“Yes!” he cries out, and he too lets go, lets pleasure overtake him. Together, we ride out the sweet storm.
Afterward, I rest my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat gradually slow as reality slowly seeps back in.
I close my eyes, savoring his warmth while battling the guilt rising within me.
Every time I let him back into my heart without telling him the truth, I'm deepening the betrayal.
But telling him now, after making love, would seem calculated, as if I'd used my body to soften the blow.
And what if his reaction is anger?
What if he decides to fight for custody?
What if the revelation puts the triplets in the crosshairs of whoever orchestrated my father's downfall?
"What are you thinking about?" Luca asks, his fingers gently caressing my back.
“How can I think after all that?”
He laughs, and it only serves to deepen my guilt. “I rocked your world, didn’t I?”
“You sure did.” He’s rocked it off the foundation, and I’m not talking about sex.
My world is teetering on the edge of oblivion and I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do to stop it from falling.
LUCA
I trace my fingers along the smooth curve of Elena's spine as she sleeps beside me, memorizing every inch of her like I'm afraid she'll vanish if I blink.
The digital clock on her nightstand reads2:38 AM. The kids will be up in a couple of hours. I should go.
But damn, I don't want to.
It’s too perfect to have her in my arms again. For so fucking long, I’ve waited for this, waited to hold her and build a life with her.
And of course, to clear my name and make someone pay for all I lost.
It’s unfortunate that in doing the latter, I’m jeopardizing the former. But I won’t feel like I’ve fully regained my life until I’ve achieved both.
I ease myself from the bed, careful not to wake her.
The floorboards creak under my weight as I gather my clothes.
As much as I want to stay, I’m not sure how to explain being naked in bed if one of the kids catches me.
My shirt still smells like her perfume as I slip it on.
Sweet and familiar, like coming home.
It makes me think that sometime soon, we’ll have to explain to the kids why I’m in her bed.
Or better yet, I’ll move her to mine.
There’s plenty of space in the house, and I’m sure my father would enjoy having the kids around.
The conversation we had before I pulled her into my arms replays on a loop.
Someone is trying to tear La Corona apart, and everyone has their theories.
