Page 11 of Luca

“Son of a bitch,” I whisper-yell. “You scared the shit out of me.”

Luca steps away from the large tree trunk he was hiding behind and studies me as I jump up from the ground, my hand going to my chest. Taking several deep breaths, I try to calm my racing heart.

“Get back to the house, Giada. I’m assuming you can get back to your room the way you snuck out.”

He’s so damn dismissive of me.

“If I wanted to spend another night cooped up in my room, then that’s where I’d be. Fuck off, Luca.”

His eyes narrow as he takes a step toward me and I take one toward the fence.

“If I have to take you back to the house kicking and screaming, that’s what I’ll do, princess. Do not test me.” The growl in his voice stirs something inside me. Vengeful defiance. That’s what I’m going to call it.

I stare at the tall man in front of me. He should be terrifying me at this moment. I should be scared he’s going to tell my father or brother he caught me trying to sneak out. But this isn’t the first time he’s caught me trying, and I know, as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, that he never told them he caught me the first time. That little fact gives me some collateral here.

“You never told my dad or Carlo you caught me before, did you?”

His jaw tics, and I keep going. “So no, Luca, I don’t think you’re going to carry me back ‘kicking and screaming.’” I tilt my head to the side. “You know exactly what will happen if I go back and they find out I left in the first place. I’ll tell them both you caught me once. Then you can explain to them why you never brought that information to their attention to begin with. I’ll make sure they know that you”—I point a finger toward his heaving chest—“knew there was a breach in security and didn’t do anything about it. Who do you think is going to get in more trouble here? You or me?”

I tap my chin as though I’m contemplating what I just asked. It’s a shitty threat, especially because I know what they would probably do to him if they found out he was keeping something from them. But dammit, I don’t want to get in trouble either.

“What are you suggesting then?” he asks.

“Let me go.”

“Absolutely not. You’re not going out by yourself in Boston. Do you not understand what could happen if the wrong person got their hands on you? There's a reason you aren’t allowed to go into the city without your brother or father.”

“I’m aware, but I seriously doubt it’s for my protection.” If I had to guess, it’s so they can keep an eye on me and make sure I’m not doing something inappropriate that would be unbecoming of a chaste and pure Mafia princess. After all, if I allow another man to ruin me, what good would I be to my family?

“Either let me go or come with me. Those are your two choices,” I tell him.

His head rears back while his lip curls in disgust. “Go with you? To where?”

“A party. If anyone finds out, I won’t rat you out. I’ll tell them you tracked my phone or some shit and found me at the party and came to take me home. I’ll take the fall.” I mean, if we get caught, I don’t see the point of dragging him down with me, but the likelihood of that happening is pretty low. It’s not like this is my first rodeo. The other kids at my school keep everything under wraps. No one wants to get busted at a party drunk or high by the cops or angry parents. That’s a surefire way to ruin our party spots.

Luca runs a hand through his short hair. God, I miss the long, wavy hair he had when I first met him. Now he looks like every other asshole bodyguard we’ve ever had.

He is, Giada.

“Fine,” he eventually breathes out. “I’ll go with you to make sure you don’t get in trouble. But for fuck’s sake, Giada, this needs to be the last time. This is fucking dangerous for both of us.”

A giant smile spreads across my face, somewhat shocked that my threat worked.

Before he has a chance to change his mind, I squeeze through the bars and he follows but has a harder time getting through. When we get to the other side, I don’t say anything as we walk to the road along the other side of the property where Bianca knows to meet me.

“I mean it, Giada. Last time.” There’s that growl again.

My gaze travels to the man walking next to me, who looks wholly uncomfortable with this entire situation. “Relax, Luca. It’ll be fine. I do this all the time.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” he mumbles before we reach Bianca’s Mercedes idling on the side of the road.

She gets out of her car, looks at Luca then back to me. “What’s going on?”

“He’s coming with us.”

Bianca’s eyes widen as Luca walks to the driver’s side of the car.

“And I’m driving,” he tells her.

---