Hell's Company

Chapter 13 (Edited)

Luca held nothing of his professional life back from me. If he needed to leave, he would bring me, unless it was gathering new souls and other official sector leader-only business. He didn't want them knowing our business and neither did I. I also opted out of attending the welcoming parties, simply waiting at his house for him to return. I was brought to various deals that usually involved guns, drugs, and alcohol and realized the parties were just a cover for what Luca and his associates did.

The associates started recognizing me as his second, which I thought was humorous because I usually just stood there and looked pretty. I started to gather nods of respect on the streets even when I wasn't with him. I became untouchable and more renowned than I ever had been before. Regardless, Luca insisted on daily training sessions that combined self-defense and actual fighting. The lessons usually ended up with us tangled together on the mat and pinning each other down in other ways.

Luca and I did our best to keep up professional appearances to the public but it was hard to stay away from each other's gravitational pull. We would wait in agony until we were alone, only exchanging brief whispers of what we wanted to do to each other or subtle teeth grazing against earlobes. Finally, after every successful job, long, passionate kisses were becoming tradition.

This was Sector Violence so, naturally, jobs didn't always turn out in our favor. Many times fights broke out when things went south. Guns and knives would be pulled, people would be hurt, and depending on the situation, Luca would join in with a wild glint in his eyes.

It was dangerous and it was fun.

We would attend all kinds of parties. The more high-end, to the raves, to house parties, to the actual tournaments held in Violence's arena. Luca's substance abuse problem became clear early on, though I thought he had tried to hide it from me for the most part. The excessive drinking and continual drug use were almost scary. He had the highest tolerance I've ever seen, even here. When I questioned him about it, he snapped at me that being here for eternity drains you, he can take temporary happiness when he wants, and that I had said I wanted to know him. I didn't ask him about it again.

So when he bent over the glass table and inhaled white powder into his nose, I watched and said nothing. This was the fifth line of cocaine he had snorted. He tipped his head back and breathed deeply, wiping his nose quickly and his eyes dilating as they settled on me.

"Any plans tonight?" I asked, leaning against the back of the couch. Tonight I was wearing more casual attire, a skater skirt and a cut off top, and hadn't planned on going anywhere. I took a small sip of my White Zinfandel as I watched him.

"Relaxing." He stretched and leaned back, his arm resting on the top of the couch behind my head and his fingers played with my hair absentmindedly.

"You don't do coke if you want to relax. That's more of a Xanax thing."

Luca wasn't able to sit still for very long. He was already leaning forward and pouring himself a glass of tequila. "You're right. I was thinking maybe a night out but just for fun. No work-related activities."

I sighed heavily. "I was hoping for a night in. I'm tired and sore." I rubbed my neck for emphasis but I was really sore all over. His lifestyle was hard to keep up with when I wasn't used to it.

Luca jumped into action. "I can help with that!"

I was careful not to spill my wine all over his couch as he jostled me around and began massaging me after he moved my hair out of the way. Yeah, he was high on drugs, but no, I wasn't going to not reap the benefits. His fingers kneaded into my skin, rubbing the soreness out of my muscles. I cringed several times because of the force he was using but sighed with bliss. "Oh, Luca, please do this more often."