Filed to story: Bound by Honor (Aria & Luca) Drama Story
Luca kissed me possessively. “With anyone else, no, but Romero, yes. He knows you are mine.”
Everyone in our world knew I was Luca’s.
I couldn’t stop staring at Romero. He looked like a college student in his dark jeans and checkered shirt. The girls would be throwing themselves at him. He drove us in his own car, a dark gray Dodge Charger.
Romero glanced my way. “I will attend as many courses with you as I can. We will have lunch together, and you won’t walk anywhere without me.”
I sighed. “Yes, I know. We’re practically attached at the hips.”
He parked the car, then got out, but was too late to open my door for me. “Stop it,” I muttered. “Pretend you are my boyfriend and not my bodyguard.”
Romero’s eyes widened, and he gave a shake of his head and took a respectful step back.
I held out my hand. “I think it’s the best way to get men to back off, Romero. You are intimidating. Don’t be a coward,” I said teasingly, wiggling my fingers at him.
He eyed them as if they were poisonous snakes about to attack.
Deciding to cut this short, I moved toward him before he had a chance to back away, grabbed his hand and pulled him toward me. Caught by surprise, he rocked forward and steadied himself with a hand on my hip.
My God. The look on his face would bring me through many dark hours in the future. I laughed and he withdrew his hand as if he’d been burnt. “Aria,” he murmured imploringly, tugging at my hand, but I didn’t let go.
“Calm down, Romero. People will get suspicious if you refuse to hold your girlfriend’s hand.”
Anger filled his eyes, and I felt guilty for making him think he was doing something Luca wouldn’t approve of. I released his hand.
I sighed. “I talked to Luca about this. He thinks it’s a good idea if you pretend to be my boyfriend so other men back off.”
Surprise banished the anger. “He said that?”
“Call him,” I urged him, and of course he did. After getting Luca’s okay, he relaxed visibly.
“I told you so,” I muttered.
“Luca is my Capo,” Romero said firmly. “I can’t go against him, especially not when you are involved.”
“I know,” I said, growing frustrated. “I’m well aware that I am your Capo’s possession.”
“You aren’t Luca’s possession. You are his.”
I wasn’t quite sure if there was a difference, and it wasn’t like it still bothered me much. After two years of marriage, I’d come to terms with Luca’s possessiveness. Romero held out his hand with a small smile. “Come on, Aria.”
I flashed him a grin, deciding not to let anything ruin this day for me, and slipped my hand in his, then we walked toward classes. Even without my blonde hair, several guys stared at me. I hadn’t expected it.
Romero grew rigid. “If they knew who you were they wouldn’t be leering.”
“They don’t know, and that’s exactly what we want.” I peered up at them. “Your death glares will scare them off soon enough.”
He chuckled. “I have to do what Luca would do.”
My chest tightened. I sometimes wondered how it would be if Luca wasn’t who he was and if I wasn’t who I was. If we were normal people, if we could stroll these halls together like a normal couple. Tears prickled my eyes because that was never going to happen. Luca had never had the choice to go to college. From the day of his birth, his path had been determined, a path of darkness, full of enemies even among our own.
“Are you okay?” Romero asked, stopping a few steps from our class, letting go of my hand.
I shook my head. “I wish Luca could be here.”
“We are all bound to the path we were destined for.”
A group of boys my age walked past, and one of them turned and grinned at me. Surprise shot through me at his obvious flirting.
“Okay. I don’t like this,” Romero growled.
“Then show them that I’m your girlfriend. Trust me, they will back off if you give them that look. They are full of themselves, but anyone with eyes in their heads can tell that you aren’t a man to be messed with.”
Romero hesitated.
“How would you treat me if I were your girlfriend?”
He frowned.
“Without kissing,” I added quickly, flushing.
“Trust me, Aria, I would never dream of kissing you. You are like my little sister.”