Chapter 30

CHAPTERTHIRTY

EVERY MUSCLE IN Luca’s body went still as he tried to process what Dom had just said.

He’d fallen for Luca?

Never in a million years had he expected those words to come out of Dom’s mouth.

“Luca, I’ve risked my father’s wrath, my life, everything to save you. What do you think?”

What did he think? He thought his brain was going to explode, that was what. Words weren’t coming out, that was for sure, so he just sat there, silent and blinking at Dom, his jaw still on the sand.

Dom let out a low chuckle. “I guess I’ve figured out another way to shut you up.”

This was insane. Luca had to be back to dreaming again, only this time it wasn’t a nightmare, not at all.

Only one way to really find out.

Luca reached for Dom, pulling him in for a kiss, and the moment their lips met, it was electric. Not in the rushed, lust-filled way they’d connected in the past, but something more meaningful.

But before they could really sink into it, Dom pulled away, glancing up at the balcony.

“We can’t,” he said, two words Luca didn’t think had ever come out of his mouth before. The whiplash sent his head spinning, and he frowned as he moved away.

“I don’t understand,” he said. “You say you’ve fallen for me, but I can’t kiss you?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“You know why.”

“Oh. Because your father’s here and he might see? I’m pretty sure he caught us in a more compromising position earlier.”

“Exactly. That shouldn’t have happened. Hell, even being out here with you now shouldn’t be happening.”

“Where am I supposed to be, then? Hidden away in my room again? Is that where you want me?”

Dom sighed, a sound so weary it was like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. “No, I don’t want that.”

“Then…” Luca struggled to find the words. Nothing about this made any sense. “What do we do now?”

“Do?” Dom shook his head. “We do nothing. Which is what we should’ve been doing all along.”

Luca watched as Dom shoved to his feet and walked toward the water’s edge. The stern set of his shoulders spoke volumes as he walked farther and farther away. Luca’s stomach twisted. The idea of what they’d shared during their time here being done and dusted did not sit well with him at all. After all they’d been through, after all they’d survived, he now had to give up the one thing that brought him any kind of pleasure, any kind of happiness? That was bullshit.

Luca was more than aware how strange it was that he was now pursuing the one he’d had to survive in the beginning. That he was now about to plead with Dom to think twice before throwing him aside—

Wait, was that what he was about to do?

Damn right it was.

He got to his feet and moved up alongside Dom. The reflection of the moon glimmered across the inky water as it rippled in the night, and before he could overthink it, Luca took Dom’s hand in his.

The second their fingers touched, Dom turned to look at him.

“I’m not sure I know how to do nothing,” Luca said.

Dom looked down at their joined hands. “This is not it.”

“No?”

“Definitely not.”

“Hmm.” Luca went to let go, but Dom snatched his hand back.

“Don’t be smug.”

Luca turned back to face the water, unable to mask his smile. “Sorry.”

“No you’re not.”

“You’re right, I’m not, but it felt weird to just say nothing.”

Dom scoffed. “Of course it did.”

He stroked his thumb along the back of Luca’s hand, the silence between them heavy as they each acknowledged the inevitable.

Their time together was coming to an end. Moments like this would be no more. And after they left this shoreline, this house, who knew where they would end up?

“We really should go inside.” Dom turned to leave, but Luca pulled him to a stop.

“Not yet.”

“Luca—”

“Dom. Not yet.” Luca looked up at the man he’d once thought of as the devil, but now all he saw was the handsome, joking man who’d spent the afternoon stomping grapes with him. “I’ve fallen for you too.”

Dom glanced down at their hands then shook his head. “You don’t have to—”

“Say that?” Luca chuckled. “I know. You kidnapped me and threatened my life. Trust me, I wouldn’t be saying it if I didn’t mean it… If I didn’t feel it.”

“You don’t know what you feel. You were forced into all of this. Forced to be with me.”

Luca frowned. “I wasn’t forced to be with you. That was my choice. You never once made me do anything sexual that I didn’t want to do.”

Dom’s mouth opened then quickly shut again. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Oh.”

“Right.” Dom took in a deep breath then finally released Luca’s hand. “You were forced into proximity with me at every turn. I’m all you’ve known ever since you got here. It makes sense that you’d…develop feeling for me.”

“Romantic feelings?” Luca’s eyes widened. “I hate to break it to you, but it doesn’t make sense to me at all that I’d want to be with you after some of the shit you’ve put me through. In all honesty, I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.”

“Why? There’s no point. This, what we have—or had—it’s over now. It has to be. So there’s no use in trying to wrap your head around anything.”

Luca’s chest tightened at the finality of Dom’s words, and he took a step toward Dom, hoping to convince him otherwise, but Dom took a step back.

“I think it’s best if we just go back inside now.”

Luca bit down on his lower lip, not wanting to give in to the raw emotions choking him up inside. “Best for you or best for me?”

“Best for everyone. Don’t make it any harder than it has to be.”

Dom turned and walked back to the stairs that led up to the main house. As Luca stood there and watched the night swallow him up, he wondered how in the world he’d gone and fallen in love with the devil himself.