Page 62 of A Capo’s Love: Featuring A Don’s Love

He shook his head like the words physically hurt him.

“I killed Lucille,” he said it like he was in a trance.

It was as if his actions had finally dawned on him in finality.

“You still love her.”

I saw it in the way his face twisted after my words landed exactly where they needed to. Accountability, along with acceptance, was a bitch. Tears threatened to spill over; soon as one tear fell more followed. He looked away from me again; his shoulders deflated in defeat.

“I hate that I still love her. She doesn’t deserve my love since I wasn’t worthy of hers,” he gritted each word out.

My own eyes burned at hearing that.

“Love doesn’t disappear just because she damaged you starting at a young age… Love sometimes feel cruel as hell.” I inhaled slowly then exhaled fast because that was the raw truth.

“It’s okay to cry,” I whispered.

He laughed bitterly under his breath.

“I’ll be okay,” he whispered.

“Not tonight… you’re not.” I shook my head.

I turned slightly and reached for him again, ignoring the way he stiffened against my touch. Both of my hands slid gently along the sides of his face. My thumbs brushed at the tears that glided down his cheeks while my own vision blurred from crying now too.

“Trust me with it,” I begged.

His red rimmed eyes lifted to mine.

“Nova—”

“Please,” I whispered through the pain that crawled up my throat. “Just trust me with your pain so you can breathe a little easier.”

We stared at each other, lost in different painful emotions too deep to say aloud, and too fragile to mishandle in order for us to stay glued together in one piece without shattering.

Minutes later, he gave in.

Luca leaned forward slowly until his forehead pressed against my chest first. The weight of his head rested fully against my breasts while I instinctively wrapped my arms around him. The sound that left him shattered me into tiny pieces.

A low croak crawled from his throat before his shoulders shook hard beneath my hands. I closed my eyes and pulled him tighter against me.

“Let it all go,” I murmured, voice cracking.

I felt years of grief beyond Lucille, pouring out of him all at once. I rubbed both hands across his broad shoulders the same way he did when he massaged tension from me. The tip of my nose landed in the middle of his waves. I inhaled him as my hands pressed firmly against the knots of tension in his shoulders.

“Breathe baby,” I whispered as I continued to knead at his shoulders. “I’m not leaving you,” I reassured him. “Me and the kids will help heal you through time.” I promised.

I don’t know how long we stayed like that, but I saw it through until his tears dried and his body felt heavier against mine. His breathing became uneven, but he felt calmer and exhausted. It felt like an hour had passed by when he collapsed to the side of me and snored with his mouth open. Luca didn’t know it, but the hard feel of his body mixed with his vulnerability beneath my hands did something to me in a positive way.

I sluggishly retrieved Novae from his sectional couch and gently laid her between us. Before I drifted back off into my own slumber, I made a vow to sleep right here in his room moving forward.

CHAPTER 16

Luca

A REAL BROTHERHOOD.

The lower garage area beneath my estate stayed cool year-round no matter the change of weather. I spent part of my afternoon down here with Roy and Novae, while the twins were upstairs in their learning area I had set up for them to be homeschooled with three extra tutors that made sure they stayed on top of their lessons.