Chapter 140: Its Just
With You
"That’s his problem," Luca replied smoothly, his gaze flicking to the windshield as the car rolled onto the quiet street. "He has a lot of clients anyway."
"Its different in a way. I an with Dante, he provides you various won. Its just
with you." Vee said.
"And you are more than enough. Infact, you are a full ti job." He pulled her ear lobe between his teeth.
A sharp shiver ran down her spine.
"Are you saying I am too much for you to handle?"
"You know what? I swallow my pride and I admit defeat. Yes!"
The dramatic seriousness in his tone made her eyes widen first before laughter burst out of her.
"Oh my God! I bested a mafia God." Vee laughed.
"You should have that on a plaque. Fucked the devil into admitting defeat."
Veronica laughed until her cheeks ached. Her eyes watered from the force of it, her shoulders shaking while she tried—and failed—to compose herself.
And Luca... Luca could only look at her.
He had seen beautiful won all his life. Won sculpted to perfection, won who had built entire identities around being desired, hell his own wife was one,.
But Veronica... she was terrifyingly beautiful.
It was the life in her.
The way she laughed without restraint. The way she teased him without fear. The way she could turn his world upside down and look delighted about it.
She wasn’t trying to impress him.
And sohow that made him want her even more.
His thumb brushed lightly against her lower lip as she slowly cald down, still smiling, still glowing with that infectious energy that made him feel like he was both winning and losing every ti he was near her.
"We’re here." Marco announced.
The car slowed to a smooth stop outside the restaurant, the soft rumble of the engine fading as Marco expertly parked.
Vee shifted slightly, as she pulled her coat properly around her shoulders.
Luca stepped out first, his tall fra unfolding from the car with effortless grace before he turned to offer her his hand.
The mont she stepped onto the pavent, he placed his hand on the small of her back.
As they stepped inside, Vee’s eyes moved around the space slowly.
The restaurant was beautiful.
But there was one small detail that imdiately caught her attention.
It was empty.
Just silence.
Well... not entirely silence.
His n were there.
She spotted them once she looked closer—stationed casually but strategically around the room. One near the bar. Another by the hallway leading to the kitchen. One by the entrance they had just walked through.
Making it very clear that this place, tonight, belonged to Luca.
Vee slowly turned her head toward him, her brows lifting slightly in amused disbelief.
"Did you buy the place?"
"No...just borrowed it for the evening." Luca answered.
Vee blinked slowly, looking around the empty dining room again.
"Why?"
"So we could have privacy." Luca answered.
She looked back at him, lips twitching with amusent. "I thought you said you wanted to be a normal couple."
"baby steps, Bambola. Baby steps."
His hand brushed the small of her back as he guided her toward their table. He pulled out her chair for her.
Vee settled into the seat, smoothing her dress slightly as the attendants appeared almost instantly with nus.
The nus were placed before them, and soon enough they placed their orders. The waiter moved away quietly, leaving them once again in their oddly private world.
The evening went... surprisingly well.
Better than she expected.
They ate slowly, savoring the food that was clearly prepared by chefs who knew their craft. Luca even attempted what could almost be described as polite conversation—though it still carried that sharp edge of dangerous charm that made him unmistakably Luca.
They drank wine.
They talked.
They laughed.
At one point Vee laughed so hard she nearly choked on her drink, and Luca had watched her with that sa quiet, intense gaze that always made her feel like she was being studied and adored at the sa ti.
It almost felt normal.
Until Marco walked in.
"Marco?" Luca said, placing his glass gently on the table.
"Your brother is here."
"and how in the fucking hell does he know where I am?"
Marco shrugged in response.
"Send him in." Then he turned toward Veronica. "I apologise for this."
She lifted an eyebrow, amusent dancing in her expression. "Just promise you will not try to stab your brother again."
Luca gave her a look that could only be described as deeply unrepentant. "No promises."
Julian strolled in. His coat was draped casually over his shoulders. "Brother!" Julian said.
"How did you find ?" Luca asked without mincing words.
Julian’s grin widened, the picture of smug satisfaction. "If I told you that, then I wont be able to find you next ti now, will I?"
Across the table, Vee slowly lifted her glass of wine.
Sothing told her this "normal dinner date" had officially ended.
"What do you want that couldn’t wait?" Luca asked.
Julian dragged a chair across the floor with a soft scrape, and settled himself comfortably at their table. "Nothing much, Luca. Just ca to see the face of the woman who will help
take you down."
Luca’s jaw imdiately went rigid.
The shift in him was instant and unmistakable. The relaxed man who had been laughing over wine minutes ago vanished. His shoulders squared slightly, the muscles in his neck tightening as he stared at his brother with a look that had probably preceded several unfortunate "accidents" in the past.
"You know, I can still make you disappear Julian. No one will find your dead body, ever."
Julian leaned back lazily in his chair, looking entirely unimpressed. If anything, he seed entertained by the tension simring in his brother. "You can always try." His gaze landed on Veronica. "Nice to et you formally Miss Scalese. It is Scalese isn’t it?"
Vee held his gaze calmly. "Yes." she answered. She felt Luca beside her—felt the barely contained fury radiating from him. The tablecloth brushed against her fingers as she rested her hand casually in her lap.
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