Page 30 of Pucking Tangled

TWENTY-NINE

Luca

Waylon was right.

And he really freaking hated to admit that.

If things were going to work out between them all, they needed to get their shit together. They couldn’t walk around hating each other or getting their feelings hurt whenever she showed someone else attention.

That’s not how this was supposed to go.

They owed it to Mia to put in an honest effort to make it work.

Yes, this dynamic was new for all of them. Naturally, there would be growing pains along the way, but Luca meant what he said when they first discussed it. Mia deserved to be loved and cherished by all of them, if that’s what she wanted.

And she’d made it clear that was exactly what she wanted.

So he was going to have to pull his head out of his ass and stop being so sensitive .

He was going to have to trust Mia and take her at her word.

He would always be the first. And she’d always come back to him.

Yeah…he really hated when Waylon was right.

“Breakfast is ready,” Owen said, turning off the stove.

Today was Western Omelets and toast, a little lighter than Waylon’s protein pancakes yesterday. Delicious, but deadly for anyone trying to keep in shape.

“Should I fix Mia a plate, or are you planning on feeding her again, Way?” Luca teased, forcing himself to turn over a new leaf.

“Mia can fix her own plate and feed herself,” she glared back at him.

Luca and Waylon both smirked in response.

“You promise you’ll actually eat?” Waylon challenged.

“That depends. Can y’all stop making shit weird?”

Casey finally cracked a smile and let out a laugh. “Mia, shit’s always going to be weird. Have you met us?”

“Touche,” she grumbled with an eye roll.

In spite of knowing she could make her own plate, Luca made one for her anyway and sat down next to her at the table.

His hand rested comfortably on her thigh, grounding him, while they ate.

Last night had felt like pure fucking torture when he heard her loud moans from Casey and Owen’s room.

Even if he knew it was coming, his heart still wasn’t ready.

His dick, on the other hand, recalled every detail of their intimate exchanges and he couldn’t resist the urge to stroke himself, coming all over his abs as he eavesdropped like some kind of interloper.

Being near her now ?

Having her seek him out first thing this morning just to say hello and greet him with a hug and a sweet kiss?

It meant more than she’d ever know. It was proof that she meant every word she said.

Everyone else cleared out of the kitchen after breakfast.

Mia disappeared again, and Owen followed her.

Casey stormed out of the house, clearly still dealing with his own emotions.

That left Luca and Waylon alone to clean up.

Just as well, Luca felt like they needed to have a talk.

“What is it with you and all the theatrics lately? Was that stunt earlier really necessary?”

Waylon paused in loading the dishwasher and looked at him with a raised brow. “Care to be more specific?”

God, the man was stubborn.

Luca really didn’t want to fight with him. That wasn’t what this was about anyway.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. Kissing Mia in front of all of us. Demanding her time. Damn near pissing on her like you’re a dog.”

“Woof. Woof.” Waylon smirked.

“Trying to be serious here, Way.”

“Mia didn’t seem to mind.”

“That’s not the point,” Luca argued.

“Isn’t it?” Waylon asked, voice calm but edged with warning. “Because from where I’m standing, you all are acting like your feelings matter more than hers. ”

“You do see the irony in your statement, right? What you did was no better than what you’re claiming we did.

” Luca blew out a frustrated breath. “You said we needed to be on the same page,” he continued, dropping his voice.

“You told us not to make her feel bad. You warned us not to let jealousy ruin this.”

Waylon’s jaw ticked. “I meant it.”

“Then why did that whole thing feel like a warning shot?”

Waylon looked at him. Really and truly looked at him.

That was when Luca saw it—the flicker of something in his eyes.

Guilt?

Regret?

Maybe.

But it didn’t change the fact that the damage was already done.

“You were right this morning,” Luca went on, softer now. “I’m struggling. I am scared of losing her. I never had something like this before. And I’m trying, okay? I’m trying to believe we can make this work. That she really wants all of us.”

Waylon stayed quiet, for the first time ever seeming to give Luca the opportunity to fully express what was on his mind.

“But then you walk in like it’s a game. Like staking your claim makes it easier for her. Like we’re not all already fighting our own battles just to keep from drowning in these uncharted waters.”

Waylon put both of his hands on the counter and hung his head. “It wasn’t about marking my territory. It was about making sure she knew that I wanted her just as much as everyone else in this house does.”

Luca clapped a hand on Waylon’s shoulder .

If anyone understood where the other man was coming from, Luca did.

“Way, I’m not asking you to back off,” he said quietly.

“But I am asking you to really think this through. The pressure of being wanted by all of us? It’s weighing on her.

And you just made it heavier. Please don’t play games with her.

Make sure you’re not just in love with the fantasy of her… of this arrangement. Take care of her.”

Before Waylon could reply, Luca tossed the dishcloth in the sink and walked away.

Not out of anger or defeat.

But from exhaustion.

Because this wasn’t a game they were trying to win.

It was their futures. And everyone’s hearts were at stake.