Page 46 of Desperately Delicate Viper

“No.” He shakes his head. “I can never thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me, Ands, but it’s time I start doing for myself.”

I squeeze his hand and kiss his cheek.

“Okay. As long as you know that I’malwayshere when you need help. There’s no shame in needing people.”

“I know.” He lets out a breath that manages to convey a sense of closure and determination in a way I had no idea a simple exhale could. He pats my hand and gets back to his feet. “If it really is okay, I will stay for a night or two. Then I have to get back to campus to start taking my finals.”

“Of course it’s okay,” I assure him.

“I’m going to go back to my dorm and pack a bag, and then I’ll be back. How about if I pick up some takeout on my way? It’s been ages since we’ve eaten Thai food and watched mindless action movies, what do you say?”

I ruffle my brother’s hair and grin. “It sounds great. Get enough food for Luca too. Hold on, I can give you some cash for it.”

I start to leave the bathroom, but Finn snags my arm and shakes his head. “I’ve got it, Ands.”

I sigh and chuckle. Fuck, this is going to take some getting used to. But he’s right, I can’t treat him like a little kid forever. He’s a full-blown adult with a grown-up job and a college degree and everything. Hell, he’s adulting harder than I am if I take all that into account.

I walk him to the door and give him my key so he can let himself back in. Then, I wander back down the hall to find Luca in the living room. The floor looks bare without the rug in the middle of it, but other than that, there’s no sign whatsoever of what happened here today. The wall is clean, and there’s even a rough spot with drying paint over the bullet hole.

He sits up as soon as he sees me, scooting to the edge of the couch and glancing behind me for my brother.

“He went to pack a bag so he can stay for a couple of days. He’s going to pick up dinner on his way back,” I fill Luca in as I cross the living room towards him.

I grin and shove him forcefully back onto the couch when I reach him, then climb onto his lap, straddling his thighs. His cock immediately plumps and so does mine, but neither of us does anything to acknowledge it. He just wraps his arms around me and lets me fold myself into him so I can rest my head on his shoulder.

“How’s he doing?”

I huff out a humorless laugh. “Better than expected. He’s probably just repressing the trauma, but considering he still has finals to get through and a new job starting in a few weeks, it’s for the best right now. He can deal with it in therapy once everything settles down again. Or, you know, by getting really into rough sex and murder for revenge, since that seems to be the most popular way to cope around here.”

Luca chuckles, his chest vibrating against mine, the relaxed sound filling me with warmth from head to toe and solidifying the strangely normal feeling settling over me. Maybe I’m repressing a bit too, but I’m okay with it.

“You know, they say most therapists go into the field to learn how to heal their own trauma, so at least I’ll fit right in when I start my classes,” I say, realizing as the words leave my mouth that I’ve already made a decision about what I want the next phase of my life to look like.

I sit up so I can look at Luca. He’s smiling, his eyes dancing with pride and light and the same deep, palpable adoration that’s been there since the first night we met. I cup his jaw and drag my thumb over the rough stubble of his cheek.

“You’re going to apply?”

“Yeah, I am. I have to do something to stay busy while my boyfriend is at work all day. I can’t just lay around his apartment all day like a lump,” I joke, and his grin gets even wider.

“Does that mean you’re staying?”

I nod. “I’m staying.”

“Good,” he growls, grabbing the back of my neck and dragging me close so our lips are only a few inches apart. “Because I was never planning to let you go.”

I laugh and bump my nose against his, then nip roughly at his bottom lip, savoring the hiss of his breath that puffs hotly over my mouth.

“I love you.” The words bypass my brain altogether and jump straight to my lips. I shiver as they fill the air between us and Luca drags in a sharp breath, tightening his grip on the back of my neck.

“Are you sure you’re not just in shock?” There’s a hint of teasing in his voice, but the mild tremor of worry is much louder.

“I’m not in shock.” I brush my lips against his again, more and more sure of my feelings with every hot spark that ignites between us and the warm, fullness that swells inside my chest. “In fact, I’m more clearheaded than I’ve been in years. You saw the real me when I felt like a shell. You wanted the dark parts of me, the ugly parts of me, the difficult parts of me, like no one else ever has. You love me, Luca Moretti, and I love you.”

His lips quiver and he puffs out a trembling exhale that’s not quite a laugh. “I want to tease you right now, but you’re absolutely right, my little viper, I do love you. I love your beauty and your venom. I love all your sweet parts, and the salty ones too. Don’t ever change, just let me bask in the fiery glow.”

“Yes,” I murmur breathlessly, crushing our lips together again in a fierce kiss this time, pouring all the too-big emotions inside of me into the tangle of our tongues and the clash of our mouths.

Of all the men in this city I could have robbed that night, I’m really fucking glad it was Luca Moretti.

---