Page 38 of The Prices We Pay
“Sebastian,” Luca says as he looks at me like I have two heads. “Did you not hear who found her today? Damien Popov. We need to get to her apartment and make sure she’s okay.”
“She’s fine, Luca. Enzo’s there with her. Nothing is going to happen to her with him—”
“She’s not fucking fine! The head of the fucking Bratva sent one of his men to send us a message. She could have died! Now pull your head out of your fucking ass and drive the goddamn car!”
There it is.
Luca’s chest heaves as I clench my molars together. “Oh shit,” Dante grumbles from the back.
Not taking my eyes off Luca, I ask him, “D, would you mind running in and grabbing us our order? I’m going to have a word with Luca.”
“Have fun getting your ass handed to you.” Dante climbs out of the car, and my stare remains fixed on Luca.
But no matter how much I want to punish him for his tone, I know that’s not what he needs right now. He doesn’t need me to take control of the situation. Right now, what he needs most is to feel everything he’s been trying to avoid, and the fact that she almost got hurt is bringing everything to the surface.
“Baby…”
“Don’t, Seb,” he snaps as he stares out the front of the car. “You can chew my ass later, just… not right now. Okay?”
Reaching across the car, I grip his jaw, forcing him to look back at me. “I was going to say that I understand.”
He looks at me incredulously. “You understand?”
“You’re someone who’s used to having all the cards. You deal with every hand with precision. You know what cards are where at all times, but you’ve just been dealt the biggest wild card of all time.”
He scoffs. “Please. Damien is—”
“I’m not talking about him. I’m talking about Joe.” He stiffens in his seat. “You thought you had what you needed in life, but I think having her around has made you realize that there’s more you want. And I don’t know how else to tell you that I will support whatever that is. No one but you gives a shit that you’re her boss. No one but you gives a shit that you want her just as much as you want me. And no one but you gives a shit that you give a shit.”
He tries to fight a grin but loses. Leaning into my hand, he whispers, “I’m afraid, Mio Re.”
“Of what?”
“She can’t protect herself like we can. What if I have her and then I lose her? I don’t know if I could handle a loss like that again.”
I should have known that was his fear. He may have been young when he lost his mother. But the toll it took on him and Pascal isn’t something I’d wish upon anyone. However… “I think she can handle protecting herself just fine.”
His eyes narrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
I huff out a laugh. “You’ll know when she’s ready to tell you.” I drop my forehead to his and thread my fingers through his dark hair. “In the meantime… just let thisbe,Baby. Let whatever is meant to happen here happen. Be open to what she can offer you. Just like you are with me. Just like you are with Dante and Enz. Whatever is meant to happen between us will happen. We will figure it all out. Just let itbe.Okay?”
It takes a moment, but he finally nods softly. “Okay.”
I kiss him quickly before sitting back in my seat and then push the button on my door to roll down his window. “You can come in now,” I say to Dante, who’s standing outside the car with bags full of our food.
Luca scrubs a hand down his face as Dante climbs his ginormous body back inside. And like he knows Dante is about to open his mouth, Luca holds his hand in the air and says, “Say one word, and you’re fired.”
Dante and I both bark out a laugh before I put the car in drive.
18
Luca
Let it be.
Let it be.
Let. It. Be.
