Filed to story: No Escape From The Mafia Kings Embrace
“Hmm, slip something more appropriate on, and I’ll take you to dinner”, Luca purred, groping my bare thigh. I gasped before I giggled and sprung off the bed. Luca chuckled as he watched me skip to the closet. I don’t know why, but the thought of food made me extremely happy. I was slipping on a pair of blue jeans when Luca entered the closet. His eyes were immediately on me and a smile on his face. “You are fucking adorable, gattina (kitten)”, he chuckled. I blushed deeply, “Can I just wear your shirt?”, I asked, gesturing to the black t-shirt that I had on.
Luca’s smile broadened, “Of course,”, he nodded. “Thank you”, I uttered happily, before reaching for my converse. “I need to take you shopping, bambina (baby girl)”, he observed, as he slipped on his black tennis shoes to match his black jeans and shirt. “Do you not approve of my outfit?”, I asked with a pout, as I stood with my arms out to the side to showcase my clothes. I was looking down at my outfit when Luca’s shadow engulfed me and his hand came up to cup my chin, making me look up at him.
“Bambina (baby girl), I think you look adorable. I also think you could make a potato sack look sexy. I only said that, because you actually need clothes”, he explained, softly. I chuckled a little at his comment. Luca grinned in response before closing his lips over mine in a soft, passionate kiss. “Let’s go eat, Piccola (little one)”, Luca said, grabbing hold of my hand and lacing his fingers with mine. “What do you want?”, he asked, as we walked down the hall. “A burger sounds superb right now”, I answered, looking up at him. He seemed contemplative before he nodded, “It does”, he agreed.
Sergio met us at the bottom of the staircase with a scowl. “Where are you going, brother?”, he asked harshly. “I’m taking my wife out to eat”, Luca said, unamused. “After almost dying today? I don’t think so”, Sergio deadpanned. Luca’s body became rigid to the touch, immediately. “I don’t much appreciate being told what to do, brother”, Luca hissed. His anger was palpable in the air.
I squeezed his hand to get his attention. “It’s okay, Luca. I can make them for us”, I said softly. Luca’s head snapped in my direction. His eyes softened and eyebrows creased. “You can cook?”, he asked, surprised. I smiled and tugged his hand to make him follow me into the kitchen. “Shh, don’t tell anyone”, I whispered, playfully. Luca chuckled, “I feel like, as your husband, I should know whether you can cook, or not”, he mentioned. “As my husband, there is a lot about me, you should know, but don’t. But, that’s because we didn’t have a dating phase, like most couples do.”, I explained.
Luca frowned,”I’m sorry, piccola (little one)”, he sighed. “It’s okay”, I said, cheerily. It really doesn’t bother me. I mean it should, but I feel like my soul has known his a million times over. What he likes, is just minor details to be relearned.
When we made it to the kitchen, I had Luca sit down at the counter, as I pulled out all the ingredients I would need. I could feel Luca’s eyes on me with each move that I made around the kitchen.
“Bambina (baby girl)”, he called out, drawing my attention to him. “What’s your favorite childhood memory?”, he asked, throwing me off guard and making me freeze in my tracks. “You’ll have to give me a moment for that one”, I said softly, as I flattened out the burgers and put them on the pan. “No worries”, he uttered, his eyes never leaving me.
“When I was four, Ray took my mom and I to the beach for my birthday. I remember we couldn’t go swimming because it was too cold, so we spent hours building a sand castle that was big enough for me to walk into”, I reminisced, a soft smile on my lips. “Who’s Ray?”, Luca asked, gently. I frowned slightly, “My name-donor, Ray Calsut”, I answered, as I prepared the sides for the meal.
“What made him decide to get a DNA test?”, Luca asked, with furrowed eyebrows. “I don’t know. I guess he caught her cheating or something. But studies also show that a father can look into the eyes of a child and know whether or not that child is theirs. So he probably just knew”, I shrugged my shoulders. “Huh, I wonder how that works”, Luca smirked. I shrugged again, “I don’t know. I remember the night he kicked us out though”, I whispered, regretfully. “What happened?”, he asked, cautiously, studying my every move.
“It was storming outside. They were yelling at each other, her telling him that we had nowhere to go, and he couldn’t do that to a five-year-old. Him screaming that he didn’t care and to get the fuck out. I remember, I was crying because I didn’t understand what I had done wrong to get kicked out, too, or, why he didn’t love me anymore”, I said, choking up.I bit my bottom lip and took a deep breath.
Luca stood from the bar stool and started making his way to me. “That night we stayed in a shelter, but by the next night, we were already staying with my mom’s first boyfriend”, I said, trying to end the conversation. “What about you? What’s your favorite childhood memory?”, I asked, taking a step back from Luca. I know if I accept his embrace, I will break down right here. “Piccola (little one)”, Luca uttered, hurt evident in his voice.
“Come here”, he said, taking a step toward me. “I can’t”, I choked out, taking a step back and shaking my head. My back hit the counter, stopping me. I put my hands on the countertop to brace myself. “Why?”, he asked, his voice injured. His eyebrows were furrowed in confusion, with a hint of anger. “Because, I don’t want to cry”, I said, my voice cracking, and tears welling up in my eyes.
Marabella’s POV
Luca’s demeanor shifted, becoming more relaxed. My vision blurred from my tears, that I was holding back. I felt Luca’s hand grip the back of my neck, before I was forcefully pulled into his hard chest. My arms immediately snaked around his waist, to hold him tightly. His free arm wrapped around my back and held me closer.
My body had already begun to rack with sobs. “I’ve got you, piccola (little one)”, Luca cooed in my ear. I felt him lean over to remove the pan from the stove-eye, while still holding me to his chest. Luca picked me up by my waist with one arm, my legs automatically wrapped around his hips, as I moved my arms to his neck and shoulders.
He sat me on a cleared part of the counter and continued to hold me as I cried. When my cries finally slowed down, Luca pulled back and cupped my face, “It wasn’t your fault, bambina (baby). None of it, do you understand me?”, he asked. I frowned, but nodded. “It’s not nice to lie, piccola (little one)”, he scolded, before leaning in and capturing my lips with his. When he pulled away, I frowned, getting ready to protest. “You did lie to me, piccola ragazza (little girl). And don’t lie again to tell me you aren’t lying. It’s okay not to understand, bambina (baby girl). I’ll help you”, he uttered. I clamped my mouth closed and nodded. I don’t understand. It had to be my fault. How else could a man leave a child that he had already put years into loving and raising?
I took a deep breath and steadied my thoughts. “I’m okay now. Thank you”, I said softly. Luca smiled as he kissed me tenderly. “You are so very welcome, Piccola (little one)”, Luca murmured. He gently picked me up and put me back on my feet. I smiled softly as my hand touched his chest. I love the way this man feels under my hand. “Mara”, he whispered. My eyes drifted from my hand on his chest, to his gray eyes. His eyes drifted to my lips, as they parted. “Yes?”, I asked softly.
