Filed to story: Bring It On My Mafia Life Novel (Rhea & Lukas)
For once, Rhea decided not to be a good Samaritan and lifted her head straight, prepared to go into his room aka the prison he made for her only for a comment to stop her.
“I’m sorry,”
“Huh?” Rhea thought she must have heard wrong because she turned around to meet his gaze.
This time, Lukas stood up from the couch to apologize, “I’m sorry for dropping you earlier on the stage and I’m sorry for the way that I have treated you since your stay here. I treated you like an asshole and I deserve every punch that comes my way because if you want to punish me, now’s your chance,” He willingly offered to be her punching bag.
At once Rhea’s eyes lit up, Christmas must have come early.
And she did hit him.
Lukas was beginning to buck under the stress and it was all emotional. There was just so much going on in his head right now; he had yet to find his guns; there was his sister to rescue from his father; the gang to keep in check; and of course, yours lovely Rhea driving him crazy.
So even when he went outside to get air into his head, it didn’t help at all. There were so many distractions such as some of his members greeting him and the others that did not acknowledge his presence were busy making out and doing the deed in spots that weren’t as isolated as they thought.
Lukas had not felt as emotionally detached as tonight and he needed to be alone. So he went back to his room knowing that Rhea would be busy with the dancers downstairs. For now, he just needed to collect his thoughts.
Lukas had his head in his hands and was lost in his thoughts when a scream reached his ears. He recognized that voice as Rhea’s and sighed, why was she back so soon? Wasn’t she supposed to be having fun with Victor?
He lifted his head, “You’re here?”
She didn’t reply yet Lukas could see the confusion in her gaze. Thankfully, it wasn’t pity he saw in there because he hated that.
Instead, Rhea lifted her head high and was about to leave him. The thought of her leaving him all alone scared him for a sec and he just spat out, “I’m sorry,”
“Huh?” She didn’t believe it.
Wonderful Lukas, what have you done?
…..
Even at that, Lukas thought he could try a different approach. Honestly, he was tired of fighting with her. He just needed a moment of internal peace tonight.
So he apologized properly.
“I’m sorry for dropping you earlier on the stage and I’m sorry for the way that I have treated you since your stay here. I treated you like an asshole and I deserve every punch that comes my way because if you want to punish me, now’s your chance,”
Lukas knew how much she loathed him; he saw it in her eyes. The fierce need to hurt him was always there and perhaps, it was the need for vengeance that kept her going.
And this was him making penance for all he did to her – she get a chance to hit him to her satisfaction.
And she did it.
Lukas let out an “Oof” sound when her small fist connected with his stomach yet it knocked the breath out of him.
“Christ Jesus! Did you go for boxing classes?” He complained because it hurt.
“No, but this is my accumulated grievance speaking!” Rhea said, her chest heaving. She had put all of her strength into that punch?
Why wouldn’t she when the heavens just answered her prayers and she got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hit Lukas?
What if it turned out that Lukas was merely joking with her and she just hit her? A voice reasoned in her head.
No, Lukas’s words carry a lot of weight around here nor was he jovial. If there was anyone that could do such a thing, Rhea would gladly point out Victor. He was more of the trickster here.
She gave him a second punch saying, “That’s for spanking me on the ass. You don’t get to do that, you’re not my papa,”
“Duly noted,” Lukas acknowledged, trying to catch his breath from the second blow he suffered. This woman should be a heavyweight champion, what was she doing here?
Rhea drew her hand back, prepared to throw the third and final punch.
“This one is for dropping me,” Rhea choose to punch him in the face this time but before her small fist could even touch the skin there, Lukas caught her fist.
She glanced up to see a glaring intensity there, he growled warningly, “Not the face,”
He let go of her hand and Rhea let it fall to her side limply. She had seen the ferocity in his eyes as if she committed a great crime when she tried to hit him there. Why was he so protective of his face? It seemed he treasured it over every part of his body? And there had to be a reason why.
Rhea didn’t bother to continue with the last punch considering the tensed silence that fell over them after he stopped her from aiming for his face. So she headed for her room.
But at the door, Rhea watched out of the corner of her eyes and noticed the way he plopped down on the sofa. Lukas wasn’t just exhausted physically, he was tired mentally as well.
Rhea frowned, what happened? Was she the one who made him this way? But he admitted that everything was his fault and even made up for it by letting her hit him. However, Rhea had to admit, she did make things hard for him as well.
She groaned, mentally banging her head against the wall. Rhea hated this. She hated to feel guilty. And she was going to regret this.
Without a second thought, Rhea turned around and went over to where Lukas was seated, staring into nothing.
She took his hand and tugged at it, rousing him from wherever his mind had traveled.
“What?” He murmured groggily, “You still want to hit me?”
Rhea rolled her eyes towards heaven, “Oh please, I’m not a gangster. Now up on your feet,” She helped him stand.
“What now?” Lukas was slightly dazed and still thought she was out for revenge.
“We run,”
“What?” Lukas blinked at her statement.
“What’s going on? Why should we run? Is there trouble -“
“God! You ask too many questions!” Rhea sighed exasperatedly and pulled him along as she broke into a sprint.
Lukas being shocked was an understatement. He thought Rhea was about to put him through another of her revenge plan but right now, they had run out of the room, down the stairs and she was leading him past the party ground and outside.
Huh, was she escaping with him?
She was not running away with him, Lukas discovered – to his disappointment. He couldn’t understand himself these days, no, to be precise, ever since Rhea came into his life.