Chapter 4 - THE DRIVE TO MIAMIBy dawn, the Moretti estate was locked down tighter than a federal prison.
Marco had recovered the stolen hard drive from Julian Bellini’s private vehicle, which had been intercepted four miles from the estate trying to reach the highway. Julian was currently occupying a dark room right beside his sister in the basement vaults, waiting for Luca's final judgment.
I woke up around 8:00 AM inside Luca's master bedroom.
I was wearing a soft, oversized dark gray cashmere sweater that smelled distinctly of cedar and Luca’s cologne, along with a pair of clean cotton shorts. On the nightstand sat a tray containing fresh coffee, warm croissants, and a glass of orange juice, alongside a newly prescribed bottle of antibiotics.
The bedroom door opened softly, and Luca walked in. He had traded his suit jacket for a fitted black linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing the dense black ink covering his forearms.
"How is the leg?" he asked, walking over to the side of the bed.
"Much better," I said, sitting up and pulling the covers over my lap. "Thank you for... everything, Mr. Moretti."
He frowned slightly, a faint crease appearing between his dark brows. "Luca. Call me Luca."
"Luca," I corrected softly, feeling a blush creep up my neck.
He took a seat in the armchair beside the bed, crossing his long legs. "The hard drive Julian stole contained financial routing numbers for our joint shipping operation in Miami. The Bellini family was planning a coup. They thought if they handed those codes to our rivals in Florida, they could force me out of the southern territory."
"What will happen to them?" I asked nervously.
"They will be handled," Luca said coldly, his tone leaving no room for detail. "But to ensure the Miami territory remains stable, I have to fly down there this afternoon to clean up the operational leak."
My heart dropped slightly. "Oh. I see."
Luca leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his dark eyes searching my face. "I am not leaving you here, Claire. The estate is safe, but until the Bellini network is entirely dismantled, I want you where I can see you."
"You want me to go to Miami with you?"
"Yes," Luca said plainly. "As my guest. Not as my maid."
I blinked, stunned. "Luca, I'm just an employee. If your lieutenants see you traveling with a maid—"
"I don't give a damn what my lieutenants think," Luca cut me off, his voice firm and absolute. "You bled for my family's legacy while the woman who wore my ring sold me out for a quick payday. You sit at my table now, Claire. Is that clear?"
I looked into his fierce, unyielding gray eyes and felt a strange, thrilling warmth spread through my chest. For the first time in my life, someone was standing between me and the cold brutality of the world.
"Yes, Luca," I whispered. "It's clear."
Two hours later, we were standing on the tarmac at a private hangar at JFK Airport.
A sleek, pitch-black Gulfstream jet sat waiting. Luca guided me up the stairs, his hand resting firmly on the small of my back. Inside, the jet was lined with cream leather, dark mahogany wood, and deep plush carpets.
As the jet roared to life and lifted into the cloudy sky above New York, I sat across from Luca in a wide captain's chair. He was reviewing tactical reports on his tablet, but every few minutes, his eyes would drift up to check on me, making sure I was comfortable, making sure my leg wasn't throbbing.
Around hour two of the flight, I looked out the window at the endless sea of white clouds below.
"Luca?" I asked softly.
He set his tablet down immediately. "What is it?"
"Why did you keep that amethyst mirror in the main drawing room if you knew Vanessa was hiding things?"
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Luca leaned back in his chair, a dark, dangerous smile touching his scarred lips.
"Because, Claire," Luca said quietly, "I knew Vanessa was a viper the month I met her. I gave her enough rope to hang herself. But what I didn't expect..." He paused, his gaze dropping to my lips before rising back to meet my eyes. "...was finding the diamond hidden behind her glass."
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