Hers To Love (complete) Cover By @army_ss841

Chapter 89

Luca groaned grabbing his head and trying to sit up.  He felt like he'd been hit by a train.  He finally was able to turn enough for his feet to hit the ground and just sat there with his head in his hands.  He felt like shit and his jaw hurt like hell.  He saw the bottle of water and pills on the bedside table.  He didn't know who put them there but he was grateful.  He was trying to remember what happened and how he ended up in the guest room.  He sighed, stretched and walked into the bathroom in search of a toothbrush.  He was feeling the hair of the dog as he held the toothbrush under the water, squirted some toothpaste and brushed hard to get the taste out of his mouth while looking in the mirror.  He had a bruise on his chin.  He didn't even want to know how he got that.  He turned the shower on and stepped under it for a few moments, got out, toweled off and threw his clothes back on and headed downstairs.  He thought he would fix Ari some breakfast.  As he got closer to the kitchen he could smell coffee and that's exactly what he needed right now.  "Well, look what the cat dragged in" Paulo said from the other end of the bar.  Luca grunted as he grabbed a mug.  After a couple of sips he was ready to talk.  "How much of last night do you remember?" he asked.  Luca shrugged.  "Not much really, why?" he asked.  Paulo shook his head.  "Let's just say you didn't have much of a governor as you got soused."  Luca looked alarm at this revelation.  "What do you mean Paulo?"  His heart was starting to beat faster now.  "What did I say?"  "You're still pissed at Ari man.  You didn't try and hide it either.  You went on and on about how you couldn't protect someone that you couldn't trust and then you threw your glass against the wall, then you tried to get up the stairs but kept falling down and fighting me every step of the way.  I belted you on the chin and got you into bed.  When I was leaving the guest room Ari was standing there.  She'd heard everything."  Luca had already started up the stairs taking two at a time until he reached their door.

He opened the door slowly as not to wake Ari but disappointment was all over his face when he saw the empty bed.  He looked to the bathroom door and it was shut but he saw a light shining underneath but when he tried the door handle it was locked.  He sighed letting his head drop to the door.  He knocked softly.  "Baby unlock the door please." he pleaded.  "Luca please go away" Ari said her voice sounding hoarse and tired.  He felt like fucking crap.  She'd heard him, every hurtful thing he said.  God he wanted to kick his own ass.  "Ari I was drunk honey.  It's no excuse but please I didn't mean it.  Please unlock the door" he pleaded again.  "No.  I don't want to see you right now.  Please go away" her voice hitched.  Pissed off he slammed his way out of the room and back downstairs.  He and Paulo locked eyes when he reached the kitchen.    Paulo raised and eyebrow as Luca said "I fucked up man.  She's locked herself in the bathroom."  He stood there with his hands on his hips looking up at the ceiling and blew out a long breath.  Paulo headed to his room.  "Give me a minute.  I think I know what to do".  When he came back he had Natalie with him.  "Hey Luca" she said sweetly.  "Morning" he mumbled back.  "Look" she started "she's just very emotional right now and doubting a lot of things.  I'm sure I can get her to let me in.  That way she won't be alone.  Just give it some time" she said patting him on the shoulder.  "How does she like her coffee?" Nat asked.  "A lot of Italian sweet creamer" said Luca.  The girl nodded and fixed to two mugs and headed up the stairs.

Natalie pushed the door opened with her foot, sat the mugs on the dresser and knocked on the bathroom door.  "Luca" the strangled voice inside started "please go away!  Please!"  "Ari honey it's me Nat.  Open the door sweetie please".  She sighed in relief when she heard the lock on the door and saw it open up.  She didn't see Ari but it was obvious she was behind the door.  Natalie walked in the with coffee cups as Ari shut and locked the door.  She did not look good.  Her face was red and swollen from crying and being awake all night plus there was some blood on her night gown.  She must have aggravated her incision.  "Oh honey look at you" Natalie said compassion feeling her voice.  "Come here" she said patting the seat of the vanity chair.  Ari walked over obviously in pain.  Natalie grabbed a rag and ran it under the cool water.  She started to put it to Ari's forehead.  "Ari your burning up honey!"  Ari closed her eyes as the cool rag hit her skin.  Natalie gently wiped her face, neck, chest and down both arms.  It felt really good as she softly washed her skin.  "Natalie I messed up" she said so much sadness in her voice.  "He doesn't trust me anymore.  I don't even know if he loves me anymore."  It was pitiful to see her feeling this way.  "Sweetie he loves you more than anything but you scared the crap out of him.  Men like Luca and Paulo aren't used to carrying those kinds of feelings around.  This is foreign territory and he's lost.  You almost died and it really put things in perspective for him.  Please honey trust me when I say that man is crazy about you."  Her gentle words were very soothing and all of a sudden Arienne felt very tired.  Natalie convinced her to let her take a look at her side.  The woman wouldn't show it but she was very alarmed at how angry it looked and she noticed that some of the incision was open and bleeding.  Natalie very calmly asked Ari where medical supplies were and she weakly pointed to the overhead cabinet, took care of the wound and got her back in bed.  She had to get downstairs quickly.