Chapter 4

The sun was starting to set over the city, but inside the Moretti mansion, there was only tension. Luca went up to his room to pack his things, his hands trembling so much he could barely hold his clothes. He couldn't even get through it without breaking down. Everything was so overwhelming. Just a few hours ago, he was the happiest he had ever been, and now his whole world was falling apart. After finally managing to get his bags together, he walked downstairs for the last time.

His father was sitting in his large armchair, looking like he had aged twenty years in a single afternoon. Every few minutes, a sob would break from his chest.

"We don't have to do this," his brother Marco said, pacing the floor with a face red from anger. "We can run, Luca. We can take whatever cash is left and leave the country. We don't have to give you to him!"

Luca looked at his brother and gave a sad, tired smile. "And go where, Marco? From what you told me about him, he has eyes everywhere. He would find us before we even got to the border. Then you, Dante, and Papa would go to jail, or even worse. I won't let that happen."

Luca walked over to his father, knelt on the floor, and took his hand. "It’s okay, Papa. I’m doing this so we can keep this house the house Mama loved so much. I’m doing this so you won't be on the streets. You all will be okay, even if I’m not here. I will be fine."

"He is going to hate you, Luca," his father said, his eyes wet with tears. "He is only doing this to hurt us because he knows how much you mean to the family. He’s going to take all his anger out on you because of what we did."

Luca felt a cold shiver go down his spine, but he didn't let them see it. "He can try," Luca said, sounding much braver than he felt. "But I’m a Moretti. I’m tougher than I look."

A loud honk echoed from the driveway.

"He’s here," Dante said, looking out the window. A sleek black car was idling in their driveway, waiting for its prize.

The walk to the front door was the hardest thing Luca had ever done. He was terrified, but he kept his head up. His brothers hugged him so tight he could barely breathe, and his father kissed both of his cheeks, whispering "I’m sorry" over and over again. Luca picked up his suitcase, took one last look at the only home he had ever known, and walked out into the cool night air.

The driver opened the back door and waited. Luca climbed in, and as the door clicked shut, he felt like he was being buried alive. He looked back through the rear window and saw his family standing on the porch, looking smaller and smaller as the car drove away.

Finally, the car pulled into a private underground garage beneath a massive skyscraper.

"Mr. Voss is waiting for you inside," the driver said.

Luca didn't answer. He took his suitcase and stepped into the private elevator. All through the ride to the penthouse, he gripped his bags, trying his best to keep it together. When the doors opened, he stepped out into a place full of glass and expensive art. It was beautiful, but it felt cold. It didn't feel like a home; it felt like a gallery for someone who lived alone.

Adrian was standing by a floor-to-ceiling window with a glass of whiskey in his hand. He didn't turn around when the elevator opened. Luca dropped his suitcase, the sound echoing loudly in the quiet room.

"I'm here," Luca said.

"The contract is on the table. Sign it," Adrian commanded.

Luca walked over and signed his name, his hand shaking. Once it was done, Adrian turned around slowly.

Luca froze. He was so shocked he couldn't breathe. The man standing before him was the same man from the club the man he had spent that wonderful night with. And now, he was his husband.

Adrian looked Luca up and down, his eyes dark and impossible to read. He walked over until he was standing just inches away. The smell of woodsmoke and expensive cologne hit Luca all at once, making his head spin.

"You are late," Adrian said coldly.

Luca didn't know what to say. He was still staring at him in disbelief. Adrian reached out and gripped Luca’s chin, forcing him to look up.

"From now on, you belong to me," Adrian warned. "You can’t talk to your family without my permission. You do everything I say. You follow my rules. If not, your family will suffer for it."

Luca wanted to bite back, to say something, but he remembered his father’s crying face. He swallowed his pride. "I understand," he whispered.

Adrian let go of his chin and walked back to the bar. "You’re wondering if it was a trap, aren't you? The night at the club."

Luca’s heart jumped. "Was it?"

"No," Adrian said, taking a sip of whiskey. "I only found out the morning you left. Imagine the anger I felt when I realized I had slept with someone from the family that killed my wife."

"It was an accident!" Luca cried out. "Papa told me everything!"

Adrian moved so fast Luca didn't even see him coming. In a second, Adrian had him pressed back against the cold glass of the window, pinning Luca’s wrists. His grip tightened until Luca winced. The air in the room felt like it was on fire.

"An accident doesn't bring her back," Adrian hissed. "An accident doesn't change the fact that your family thought they could play god, and I was the one who had to pay the price. Now, the roles are reversed."

Adrian let him go and stepped back, smoothing his suit like nothing had happened. "There's a room down the hall for you. And you will never leave this building without my permission. I will be so happy breaking you until nothing is left."

"You're a monster," Luca spat.

"Maybe," Adrian said, his eyes dropping to Luca’s lips. "But I'm the monster that owns you now. You just signed the papers. You aren't a Moretti anymore. You belong to me.

"I'm a prisoner," Luca whispered.

Adrian smiled cruelly. "No. You are my husband. There is a difference, although in this house, you might find they feel the same."

Luca picked up his suitcase, his head hanging low. He walked down the hall, feeling Adrian’s eyes on his back the whole way. He found the room was huge, with a bed that looked so inviting and soft.

Luca sat on the edge of the bed and finally let the tears fall. He had saved his family. He had kept his father in his home. But as he looked around the beautiful, empty room, he realized he had lost himself. He was in a golden cage, and the man holding the key was a man that hated him, a man he was still attractive to.

He laid back on the silk sheets and closed his eyes. He thought about the man at the club again. He remembered the way Adrian had laughed. He wondered if that man had ever really existed, or if he was just a ghost designed to trick him.

Outside, the city lights shone brightly, but for Luca, the world had gone dark. He was no longer the precious baby of the Moretti family. He was the property of Adrian Voss.