Chapter 2 Forbidden Desires

Luca's location became not anything like I anticipated. It became a cozy condo, not some frightening hideout. As I stepped inner, I felt a mixture of alleviation and anxiousness.

"You can take the bedroom," Luca stated, pointing down the corridor. "I'll sleep on the couch."

I nodded, not sure what to mention. This tough guy was being so... Nice. It became complicated.

That first night, I couldn't sleep. Every noise made me leap. Around nighttime, I crept out to the living room. Luca becomes conscious, staring out the window.

"Can't sleep?" he requested, no longer turning around.

I shook my head, then found out he couldn't see me. "No," I stated softly. "I'm scared."

Luca grew to become me then. His eyes have been so excessive, however now not in a scary manner. More like... He could see properly through me.

"You're safe here, Aria," he said. "I promise."

I don't know why, however I believed him. We talked all night time. About my paintings with art, approximately his family (even though he became pretty indistinct). By morning, I felt like I'd recognised him for all time.

Days handed. Luca would depart on occasion, coming lower back looking burdened. I wanted to invite, however I became frightened of the answers.

One night, he came to domestic harm. A cut on his arm, bruises on his face. I gasped when I saw him.

"Luca! What passed off?"

He tried to comb it off. "It's not anything. Don't worry about it."

But I was afraid. I made him sit down and let me ease his wounds. As I labored, I ought to experience him looking at me. My hands shook a touch.

"Why do you care?" he requested abruptly.

I looked up, amazed. "What do you mean?"

"I'm now not a terrific man, Aria. You have to be fearful of me, not... Looking after me."

I did not know what to mention. Because the truth came out, I wasn't afraid of him. Not anymore. I became afraid of how I felt about him.

"Maybe you're higher than you watched," I said softly.

Luca's hand came up, touching my cheek. I iced over, my coronary heart racing. He leaned in, and I thought he was going to kiss me. I desired him to.

But then his cellphone rang. He pulled away, answering it quickly. His face grew to become difficult once more.

"I have to move," he said, status up.

"Luca, wait-"

But he changed into an already long past. I sat there, touching my cheek in which his hand was. What did I do? Falling for a person I barely knew, a person who changed into clearly risky?

I went to bed that night more burdened than ever. And scared. Not of Luca, however of my emotions for him.

I did not realize then that things were approximately to get plenty, a lot greater complex.

I awoke to shouting. Luca turned into arguing with a person on the smartphone. I crept out of bed, listening on the door.

"I might not do it, Father," Luca announced. "Find someone else."

Father? I held my breath, looking to listen more.

"She's harmless," Luca persevered. "I do not care about my own family's recognition. I won't hurt her."

My blood ran bloodless. Were they talking about me?

The name ended, and I heard Luca swear. I opened the door slowly. He sat on the sofa, head in his palms.

"Luca?" I started softly. He seemed up, amazed. Then his face was modified. He knew I'd heard.

"Aria, I can give an explanation for-"

But I was already backing away. "Who are you? Really?"

Luca stood up, reaching for me. I flinched away.

"Please, simply concentrate," he begged. "I'm trying to protect you."

"From who? Your own family?" I am shaking now. "What do they want with me?"

Luca's face fell. He looked so unhappy, so torn. For a second, I desired to console him. But I was too scared.

"My father... He is the head of the Rossi family," Luca said quietly. "We're... We are now not appropriate people, Aria. And you noticed something you should not have."

The Rossi circle of relatives. Even I knew that call. They have been one in all the largest crime families inside the town.

"You have been speculated to kill me," I whispered, the reality hitting me difficult. "That night in the alley. That's why you allow me to cross."

Luca nodded, searching ashamed. "I couldn't do it. And now... Now my father desires me to complete the process. Or he'll send someone else."

I could not breathe. This could not be occurring. The guy I was falling for... He became a killer?

"I have to cross," I said, walking to the bedroom. I began throwing my things in a bag.

Luca observed me. "Aria, please. I might not allow them to harm you. I'll discern something out."

I came to him, tears in my eyes. "How can I consider you? Everything's been a lie!"

"Not the whole thing," he stated softly. He stepped nearer, and no matter what, I failed again. "How do I sense you... It really is real."

For a second, I wanted to believe him. To fall into his palms and let him shield me. But I could not. Not now.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. Then I ran. Past him, out the door, down the steps. I heard him calling my name, however I failed to forestall.

I ran until my lungs burned. Finally, I stopped in a park, collapsing on a bench. What am I going to do? Where may I want to move that was secure?

As I sat there, seeking to capture my breath, a shadow fell over me. I seemed up, hoping it became Luca.

It wasn't.

A man I'd by no means seen before smiled down at me. But it wasn't a nice smile.

"Hello, Aria," he stated. "The Bianchi circle of relatives would really like a phrase with you."

Before I could scream, the entirety went black.

My remaining notion became of Luca. I'd run from him, right into an excellent bigger threat.

And now, it is probably too overdue for him to store me.