"If that were true, he would have flipped when the FBI offered him immunity. But he didn't. Because this is real. Because we chose each other."
"You 'chose each other.'" She made air quotes. "After you coerced him. After you threatened him. After you put him in a position where saying no had consequences."
"At first, yes. But people can change. Relationships can evolve. What started wrong became real." Luca looked directly at the jury. "I'm not asking you to excuse how this started. I'm asking you to recognize that it changed. That we both chose this. That love is complicated and messy and sometimes grows from dark places."
The prosecutor tried to shake him, tried to make him admit manipulation or ongoing coercion. But Luca held firm. Told the truth. Our truth.
When he stepped down, I wanted to go to him. Hold him. Tell him he did well. But we had to sit separately, wait for the court to adjourn.
Finally, Judge Morrison spoke. "We'll adjourn for today. Closing arguments will begin tomorrow morning. Court dismissed."
We barely made it to the car before I broke down.
"I did okay?" I asked Luca as he drove us home.
"You did perfectly. You told the truth. That's all we could do."
"Do you think they believed us?"
"I don't know. But we gave them the truth. The rest is up to them."
Back at the penthouse, we both collapsed on the couch. Emotionally wrung out. Tomorrow would be closing arguments, then the jury would deliberate. Then the verdict.
This might be our last night together for years.
The thought hit me like a physical blow.
"Luca." My voice cracked. "If they convict us—"
"Don't think about that now."
"I have to. We have to." I turned to face him. "This might be our last night together. If the verdict goes badly, if we're both sentenced to prison—"
"Then we'll survive it. We'll visit. We'll write. We'll wait."
"But right now, we're here. Together. And I need—" I couldn't finish. Emotions overwhelming me.
"What do you need?" His hand cupped my face.
"You. I need you. I need to feel close to you before tomorrow. Before everything changes."
Understanding flooded his eyes. "Come here."
We went to the bedroom, both of us moving slowly. This wasn't about urgency. This was about connection. About memorizing each other in case this was our last chance.
Luca undressed me carefully, reverently. Touching like he was memorizing every inch. I did the same to him, hands tracing skin I knew by heart but wanted to remember forever.
"I love you," I said as we sank onto the bed. "No matter what happens tomorrow, I love you."
"I love you too. So much." He kissed me deeply. "So fucking much."
We made love slowly, thoroughly. Both of us trying to stretch the moment, to make it last. Every touch deliberate. Every kiss meaningful. Both of us knowing this might be our last time for years.
"You're everything," Luca said, moving inside me. "You changed my whole life. Made me want to be better. Made me understand what love actually is."
Tears were running down my face. "You saved me too. Made me understand choice. Made me see I could want something even if it started wrong."
"God, Valentino—" His voice broke. "I don't want to lose you. I can't lose you."
