𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐫 ✔️

31. Stars

CHAPTER 31
Ilaria de Luca

"Does it look like I was crying?" I stop walking to fan my eyes after he and I just spent a few hours in my room.

I couldn't stop hugging him. Or giving him soft little kisses.

He stops and we both turn to face each other.

"I don't want them to ask if I was crying because then I'll start crying again," I admit and he takes my face between both his hands.

"I can think of a different reason for your tears. So it's okay," he says, softly kissing me and I slightly frown.

"Yeah, like what?" I ask, tapping my wrist against the corner of my eye to dry any tears.

"I'll give you minute," he says, throwing his arm over my shoulder as he pulls me with him.

"Mattia?" I ask as we get to the top of the stairs. "Mattia!" I whisper-yell, realizing what he meant. "I'm not saying that," I shake my head, already feeling embarrassed.

"I will," he shrugs his shoulders as we walk into the living room.

"God- please no," I laugh, shaking my head. "I'd never be able to look them in the eyes again," I whisper up at him and he smiles.

"I'm sure they know."

"But we didn't-"

"Other things," he quickly whispers – kissing the top of my head – as we reach where they're sitting and my face flushes with heat.

"She's back!" Naomi squeals with both arms in the air as she jumps up from the sofa. "I missed you, come here," she says and wraps her arms around me.

"I missed you too," I can't help but laugh as I look up at Mattia.

He winks at me and Naomi hesitantly pulls away.

"Never, ever leave me with that snake again," she thrills. "I can still feel it," she whispers – running her fingers along her hands and arms – and I bite back a smile.

"I thought I left her to-" my sentence gets cut off as Angelo tosses the controller on the table.

He gets up — clearly annoyed and angry – and makes his way to the back door. It closes with a loud thud and I'm surprised it didn't hook out of the rail.

"Someone's mad," Marcus says and I sigh, dropping my shoulders.

"How mad?" I ask, looking between the two of them.

"Naomi said that he threw his phone across the room, shattering it. Then he grabbed his gun – god knows where he got it from – and was on a mission to find you," he says, looking between the two of us. "You," he says to Mattia.

He got that gun from my father.

"The de Luca men are so fucking dramatic," I groan, falling down next to Naomi.

Mattia follows in the direction that Angelo walked in and before I can get up to follow as well, Naomi stops me.

"You don't want to go there," she shakes her head and I sit back down. "What happened with your father?" she asks and I scoff.

"How'd you know?" I ask and she presses her lips into a thin line.

"You said 'de Luca men' so I figured he might have met your father along the way."

"Well, my father pulled a gun out on him, then threatened to kill him after finding out who his mother is and Mattia didn't even get a single word in so I don't know how my father could judge him like that- it sounds fucking pathetic to me. I mean, at least have a conversation with the guy before you decide that he's not good enough for me, you know. And on top of that, Angelo isn't making life any easier," I say, catching my breath.