2. Fiamma

TWO

Fiamma

I wake up to the sound of silence. Perfection. Until I realize I'm not alone.

For a moment, I lie there, staring at the ceiling, wondering if Luca is still asleep—or better yet, gone. The early morning light filters through the heavy drapes, casting a soft glow over the room, and I stretch lazily under the plush, oversized duvet.

My suite. My space.

Or at least, it used to be.

Now I've got a six-foot-four hairy brute for a babysitter sleeping in the other room, cramping my style. I can't even walk to the kitchen in a tank top and panties to grab a drink in the middle of the night without worrying about running into him.

No, now I have to pull on actual clothes. I toss the duvet off and swing my legs over the edge of the bed, the cold hardwood floor a sharp contrast to the warmth of the sheets.

I pick up the phone to text Arianna.

Hey, ho. Are you up? Did you end up still going to the club? FML. Luca Rossi is on my ass. He's staying in my suite, so my holiday just got a lot less fun. Will you drop off my clutch at the lodge? I didn't get a chance to grab it before Luca kidnapped me.

I shouldn't have pitched such a fit last night. Maybe if I hadn't tried to lose him he wouldn't have decided to hole up in my place. I just wanted to meet Arianna and figured he wouldn't be so persistent. Fuck.

I know why. Luca made it abundantly clear last night, his deep, gravelly voice still echoing in my head as he reminded me that this wasn't his idea—Massimo insisted.

Sure. But I know it's Luca's decision to be all up in my space, constantly hovering like I'm some ticking time bomb. As if Marco Vitale is really going to start a war over a few nights together. My family is completely overreacting.

Why didn't Elio give me a heads up? Fucking A. Some brother.

Dick. Why did you sic Luca on me? A little warning would have been nice.

Because we all want to enjoy our holiday here and we have reason to believe Marco is pissed, which means he could try to pull something. It's for your safety .

God, my brother is such a prick. I love him usually, but right now I could strangle him. Condescending asshole.

My safety? Whatever. Thanks for ruining my Christmas.

I stand, padding across the room and pulling the heavy drapes open slightly to peek outside. Snow covers everything, a thick, white blanket that glistens in the morning light. Winter Haven might be beautiful, but it's a prison disguised as a holiday escape at this point.

I could get out and walk to Arianna's, but she hasn't texted back so there is a good chance she didn't even make it home last night. I glance toward the door, considering it. Luca is probably still passed out in his room, or maybe he's out doing his own life. He can't possibly tail me for twenty-four hours a day.

I'll walk to Frost Café, grab a coffee, and be back before he even knows. The thought of outsmarting him gives me a thrill, almost a bigger thrill than the thought of a cappuccino. Beat him at his own game. That in and of itself is motivation enough to try it.

I slide open the wardrobe and pull out a thick sweater and leggings—practical, considering how close I came to getting frostbite last night. Heels were definitely a bad choice. No more of those while I'm stuck in this ice skating rink of a town.

Pulling the sweater over my head, I catch my reflection in the mirror. My hair's a mess, a wild tangle of dark waves, but I kind of like it that way. It suits me. A little messy, a little unpredictable. I run my fingers through it and shrug. No one here to impress, anyway .

As I sit on the edge of the bed to pull on my boots, my phone buzzes. I grab it off the nightstand and see another message from Elio.

I narrow my eyes, my blood boiling at his condescension.

Please behave. Let's all have an uneventful merry Christmas together, okay? Two weeks. Can we please have two weeks of peace?

I throw my phone on the bed, barely resisting the urge to hurl the phone across the room. They can call Luca a bodyguard, tell me it's for my safety… But we all know that he is really a glorified babysitter wrapped up in a six foot four over-exercised body. It's humiliating.

Sure, I slept with Marco Vitale. So what? We had some fun. We were both looking for some unattached excitement a few nights at the club. Both of us knew it wouldn't go anywhere. We are two consenting adults, no biggie.

Of course, it became a big deal when someone caught wind and blabbed about it. The Vitales and the Lucianas hate each other, but both families have survived just fine with that rivalry for years. Nobody's going to start a war over it.

I stand up and move toward the suite's small living area. The suite is as luxurious as everything in the lodge—rich, dark wood paneling, a massive stone fireplace, and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the snow-covered mountains. It's beautiful. Opulent. A cage wrapped in gold.

Holding my breath, I pause at the door, listening for any sound .

Just as I'm about to pull the door open, I hesitate. Is this worth the fight?

Of course it is.

I grab my coat from the hook by the door and slip it on. If I can just get out, just get a cup of coffee without having Luca breathing down my neck, I'll feel better. I can handle this on my own.

Besides, the Vitales aren't even that close to each other and they definitely aren't organized enough to outsmart the Lucianas. People have blown this whole thing way out of proportion.

Taking a deep breath, I turn the handle. Just a quick escape.

I ease the door shut, careful not to let the click echo into the suite. The cold air rushes in as soon as I step out, and for a moment, I savor the thrill of thinking I've pulled it off. I take a deep breath, already imagining the taste of hot coffee, freedom.

I turn around, ready to make my getaway—and freeze.

There he is, standing right in front of me with his arms crossed and the biggest, smuggest grin I've ever seen plastered across his stupidly handsome face.

"Going somewhere?" Luca asks, amusement dripping from his voice.

My mouth opens, and my brain scrambles for something to say. "I was… uh… looking for you," I stammer, crossing my arms in what I hope looks like casual defiance. "I thought you might want coffee. You know, since I was heading out. "

His smile fades into a scowl. "Yeah, sure you were."

I roll my eyes. "I was! What's with the look?"

He steps forward, cutting off the distance between us, his towering frame casting a shadow over me. "If I could trust you, going out for coffee wouldn't be a big deal," he says, voice low and clipped. "But because you insist on finding trouble everywhere you go, I have to join you. Everywhere. You. Go."

I throw my hands up. "It's just coffee, Luca."

He shakes his head. "It's never just coffee with you, Fiamma."

I bite my lip to keep from snapping back. The last thing I want is to get into another argument with him, especially when I've already lost this round. "Fine. Coffee together, then," I say through gritted teeth.

"Good choice." His eyes narrow slightly, like he's daring me to try something. He turns, gesturing down the hall. "Let's go."

We walk in silence through the winding halls of the lodge and into the icy outdoors. The snow crunches beneath our boots as we make our way toward the café in town, the air biting at my face, but I ignore the cold.

I'm more focused on Luca, who strides ahead of me with that same stupid confidence, as if he knows everything. I guess he will take out all the bad guys with one fell swoop.

For a while, neither of us speaks. The silence is thick and uncomfortable, like a ticking bomb waiting to explode. I can't take it anymore .

"So, I didn't recognize you at first," I say, breaking the quiet. "Yesterday when I landed in town, I mean. I noticed a hulking figure following me, but I didn't realize it was you."

Luca glances over at me, one brow raised. "Didn't recognize me? Interesting. I'm not usually one to blend in."

I shrug, keeping my tone light. "I thought you were just some guy trying to hit on me. That's why I was trying to lose you."

He lets out a rough laugh. "Yeah, right. I don't believe you, Fiamma. Plus, you weren't going to lose me no matter how hard you tried. Especially not in those leather pants and high heels you were wearing."

Heat creeps up my neck. "Whatever. Arianna had just landed and we were going to meet up for a nightcap. A low key night, that's all."

His grin is infuriating. "You don't do anything low key. Case-in-point: who wears stilettos in a place like this?"

I scoff at him. "Fine, maybe I underestimated the walking conditions."

"You think?" he teases.

The café is just ahead now, warm light spilling from the windows. For a second, I almost feel like this is normal. Like we are just two people out for a stroll and stopping in for a coffee.

As we walk up the steps to the door, Luca glances over his shoulder at me. "Where were you going last night, anyway? "

I pause for just a second, long enough for him to notice, before forcing a casual shrug. "I was… out for a walk. Trying to find a place to meet."

"At eleven o'clock. In four-degree weather."

I fidget with the hem of my coat, avoiding his gaze. "I like the cold."

"Uh-huh." He pushes open the door, holding it for me, but I can feel his gaze on the back of my head as I walk inside. "Well, if your idea of an evening stroll involves sneaking around the town, remind me to put ‘protecting you from frostbite' on my list of duties."

I don't respond. I can't tell him the truth—that I was planning to meet friends at the club and wanted some space away from the suffocating lodge. He'd never let me hear the end of it.

Instead, I follow him to the counter, my mind still spinning from the fact that I can't shake him no matter how hard I try.

My phone buzzes and I pull it out to see that Arianna must have finally woken up.

Missed you last night. You're going to have to figure out a way to shake Luca. The guys were hot at the club. I'll drop off your stuff later. How do I get in, where do I leave it?

You can walk through the gate and the guards won't bother you. Come to the south side of the lodge. I'll leave the back door unlocked. If I'm not in my room, 119, just leave it outside my door. It will be safe. I'll text you when I figure out how to ditch him! LYLAS !

I put my phone back in my coat pocket and look up to see Luca studying the menu plastered on the wall. You'd think he's never ordered coffee before.

We stand side by side, waiting to order, the silence between us now even thicker. I risk a glance at him, and he's already watching me, his expression unreadable.

"Still cold?" he asks, that ever-present smirk returning.

I squint at him, wishing looks could kill. "Shut up."

"Since you won't let me go out, you're driving me to the grocery store. I'm getting liquor, and you're going to play cards with me while we get sloshed."

"I'm not sure if you got the memo, but I'm your bodyguard, keeping you alive, not your personal chauffeur or bestie-for-hire."

"Do you want to stare at these four walls for the next two weeks or do you want to have some fun? I might be a job for you, but we can at least try to make the most of it."

"Your entire family is just sitting down for dinner at Il Parmigiana less than a block from here. Let's do that. That is what normal people do at the holidays, enjoy food and drink with friends and family."

"Not going. Are you driving me to the store, or are we walking. Because I'm going."

"God, you're insufferable."

I lean back in the passenger seat, crossing my arms and staring out the window. Winter Haven is peaceful tonight, the snow coming down pretty good now, blanketing everything in a pristine white layer.

Even in my Ugg boots, this walk would have been brutal.

The holiday lights strung along the street lamps twinkle, giving the town that classic Christmas postcard look. But the sight only makes me feel more restless.

"I'm not going to that stupid family get together, singing ‘Kumbaya' like we are some normal family," I say, breaking the silence. "If I have to sit through another night of listening to Massimo and Adrian argue about business over plates of pasta, I'm going to lose it."

Massimo and Adrian Luciana are the brothers who rule this family. Massimo took over as don when Giovanni Vitale killed their father, Antonio Luciana. They also happen to be my over-protective first cousins who think it's their job to rule my every move.

Luca glances over at me, lips twitching into what could almost be a smile. "You're never really into family bonding, huh?"

"Nope. And I'm not into forced family fun, either. Everyone is mad at me right now, anyway, because of whatever it was with Marco. I'm only here because Elio begged me and I wanted to get out of the city."

"He was looking out for you, you know?"

"Whatever. Now I know it was a trick. Let's play cards and get sloshed tonight. Feels like that kind of night."

His laugh is low and rough, the sound nearly swallowed by the hum of the car's heater. "I don't get sloshed. Especially not on the job. "

"Come on," I tease, glancing over at the rows of decorated trees lining the streets, lights twinkling in the snow. "What's the point of being in a winter wonderland at Christmas if you can't have a little fun?"

He shakes his head, amused but firm. "We'll get your liquor, but you're on your own with the cards."

I sigh dramatically but settle back in my seat as we pull into the grocery store parking lot. Holiday decorations overwhelm the storefront, wreaths hanging on every door. Even the streetlights are decked out with red ribbons. Two weeks until Christmas and I feel about as festive as a lump of coal.

I know exactly what I want and how the liquor shelves are stocked, so I'm in and out in no time. Even with his hulking figure following me like an annoying shadow,we're back in the car with a bottle of Tito's Vodka tucked between my legs as we head back to the lodge. The soft glow of Christmas lights spills over the snowy street as we drive back toward the lodge.

I'm still stewing about ending up spending the holidays in this sleepy little town instead of somewhere fun. I thought Arianna would have been able to spice this place up, but it seems like I'm not getting far.

Luca's being quieter than earlier. God, he's such a grumpy asshole. I glance over at him, noticing the tension in his jaw as he checks the rearview mirror.

"What's your deal?" I ask, annoyed that he's not loosening up, even a little.

"We're being followed," he says, his voice low and steady, still fixated on the mirror .

I sit up straighter, the festive lights suddenly feeling less cheerful. "Followed? By who?"

"Don't know yet. Don't look obvious, but check out the car behind us."

I glance back as casually as I can, my heart thudding in my chest. At first, it looks like any other car—just headlights cutting through the snowy streets. But then, as the car creeps closer, I recognize the driver. Shit.

"That's one of Marco's guys," I whisper, a chill crawling down my spine that has nothing to do with the snow outside. What the fuck are they doing here?

Luca doesn't say anything. He just takes a sharp right turn, the colorful Christmas lights blurring in my peripheral vision as we veer off the main road. Another turn, then another. The car behind us sticks close, too close. Luca nailed it. This guy is definitely following us.

"They're not backing off," I murmur.

"They won't," Luca replies calmly, taking another corner. "Hold on."

Without warning, he swerves into a narrow alleyway. The holiday decorations disappear as if the absence of the cheer somehow allows for the underbelly to still operate in the shadows. We enter the dark back streets, and before I can fully process what's happening, Luca's out of the car, gun in hand.

"Don't get out of the car. I mean it." He slams the door and disappears his body against a brick wall, the shadow shrouding him .

I watch, heart pounding, as the car following us drives by the alley a few seconds later. The headlights flash briefly before Luca fires. The shot is deafening in the narrow alley, and the car swerves wildly before crashing into a lamppost, causing a hanging wreath to fall to the ground. Flames flicker under the hood, casting an eerie glow over the alley.

My breath catches in my throat. The car's front end is crumpled like paper, and flames lick at the snow-covered pavement. Christmas lights from the surrounding buildings flicker in the background, somehow making the burning car wrapped around a lamppost look even more foreboding than it is.

Luca's back in the driver's seat before I can even react, his face hard and focused. "Fuck me," he snaps. He throws the car in drive and screeches off down the alley in the opposite direction. I watch the flames grow behind us as we speed away.

I grip the bottle of vodka like a lifeline as Luca guns the engine and screeches as he takes a right, leaving the scene out of my line of vision. My heart races, and I steal a glance, certain someone will be chasing after us. All I see is dark gray smoke rising above the buildings as we pull onto the main road.

"Did you—did you just kill him?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Luca doesn't look at me, his focus fixed on the road. "Probably. Doesn't matter. We need to get out of here before someone notices. Whether it's Marco's men or the cops, neither one will bring us any Christmas cheer."

I sink back into my seat, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. The snow outside seems to fall heavier now, the twinkling colored lights from the passing houses feel both surreal and distant.