Romani Prince

Chapter 21: Shanghaied

Me: "Do you hate me?"

The reply comes immediately.

Luka: "Never! I know why you weren't ready to leave them, but things will get a whole lot worse, now."

Luka: "Are you alright? God! It killed me that your mother hit you! Again!"

Me: "Actually, that was meant for you."

Luka: "And I would have taken it a thousand times to protect you! Don't you ever get in the way again, Gabriella!"

Me: "I cannot promise you that. They're my crazy family. My burden to carry, not yours. I couldn't allow her to hurt you!"

Luka: "And yet, I'm hurting ten times more than if it had been me."

Me: " Don't say that..."

Luka: "And what part of there's only us, now, don't you understand? Everything that affects you affects me too, baby."

Me: "I know, but I still refuse to let you take all the beating! Lol"

I try to lighten up a bit.

Luka: "When I'm actually the only one in this relationship trained to get hit."

Me: "Nope. You're trained to beat ass! And she may be a drama queen with a very short fuse, but she's still my mother."

Luka: "I would never hurt her! I would only make her sit her ass down and stop slapping around like a maniac!"

Me: "She's been wearing a wrist bandage, saying that you hurt her, already. Can you imagine if you really got in her face? You'd be in jail!"

Luka: "I did not hurt her!"

Me: "I know, Luka. And I caught her without it. She's perfectly fine."

Luka: "I guess you're right about confronting your mother. Having a better understanding of what she's capable of, I can totally see her turning anything around to use it against us."

I know how frustrated he must feel... And I'm still wondering how disappointed he must be, too.

Me: "Are you okay? Where?"

Luka: "I'm fine... With Juan's clan. Just worried sick about you and missing you."

Me: "Me too... And so much!"

Luka: "Where are you going to hide the phone? Make sure all sounds and vibration are off."

Me: "It's so small that it will fit perfectly inside the zipper pocket of my wallet."

Luka: "That's bold and risky. Are you sure?"

Me: "My mother will probably search in my makeup pouch but not in there. Expecting something bigger."

Luka: "It doesn't matter because I'll get you another, then another, until eighteen days from now. We'll be married soon, with or without your parents' approval."

Me: "About that... When will you tell your parents?"

Luka: "After we're married, mierea. After bonding our bodies as we bonded our souls. Did you feel it, too?"

Me: "The night before? Yes, I did. It was amazing. I miss you so much."

Luka: "I know. Me too, baby. But you stayed for a reason. So get to talking to your father as soon as possible. Just don't tell him about our plans."

Me: "Of course not."

Luka: "You have until the morning of June sixteen to convince them, mierea. After that, you're mine."