Luciano Fierri [Book #3]

Chapter 5

After dinner, I removed my clothes and got comfortable in Luciano's bed. When he walked in and saw me laying in his bed with nothing but underwear on, he blushed.

"I-I can sleep on t-the floor."

Although I could tell his stuttering frustrated him, I always thought it was adorable. It's not as prominent as it was back then. In fact, I hardly hear it. But when I do, it made me feel like we were kids all over again.

And I miss that. I miss when I actually enjoyed life, wanted to live instead of just being alive.

Rolling over to face him fully, I sat up, watching him walk over to the center of the room. He had a pillow and blanket in his arms. "Luce, no." I shook my head. "You can sleep in the bed with me. I won't bite. Besides, we use to sleep together all the time."

"We were in diapers then. Now..." His eyes quickly skimmed over my body, his face flushed red as he brings his gaze to the floor.

"Now what?" I press, forgetting how much I enjoyed being a tease when we were younger.

His face is beet red now. "You're a... you're a woman."

That's when I knew. "Luce?" He slowly brought his gaze back up to me, meeting my eyes. "Are you a virgin?"

I probably shouldn't have been so straightforward with it to reduce possibly scaring him, but I couldn't help it. I've always been blunt. Too blunt for my own good. It's why I have the scars that I do all over my body.

"Y-yeah," he mumbles, embarrassed.

He shouldn't be embarrassed at all. As a matter of fact, it just made him all the more attractive. There aren't many guys like him left in the world. I probably would of still had mine had it not been for my husband.

"If you're going to tease me about it then go ahead. I've heard it all," he suddenly snapped. As if realizing it were me he was talking to, he lowered his voice and apologized. "I'm sorry. Nic and Cesare are always on my ass about it, so I just expected you to make a joke or something."

He sits down on the edge of the bed, his back to me. I shifted down to the edge to sit beside him. His cheeks burned red, his green eyes darting around the room, looking everywhere but at me.

He spoke so low, his voice soothing and deep. "Sometimes I wish I could just lose it already, so they could hop off my shit."

"You would need to know how to talk to girls first, before you can do that," I said jokingly as I playfully nudged his arm with my shoulder.

He chuckled. "You're no help."

Laughing with him felt like old times. We might not have been as comfortable with each other as we used to be, but I do believe we found each again for a reason. Fate brought us back together. And if fate brought us back together, then we can have that friendship again. I just know it.

"I know. Now get in the bed."

He chuckled once more before slipping under the covers with me. He kept his distance, his long body a roll a way from coming in contact with the floor below. We faced each other, gazing into each other's eyes.

There was nothing sexual about it. Just two friends wondering what the other has been up to in the last twelve years. At least that's what I was doing.

"I... heard about your padre(father)," I said softly. News of Giovanni Fierri's death reached all the way in Sicily. It seemed like the whole city was saddened by his death.

But not my husband. He was so happy that he threw a party, because he would no longer have to worry about another rival Mafia. Until he heard that his eldest, Marcellius took over.

So instead of his name being feared and worshiped by all, it's Marcellius' name that sends a shiver down people's spine and has them trembling. Not because they were afraid he'd kill them like my husband, but because they respected him and acknowledged that being on his good side would be more beneficial.

Even the younger brothers are feared, especially Niccolo. But that's just because Niccolo can be... a little psychotic. Which is why I was so surprised to hear that he was married and had children. I guess people can change.

I also understood Cesare being as he was an amazing sniper -or so I've heard- but Luciano? Luciano wouldn't hurt a fly. So what was his role in all of this?

So immersed in my own thoughts, I was caught off guard when Luciano's voice boomed in my ear. "I'm glad he's dead."

I remember how much he hated his father. But I also remember how much he loved him as well. He might have even loved him more than his brothers. He was always trying to seek his approval, but because Luciano struggled with speech and refused to be a killer and businessman like his brothers, he was always looked down upon.

There was no such thing as a weak Fierri. And Giovanni wasn't about to start accepting one.

"Do you ever think about him?"

"All the time," he admits. "But not because I miss and love him." He shakes his head. "But because I never got to prove to him that I was worthy of carrying the Fierri name."

I found myself reaching over to cup his cheek in my hand. He froze, his eyes wide. His skin was warm against my cool fingers, his breathing shallow.

"You might not believe this coming from someone you haven't seen in ages, but, you are worthy. You've always been worthy."

His cheek grew hot as he pulled back from my touch. "T-thank you," he stuttered. He faked a yawn, flipping over to face away from me. "But I think it's time we get some sleep."

I dropped my hand, smiling. "Goodnight Luce."

"Goodnight Val."

My eyes grew wide, butterflies causing a stir in the pit of my stomach. I haven't heard that nickname in forever. It left an odd sensation in my rapid beating heart.

My smile never left as I closed my eyes thinking that I'd be able to sleep peacefully for once. Boy was I wrong.

"How dare you try and run away from me!" he snarled in my ear, gripping my hair tighter and yanking my head back.

I yelped, tears rolling down my face. "I'm sorry," I whimpered. "I won't do it again."

He shoved me forward, so my head came in contact with the hard tiled floor. My head throbbed, blood dripping down my face.

Whipping around, I backed myself into a wall, looking up at him with pleading eyes. He towered over me, fury burning in his deep blue eyes.

He kneeled down in front of me, gripping my chin between his fingers. It was so tight that I thought my jaw would just snap. I couldn't move as I stared into his sinister, murderous gaze.

"You ungrateful bitch! I give you everything. And not only are you incapable of providing me with an heir, but you are a useless little whore!"

He removed his hand only to strike me across my face. I gasped, clutching my cheek at the sting of pain burning the left side of my face.

I wanted to cry, but I knew that would only anger him more. So I swallowed my tears and begged him again. "Please... I will do anything. Just-- just don't put me back in there."

Grabbing the collar of my shirt, he dragged me across the floor, forcing me to my knees. He unzipped his pants and I prepared myself to accept him. And to accept that this was better than going back in there.