I closed my eyes, listening to the thundering of his heart. Luca kissed the top of my head, startling me with the loving gesture. My heart burst with new hope. Gradually our breathing slowed. Luca reached out for a tissue box on the nightstand and handed me a tissue, before wiping himself clean. I felt self-conscious as I cleaned his sperm from my hand. I couldn’t believe I’d touched him like that. I was still sensitive between my legs and yet I wanted to feel his fingers again. Was it wrong that I enjoyed Luca’s touch so much?
He was my husband, but still. My mother had always treated sex like something only men desired. Women simply did their duty. Luca rubbed my arm and I decided not to think about it too much. I’d do what felt right. I released a small breath, but then my eyes focused on the cut below Luca’s ribs. Blood was trickling from it.
I sat up. “You’re bleeding.” I’d forgotten all about it. “Does it hurt?”
Luca looked utterly relaxed. He cast his gaze down to his wound. “Not much. It’s nothing. I’m used to it.”
I touched the skin below the cut. “It needs stitches. What if it gets infected?”
“Maybe you’ll get lucky and become a young widow.”
I glared. “That’s not funny.” Not after what we’d just done. I felt closer to him than ever, and my father would only find me a new husband anyway.
“If it bothers you so much, why don’t you grab the first aid kit from the bathroom and bring it to me.”
I jumped out of bed and rushed into the bathroom. “Where is it?”
“In the drawer below the sink.”
There wasn’t only one first aid kit. There were about two dozens kits. I picked one and returned to the bedroom but before I joined Luca in bed, I grabbed my nightgown from the ground and put it on. Luca sat against the headboard, still gloriously naked. I concentrated on his torso, embarrassed by his unabashed nakedness.
Luca stroked my cheek when I settled next to him. “Still too shy to look at me after what happened.” He tugged at the hem of my nightgown. “I liked you better without it.”
I pursed my lips. “What do you want me to do?” I set the first aid kit between us and opened it.
“Many things,” Luca murmured.
I rolled my eyes. “With your cut.”
“There are disinfectant wipes. Clean my wound and I’ll prepare the needle.”
I ripped open one of the packets. The overpowering smell of disinfectant clogged my nose. I pulled the wipe out, unfolded it and dabbed it against the cut. Luca twitched but didn’t make a sound. “Does it burn?”
“I’m fine,” he said simply. “Wipe harder.”
I did, and though he jerked a few times, he never told me to stop. Eventually I threw the wipe into the trash and leaned back. Luca pierced his skin with the needle and began stitching himself up, his hands steady and sure. Watching him made me already feel queasy. I couldn’t imagine doing that to myself, but as my eyes wandered over Luca’s body and the many scars I realized that it probably wasn’t the first time he did this. When Luca was satisfied with his job, he chucked away the needle.
“We need to cover it,” I said. I rummaged in the kit for bandages, but Luca shook his head. “It’ll heal faster if it’s allowed to breathe.”
“Really? Are you sure? What if dirt gets in?”
Luca chuckled. “You don’t need to worry. This won’t be the last time I’ll come home injured.” Was I worried? Yes. And I didn’t like the thought of him taking his health so lightly.
Luca opened his arms. “Come.”
“Don’t you have to leave?” I glanced at the clock. It was only eight, but on most days Luca had been gone by then.
“Not today. The Bratva is dealt with for the moment. I’ll have to be in one of the Familia’s clubs in the afternoon.”
I smiled slightly. I couldn’t help it. I was glad I didn’t have to be alone all day again. I snuggled against Luca’s side and he wrapped his arm around me.
“I didn’t expect you to look so happy,” he said quietly.
“I’m lonely.” I hated how weak that made me sound, but it was the truth. Luca’s fingers on my arm tightened.
“I have a few cousins you could hang out with. I’m sure they’d enjoy going shopping with you.”
“Why does everyone think I want to go shopping?”
“Then do something else. Have a coffee, or go to a Spa, or I don’t know.”
“I still have a Spa certificate that I got at my bridal shower.”
“See? If you want I can ask a few of my cousins.”
I shook my head. “I’m not too keen on meeting with another one of your cousins after what Cosima did.”
“What did she do?” He grew rigid beneath me.
I drew back, looking at Luca. Then I realized I’d never told him how I’d found him in bed with Grace and after all the confusion of the last few days he’d never asked. He’d probably had more than enough on his plate with the Bratva.
“She gave me the letter that led me to you and Grace.” Saying her name made my stomach turn again, and unwanted memories resurfaced. I sat up, away from Luca’s warmth. I drew my legs up against my chest, overwhelmed by all that had happened.
Luca pushed himself into a sitting position and pressed a kiss against my shoulder. “Cosima gave you a letter that told you to go the apartment?” His voice was tight with barely controlled anger.
I nodded, then swallowed before I dared to speak. “And a key. It’s still in my bag.”
“That fucking bitch,” he growled.
“Who?”
“Both of them. Grace and Cosima. They’re friends. Grace must have put Cosima up to this. That cunt.”
I flinched away from the fury in his voice. He let out a harsh breath and sneaked an arm around my waist, pulling me against his chest and burying his face in my hair.