Lucca's Lust: The Luminara Series Book 3 (42 page)

Once Lexi’s feet are checked at the clinic, we visit Fran. She looks better than she did yesterday. For the best part of the visit, I think Lexi feels uncomfortable, but she does a good job of hiding it.

I think she is trying to be brave, and like Cameron said, she has an inner strength and a strong will rooted deep inside that little delicate body of hers that blows my mind. For someone so fragile, she has mighty strength and determination.

She does well facing her nervousness today, even offering to leave us alone, but I want her to stay. I think Fran is pleased that Lexi came. In a way, it is as if the two of them seem to understand one another. A definite display of women’s intuition, they seem to be so tuned in to the emotional senses of each other, it makes them both empathetic and forgiving. It is almost spooky.

Fran is lifeless, which is to be expected, and still seems lost in her eyes, but Lexi shows her kind and gentle support, proving she is a great carer and extremely sensitive and compassionate to others. It is one of the many things I love about her.

It is not until I return with fresh water, I am stunned beyond belief. Lexi holds Fran in a warm embrace. I place my hand on Lexi’s waist to alert her I have returned. I brush my thumb over her lower back.

Lexi and I both decide to leave when the nurse enters, and Fran appears to wilt under tiredness. Remaining quiet on the way back to the car, I keep a tight hold of Lexi, pulling her into my side.

I think about how I want to look after her and how much she needs my love. Then I see her strong, sensitive, and resolute side, reminding me that Lexi has done a pretty good job of looking after herself so far and others for that matter. She is inspirational.

Leaning against the car, I pull her tight against my chiselled body, protectively wrapping my arms around her. I am so overwhelmed with new appreciation for her, it spins my mind and world in the best way possible.

She has been through so much in her life, things I will never fully understand or could possibly imagine, and yet she showed Fran nothing but the sincerest respect and sympathy. I think about her wrist, her feet, and bruises. Not once has she complained or grumbled.

Altruista.
Selfless
.

Gratuito.
Gratuitous
.

Modesto.
Unassuming
.

It is what makes her pure, humble, and exquisitely special. Different from every other. This is another beautiful quality that would make her a loving mamma. She always puts others before herself.
Angel.

“Are you okay? You know, with seeing Fran and everything that’s happened? Will you talk to me? Please, Lucca.” Her soft words are a rush of hot breath on my lips.

“I am okay. I promise. I will be fine. I am just amazed at how well you handled it. It was so surreal watching both of you embrace like that. I thought I would be crushed, but all I could do was admire how strong you were. I feel more love and want you more if that is even possible.”

Embarrassed, she says she thought I would turn to booze to deal with this. Through everything that has happened, she is worried about me. But more than that, it also reminds me of the fucking prick I was treating her like that, and she is scared I will become that prick again. I do not ever want to put her through that again, and I cannot have her being afraid of me and my drunken actions.

“Baby, no, I learned my lesson. I cannot—will not lose you, and I do not want to hurt you again. Do you believe me?” I know I do not deserve her to believe me, but I very much need her to. She has too many fears without being scared of me as well. That would destroy me to think she could not trust me.

“Yes, Lucca. I love you.” God, I love this woman with all my heart. Showing her my appreciation, I shower her in indecent kisses.

“So you promise me you won’t suffer on your own or keep things bottled up, and I promise I’ll confide in you and let you into my past and my head when I’m ready. I want you to read some of my journal when you’re not worrying so much about Fran. I mean, when your mind’s clear and you want to read it. Do you promise?” She wraps her arms around my neck, her fingers griping my nape.

I promise her.

I am still not convinced that I want to read what she has to say now that I know it is far worse than I realised, but I will if she wants me to understand. Plus, it was my idea in the first place. If it helps her and makes her feel better, then I will … but I know I will not like it.

In fact, I have been thinking of what sort of details she is willing to share, which fucks with my mind. An educated guess tells me it will be too hard for me to stomach, but I am not going back on my word. I made her a promise, one which I am keeping. Promises are important to her for some reason.

“I promise, dolcezza. God, I love you. You are going to make me the luckiest husband ever,” I declare, cupping her ass and claiming her mouth.

“Hold up, lover boy. Stop with the marriage chat. Let’s just go on more dates and live together first. That’s a good start.” She giggles with a sassy attitude. I love sassy Lexi.

“We will be married, I promise you that. Come on, we are going to visit my parents and then we will get organised to go out for dinner tonight with the others.” I strap her in the car before she gives me another storming hard-on. It proves very difficult on long car journeys.

As suspected, I cop a whole lot of shit from Mamma about my war wounds. It is not big deal. I wish she would stop with the smothering. Papa, on the other hand, seems impressed. I was protecting my girl; he expects nothing less from his sons.

I manage to rescue Lexi in enough time before Mamma positively bores her to death with all those old photo albums. It prompts me to capture more secret pictures of her when she is not looking.

In the car she twirls the little diamond angel in her hand that Mamma gave her. I know she is thinking about it. She chews the inside of her cheek, and her nose wrinkles. Now and then the tell-tale fingers flick nervously in front of her mouth.
I have her
. I have her now and intend to forever in the future. I just hope maybe she will change her mind. Life is far too short. I have matured to realise this through the years.

Mamma promised to have this little angel added onto Gabriel’s crib as it was on mine when I was a child. My family loves nostalgia and traditions. I told her to hang on to it because I thought it would be too little to put on his grave and would fly away in the wind. So she agreed she would keep it safe, in case I ever needed it. At the time, I was too blinded by grief and never thought I would be in any position to move on, never mind consider other children.

Now with Lexi everything is brighter and seems so much clearer. Fate has given me hope that Lexi and I can have a good, honest, and loving life together. Hopefully children will be part of that. And maybe our time will come. God knows we both deserve it. It must be our turn. To be in the light together.

The evening is spent having a lovely meal in Da Claudio’s, a boutique restaurant in the nearby town. I asked Marco to join us because I feel like I have not caught up with him much since Sunday night, and I want to fill him in about Fran.

I like that he and Lexi are bonding. Adoringly, she thanks him for everything he has done and helped her with. He smiles, completely entranced by her innocence and warm heart. I know he would do anything for her because he knows I have fallen deeply in love with her.

The next day we laze around the farmhouse. Then we take in the end of jazz festival later in the evening. Anna and Cameron appear to be getting closer and closer. I know Lexi is still pissed about it, but I cannot help but notice how Cameron fondly stares at her, stealing subtle touches here and there. I see it in his eyes. He has it bad for my sister, and Lexi is in denial.

The next day is emotional for Lexi. She sulks and clings to Cameron all bloody morning. It is not to deter Anna either; it is because he is going home and she is feeling needy and antsy about him leaving. I have a long heart to heart with Cameron before he goes, just to ensure he is on board with Lexi moving in with me when we go back to Scotland.

Marco is dropping them off at the airport because I have to meet with Dino to finalise plans. Before they leave, Lexi nearly hugs him to death, ruffling his hair, then gives him a list of things to take care of in her most feisty voice. I have to stifle a laugh when I see Cameron scuff his feet and tell her to stop moaning at him, but he agrees and kisses her head anyway because he loves her, even her bossiness.

I love bossy Lexi too.

Anna?

Well there really is no telling her at all. Anna does what she wants to do, but I do warn her to get back to work pronto as I do not want the rest of the team thinking she is getting preferential treatment, which of course she is. I do hold her in a very protective brotherly embrace.

Part one: Lussuria ~ Lucca’s Words

“Lussuria ~ Chapter Twenty Seven: Goodbyes”

My Gift Of The Day

A week later, we pack up just a few things for Sunday and Monday and head to Villa di Tartufi. Lexi suggested she wanted to be near Hazel and Dominic as it is their last few days, and I want her to be happy so I do not protest. It is nice being back at Nonno and Nonna’s. Lexi and I are officially a couple. The last time we were here, I was trying to convince her to go on a date with me.

Since then, we have had our first proper date every day since we left. Everything is a first for Lexi, and for me and nothing has felt so right. Even the fighting and the making up … the good, bad, and the dark … it is all part of honest love, our honest love, and my love for Lexi is the brightest kind. I promised to make her feel, and I promised to bring her into my light. Slowly, I am getting there.

These last few weeks, she has glowed, sparkled, and shone like a glistening star, just like her little teardrops the first day I saw her. She is truly coming into herself. I do feel Lexi is keeping me in her light, she just does not realise it yet. She still thinks she is dark.

She is radiant, looks healthier, and after all her sunbathing, her skin is a deep golden bronze colour. Her bruises and cuts are healing nicely, and she says she does not need her sling all the time, only when her wrist feels sore.

Back in the residential suite we were using, I unpack some groceries in the kitchen and run the Jacuzzi outside on the private alfresco area. This is what was missing from my farmhouse; I make a mental note to get an outdoor Jacuzzi tub installed for Lexi and me for our kinky outdoor days. The thought sends a rush of crazy tingling up my spine.

Smiling at the dining table, I remember the morning I made love to her on that table as the sunlight poured through the glass and shone over her sexy body. My cock twitches at the mere thought of being inside her, and my balls ache like heavy steel.

I take her gift, towels, robes, and champagne outside and get her naked and in that tub. Between my legs, leaning back with her head on my chest, I lean down and brush my lips against her long, elegant neck, trailing kisses up to her ear.

She closes her eyes and hums, so I choose to surprise her at this moment and adorn her bare neck with something special. I know she is upset about Cameron being away and about Hazel and Dominic leaving, so now is the perfect opportunity to give her a gift before her real gift of the day to show her how much she means to me and how much I want to look after her.

The expensive diamond teardrop pendant is huge sitting above her breast bone, but her bright smile reaches her sparkling eyes, drawing my attention away from the twinkling stone. I am fascinated by the twinkle in her luscious brown eyes.
My angel. Perfetto.

I make sensual love to her in the heavenly bubbling water until we are both completely spent after a couple of breathtaking sessions. Once is never enough. I have cum hard twice inside her, filling her with not just my semen but with more and more of my heart. If I thought Lexi could go again, I would take her inside and have her once more, but she is completely spent because I have drawn four very powerful orgasms from her, worshipping her.