says quietly, smoothing a hand over her dress.

Leo is already preoccupied with the entertainment system, his small fingers tapping eagerly at the touchscreen. For a moment, it’s almost surreal—this domestic tableau, so far removed from the chaos and violence of my world.

The attendant returns with our drinks just as the plane begins taxiing down the runway. I take a sip of the espresso, letting the bitterness ground me, while Valentina stares out the window, her expression distant.

Once we’re airborne and the seatbelt signs dim, Leo’s energy begins to wane. Valentina leans down to tuck a blanket around him, her touch tender and motherly. Within minutes, he’s fast asleep, his soft breaths audible in the quiet cabin.

She straightens, glancing at me across the suite, her gaze lingering. There’s something raw in her eyes, something she’s trying to hide but can’t.

“I’m going to freshen up,” she says finally.

Then, she looks at me directly, and her next words hit with the force of a command.

“Come with me.”

I don’t hesitate.

The restroom is small but luxurious, the kind of space designed to impress even at forty thousand feet. Valentina moves ahead of me, her steps measured, her posture stiff.

When I step inside and close the door, the lock clicks softly into place.

She’s turned away, her hands braced on the marble counter. The dim lighting highlights the curve of her neck, the tension in her shoulders. For a moment, I do nothing but watch her.

“Valentina,” I murmur, my voice low, dangerous.

She turns slowly, her gaze meeting mine with that same defiance. Do I love it? Do I hate it? I don’t know. I can’t think straight.

“This is madness,” she murmurs.

“Madness,” I echo, reaching out to touch her. My fingers brush her wrist, then slide up to her elbow, the tension in her body vibrating under my touch.

Her breath hitches as I pull her closer, my hand finding its place on her hip. The fabric of her dress is soft beneath my fingers.

“This life isn’t safe,” she whispers, but her hands betray her, clutching the front of my shirt like a lifeline.

“Safety is an illusion,” I say, my voice rough. “You think leaving me will give you peace? I’ve let you run once, Valentina. Never again.”

Her lips part, a retort forming, but I don’t let her speak. I lower my mouth to hers, capturing her words in a kiss.

Her resistance melts almost instantly, her fingers tangling in my hair as she leans into me.

The counter digs into her back as I press her against it, my hands roaming, claiming. She gasps into my mouth, her body arching toward mine, and it takes everything in me to pull back, to give her space to breathe.

Her chest rises and falls rapidly, her cheeks flushed.

“This is insane,” she says again, though her tone has shifted and her voice is throaty.

I cup her face. “It is.”

The plane dips slightly. The subtle dip of the plane barely registers. All I can feel is her—her heat, her rapid breaths, the way her body yields to mine even as her mind hesitates. Her hand grips mine, pulling me closer, and that small, desperate motion is all the permission I need.

“Insane?” I murmur, my lips brushing the curve of her jaw as my hands slide down her sides, feeling the delicate curves beneath the thin fabric of her dress. “Maybe. But it’s also inevitable.”

Her head tips back, exposing the smooth line of her neck, and I take full advantage, my mouth finding her pulse point. She shudders, her fingers clutching at my shoulders as my teeth graze her skin.

“Luca,” she whispers, her voice breaking. It’s not a plea—it’s surrender.

I trail kisses down to the hollow of her throat, my hands gripping her thighs and lifting her effortlessly onto the counter. Her legs part instinctively, wrapping around my waist, and I step between them, the hardness of the counter forgotten in the press of her body against mine.

“You feel this?” I ask, my voice rough as I grind against her, my arousal unmistakable. “You drive me fucking crazy, Valentina. Every look, every word, every second you breathe.”

She gasps, her hands fisting in my hair as I press her back slightly, giving myself more room to touch, to taste.

My lips crash onto hers, and this time, there’s no hesitation.

The kiss is raw, frantic, her nails scraping down my back through my shirt as I push the hem of her dress higher, exposing smooth, bare skin.

“God, you’re perfect,” I groan against her lips, my fingers tracing the curve of her thigh before sliding higher. Her gasp turns into a moan as my hand finds her, slick and hot, and I can’t stop the curse that escapes me. “You’re already dripping for me.”

She arches into my touch, her breath hitching as my fingers move against her, teasing, testing. “Luca?—”

“Say it,” I growl, pulling back just enough to meet her gaze. Her cheeks are flushed, her lips swollen, her eyes dark with need. “Say you’re mine.”

“I’m yours,” she whispers, her voice trembling but certain.

That’s all I need. I pull my hand away, earning a soft whimper of protest, but it turns into a gasp as I undo my belt, the sound of the leather slipping free loud in the intimate space.

Her hands reach for me, fumbling with the buttons of my shirt, but I catch her wrists, pinning them gently against the counter above her head.

“Not yet,” I murmur, leaning down to press a kiss to her collarbone. “I want you to feel exactly how much you belong to me.”

Her eyes widen slightly, her lips parting as I free myself, the hard length of me pressing against her core. I guide myself to her, teasing her entrance, and she writhes beneath me, her hips tilting forward in a silent plea.

“Please,” she breathes, the word barely audible but laced with raw need.

With one slow, deliberate thrust, I’m inside her, and we both groan at the sensation.

She’s tight, perfect, and the way she clenches around me makes my head spin.

I pause for a moment, letting her adjust, savoring the way she feels, the way her legs tighten around me as if she never wants to let go.

“Look at me,” I command, my voice rough as I begin to move, each thrust slow and deliberate, dragging against every sensitive spot. Her gaze locks onto mine, her lips trembling as her hands flex beneath my grip. “Let me look at what’s mine.”

“Yes,” she cries, her voice breaking as I pick up the pace, the sound of our bodies colliding filling the cabin. “Luca, I?—”

“Come for me,” I growl, releasing her wrists to cup her face, my forehead pressing against hers as I drive into her harder, deeper. “Let me feel you.”

Her body tenses beneath me, her nails digging into my arms as her climax hits her, her cries muffled by my mouth as I kiss her through it.

She clenches around me, the tight, pulsing heat pulling me over the edge.

With a guttural groan, I thrust one last time, spilling into her, my body trembling as I bury myself to the hilt.

For a moment, the world stands still. The hum of the plane fades, the tension dissolves, leaving only the sound of our ragged breaths and the warmth of her body against mine. I lean forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead, my hands cradling her face as her eyes flutter open.

“Thank you for letting me take my family home,” I murmur.

“I love you,” she whispers, her arms wrapping around my neck as she pulls me closer.