Page 83 of A Wife's Duty

“Look what my family took from you. You had the perfect family. You had the perfect life, and they stole it.” Lucia hated them.

There was a new kind of hatred filling her body at this very moment. “They killed your family. It’s only right that you kill me. There is no way we could have any kind of happiness.” She let out a sniffle. “You deserve so much more, and someone who is so much better.”

Hatred was a powerful feeling. She had tried not to hate her family, but right now, in that moment, she couldn’t help but hate every one of them.

Boone put his glass on the coffee table and cupped her cheeks. “Look at me,” he said.

Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Her family had made his suffer, and that was unacceptable.

“You’re not like them,” Boone said. “I can see it in your eyes that you’re hurting for me. You don’t have to hurt for me.” And then he leaned in close and took possession of her lips. “You never have to hurt for me.”

Lucia kissed him back. She couldn’t help it. Even though she didn’t believe it was right for her to kiss him, because he deserved someone better. Someone who wasn’t part of a family that had taken everything from him.

She pressed her head against his. Lucia wanted to tell him how much she loved him, but now was not the time. She didn’t know when that time would be, but it wasn’t now.

****

Boone never planned to tell Lucia the truth of his past. He’d tried to forget it. He’d tried to ignore that burning rage in his gut. His father had told him many times that a real man controlled his emotions and didn’t make mistakes. His father had made mistakes, and it had gotten him killed.

All those years ago, Boone had kept a level head. It was all down to choices. The ones they made and of course the ones they didn’t make.

Glancing at Lucia, he had every intention of leaving Valdez and Bonaldi well enough alone. Then, two things happened: one, the attack on Howard and Nancy, which made him wake up and pay attention to what Bonaldi’s greed had done. He tried to ignore it, tried to move on, tried to make out in his own head that this was not his problem, and it really wasn’t. His father had died long ago.

Then, he caught the video of Lucia being hit, and that had triggered something within him.

He knew the men in the Bonaldi family were cruel. Their wives were often sporting bruises or some sign of a beating. It was how they kept their women in line. They loved the lifestyle, and he knew some of the women had even accepted it.

Lucia had been different from the start. She tried to avoid the hits, and it had also been unprovoked.

That was when he couldn’t turn back. He’d been on the verge of quitting, leaving everything behind, not giving a shit about anyone or anything. Lucia’s situation had changed it all. And now, it was time to end it.

She rolled over and sat up. “You’re leaving?”

“Yes.”

“What about my ink?” Lucia asked. “You’re supposed to be taking me back to Cameron.”

“Frank is going to be here in the morning. He already knows the drill and he knows Cameron.”

“Boone ... please.”

He cupped her face. “I’ll be back in no time.”

He went to leave but she captured his hand. “Stay until the morning, for me, please.”

Damn it. He wanted to get this done. Enzo Junior and Bruno were waiting, along with a few other tasks. He looked at Lucia and knew he should say no.

“Son, if there is one thing I would ever ask for, it would be to be with your mother for another minute. Don’t ever allow yourself to be pulled away from having those couple of extra minutes. They matter. Those minutes are important. Nothing else.”

Boone was already dressed and pulled his shirt from his body. Lucia surprised him by sinking onto the floor at his feet. He didn’t push her away or tell her to stop. Instead, he watched as she eased the button of his pants open, and then lowered the zipper down over his dick. At the moment, he wasn’t hard.

He’d been about to leave, to start a lot of killing, and to right a wrong. Now, as Lucia stared at him intently, he pushed that shit out of his mind and focused on the woman currently at his feet. She looked so fucking beautiful.

Reaching out, he stroked her cheek, not wanting to leave her. Her green eyes stared up at him, and he was pretty sure he knew his wife was already in love with him. He loved her too, but he wasn’t going to tell her or force her to admit the truth to him.

He stepped out of the pants, kicking off his sneakers as he did so. Lucia gripped the edge of his boxers and began to lower them down his body. Within seconds, they were gone, and he was naked while Lucia wore one of his favorite silk negligees.

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