“I know,” he said lowly.
He reached out finally, wiping her tears away. The heat from the pads of his fingers comforted Sanarah in ways she never realizedshe needed. She reached out to him, her hand landed softly on his chest. In seconds, Sanarah collided into Luca desperately. She buried her face into his hard chest as if she could crawl inside of him and hide from everything she had done.
Luca’s arms wrapped around her, she felt the difference immediately. There was no passion in his touch anymore. The possession that she used to feel in his arms was replaced with him having mercy for her. That hurt the worse. Her body shook against him. She suddenly didn’t give a damn about waking up Kentrell. She mourned in Luca’s arms for what could have been. She sobbed so hard, it scraped at her throat painfully.
Sanarah inhaled his scent, his signature smell that haunted her each day she laid up with Kentrell. She had betrayed him and torn something sacred between them that could never be fixed. Luca standing there holding her despite the fucked up damage she’d done, spoke volumes about his characteristics as a man.
He rested his chin lightly against the top of her head. His palm smoothed over her soft curly hair as his fingertips massaged her scalp to relax and ground her. He smoothly mouthed the words ‘go’ to Roy.
Roy nodded and quietly slipped out of the kitchen to go find Kentrell.
“It’s gonna be okay,” Luca whispered, still massaging Sanarah’s scalp.
His words felt undeserved. She cried harder at how calm he was. She expected him to be angry and throw her off of him. She didn’t deserve his understanding nor closeness, still Luca provided it.
“I’m gonna save you this one last time,” he whispered near her ear. “I’ll make sure you’re straight. You and his kids will be good, no matter what,” he reassured her.
“Your daughter is inside of your car parked out front.” Luca cleared his throat.
Sanarah’s fingers tightened in panic. She tilted her head back and looked into Luca’s dark pools.
“Money and an address for you to go to is inside that car.” He looked down at her trembling form and felt empathy. “You can stay at that penthouse for however long you need to. My number is underneath the written address. I only want you to use my number if you need more money or help with the kids.” He stepped away from her putting space between them.
“If you stay here, Sanarah… You’ll die with him,” he coldly revealed.
“You leave and start asking questions that you have no business fuckin’ asking… You’ll die before you become a thorn in my side.”He signed the words sharply to her. His face was set in stone.
Sanarah understood the threat clearly. She knew she had no choice and wouldn’t dare stand in front of Luca debating him. This was her way to freedom and stability along with having financial help. She slowly nodded her head.
“Thank you.” She swallowed down.
Sanarah looked into Luca’s dark eyes, the thought of begging for his forgiveness crossed her mind but now was not the time.
“I loved you, Sanarah,” Luca breathed lowly. “I hope you can love yourself and y’all kids enough to do the right thing.”
He turned away from her then walked into the darkness of Kentrell’s home.
Chapter 18
Brother’s Keeper…
“How long we gotta watch this nigga sleep so peacefully?” Roy spoke loudly, hoping to wake Kentrell up.
“As long as it takes,” Luca muttered, turning the page to a new book he picked out of his home’s library. “I want him in his right mind.”
Luca sat in a leather chair near the foot of the bed, posture relaxed like this was any other late night. The lamp on the dresser was turned low, the glow of the light was enough to allow him to see each word he read on the off-white pages.
“I’m saying though,” Roy gritted out. “This nigga farting, tossing and turning in funk.” His nose wrinkled.
Roy sparked a blunt each time Kentrell passed gas while sleeping. While Luca sat at the edge of the bed, Roy was sitting on the side where Kentrell slept peacefully. He was ready to get this shit over with so they could head to Vegas to take care of Lennox.
“Patience,” Luca’s words trailed off.
Kentrell stirred in his sleep, his snoring stopped for a couple of seconds then returned. He now slept on his back, mouth open, chest rising heavy and uneven. Roy leaned forward and frowned from the evidence of his drug of choice on his nose.
“Damn his bitch ass really be off that powda… shit still stuck at the top of his nose.” Roy frowned.
Luca ignored Roy’s complaining. He readjusted his gun in his lap then continued to read his book:The Count of Monte Cristo. He turned a page slowly as he read the next line.
