I get the coffees ready, waiting for Rosa to make her way downstairs for our normal routine. Coffee on the balcony watching the sunrise. Everything is peaceful at that time.
The main reason I slip out of bed at the first opportunity is to hide my morning wood. A whole night of Rosa snuggling up against my side is almost torturous.
Picking up my phone vibrating on the counter, I hesitate to answer it with an unknown number flashing up on the screen.
I slide to accept and turn it on speaker. “Hello?” I call out, pouring in Rosa’s caramel syrup.
“Ah, Mr. Luca Russo.” Marco’s husky Italian voice greets me. I quickly pick up the phone, sending the sound back through the earpiece.
“How the fuck did you get my number?”
“I’m a resourceful man. Your hacker’s phone was quite handy.” I don’t even want to imagine what he had to do to Nico to break the encryption he had on his phone.
“Are you calling to make a deal in exchange for your daughter, or are you wasting my time, Marco?”
Resting the phone on my shoulder, I start on my own coffee. I only have a few minutes until sunrise. I’m not missing our routine for this asshole.
His dark laugh makes the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
“I don’t know why you’re laughing, Marco. Your poor daughter is tied up, begging for her dad to save her. She only has a few days to live, and you haven’t even made an attempt to save her.”
I’m disappointed for Rosa. Her own father hasn’t even tried to come to her rescue. I shouldn’t be surprised. After what she told me, it doesn’t sound like he makes a habit of trying to be there for her.
“You’ve grown weak, Russo. You don’t even know I have snakes in your den. I’ll get her back, but I don’t have to make a deal with you. When I bring you to your knees, I’ll take my junkie daughter back. But you having her is no threat to me.”
I bite my tongue.
“You took the wrong daughter. Eva is much more of an asset to me. I can marry her off because she’s pure. A true princess.”
I tighten my grip on the phone, gritting my teeth so hard I’m surprised they don’t crack.
“Wrong answer, Marco. You’ve just agreed to your own death. That was your last chance to stand down, and you’ve fucked it up. You piece of shit.”
I cut the call, slamming it down on the dining table. Who talks about their daughter like that?
She means more to me than she does to her own father. Now I’m just spurred on more to kill him. Not just for myself, but to get him out of Rosa’s life. She deserves better.
The orange sunrise blasts through the double doors into the kitchen. I swipe up the coffees and race up the stairs. My blood might be boiling, but I won’t let her down.
I stop before I get to the glass door and watch her. She sits on the balcony in just her black satin robe, her tanned slim legs kicked up on the small table in the center. She’s looking up at the sky, a completely new woman in comparison to the one who entered here.
Her eyes light up as she turns to me, her wide smile making my heart flutter in my chest. I bite back a grin and head to my girl.
Back to our happy spot, our escape from reality every morning. My home is suddenly starting to feel like less of a shell. “Here you go.” I carefully hand her the steaming cup.
She tucks her hair behind her ear. “Hmm, Thank you.”
Taking a seat next to her, I light up my cigarette, looking out over the garden as the sky turns a beautiful shade of red.
“What took you so long?” she asks, looking over the rim of the dark mug.
I have a choice. The call with Marco confirmed my suspicions. Holding her here is doing nothing for my cause. Now, I’m keeping her for my own selfish reasons. I won’t be that man, not to her.
She deserves to choose her own path now.
I clear my throat around the knot that suddenly forms. “I spoke to your father.”
I watch as she swallows, bowing her head.
“And what did he say?” The fear in her voice makes me sick, murderous even.
I set down my cup and lean on my knees to look closely at her. “Rosa, he’s not coming for you.”
She sighs, taking a sip of her drink. “Let me guess, the ‘junkie daughter’ isn’t worthy of his resources,” she laughs, but it doesn’t disguise her hurt.
“Something like that.” I run my fingers through my hair. I wish I could tell her differently. That he loves her and would burn the world down to save her.
But he isn’t that man.
We sit in silence, my head and my heart battling. I can keep her safe here, even from her own family. It’s selfish, but I want her to stay. She is my reason for looking forward to coming home. Without her, this house is empty.
I take another drag, letting the chemicals burn their way down. “Rosa—”
“Hmm?” She doesn’t look up. Her sorrowful eyes stare into the darkness of her coffee.
“—it means you’re free to go. I don’t need to force you to be here anymore. Marco isn’t backing down.” Tamping out the ember in the ashtray feels like a judge’s gavel striking a decision on our future.
Her eyes water and she nods. “I understand. You want me to leave.”
My chest tightens. “What? No. I don’t want you to leave. I’m giving you a choice. I can’t force you to be here with me. It is up to you now. You can stay. I will keep you safe in our little haven while you recover, and it’s still dangerous out there. Your father is making many enemies. If I got to you, anyone could.”
Her big brown eyes finally turn up to meet mine. “So, you’re just keeping me here to keep me safe?”
“Rosa, I promised I wouldn’t abandon you. I meant it. I want you here.” I want her here more than anything.
I know what it’s like to be tossed aside. I was that kid.
Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. That red blush I love so much spreads up her neck.
“You’re doing so well, Rosa. Your nightmares are becoming less and less. Here, you can rebuild your life, you can start to heal. But the choice is in your hands now.”
She takes another sip, looking up at the clouds for what feels like a lifetime. All I can do is fucking hope she wants to stay with me.
She rolls her pink lower lip between her teeth before turning to me. “I’d like to stay.”
“That’s the answer I was hoping for.”
She bats her lashes and I hold in a groan, my dick twitching against my boxers. I need to get a hold of myself.
I’m so proud of her; every day she’s fighting a battle in her own mind and winning. As each sunrise breaks, she becomes more of the real Rosa.
When she’s finally victorious, it will be a sight to behold. I just hope I’m there for it.
Grayson’s name flashes on the screen, and I smile. Tonight was the night he was proposing to Maddie. I snatch the popcorn up from the counter and head towards the couch. It’s my movie choice tonight. I’m thinking Captain America sounds good. Last time, she fell asleep with her hand on my leg. I can’t wait to see what tonight could bring.
I accept the call. “Did you do it?”
“Luca, he’s been shot,” Maddie says between sobs.
The bowl drops out of my hand, spilling all over the floor.
I struggle to keep my voice even. “Where are you, Maddie?”
Taking the steps two at a time, I rush up to my office and unlock the safe.
“St. Luke’s–Roosevelt Hospital,” she replies.
I take out a couple of guns. He’s a sitting target at the hospital. Hell, so is she. I can’t let my best friend die, nor his fiancé. If anything happens to them, I’ll never forgive myself.
“I’ll be there in fifteen. Don’t let him out of your sight.”
“He’s in surgery, Luca. I’ve locked myself in the bathroom,” she chokes out. The pain in her words feels like a kick to the balls.
“Fuck!” I slam my fists down on the table. I’m going to kill every single one of these fuckers for this. I am done playing around. This ends.
I let out a breath–at least she is safe for now.
“Okay, Maddie. I’m on my way now. Just stay where you are. We have to keep you safe. Keep the door locked, and I will knock for you when I’m there.”
“Luca, what if he dies?”
I suck in a breath. If he dies, we’re all screwed. I knew I shouldn’t have let him go tonight without any protection. One night and this happens. Panic rises in my chest and I swallow it down. I can’t lose it, not right now.
“Maddie, it’s going to be okay. Grayson won’t go down without a fight. He will do anything to make his way back to you both.”
Both.
I tighten my grip around the gun. He was so ecstatic when he told me Maddie was pregnant. He was literally months away from having it all.
And now my chaos has ruined that for him.
But I will make this right, no matter what.
I smash my fist against my oak desk, over and over again, in a fit of rage. I don’t even notice Rosa appear in the doorway.
“Is everything okay?” she asks, barely poking her head through the crack. The fear is evident on her face.
My nostrils flare as I look at her, her hair still dripping, and only a white towel wrapped around her.
“Fuck. No. Not even close. Grayson’s been shot.”
She rushes towards me, squeezing her arms around me. I stiffen. I don’t know if I have ever had someone comfort me.
I rest my head on top of hers, her sweet scent calming my inner rage only slightly.
After a deep breath, I return her hug. “I have to go.”
She releases me and takes a step back, looking up at me with worried eyes. “Be careful, Luca. Please.”
I blink a few times, shaking my head. Now isn’t a time to worry about me.
“I’ll try.” I place a kiss on the top of her head and her breath hitches.
