the strangest dream. What time is it?”
“A little after three-thirty.”
“I slept all day?”
“Hangovers will do that to you.” He smirked and I rolled my eyes.
“I’m going to shower and get ready. Make yourself at home.” Sarcasm laced my words, and his amused laughter followed me into the bathroom.
I took my time in the shower, washing away the last couple of days. There was no point in dwelling on what would never be. Arianne was right, Enzo was too lost to his demons to pull his head out of his ass long enough to see what was staring him in the face.
We were doomed from the start, and I had to accept it.
No matter how hard it was.
After finishing in the bathroom, I made my way back into my bedroom and checked my cell phone.
I hope you’re hungry.
I smiled at Luca’s text, my stomach grumbling in appreciation. Now the nausea had passed, I could eat a small cow.
The black turtleneck sweater dress I picked molded to my shapely curves, but I didn’t bother with shoes, choosing to go barefoot across the hall. This wasn’t a date. It was two friends sharing a good meal and easy conversation. At least, as I knocked on Luca’s door, my Maurice-shaped shadow behind me, that’s what I hoped it would be.
The door swung open and Luca beamed. “You came.”
“I said I would.”
“Touché.” He motioned for me to enter, but abruptly paused. “Is he joining us or—”
I glanced back at Maurice. “What’ll it be, big guy?”
“I’ll wait outside.”
I nodded, shooting him an appreciative smile. I was safe with Luca. There was one door in and out, so unless the threat was going to scale the building and climb through Luca’s balcony door, it was just the two of us.
“I hope everything was okay with your family?”
“It was fine, thank you. Crisis averted.” I forced a smile, following him into the living room. The smell of garlic, parsley, and rich tomato sauce hit me, making my stomach growl.
“You’re hungry?” An uncertain smirk played on his lips, to which I replied, “ravenous.”
“And the bodyguard?”
“Just a precaution.”
“Am I a threat now?”
“It isn’t you they’re worried about,” I said, perching on a stool as he tended to the pan of pasta.
“Let me guess, you can’t tell me.”
“Honestly, I don’t know much either.” It was a white lie, but it was easier than the truth. “Being best friend’s with Arianne Capizola comes with a certain set of complications.”
“Is Enzo Marchetti one of them?”
My heart lurched into my throat. “You’ve been doing your research.”
“I wanted to know who I’m up against, yeah.”
“Luca, that’s not—”
“Yeah, I know.” He exhaled out a steady breath. “I was worried, so I did some Googling.”
“You shouldn’t have done that. If you want to know things about me, you should have asked.”
“Would you have told me?” My lips pressed into a thin line and he added, “That’s what I thought.”’
“I came over here to get away from all that.” I sighed.
“You can’t blame me for being worried. There’s something between us, Nora.” His eyes bore into mine with so much intensity, I had to break the connection.
“Luca, don’t do this, please. We agreed, friends only.”
Silence ticked by, turning the air thick and suffocating. When he didn’t answer, I got up. “Maybe this was a mistake.”
“Wait,” he rushed out. “I’m sorry. I didn’t plan to make this awkward, I swear. I was going to play it cool, but then I saw you and everything got messed up in my head.”
“Well, can you un-mess it so we can eat, because that smells so good and I’m really hungry.” My stomach growled on cue.
“Deal. We eat, we talk, and we leave everything else at the door.”
“That sounds perfect,” I said. Because it did. Even if it was a temporary truce before Luca started fighting for me again. I knew he would. I saw the fierce determination in his eyes. But what I still didn’t know…
Was, did I want him to?
Chapter 23
Enzo
She was at Luca’s eating his food in his fucking apartment. All because I was too fucked up to get my shit together and be the kind of guy she needed.
But I wasn’t that guy.
I was never going to be that guy.
So what choice did I have but to let her go?
Grabbing the glass nearest to me, I launched it across the room, watching it smash against the wall, shattering into a thousand pieces.
Everything was a mess.
Nora was with Luca, giving him her smiles and sass and maybe if he was