Devoted: A Dark Mafia Romance (Beneath The Mask Series Book 3)

“Shit,” I hiss, knocking over the bowl of beaten eggs across the counter.

The bacon sizzles on the stove as I wipe up the mess.

Okay, fry the bacon and boil the pasta. Check.

Now what?

I check my laptop on the counter and reread the recipe. Spaghetti carbonara. My mom’s favorite. Well, the only thing she could cook to Nona’s standards. Wiping the sweat from my forehead, it’s already eight pm. Luca hasn’t come home since going to the hospital last night. He’s texted a few times to let me know he’s okay, but I know he’s going to be hungry when he gets home.

Next, grate the cheese. Throwing open the cupboards beneath me, it’s got to be hiding around here somewhere. When Luca cooks, he makes it look so easy. I, however, am a disaster.

As I rummage through the cupboards, the front door slams shut.

“Luca, I’m in here!” I shout, peering up over the counter.

Weird, he always comes straight in to see me.

As I step around the corner to the living room, I find him slumped on the sofa with his head in his hands. His chest is shaking.

Is he crying?

I rush over to him and drop to my knees.

“Luca, are you okay?”

He shakes his head, yet won’t let me see his face. For everything this man has done for me these last few weeks, I have to help him.

“Luca, you can talk to me,” I whisper.

He looks at me through teary, bloodshot eyes.

Fuck. This isn’t good.

I sit on the sofa next to him and pat my lap. He shoots me a questioning look.

“Lie down.”

He does as I say, laying his head on my lap. I stroke his soft brown locks while wrapping my other hand around his body.

He nuzzles his face into my bare stomach, his tears falling onto my skin.

“Talk to me. Luca, please.”

He takes in a deep breath. “He’s in surgery. They don’t know if he will make it. I’ve been with Maddie; she’s so fucking broken. And I can’t stop thinking about him never meeting his kid. He was so excited, Rosa. He has everything he ever wanted, and my stupidity could have ruined everything for him.”

“Hey, this is not your fault, Luca. The mafia is a dangerous place, we all know that.”

“If they had a better leader, it wouldn’t be.”

“Stop it with that. Soon you’ll be top of the top. I have no doubt you can take down my dad’s men. Then it’s Luca for world domination. You’ve got this.”

I suck in a breath and ask. “Was it my dad?”

He nods. “I should never have taken you.”

A tightness forms in my chest. “Well, if it’s any consolation, in taking me, you saved me.”

He moves his head to look at me, and I give him a reassuring smile.

“It’s true. This is the first time in my adult life I’ve truly felt free, happy even. And that’s down to you. I know this wasn’t about me. Why would he attack Grayson?”

His elbow sticks up as he wipes his face. “He wants something I’ve got.”

“Which is?” I know it isn’t me.

Luca’s voice drops. “Can I trust you?”

“Weirdly enough, I trust you with my life.”

He sits up and faces me, our noses almost touching. My breath hitches as I realize his cologne has long faded and his raw, manly scent covers me, making me wish his head wasn’t on my legs so I could press my thighs together.

“I have the commissioner’s backing to run the gun shipments into New York. I just need to take the merchandise from the Capris somehow to keep them from gaining a foothold here.”

“See, you’re doing great.” I reach out and stroke his stubbly jaw. He leans into my touch. “When will you know more about Grayson? Is Maddie okay?”

With an exhausted groan, he sits up. “Soon. I just came home to shower, change, and update the rest of the guys. I need to get our retaliation organized while we wait. I have a guy with Maddie keeping an eye on her for me.”

Pulling my knees up to my chest, they feel cold without his warm heat laying across them. “I have faith he will pull through. From what you’ve told me, he’s a fighter; he won’t go down that easily.”

He gives me a sad smile, and it breaks my heart seeing him like this. I roll onto my knees and wrap my arms around his neck and place a soft kiss on his cheek.

Pulling his head back, his eyes open wide as he stares into mine. The pain he carries seems to melt a little as his thumb rubs idly across my elbow.

Breaking the spell, he clears his throat and sits up straight. “What were you cooking?” he asks.

“Carbonara.” I pull away, letting my hand drift down to rest on his veiny forearm. “Don’t expect much. I can’t even find the grater.”

He chuckles, and it makes me smile. “Thank you, little one.”

“I told you to stop calling me that!” I lean back in feigned protest and poke him in the chest.

He huffs. “Fine.” His warm fingers cover my hand. “What about ‘tesoro’?” he asks with a hoarse whisper.

I blink a few times at the sweet nickname that fell from his lips. “And why am I your treasure, Luca?”

His full lips twitch into a smile. “It’s because you are. You are my stolen treasure.”

Heat blooms in my chest. “It’s cute, I accept.”

He laughs. “Good. Agreed then.”

I unfold myself from my cushion and go to stand, but he catches my wrist, his eyes searching mine.

“Can we stay like this for a bit longer?” He pauses. “Please?”

When I give him a small nod, he shifts to one end of the couch and he taps his lap. He must be expecting me to lie my head on his leg like he had been.

I don’t know what comes over me. I straddle his thighs and settle down on his lap. His eyes go wide.

“What are you doing, Rosa?” His deep gravelly voice sends pulses to my pussy.

He groans, tipping his head back against the headrest.

Holy shit. I lick my lips as his Adam’s apple bobs.

“I-I don’t know,” I answer honestly.

My feelings for him confuse the hell out of me. He brings his face back to me, his bloodshot eyes remind me of the pain he’s feeling right now.

“Oh, Luca,” I sigh, wrapping him up tight, his head nested between my breasts.

He’s never faltered when it comes to me, so I will be there for him. We fight together.

“Thank you, Rosa. I’m going to be lost when you leave me.”

I don’t even want to think about that day, so I just hum in agreement.

His phone starts to vibrate. He takes two long breaths that end in a sigh before he leans back to dig it out of his jacket pocket. I slide away onto his knees to give him some space to answer.

The tanned skin of his face pales as he listens to whoever is on the other end, then a flush of red works its way up his neck. “What in the fuck do you mean you can’t find her?”

I flinch back at the sheer anger in Luca’s voice, torn between getting off his lap or hugging him closer. So I do what my heart tells me to do–I bury my face into his chest and I hold on to him as tight as I can. I just know they’re talking about Maddie.

“Keep looking, we can’t lose her. We have to find her before he wakes up. It will fucking kill him.” His hand tightens where he grips my hip.

I keep my face pressed against his neck, my heart sinking for him. It’s going from bad to worse for him and there isn’t a damn thing I can do to help. It might be wrong, but I wish my dad was dead, so this would stop for him. The cell phone bounces off the cushion after he ends the call. “I have to go.”

“Luca, you’ve got this. It will be okay. Go out there and fight, just keep your head and don’t get yourself hurt,” I whisper. I release my hold and lean back, grabbing his face in my hands. “Don’t worry about me. I’m safe here.” I press a soft kiss to his cheek and hop off his lap.

There’s a fire in his eyes as he stands. “I’ll see you soon, tesoro.”