Page 49 of Luca

“Finn is going to meet us here in a bit, too. He just has to take care of a couple things this morning.”

“I like Finn. Actually, I like all the Monaghans.”

“And you thought you had something to be worried about.” Luca sits up and extends his arms above himself then tilts his head from side to side, stretching the muscles in his neck. Is this how he starts every morning when he wakes? Am I going to spend another night in his arms and find out for myself?

Throwing the blanket off me, I realize I’m only in a thin tank and sleep shorts. I turn and see Luca’s eyes flare when he sees my next-to-nothing pajamas before he turns his head to give me a bit of privacy, a light blush covering his cheeks.

“I’ll hop in the shower,” I say.

“Take your time, I’ll wait for Alessia downstairs.”

I head into the bathroom, and just before I close the door, I catch Luca shaking his head like he’s arguing with himself about something. Seems I’m not the only one with errant thoughts running through their head this morning.

When I come down fresh from the shower and dressed in an oversized sweater and yoga pants, Alessia smiles wide from the kitchen, where she’s laying out an array of bagels and other breakfast pastries.

“I didn’t know what you like, so I grabbed a few of everything. And, of course, coffee.” She holds up a bag of grounds. “Don’t worry, I already made some,” she says, nodding to the state-of-the-art coffee machine on the counter.

“Thank you,” I reply and walk over to fill my cup.

“You can make espresso, too. I have one at home and loved it so much I bought one for this place.”

“I’m going to head upstairs and take a shower,” Luca says from the couch.

He stands and gives me a look, asking if I’m okay. I smile back at him and nod slightly. When did we become the couple that talks without words? When did we become a couple at all? Oh right, maybe when we said I do yesterday.

“You look well rested,” Alessia says. “I’m sure yesterday was a lot to deal with.”

“Oh, you mean nearly being traded to a Russian by my brother, going on the run with my bodyguard, marrying said bodyguard, then coming to the home of my family’s sworn enemy for protection?”

Alessia chokes on her coffee and then laughs as she wipes her mouth. “Yeah, that’s a lot.”

I shrug and send her an apologetic smile. “Sorry, it’s all mixed up in my head right now. I certainly didn’t wake up yesterday expecting to end up here,” I say, looking around the spacious penthouse.

“You don’t have to talk to me about everything if you don’t want to or if you don’t know where to start. But I’m an ear if you need one. I know all about men like your father and brother, though mine was vastly different. But I was raised in the life, too.”

“Thank you.” I sip the delicious coffee and shake my head. “I don’t even know where to begin.”

“Let’s start small. Do you have any hobbies? What did you do in your spare time?”

“I kind of had nothing but spare time. My dad didn’t see the point in me going to college since I’d never be allowed to work.” I know Alessia worked for her father and now with her husband, but that was definitely not something most women were able to do. “When I graduated high school, I traveled to Italy and stayed with my mother’s family as much as I could.” It was the one place I felt loved for just being me. “And I started dancing again. I took ballet when I was little but quit when I was in high school. The last few months, I started taking classes to get out of the house and do something rather than sit around waiting for my father to go to prison.” That would have driven me crazy. “What about you?”

“I like to shoot to relieve stress. And box. I enjoy mixed martial arts.”

It’s my turn to nearly choke on my coffee. “Wow. That’s not what I expected.”

She shrugs a slim shoulder, and her green eyes sparkle. “My dad taught me how to handle a gun after…some things happened to me. It helped me work through my shit and not feel so powerless. I could teach you if you want?”

I mull her offer over for a moment. “I’ve never shot a gun before,” I tell her.

“Neither had I the first time I went to the range. But I’ve found it helps me work through things when it all gets too heavy.”

That’s exactly how I feel right now. Everything is too heavy.

“Okay, I’d really appreciate it.”

“Great,” she says. “Grab a Danish.”

Alessia walks to a door I noticed yesterday at the far end of the penthouse and opens it, placing her hand on a scanner on the other side before the narrow elevator door opens.

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