Child of a King

Chapter forty-five - It stays with us

Michael:

It was as if a glacier of ice had swept through the room, freezing everyone in place. My breath caught in my throat, my eyes widening at the sight of my eldest daughter, Luca, standing before us. It felt like a mirage, like I was dreaming. She had been locked away for so long, the thought of seeing her outside those bars had become a distant hope. Her juvenile uniform hung loosely on her frail frame, a stark reminder of the time that had passed—too much time.

"Holy shit," Slade's voice broke through the stunned silence, snapping us all out of our paralysis.

Without thinking, I shot out of my chair and rushed toward her, pulling her into my chest. The moment her thin body pressed against mine, a wave of disbelief and relief crashed over me. "Mija," I whispered, my voice cracking as I held her tightly, my hand trembling against her back. I could barely breathe. I pulled back, gripping her shoulders and scanning her from head to toe, still struggling to process the reality of her standing in front of me. "How? Why? How are you here?"

Luca's lips curled into a small smirk, her fingers brushing against my arm in that familiar way she used to. "Desperate times call for desperate measures," she replied, her voice soft but laced with the mischief that had always been her trademark. There was a fire in her eyes, a spark that had been dimmed for far too long, but it was back now, burning bright.

Before I could respond, the door creaked open, and my second eldest son, Sebastian, stepped into the room. His polished shoes clicked against the floor with the same confidence he always carried. He took in the scene with calm eyes, as if he had expected this, as if nothing could shake him. Walking toward the window, he opened it slightly, letting the cool night air drift in. The breeze caught the edge of the curtains, sending them fluttering as he placed a cigarette between his lips. The click of the lighter echoed through the room, and for a brief second, it felt like the world held its breath.

Then, chaos erupted.

"What have the two of you been up to?" someone demanded.

"Why did you call him instead of me?"

"How did you get out? I've spent months preparing for court!"

Questions flew across the room, bombarding Luca and Sebastian as they remained unbothered, their cool demeanor untouched by the sudden storm. Luca strode casually to the window, joining her brother on the sill. She plucked the cigarette from his hand with practiced ease, raising it to her own lips. Her eyes fluttered closed as she took a long drag, the white smoke swirling around her.

"Fuck," she muttered, her nose scrunching up in distaste. "That's some strong nicotine." Despite the grimace, she took another drag, blowing out a cloud of smoke that blended with the night air.

I groaned, rubbing my temples. "Not you too, Luca. We have enough smokers in this family as it is."

"You started it," Ray chimed in with a chuckle, clapping me on the back. His relief was evident as he sauntered over to Luca and slung an arm around her shoulder. His grin was wide, the kind of grin that only came out in moments like this—when the impossible had just become possible. "Thank God you're out. Now the real fun begins," he said, his voice full of excitement.

Luca glanced at him, her lips twitching upward, but her eyes flicked back to me, a hint of something deeper lurking behind them. I couldn't quite place it—was it exhaustion? Pain? Or perhaps something else entirely? Secrets for sure. But before I could ask, she leaned her head against Ray's shoulder, exhaling another stream of smoke, as if this was just another day.

I stood there, still trying to piece everything together, still wondering what lengths she had gone to get here, to be free.

"Do you seriously think you can waltz in here like that?" Marc scowled, crossing his arms over his muscular chest.