"I know." And surprisingly, I did. For all the coercion, all the threats, Luca had never been physically violent with me. Had been rough sexually but only in ways I'd wanted. "I'm not afraid of you."
"You should be. A little." But he smiled when he said it. "Keeps me honest."
We lapsed back into comfortable silence. Outside, the city continued its endless motion. Inside, we created a small bubble of peace. Of domesticity. Of something that felt dangerously close to happiness.
My phone buzzed in my jeans pocket. I pulled it out and saw an email notification.
From: Alex Park
Subject: Following up
I opened it reluctantly.
Val - Haven't heard from you since coffee. You seemed really off. Just checking in. Let me know you're okay? - Alex
Guilt twisted in my stomach. Alex was worried because I'd been distant. Because I'd seen that message from Reeves on his phone and realized my friend was informing on me.
"Everything okay?" Luca asked.
"My friend Alex. The one from journalism school. He's checking in."
"The one who's talking to Reeves."
I'd told him about that too, during breakfast. About seeing the message on Alex's phone.
"Yeah. He probably doesn't know what Reeves is really after. Probably just thinks he's helping with a legitimate investigation." But even as I said it, I wasn't sure I believed it.
"Do you want to respond?"
"I don't know what to say. How do you talk to a friend who's unknowingly helping the FBI investigate you?"
"Carefully." Luca's hand rubbed soothing circles on my back. "But Valentino? You might need to distance yourself from him. If he's in contact with Reeves, anything you tell him could end up in FBI reports."
"I know." The loss of that friendship hurt. Alex and I had been close for years. But Luca was right—I couldn't trust him anymore. "I'll keep it vague. Tell him I'm fine but busy."
I typed out a quick response:All good, just swamped with work. Catch up soon.
Vague. Non-committal. Maintaining the friendship while creating distance.
"This is my life now," I said quietly. "Lying to friends. Worrying about federal investigations. Dating someone who—" I stopped.
"Who what?"
"Someone who terrifies me and comforts me in equal measure." I turned to look at him. "Someone I should probably run from but can't seem to leave."
"You can leave. Any time. The door's not locked." But his arms tightened around me like he was afraid I'd actually go.
"I know. That's what makes this different." I settled back against his chest. "I'm choosing this. Choosing you. Even though it's probably the stupidest decision I've ever made."
"Probably." He kissed the top of my head. "But I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you don't regret it."
We stayed like that for another hour, just holding each other while music played and the city moved far below. Eventually I had to go—had actual work to do, an apartment to check on, a life that still existed outside of Luca's penthouse.
But leaving felt harder than it should have.
At the elevator, Luca pulled me into one more kiss. Deep and thorough and possessive.
"When can I see you again?" he asked.
