“I never want to let you go again.”
“I don’t want you ever to let me go.” Moving in, I snuggle into his side, and it feels so right being back in his arms, feeling his warmth and hard plains against me. He leans over and kisses my forehead.
This is where I’m supposed to be.
“I never stopped loving you,” he whispers against my temple.
“I never stopped loving you, too, Luca.”
33
Luca
Lilly fell asleep in my arms all the way home to Italy. She didn’t stir even when we landed, or when I picked her up and put her into the car, or when we arrived home, and I laid her in her bed.
“Where is she?” Lauren rushes through the door of my apartment in a panic.
“She’s sleeping,” I say in a lowered tone. “I don’t think she was able to sleep much.”
Lauren nods her head in agreement. “Is she okay?”
I know exactly what she’s asking. Did they hurt her?
“Physically, she seems okay. It might be too early to know yet if there are any lasting problems.”
“Thank you.” Lauren hugs me. “Thank you for bringing my sister back,” she says through her tears.
“I still love her, Lauren.”
“I know.” She gives me a watery smile.
“Should never have let her go. I promise I’m going to make it up to her.”
“I know she still loves you.”
“That’s what she said.”
A large smile falls across her face. “I’m really happy for you. Welcome to the family.” She hugs me tightly again, and it makes me laugh for the first time in ages. I haven’t been able to laugh since Lilly went missing. I feel the muscles in my body beginning to uncurl now she is safe and well in my home.
“Do you mind if I just go and check on her. I need to see her. Make sure it’s real, and she’s in there.”
I point Lauren down the hall to my bedroom.
Moments later, Giorgio and Natalia arrive in my apartment.
“She’s home?” Natalia rushes into my arms.
“She is.”
“Good work.” Giorgio slaps me on the shoulder. “Mamma and Papà send their regards.”
“Is she okay?” There’s concern in Natalia’s question.
“On the outside, I think so.”
“We can send over Dr. Regio if you want?” my brother asks.
“Maybe later. I don’t want to overwhelm her just yet.”
“I can’t wait to meet her.” Natalia excitedly claps her hands together, and her smile is so wide her eyes are sparkling with intensity.
“Maybe another day, Natalia. I think we should leave them to it.” Giorgio wraps his arm around our sister’s shoulders and begins to escort her out. She blows me a couple of kisses as the elevator doors close.
Walking back toward my bedroom to check in on Lilly, I can hear Lilly crying while her sister tries to soothe her.
“It was horrible, Lauren. I couldn’t save them. Any of them.”
“Sweetie, I know. Sometimes the world sucks, and bad people prosper, but what you did for them will make the shitty cards they have been dealt a little better.”
What did she do?
“I should’ve been able to do more, Lauren. It’s not fair. Look at this room, it’s so opulent.” My stomach sinks upon hearing her words. “I can’t live here like this when they have nothing.”
“Just because you have nice things doesn’t mean you don’t care,” Lauren tries to soothe my girl.
“You don’t get it.” Lilly’s starting to sound angry at her sister. “No one will get it because they didn’t have to live through it.”
Maybe I should give Dr. Regio a call?
“I’m tired, I think I might go back to sleep.”
Silence fills the room, and I watch as a broken-hearted Lauren steps out, shutting the door behind her. She looks up at me and breaks down. Rushing to her, she cries into my shoulder.
“I’m going to get her help. I think she’s more traumatized by this than we expected. Give her time.”
Lauren nods, then heads on out of the apartment.
I must have fallen asleep on the sofa because I’m woken up by terrified screaming. Rushing toward my bedroom, I almost rip the door off its hinges to get in there where I find Lilly is thrashing around the bed.
“Lilly. Lilly, it’s me… Luca. You’re safe.” She lashes out and scratches me across the face.
Jumping back, I stand there making sure she is all right.
She sits up in bed and takes a couple of moments to realize where she is and what just happened. “Luca?”
“I’m here.” Stepping forward, I sit on the edge of the bed.
“Oh no, your face.”
Shaking my head, I reply, “It’s nothing.”
“I hurt you.” Her face falls as she takes in the mark across my cheek.
“You were having a nightmare.”
“I’m sorry.” She begins to cry. “I am so sorry, Luca.”
“Shhh…” Pulling her to me, I say, “You don’t have to apologize. You’ve been through a traumatic experience, baby.”
“He was trying to sell me.” She looks distraught while shaking her head from side to side. “He threatened me often that there was a bed waiting for me.”
Whoever this fucker is, I’m going to make him pay for threatening her.
“He …” She looks away.
“He what?” Her face pales, as her bottom lip quivers.
“Just before I left, he told me he wasn’t ready to let me go. I knew that meant he wasn’t going to let me go. He also said that I intrigued him too much. That…” she bites her bottom lip, “… that he’d be patient and wait till I gave him permission.”
Every damn muscle in my body tenses ae he.
“I didn’t want him, I promise, Luca.” She shakes her head.
“Shhh,” I try to settle her down. “You’re safe now.” Holding her in my arms, I rock her back to sleep.
“Will you still love me if I’m broken?” her question is a whisper I almost don’t hear.
Looking down into her bright blue eyes. “I love every bit of you, Lilly. If that means I have to slowly put you back together again, I will. Even if it takes forever.”
She snuggles into me, slowly falling asleep.
34
Lilly
Mentally, it’s been
