LUCA (You Will Be Mine) (The Sicilian Mafia Series Book 1) (25 page)

“There are things you don’t know about your boyfriend. Things I personally think a lovely young girl like you would run a mile from. He’s not the man you think he is.”

Standing my ground, I glared at him. “I’m not blind, Mr. Cavelli. I understand the kind of work Luca does for a living.”

“Of course not. I was never insinuating that you were stupid. I can tell you’re a very bright girl. The thing I want to ask you is: What do you really know about Luca? You’ve been together, what? Nearly four months now? How much do you really know about your boyfriend? Oh, I’m sure you know him very intimately, but it really ends there, doesn’t it, Clara?”

Stunned by the force of his words, I stood my ground. “What I know about Luca is none of your business. What Luca and I do is none of your business.”

Smiling and staring at my breasts again, he said, “Of course it isn’t. I just don’t want to see a nice girl like you getting hurt. He has secrets, Clara. Dark ones.”

Not wanting to hear anymore, I pushed past him. “I think you’ve said quite enough.” With a triumphant smirk, he nodded his head and let me pass.

I was wound tighter than a monkey’s nuts. I was pissed off that I had let him get to me. Pissed off at the way he was leering at me the whole time. Most of all, though, I was pissed off because what he said was true. I knew nothing about Luca other than what we had together. He knew my past, knew what I had been through, and yet I knew nothing about him.

Getting back to the table, I grabbed my coat. “We need to go.” Sensing my sudden anger and unease, they all rose from their chairs, and we quickly made a beeline for the road.

Once we got out onto the noisy street, Belinda grabbed my arm. “What happened in there?”

“Antonio Cavelli happened in there! How on earth did he get past us all without anyone noticing?”

They all looked stunned. “He certainly didn’t come past us while we sat waiting for you. He didn’t hurt you, did he?” The look of care and annoyance on Samantha’s face made my anger calm a little.

“No, he didn’t. It was what he said that pissed me off.”

“What did he say?”

Looking down the end of the road to the car park, I spotted Tony getting out of the car to get ready for us. I stopped dead in my tracks and looked at the three of them.

“He just said some shit about me not knowing anything about Luca, that’s all.”

Belinda shook her head. “I wouldn’t listen to a word that arsehole said. Remember what he did last time? He’s a lying piece of scum.”

I scratched my head. “I know what you’re saying.”

Belinda’s eyes widened. “You believe him, don’t you?”

I sighed. “Well, come on, Belinda. I probably know as much as you do about Luca. What the fuck do I know about him? He seems to know the ins and outs of me, but I know sod all about him.” I often did wonder at times, but because I was having so much fun with Luca, I never pushed it.

Grabbing my arm, Mia looked me in the eye. “Look, I know what you’re saying, but one thing we all know for sure is that Antonio Cavelli is a bad man, and he seems intent on breaking you two apart. Are you going to let him do that? Again?”

Sighing, I looked down to the floor for a moment before meeting Mia’s sparkling, bright eyes. “No, you’re right. No wonder Alessandro loves you so much.”

Mia’s eyes twinkled ever brighter as she blushed. She and Alessandro had been going just as strong as Luca and I. She had given it all up for him of course. She didn’t want to leave, and I wasn’t about to let her go, so I offered her a position as the right-hand woman to my right-hand woman, Belinda. Both girls have been doing a stand-up job running the place, and as for me, my job has been so much easier. Half the time, I could just sit back, relax, and let the money roll in. It got me antsy at times as I was still used to doing it all myself. Letting others take control was not easy for the first couple of months, but I had been learning to live with it and had even been enjoying myself a lot more. All of my girls thought Luca was a blessing in disguise for me. They thought I’d become a changed woman—in a nice way of course. Rachael didn’t feel the same, but the others have welcomed the change.

“See, there’s the smile we all know and love. Don’t let what that bastard said get to you. I know you, Clara. You’re going to stew on everything he said, but don’t let it rule you. He’s won if you do.” I smiled at Samantha, but noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. It would seem Tony had noticed our little huddle and knew something was wrong.

“What’s happened?” He could definitely tell something was up.

“It’s nothing, Tony. Let’s go home.”

Tony stood strong. “Something’s happened. What is it?”

With a shy smile, Mia looked up to Tony. “Antonio Cavelli happened.”

I glared at Mia. I didn’t want to be starting trouble. Not here.

“Where?” Pretty soon there were two others joining him. Did they have fucking radar? “In the café down the road there,” Mia pointed to where we had just been. “He cornered Clara when she came out of the toilets.”

Feeling a little annoyed, I said, “Okay, Mia. I think I can speak for myself.”

Belinda and Samantha smiled knowingly. Yeah, I was being the alpha female again. I didn’t like people speaking for me. Not when I had a perfectly adequate tongue in my mouth.

“Yes, of course. Sorry.” Mia looked away timidly, and I felt like such a shit.

“Did he hurt you?”

Snapping my attention back to Tony, I shook my head. “No, he was just being a prick.” I smiled trying to lighten the mood, but Tony and the others were off. I knew it would be a wasted journey. Antonio would be long gone by now.

With a sigh, we all walked towards the car. I pulled Mia into my shoulder and planted a kiss on her head. “I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

Mia laughed and squeezed me back. “That’s okay. I know what you’re like and should have realised… Sorry.”

Standing by the car, it wasn’t long before Tony and the others were back. “Let me guess. He wasn’t there?”

Tony shook his head. “Luca’s super pissed, and he wants you back at The Castle—pronto.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course. We can’t keep the lord and master waiting, can we?”

I was trying to be light-hearted about it all, but the whole journey back, I couldn’t help but replay Antonio’s words back in my head. How much did I really know about Luca? I was mad because I didn’t want what Antonio said get to me. But how could it not when there was some truth to what the arsehole had said?

Getting back to The Castle in next to no time, it wasn’t long before Luca was out the door and running towards me. “I’m going to rip that fucker’s heart out. What did he say?”

Ignoring him, I carried on up the stairs to the door. “Why do you look so worried, Luca?”

Huffing he shouted, “Don’t play fucking games with me. What did he say?”

Stopping momentarily in the hallway, I was aware that an audience was gathering. “I’m not having this conversation here.”

Getting madder, Luca stood his ground. “Well, let’s go up to the tower and discuss it.”

I gestured to the bar and smiled at him. “I will do. But I will get a drink first. I’m suddenly dying for one after all that shopping.”

Luca looked dazed and flustered. “What the fuck? Clara, get your fucking ass up the stairs now!”

I glared at him. “No! Drink first and then we talk.”

Walking towards the bar, I noticed a number of my girls—and even some of Luca’s men—smiling in amusement at our little battle of the sexes thing we had going on.

I’m not sure if Luca was shocked or too angry and high on adrenaline to act, but he let me go without a word.

I sat down at the bar and gestured towards Bill. “Hey, Bill, can I get a brandy—neat—please?

“Certainly, Clara.”

Swivelling my chair around, I noticed a very pissed off Luca glaring at me along with some highly amused faces. “I’m ever so parched,” I said, winking.

Forgetting himself for a moment, Alessandro blurted, “Oh Luca, I think you’re in trouble now.”

Luca glared at him with clenched fists. “Shut the fuck up!”

I got angry. “Don’t you dare speak to him like that!”

“Or what, Clara? Tell me?”

Downing my drink in one go, I shouted, “Or the next time you’ll be moaning my name it won’t be because I’ve just given you the best fucking orgasm you ever had in your life!”

Shocked and regaled is what I would call everyone’s expressions. It didn’t take a genius to realise Luca had had enough. “Are you finished with your drink now?”

Shaking my head, I stood firm. I was finished, but I’d be damned if I let Luca have his way anytime soon. “No. In fact, I think I’ll have another.” I was about to swivel my barstool back round to Bill when I felt his hands on me.

“You’ve had enough because I say you’ve had enough!” Luca picked me up like a rag doll and threw me over his shoulder. No one was surprised by this. It was definitely a regular occurrence in this house.

Just for an added show of authority Luca smacked my arse. I really didn’t want to yelp, but it was so shocking that I couldn’t help it. “You fucking arsehole!” I seethed.

Once in “our tower” as we seemed to now be calling it, Luca placed me down on the bed and towered above me. I had to snigger at that. He always wanted to assert his authority over me. Even now!

“Are you going to stop acting like a child and talk to me?”

I could have spat back, but I held my tongue. Instead I surprised him. “Who are you?” I figured it was about time we had this conversation.

“What do you mean? I’m Luca, the man you—”

“What, Luca? What? The man I’m fucking, ‘cos we seem to be doing very little else. You know everything about me, and yet I know diddly-squat about you.”

Clenching his fists, Luca bared his teeth. “You know we mean more to each other than that.”

Deciding I didn’t much like sitting on the bed with a towering lion hovering above me, I decided to stand. “Really? Don’t kid yourself. What do I know about you? Oh yes, you’re an Italian, hard-nosed, domineering little arsehole who likes piña colada’s
and getting caught in the fucking rain!”

Getting up in my face, Luca locked my eyes with his. “What did he say to you? What did the fucker say to get you so angry? You mean everything to me. I thought you would know that by now. I keep telling you as much.”

I shook my head in exasperation. “That’s the thing. They’re just words, just goddamned fucking words. They don’t mean shit.”

“What do you want from me?”

“I want you to tell me the truth!”

Exasperated, Luca let go of my arms and paced the floor running his hands through his hair. Turning back to me, he stood firm like a bull about to charge.

“Okay. You want the truth? I’ll give you the goddamned truth. I fucking love you. Is that what you want to know? I can’t stop thinking about you and haven’t stopped thinking about you since the moment I saw that fucking picture. You’ve stolen my heart, and you’ve stolen my soul. I cannot breathe without you. I cannot live without you. Every time you’re not with me, it’s like I can’t function properly without you. I’m like a fish without water—a fire without its spark. I’m nothing unless I’m with you. Nothing unless I have you in my arms. You’re my missing piece in a symphony, my lantern in the dark. My world. My one and only. You complete me.”

Feeling the tears sting at his words, I walked away. I couldn’t look at him as I knew I would cave. “It’s not enough. I need something—anything. I need more.”

Grabbing my arms and pulling me to face him, Luca looked desperate. “What more can I give you that I haven’t already?”

I momentarily looked down at my feet. “It’s not about the gifts you buy or the number of orgasms you can give me. I need to know what’s in here.” I placed my hand on his heart. “And in here.” I moved my hands to his head.

Sighing in defeat, Luca dropped my arms and turned away. I stood, silently waiting. Every second that passed was like an agonising hour.

Shaking his head, Luca looked down towards the floor, sighing. He groaned, taking a few more deep breaths, and before I could even register it, he turned towards the door and left.

Shocked and bewildered, I sat down on the bed, wondering what the hell had just happened. How on earth could he tell me he loved me in one breath and in the other refuse to let me in? I didn’t know what on earth was going on, but I knew one thing was for certain. I wasn’t going to let this lie—not by a long shot. He would come back, and when he did, he would have some explaining to do.

Three days passed, and I still hadn’t heard from him. A part of me yearned for him, but a huge part of me was royally pissed off. He said he couldn’t live without me, but somehow, he had been managing very well for three days. He was like a walking, talking contradiction, and quite frankly, I had exhausted the many ways I thought we could move on from this. We couldn’t possibly move on. Not at this point. Not unless he was willing to reach out to me and tell me about his past. How could I possibly love someone who was not willing to give all to me? It just didn’t seem fair. Even absent, he was asserting his alpha status by knowing a damn sight more about me than I did about him. He had walked away from me for the time being, but he couldn’t run forever. He would either face me, or we would be done.