Page 43 of Hard Lessons

She held his eye contact in spite of the fact he seemed to be seeing into her soul. To hell with it. She wanted him to witness her real self and see what he’d done to her, what she’d become. He needed to understand that there was something else other than a life of crime out there and it was a safe, secure world without the need to constantly look into the shadows, check every lock, live every day as if it’s the last.

It was what she wanted for her future.

And Luca couldn’t give her that.

Even if he can give me so many other things.

“My love,” he said softly and stroked her hair. “You will never want for anything at my side.”

She didn’t answer, how could she when half of her wanted to be at his side forever—the wild, reckless, passionate piece of her soul—and the other half of her wanted the fairytale ending, or at least a safe happy place to raise a family.

I’ll never have his children.

That thought raced into her mind. It spread down to her chest and caught her breath. Quickly it became a real physical ache. How could she bring a baby into this world?

“What?” he asked, frowning. “Tell me.”

She swallowed. “I’m... I’m hungry.”

He hesitated, then, “So we’ll eat.”

He flicked back the covers and stood.

For a moment she allowed her gaze to drift down his wide torso and the expanse of perfect golden flesh—perfect except for a dent in his right shoulder where a blade had hit target a few years ago. Tight black underwear hugged his butt and when he turned to reach for his jeans, her attention lingered on the bulge of his cock.

He caught her looking.

She turned away.

“Wasn’t easy resisting you last night,” he said, his voice gruff.

“You’d done enough to me, don’t you think?” She dragged the covers up to her chin, hating the treacherous way her pussy quivered at the thought of his cock driving into her again, the way it used to. “My ass still stings.”

“Good, it’s supposed to.”

There was the rustle of material and then he stepped past the bed in his jeans. “There’s the bathroom. Use it. I’ll find us something for breakfast.”

He left the room and closed the door behind him.

An eerie silence settled. London had been full of sounds but here—wherever here was—there was nothing. It was almost deafening, the lack of noise and the whoosh of her pulse in her ears strangely unfamiliar despite the fact it was always there.

And then Luca began to whistle and bang cupboard doors. Metal clanked and a cutlery drawer shook.

She sighed and flicked away the covers. Perhaps a shower would clear her mind and she’d be able to come up with a plan to get out of damn Scotland.

Her suitcase was in the corner of the room along with her handbag. The lock on the case was still intact so she guessed he hadn’t looked through it. Which meant he hadn’t found the money.

Good.

Pausing at the window, she flicked the curtain to one side.

The overwhelming color that greeted her was green. A green paddock, leading to green fields and then rolling green hills. The sky was a pale, milky blue with a few wispy clouds. To the right, though, on the horizon, fat-bellied gray storm clouds were gathering.

To the right a flock of sheep grazed, but they were at least a mile away, if not farther. There were no other signs of life. No buildings, no roads, nothing.

“God help me,” she muttered. If she made a run for it, it would be a long run.

A small red tractor on the horizon came into view. It left a trail of dust and a few white dots signified gulls following in its wake.

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