Chapter 18 - THE PRIVATE DINNER
That evening, the grand estate was unnervingly silent. Instead of dining alone in his massive banquet room or sending Elena to eat with the staff, Luca ordered dinner served in his private study on the third floor.
When Elena entered with the covered silver platters, she expected to set the table and stand by the wall as protocol dictated. But the table was laid out for two.
"Sit," Luca said, gesturing toward the empty leather armchair across from him. He had abandoned his formal suit for a simple black cashmere sweater, his shoulder tightly wrapped beneath.
Elena hesitated. "The staff—"
"The staff work for me," Luca cut in smoothly, pouring a deep red Chianti into two crystal glasses. "Sit down, Elena."
She sat, her heart fluttering as she smoothed the fabric of her skirt. The study was warm, illuminated only by the crackling fireplace and the soft glow of banker's lamps against walls lined with thousands of leather-bound books.
"Why did you kiss my cheek that night?" Luca asked suddenly, cutting straight through the pleasantries without looking up from his plate.
Elena froze, her fork hovering in mid-air. The question hung between them, heavy and raw.
"You looked tired," she answered quietly, looking into the dark depths of his eyes. "You were in pain, bleeding in the dark, carrying the weight of a hundred lives on your shoulders. For a second... I didn't see a mob boss. I saw a man who had forgotten what kindness felt like."
Luca stared at her, his expression unreadable, though a muscle in his jaw twitched. "Kindness is a fatal flaw in my world, Elena. My older brother was kind. He believed in truces and handshakes. Ten years ago, the Falcone family shot him in the back outside his favorite restaurant."
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He reached across the table, taking her hand into his large, calloused palm. His touch was warm, surprisingly gentle for hands that had spilled so much blood. "When your lips touched my cheek, I wanted to slam my fist through the wall because you made me feel something I spent a decade burying. You made me feel human."
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