Page 5 of Luca

When she noticed me approaching, I saw her tense, just for a moment, before she hid it behind a polite smile. My heart sped up at her nearness.

“I’d thought you’d gone to bed. Everything okay?” I asked, keeping my voice low and calm. Inside, I was anything but.

“Marcie has. I wanted to get some air,” she replied, her tone controlled, but I could hear the undercurrent of tension.

Claire turned her face slightly, taking in the dimly lit garden grounds again. “This place is… impressive.”

“It has its charms,” I said, letting a slow smile tug at my lips. I could see her trying to maintain a distance, but I wasn’t fooled. Her eyes lingered on me a moment too long, her breath hitching slightly when I stepped closer.

“Claire,” I murmured, my voice dropping as I closed the distance between us, “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since we met.”

I saw it again, the flicker of desire in her eyes before she masked it. “This isn’t a good idea, Luca.”

“Bad ideas are often the most tempting,” I countered, stepping closer until the heat of her body wrapped around me. Her scent—fresh and floral—flooded my senses, making it impossible to think of anything but her.

“Luca…” Her voice wavered, but she didn’t pull away. There was uncertainty in her eyes, as if she was caught between surrendering to the attraction between us and holding back.

Unable to resist from touching her any longer, I reached out. My fingers brushed lightly against her arm. Her skin was warm,soft, and I felt her shiver. She was trying to fight it, but her resolve was slipping.

I slid my hand to the small of her back, drawing her closer. She resisted for a heartbeat before yielding, her lips parting with a soft gasp. It was all the invitation I needed. I bent my head and kissed her.

The moment our lips met, it was like a fuse had been lit. The world around us vanished. Her lips were soft, her taste intoxicating, and I wanted more.

Unable to stop myself, I deepened the kiss, my hand cupping her cheek, feeling her melt into me as her hands gripped my jacket. Her lips moved against mine with a fervour that matched my own, each touch electrifying and urgent, as if the world had faded into insignificance.

But then, as suddenly as it began, it was over. Claire pulled back. Her breath was quick, her chest rising and falling as she put a trembling hand against my torso to keep me at bay. “Luca, no. We can’t do this,” she said in a breathy tone.

Not yet willing to let her go completely, I kept a hand wrapped loosely around her waist. “Why not?” I asked, my voice tight with emotion.

“Because of what you do,” she said, her words steadier now.

My blood ran cold. “What I do?”

“I know what you are, Luca. And I can’t get involved with a criminal,” she replied.

A weight settled in my chest, the truth of her words hanging in the air like a dark cloud. I could deny it, but I knew it would be pointless. Claire was a smart woman and obviously had figured out there was more to me and the Rominov’s than we pretended. Frustration simmered beneath the surface, battling with the longing that stirred deep inside me.

“You’re a criminal defence lawyer, Claire. You work with criminals all the time. What’s the problem?”

She bristled.

“I work with criminals, yes. But I didn’t become a defence lawyer to get them off. I did it because I believe in the law and our legal system’s principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty’. It’s the prosecution’s job to prove guilt, and mine to ensure that evidence is legitimate, so no innocent person goes to jail. That doesn’t mean I condone breaking the law. And just because I defend criminals doesn’t mean I want to get personally involved with one,” she said, her eyes flashing with anger.

My jaw tightened. I wasn’t used to rejection, and coming from Claire, it stung more than I expected.

“I’m not just a criminal, Claire. There’s more to me than that,” I protested, hoping she could see beyond the surface.

She met my gaze, regret shimmering in her brown eyes. “I’m sure there is, but it doesn’t change the fact that you are, and I can’t condone that. I’m sorry, but whatever this is between us isn’t enough for me to set aside my morals.”

A flicker of desperation surged within me as I studied her, memorising the way her eyes pleaded with me to understand, to let her go. But how could I? How could I walk away from something this powerful, this undeniable? I hadn’t felt anything like before. I had to see her again, had to make her understand that what was between us was worth pursuing, regardless of my shady side.

“Let me see you again,” I said, my voice softening, almost a plea.

She shook her head, her expression pained. “I can’t. We’re on opposite sides of a line that can’t be crossed.”

I stared at her, frustration and longing churning inside me. I didn’t want to accept it, didn’t want to let her walk away. But I could see she wasn’t going to change her mind tonight. She was determined, strong-willed. I admired that as much as it drove me crazy.

“Besides, I can tell you’re a player, Luca, and I’m not a woman who can be played with. I won’t be just another notch on your bedpost. It’s best if we remain simply friends,” she said, and her words hit me like a punch to the gut.

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