I tried to take a deep, calming breath, but my lungs wouldn’t cooperate. They convulsed with each attempt, making the air draw in and out in shaky puffs. Tears burned in the back of my throat, and I felt the intense pressure of the walls closing in around me. Unable to bear the crushingstrain any longer, I burst from the room and came face-to-face with two coworkers.
They gaped at me, eyes rounded as they both took in my disheveled appearance and tear-filled eyes. The moment it registered who I was and that I was likely upset after finding out my boss had been killed, their brows lifted in pity, and their lips thinned in awkward smiles. If only they knew—my problems were far more extensive than mourning my deceased boss.
I jumped when the elevator dinged behind me, glancing back as the doors opened.
“You go ahead, hun. We can catch the next one.”
I wasn’t sure which one of them had spoken; I couldn’t even recall any of their names. I nodded wordlessly and drifted into the waiting car. The elevator ride and walk through the lobby were a blur. The possibility Luca might harm me never even entered my mind. All I could think was I needed to hear him say the words, then I was done.
I would walk away for good.
Whether it was the distress of suspecting he was a killer or the apprehension of leaving him, I wasn’t sure, but something had caused my brain to overheat and shut down. I walked numbly past the security desk and outside where I found a seat on one of the raised flowerbeds and waited.
The new spring leaves in the trees above me fluttered in the wind, and the constant stream of people on the sidewalk coasted past me. Life went on, even when I felt like my world was crumbling down around me. The reminder helped me pull back the reins of my chaotic emotions, so I was somewhat coherent by the time Luca arrived.
My eyes stared directly ahead, unseeing as he approached and joined me where I sat.
“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to take a drive with me so we can discuss this more privately.”
I shook my head, just a hint of movement, but it was enough.
He exhaled a resigned sigh. “Alessia, he hurt you. I couldn’t stand by and let that go.” He spoke softly, an attempt to keep our conversation private on the busy sidewalk.
“People will hurt me—that’s just life. It happens. You can’t go killing someone just for upsetting me.”
“I can and will if I decide it’s necessary—if someone touches what’s mine. Plus, that man was scum. He deserved what he got and worse. You think you were the only woman he assaulted?” he spat angrily.
That was true. I highly doubted I’d been Roger’s only victim, but that didn’t justify killing him. Sending him to prison would have kept other women safe just as effectively. Of course, that had been my job—to report him to the authorities. But what was I supposed to tell them? My boss told me I have great lips? The cops would have laughed me out of the station.
My thoughts were digressing on a tangent of self-imposed guilt. I had plenty of time later to dwell on my role in what happened. For now, I needed to deal with Luca. He had given me the admission I was after; it was time for me to find my backbone.
“I can’t do this; I can’t be with you. I thought I could ignore your situation, pretend you were an ordinary man with an ordinary job, but I can’t.” I forced as much calm certainty as I could muster into my voice.
“You don’t know what you’re saying. You’re upset—”
“Don’t treat me like a child,” I hissed, turning to glare athim. “Whether I’m upset or not, I’m not okay with you killing people. Me being upset changesnothing.”
“We can’t discuss these things in public. We need to go somewhere private.” He stood up, towering over me.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
He leaned down, and I froze as he spoke quietly next to my ear. “Either you come with me willingly, or I throw you over my goddamned shoulder and carry you out of here. We are going to talk about this, and I’m not doing it where half of New York can listen in.” When he pulled back, his black eyes bore into me with ice-cold fury.
He wasn’t the only one battling indignant rage. I experienced anger so violent, it pulsed at my temples. He was the one who had brought on this situation, not me. He was the one responsible for a man’s death. His actions had pushed me away. His anger toward me was completely unfounded, and it made me furious.
I shot to my feet, giving him an equally cutting glare. “Fine. There’s a family restroom in the lobby. We can go there, but I’m not leaving this building.” Not allowing him a response, I whipped around and stomped back to the Triton entrance.
Once we were inside the single-stall restroom, Luca locked the door, and I folded my arms defensively across my chest. When he turned to face me, I had to fortify myself against his dominating presence. He was a giant in the tiny space, and I had to force myself not to cower.
“I don’t know why we’re here—there’s nothing more to say,” I snapped at him.
“There’s a hell of a lot more to say. I couldn’t figure it out at first. You seemed so naïve and rule-bound, but then I realized you had no idea. He’s done such a flawless jobsecreting himself away, not even his children know who he is.”
“What are you talking about?” My arms came down to my sides, my austere resolve faltering.
“You think I’m a monster, but you live with the biggest bad of them all,” Luca sneered.
“Stop playing games and just tell me what you’re talking about!”
