Homecoming

Chapter Sixteen: Beginning of the Break

I walked up to Luca and gave him a painfully obvious fake smile.

He grinned as I stopped in front of him, "I take it, your father said to be nice to me."

"Against my wishes, yes." I rolled my eyes. "I suggested we just ignore you, but my father wants us to be nice."

"He probably wants to stay on my father's good side." He stepped closer and ran his hand down my arm softly. "How do you want to do that."

"By being able to go tonight without killing you. So remove your hand from my arm before that happens."

Luca chuckled and stepped back. "Then at least watch the fireworks with me."

I rolled my eyes again but followed him. Soon, I realized he took me to a small bench away from everyone. "If you are going to make a move on me I will actually kill you." I warned him.

"Etta, please sit, my father's men won't hear us here," Luca says in a serious tone. His entire demeanor from being a flirty asshole was gone and replaced with what looked like the old Luca who would run into the music shop every day.

I sit next to him a bit cautious, "Okay...?"

"Firstly, I'm sorry for acting the way I did back there. My father sadly expects it of me. Secondly, I feel you and your friends should not listen or take any advice my father gives you."

"What? Why?"

Luca ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, "I think he's going to betray you. I... Some men came in dark suits and had asked if they had seen the Van Der Linde gang." My blood went cold as I listened silently, "My father took them into his study and they talked in there for hours. I wasn't even allowed inside."

"Wait... So you aren't an asshole?" I said registering everything.

He let out a chuckle, "That's what you say after all that?" He gives me a kind smile, "You are still exactly the same girl who worked in the music shop. I'm sorry... I hurt you very badly back then. My father is insane. But I do love my wife, I promise. She's the one I've been telling everything too. She suggested I tell you."

Luca takes my hand and squeezed it. "You and your people have to Leave Saint Denise if you want to live."

"I... I'll talk to my father. But he... he's been difficult." I sighed.

"I'm glad you got to meet him. Has he been everything you wanted?" Luca smiles.

I shrugged my shoulders, "Yes and no. He's given me and Henry a family, but I feel more that he has let us in to have more people on his side... and not because he genuinely loves us."

"Yeah... fathers are horrible creatures at times... But at least yours seems kinder than most. And you're husband, I assume you met him through your father?"

I smiled thinking back to the day I met Arthur, "I met him first actually, he walked into the saloon I was bartending in." I started to laugh, "I was really tight on money and tried to steal his."

Luca is still smiling at me but I can see it become shocked. "Miss Etta, I seem to remember you sayin' you'll never be like your father."

"Well, that was before I met them. Is it sad I feel like I'm gettin' a hang of this life? But, I want Arthur and me to leave it, we want a family one day."

The fireworks had begun but me and Luca kept talking. "Well... When you two feel you are ready, my wife and I will help you where we can." He nodded to himself as if he made up his mind.

"Luca... You don't have too..."

"I know. But you can see it as redemption for how I hurt you. You don't have to accept right now. But please, think it over." The two of us smiled at each other.