Chapter 32

CHAPTERTHIRTY-TWO

LUCA STARED OUT the window of the private plane as the clouds parted and felt an uneasy tug at his heart.

He was going home.

It was all he’d wanted from the moment he woke up in the basement of the Rossettis’ casino, and now that it was here, he wasn’t exactly jumping for joy.

God, even that thought was so messed up. These people had taken him, ripped him away from life as he knew it. Then again, they’d also opened his eyes to reality, revealed the past he’d never been told and couldn’t have dreamed up.

And then there was Dom. It was hard to remember now how terrified Luca was the first time he’d seen Dom. The man had such a loud bark, but with a nasty bite to back it up.

How had things changed so fast? How was it possible he’d developed feelings for someone who’d wanted nothing more than Luca’s death when they met?

Because he saved you,that voice in his head reminded him. He laid down his defenses and showed you who he really is.

Luca looked to where Dom sat across the aisle from him, gazing out the window and looking as deep in thought as Luca was. With Vincenzo flying back with them, it had been out of the question to sit together. Luca wasn’t sure Dom would’ve chosen to even with his father out of the picture, though. The last twenty-four hours at the villa had been full of nothing but awkward avoidance. Any time Luca walked into the room, Dom walked out; when Luca went for a swim, Dom went for a run.

It wasn’t until Luca was getting ready for bed that Vincenzo stopped by his room and said they’d be heading back to the States the next day. That Luca would be returning to Connecticut.

He’d been too stunned to question it, especially when his thoughts immediately went to Dom. It couldn’t have been his decision to do this…could it? Was that why he’d been avoiding Luca all day? Because he didn’t want to answer the hundreds of questions he knew Luca would have? Or was it because the decision came from Vincenzo and Dom couldn’t disobey another order?

Did he even want Luca to go?

As if he could feel Luca’s stare, Dom turned to look at him, meeting his eyes for the first time in hours. For a moment, Luca could see the mix of emotions in those dark depths, but then Dom blinked and they were gone, replaced with an indifference Luca hadn’t seen since they were last in Manhattan.

The flight attendant walked by, and while she’d made herself scarce during the trip, on Vincenzo’s orders, now she let them know they’d be landing soon and to buckle their seatbelts.

Luca glanced down at his lap, but realized he hadn’t bothered undoing his. No need, especially if he wasn’t going to switch seats to be closer to a certain someone.

Part of him wanted to stand up and yell at both the Rossetti men to tell him what the hell was going on, but even as brave as he’d tried to be, he couldn’t muster up the courage to confront them. Which meant, once again, he was resigned to whatever fate they had in store for him.

No. He wouldn’t accept someone else’s choices. And as soon as they were off the plane, he’d tell them that.

He gripped the arms of his seat as the landing gear came down and a jumble of buildings drew closer. It was a rainy, overcast day in New Jersey, and it wasn’t giving them a smooth entry back. As he closed his eyes, he wished Dom was sitting next to him so they could hold hands. If there was one thing about falling for someone so intimidating, it was that he also had the power to make you feel incredibly safe.

As the plane touched down, Luca opened his eyes and let out a breath, but now that the anxiety over landing was over, his focus turned back to what would happen next.

Nothing but silence filled the interior as each man grabbed their belongings and waited for the door to open. Luca hadn’t planned to bring anything back with him, since none of it was truly his, but somehow a bag full of the clothes that had been purchased in Italy had appeared on the plane with his name on it.

Well, if he was truly heading back home after all this, at least he’d be doing it in style.

God, that was too pathetic to even think about.

A few minutes later, the door opened and Vincenzo made his way out, only stopping to thank the crew. It was time to go. Luca knew that, and yet he hesitated, holding his bag tightly to his chest. Was this where he said goodbye? Maybe if he just stood there they’d miss whatever the next connection was, and—

“Luca.” Dom’s voice was low and somehow warmer than he’d expected it to be after so much avoidance. “Let’s go.”

Let’s go… So both of them…together.

Okay.

Luca slowly walked down the aisle and said a brief goodbye to the crew standing at the exit. The rain was pelting the stairs they’d be walking down, but before he stepped out, the flight attendant handed him an umbrella before doing the same to Dom.

Jesus, it felt like a fucking funeral, all rain and black umbrellas and somber attitudes. All that was missing was an organ playing something to match the mood.

As they walked across the tarmac, two black Cadillacs pulled up, their headlights shining to fight off the dreary weather, even though it was the middle of the day. Now it really did feel like a funeral.

The three of them came to a stop as the first car pulled up in front of Vincenzo. As the driver hopped out and rounded the hood to open the door, Vincenzo turned to Luca with a frown.

“Well, this is where we part ways, young man. I’m sorry we had to inconvenience you for such a lengthy period, but circumstances called for immediate action when we learned of your…existence.”

Luca couldn’t decide if that was an apology or an excuse. Was he supposed to say thank you now? Thank you for not killing me? Thank you for returning me to my life? Thank you for the use of your gorgeous villa in Lake Como, where I fell in love with your son?

He had no idea. So for once in his life, he stayed silent.

“Dom has called ahead and informed your school you will be returning tomorrow.”

That finally had Luca’s mouth moving. “Tomorrow?” He turned to Dom, who gave a clipped nod. “I can’t go back to school tomorrow.”

“Why not?”

“Because… Because I’ll be jet-lagged.”

“Jet-lagged?”

It was true. He was jet-lagged. But more importantly, he was…Rossetti-lagged. He needed a day or three to wrap his head around everything that had happened before he even thought about school. How did they expect him to just show up to his surgery rotation tomorrow, pick up a scalpel, and operate on someone— Okay, so maybe he wouldn’t be doing that, but the thought of having to concentrate on anything other than how jacked up his life had been over the last however many days, weeks, months? How long had it been? He couldn’t even begin to imagine.

“Luca? Are you okay?” Vincenzo asked.

“Am I okay?”

“Yes. You do want to go back home, don’t you?”

Of course Luca wanted to go back home. He loved Connecticut. Loved his life. His friends, his fam—

Oh shit, his family wasn’t really his family, were they? What the hell was he supposed to do with that?

“Luca?”

Dom’s voice pulled him out of the rabbit hole he had just fallen down, and as a full-blown anxiety attack threatened, a strong hand took his elbow.

“Why don’t we get you into the car?”

Luca looked at Dom, his eyes wide as he thought about all of the ramifications he was going to have to deal with in the aftermath of this.

“I… My family… They aren’t really my family…”

Dom said nothing as he ushered Luca toward the car waiting behind Vincenzo’s, but he aimed a look at his father. No words were spoken, but Luca got the impression that a message had been exchanged between the two.

“Dom? What am I going to do about my…family?”

Dom held open the door. “One thing at a time, okay?”

Luca blinked, wondering when exactly he’d decided to trust this man over everyone else. Then he climbed in the car, because really…what other choice did he have?