Just the mention of that awful House sent bitter anger coursing through my veins. “He doesn’t want to have any part in that House.”
“He never has. But we don’t get to choose our destinies. Luc’s destiny is to set House Salvatici on the road to redemption, no matter what that entails. And yours is to keep him centered so he can do that.”
I blinked rapidly, willing back the tears as I studied Luc’s sleeping face, so angelic and at peace for the moment.
Was that my destiny? To keep him centered so he could rule his twisted House? Originally, I’d thought my destiny was to find my friend Elena’s killer. That belief was what had brought me to Luc in the first place. But now... After everything that had happened, I knew that had just been fate drawing us together.
My true destiny—my purpose—was simply to love Luc. To make sure he always knew he was not and never would be like the monsters who’d created him. To be his safe harbor whenever he was weary. To protect him, just as he’d protected me too many times to count.
“I-I don’t know how to make him do something he doesn’t want to do.”
“You’ll find a way. Luc loves you. He’d do anything for you. If you ask, he’ll even do the one thing he’s avoided his whole life.”
I looked up at Marco. “If I tell him abo—”
“You can’t tell him.”
“But—”
“If Luc finds out his father threatened you in any way, he’ll go after him. He won’t even hesitate. And you saw what happened when Dante did that. If Luc were to attack the Grand Duke, then all this will be for nothing. You can’t let that happen. You have to figure out a way to get Luc back to Italy on your own.”
My chest seized. I hated this. I hated every part of it. Sniffling, I said, “We promised each other we wouldn’t keep secrets.”
“This isn’t a secret. It’s the difference between life and death. For Luc. For thousands.”
Before I could respond, Marco pushed away from the dresser. “Try not to stress too much. We’ve got time. You don’t have to figure it all out today. I just wanted you to start thinking about it.”
With the glass in one hand, he stepped close and squeezed my shoulder in a way that was meant to be reassuring, but did nothing to ease my tension. “We’ll be landing in about twenty minutes. I’ll come back in just before touchdown to help hold him still so he doesn’t slide off the bed. For the next few days at least, the most important thing is making sure Luc’s body heals and that his head isn’t too screwed up from what happened. We’ll deal with all the rest later.”
I nodded, and quietly, Marco left the room. But alone with Luc, as I looked back down at his relaxed face and stroked his silky hair, I knew there was no way I could keep from stressing over the deal I’d made.
Those daggers stabbed deep all over again, twisting pain through the center of my chest. Luc might be able to get over what those Knights had done to him with that whip. He might be able to move past that woman raping him in front of his entire House. But if I forced him to go back to Italy, for whatever reason, he’d think I was choosing his family over him.
And that wouldn’t just be betrayal in his eyes. That would be a treachery that could very well shatter the bond we’d finally solidified between us.
3
Luc
I hurt. Everywhere. And I wasn’t sure why.
Groaning against the bright light burning my eyeballs even when they were closed, I tried to roll away from the glow, only doing so caused every muscle in my body to rebel and a searing pain to shoot across my back.
“Luc?” Natalie’s sweet voice echoed in my ears as the mattress dipped and something soft brushed against my temple.
I breathed through the pain and shifted my head against the mattress so I could see her. Only I couldn’t see her. And I was lying on my stomach.
I hated sleeping on my stomach. I was a back sleeper. Always. I blinked several times to try to bring her into focus, but my vision was still blurry. Why the hell weren’t my eyes working?
“No, don’t try to get up,” Natalie said above me, still running her silky fingers over my temple and into my hair. And damn, I definitely liked that even if I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me.
“Ang…io...letto?” Shit. Did I just slur that?
“Yes,” she whispered near my ear. “It’s me, and I’m right here. Right where I’ve been for the last two days.” Her soft lips skimmed my temple, sending a burst of warmth straight into my chest. And oh, but I really liked that.
I closed my eyes and savored the silky-soft touch of her fingers in my hair, the calming scent of grapefruit and honey swirling around me, and her sweet heat rushing over my skin that was making me tingle everywhere.
I shifted my hand to reach out and pull her close, but before I could move my arm even a few inches, blinding pain shot down my spine all over again. A groan that didn’t sound like me echoed through the room. But I knew it had come from me. I’d felt it in my chest.
Twisting my face so it pressed against the mattress, I tried to push up on my hands, but that only sent pain spiraling through my back again, and I didn’t get very far before I collapsed against the bed with a groan.
“Luc.” Panic filled Natalie’s voice, sending the hair on my nape right to attention. “Oh shit. Please. Don’t move yet. Let me get Marco. I don’t want you to rip any of your stitches.” She leaned in close, and I caught a whiff of her intoxicating scent as she kissed my temple. “I’ll be right back. Stay still.”
She was there and gone before I could protest. Footsteps sounded. Then I heard her frantic voice—muffled, but definitely stressed—a distance away.
I wasn’t sure what was going on, but something was definitely wrong with me. Stitches? I had stitches?
I couldn’t remember being hurt. I couldn’t remember anything. As I tried to figure out what had happened, all I came up with was a big blank nothing. My brain felt like pea soup. And every time I tried to move... Motherfucker, that hurt.
“Hey.” Footsteps sounded with the voice. The familiar voice. My oldest friend Marco’s voice. Hands closed over my arm on one side. “Easy now. Deep breaths, Luc.”
I ground my teeth together and managed to push myself up on my hands even though my back was on fire and I was sweating from just that little movement. Whispered voices echoed around me but I was too focused on just getting off my damn stomach to look to see who was in the room with us.
I managed to pull my legs under me and shift them to the side of the bed so I could sit. Marco held me at both arms as if he was afraid I might topple over. Twice I swayed, and even though I had no fucking clue why I was so weak, I was suddenly glad he was there.
“Hold on, Luc.” Felicity. That was Felicity’s voice in front of me. My stupid eyes still weren’t working. “We’ll get that taken care of for you.”
I had no idea what she was blabbering about. I was too focused on breathing, not falling over, and trying to figure out what the fuck was going on to care.
Something sharp stabbed into my arm.
“Che... cazzo.” I jerked.