Page 42 of Forsaken Promises

Easy, Sofia.

But there’s something about this man that draws me in, that makes me want to know more. He seems lost in thought, his gaze fixed on the Sicura house with an intensity that borders on obsession.

Before I can stop myself, I find myself walking toward him, my curiosity getting the better of me. “Excuse me,” I call out, my voice sounding oddly breathless to my own ears. “Who are you? Are you alright? Do you need anything?”

The man turns to face me, his dark eyes boring into mine with a depth of emotion that takes my breath away. “My name is Luca,” he says, his voice low and rough. “Luca Strambo. And the only thing I need is revenge. Are you in the business?”

I let out a laugh. “No, I’m not. But it seems like Dom has a line of people who hate his guts.”

The words slip out before I can stop them, a bitter truth that I’ve been trying so hard to ignore. But there’s something about Luca that makes me want to confide in him, that makes me feel like he might understand the tumultuous emotions that are tearing me apart inside.

Luca’s gaze sharpens with a newfound interest as he assesses me, his dark eyes glinting with a blend of curiosity and calculation. “So, who else is in line?” he asks. “Who else has a bone to pick with the infamous Dominico Sicura?”

I let out a bitter laugh, the sound harsh and grating even to my own ears. “Well, I am, obviously,” I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “I’m the poor soul who became his wife, after all.”

The words are meant to be a joke, a flippant remark to mask the pain that’s tearing me apart inside. But even as I say them, I feel a wave of bitter anguish wash over me, a reminder of all the ways Dom has hurt me, all the times he’s made me feel like just another notch on his bedpost.

I really thought I was special, that I was the only one for him, the girl who would finally tame the wild Sicura heir and make him settle down. But I was just fooling myself. I’m just another name on a long list of girls he’s used and tossed aside, another heart for him to break and discard like yesterday’s trash.

Luca’s eyes widen slightly, a flicker of surprise and something else—something that looks almost like admiration—crossing his face. “Well, well,” he murmurs, his voice low and intense. “It seems there’s more to you than meets the eye, Mrs. Sicura.”

I know I should walk away, should put an end to this conversation before it goes too far. But there’s something about Luca that draws me in, that makes me want to throw caution to the wind.

And so I find myself smiling back, my heart pounding with anticipation. “Please,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “Call me Sofia.”

“Sofia,” he murmurs, making it sound like a caress.

I feel a flush of heat rise to my cheeks, a mix of pleasure and unease at the way he says my name, like it’s a secret he’s been entrusted with. “I’m just a woman who’s been wronged,” I say, trying to keep my voice light and casual. “Like so many others, I’m sure.”

But Luca shakes his head, a slow, dangerous smile spreading across his face. “Oh, I don’t think you’re like anyone else, Sofia,” he says. “In fact, I think you might just be the most interesting person I’ve met in a long, long time.”

I swallow hard, my heart pounding in my chest as I try to ignore the way his words make me feel, the way they send a shiver of excitement racing down my spine. “That’s very kind of you to say,” I manage, my voice sounding oddly breathless to my own ears. “But I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”

Luca leans in closer, his eyes boring into mine with an intensity that steals the breath from my lungs. “What I’m getting at,” he murmurs, his voice low and conspiratorial, “is that if you ever need help exacting your revenge on dear Dominico, I’d be more than happy to lend a hand.”

I stare at him for a long moment, my mind racing as I try to process his words. Is he serious? Is he really offering to help me get back at my own husband, to make him pay for all the ways he’s hurt and betrayed me?

A part of me is tempted, so tempted to take him up on his offer, to let myself be swept away by the dark, dangerous thrill of revenge, to finally take control of my own destiny and make Dom suffer the way he’s made me suffer.

But I know I can’t. I know that as much as I may want to hurt Dom, as much as I may want to see him brought low… I can’t stoop to his level. I can’t become the kind of person who takes pleasure in other people’s pain, who revels in the destruction of the ones they once loved.

And so I force myself to smile, to shake my head and let out a soft, tinkling laugh. “Thank you for the offer, Luca,” I say, my voice warm and sincere, “but I think I'll have to pass. Revenge may be sweet, but it’s not really my style.”

My sisters would completely disagree with that statement. After all, Iama Marino. Revenge is in my blood.

But Luca doesn’t need to know that.

Luca nods slowly, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face before he masks it with a rueful smile. “Fair enough,” he says, his voice tinged with a hint of regret. “But if you ever change your mind… you know where to find me.”

I nod, a genuine smile tugging at the corner of my lips even though Idon’tknow where to find him. “I’ll keep that in mind,” I say, my voice soft and sincere. “And thank you, Luca. For the support, and for the reminder that I’m not alone in this.”

He inclines his head, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Anytime, Sofia,” he murmurs, his voice low and intimate. “Anytime at all.”

And with that, I turn and walk away, my head held high and my heart racing in my chest.

As I settle into the back of the car, my mind can’t help but drift back to the strange interaction with Luca. The way he was watching the house so intently, the intensity of his gaze and the weight of his words… it all feels surreal, like something out of a movie or a dream.

I shake my head, trying to push the thoughts from my mind. I have enough to worry about without adding mysterious strangers and cryptic offers of revenge to the mix. Right now, I need to focus on my family, on the people who have always been there for me no matter what.

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