It’d been nearly two weeks since Dante and Luca had rescued me, and between the nightmares and worry for Giana, I was barely functioning. If Luca didn’t feed me every meal, I doubted I would’ve been able to eat anything at all. As it was, I felt constantly queasy and jumpy, fear gripping my mind at the slightest unexpected movement or sound.
Bizarrely, the only time I managed to find peace for a few hours at a time was when I shared a bed with Luca and Dante. The arrangement should’ve repulsed me, but I secretly felt safest when I was nestled between them.
I would never tell Luca, but I worried that he sensed the truth. I suspected it was why he barely argued with Dante about caring for me, touching me, holding me. The men had established a tense truce for my sake, and I tried to silently convey my gratitude by accepting their tender caresses without flinching, even when I felt triggered.
Every day, Dante left me alone with Luca while he went out to hunt Antonio. The quiet time with my husband helped me maintain my sanity, but I didn’t truly calm until Dante came home. I only felt secure with both of them watching over me.
Even if my hopes for my sister were dashed every time Dante returned emptyhanded.
He’d been gone a few hours now, and the wait for news about Giana was slowly tormenting me. Only the gentle, lazy patterns Luca traced on my skin kept me sane, grounded to him. I cuddled closer, tucking myself against his chest as I tried to read my favorite romance novel to distract myself. The familiar words blurred before me, and I simply stared at the page as worry for my sister consumed me.
Panic jolted though me at the soft click of the bedroom doorknob turning, and I yelped in alarm, scrambling closer to Luca. His arms closed around me, stilling my frantic movements.
“Dante.” I released his name on a relieved exhale when he appeared in the open doorway.
He strode toward me and cupped my cheek in his big hand. I turned into his comforting touch without thinking.
“I’m here, little bird. You’re safe.” His sharp eyes pierced Luca. “Get dressed. Mattia and Diego are waiting for you in my study.”
Luca’s brows drew together, and he didn’t make a move to release me from his firm embrace. “What are they doing here? They don’t answer to you.”
Dante scoffed. “They were tempted to betray you and join me before Giuseppe turned on us both. They’re your only men who will talk to me at all. You will meet with them and get them to cooperate, along with anyone else who will answer your call. Your people need to see your face. They need to know that you mean to command their loyalty, and I’m not speaking for you. They’ll help us find Antonio and get Giana to safety. Then we can talk about taking our revenge on Giuseppe and the Bratva.”
And what then? I wondered, but I kept the question to myself. Would Dante go back to tormenting Luca once all the other threats were handled? Was he still intent on breaking my husband’s will and crushing his spirit?
“Giuseppe is mine to kill,” Luca growled, his muscles flexing around me.
I remembered how he’d told me that my father had been partially responsible for his mother’s death: she’d died of an overdose, but she’d only become addicted to opioids after Luca’s father had beaten her for having an affair with Giuseppe.
Dante’s eyes darkened. “The old bastard gave my wife to the Russians. I’ll be the one to make him scream. But you’re welcome to take out your own revenge on him too. I intend to keep him alive for a long time.”
My husband’s handsome face sharpened to something almost feral. “No mercy.”
“None,” Dante agreed. He tipped his head toward the door. “Mattia and Diego are waiting. I’ll stay with Nora.”
Luca dropped a swift but fierce kiss on my lips before he reluctantly released me. Dante was at my side instantly, gathering me up in his brawny arms. It seemed neither man was willing to leave me alone with my nightmares, and gratitude washed through me in a strong enough tide to make my eyes sting. I turned my face into Dante’s chest and willed the tears away. I didn’t have to be afraid when they were with me, guarding me. We were safe on Dante’s estate, in the privacy of his bedroom.
Within a couple of minutes, Luca was dressed, and he’d arranged his tousled hair into a neater style. He looked rougher than the man I’d been forced to marry, less polished and controlled. But he was still stunning enough to capture my full attention, his rugged air making him even more magnetic than ever.
Or maybe it was my feelings for him that made him so irresistible.
“I love you.” I said the words without hesitation or fear of rejection. I was completely confident in the bond I shared with him.
He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I love you, too, kitten.”
He shot a final glare at Dante. “You’ll take care of her while I’m gone.” It wasn’t a question.
“Better than you ever could,” Dante retorted. “Nora is safe with me. In every way.”
Luca’s jaw ticked, but his eyes softened as his focus shifted back to me. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. We’re going to find Giana. I promise.”
I nodded, my throat too tight with emotion to manage any words. I didn’t want Luca to leave, but my sister was more important than my desires.
And even though it made my husband angry, I knew that I truly was safe with Dante. We both knew it; that was why it infuriated Luca so much. He wanted Dante to be nothing more than the monster holding us captive, but he was different now: caring and almost alarmingly attentive. He often seemed to sense what I needed before Luca did.
And he hadn’t once threatened to kill Luca. Or use me to break him.
My husband lingered for a moment longer, his eyes roving over me as though he was memorizing every nuance of my face. After a final, quick kiss on my lips, he turned and strode out of the bedroom, leaving me alone with my dark protector.
