0044 - Doll wants to Help

Luca’s POV

I woke up just a little over an hour after we’d both fallen asleep again. The room was still dim and Maria was laying on my chest.

She looked peaceful.

I didn't want to wake her.

Quietly, I lifted her off me, careful not to stir her. I stood from the bed and pulled on my pants. The floor was cold under my feet, but I didn’t mind.

My mind was already switching into the day ahead. There were calls to make, people to meet, and a few other things to get done. I needed to be out soon.

Just as I picked up my shirt, I heard her voice, soft but clear.

“Luca?”

I turned. She was awake now, stretching slightly as the blanket slipped off her shoulder. Her hair was messy from sleep, her eyes half-open.

“I have to go now, Maria.” I said, walking back to the bed, brushing her hair off her face. “Work.”

“What about me?” Maria sat up slowly, hugging her knees underneath the blanket. “I want to work too.”

I raised a brow. “What?”

“I want a job. Something I can do. I want to be more involved,” she said, watching me closely.

I stood still for a second. I hadn’t expected that.

“Involved how?”

“In what you do,” she replied. “Not just sitting around all day. I want to be part of your business.”

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. “Maria, this business... it’s not like others. You can’t just walk in and start pushing papers. There’s risk. And rules.”

“I know that,” she said. “But I can’t keep living like this. Just waiting around for you to come home. Unless you want me to go back to the coffee shop.”

I stared at her. “Of course not.”

She looked down at her hands. “Then let me be useful.”

I sat at the edge of the bed and looked at her. “Is there something you’ve always wanted to do? Something honest. Clean.”

“I always liked art,” she said slowly. “But that’s just... I don’t know. It always felt more like a dream than a plan.”

“There’s gotta be something else,” I said. “Something we can build into a real business.”

She tilted her head. “You don’t want me involved, do you? You think I’ll be a burden.”

I hesitated. “No,” I said eventually. “That’s not it.”

“Then what?”

I looked into her eyes. “If you must know, I actually could use a front. I’ve got money I need cleaned. If we find the right business, we can both get something out of it. But it needs to be solid. Quiet. And you’ll need to learn how to handle it right.”

She nodded slowly. “Then I’ll think of something.”

I leaned in, kissed her forehead, then stood again. “Alright. I really have to go now.”

She didn’t stop me this time.

By the time I got downstairs, Alex was already waiting near the door, checking his watch like a worried schoolboy.

“Boss, we’re late,” he said.

I smirked. “I’m hungry.”

“We’re going to be there really late boss.”

“Says who?” I turned and stared at him.

He kept quiet.

I stepped closer. “We’re never late, Alex. If they think we are, they can wait. We’re the ones in charge.”

He gave a small nod.

I turned to Louisa. “Is breakfast ready?”

She nodded. “Yes, sir.”

I looked back at Alex. “Sit. Eat something. We’ll talk.”

We both went to the table. The smell of fried eggs, buttered bread, and some roasted meat filled the air. Louisa poured us tea, and I dug into my plate.

Alex ate slower, like his thoughts were louder than his hunger.

“I need you to start looking for something,” I said, cutting through my egg. “A business Maria can run. Something simple. Something clean enough to use.”

Alex looked up from his plate, confused. “Maria?”

I nodded. “She wants to help.”

His expression twisted. “Wouldn’t that be dangerous?”

“She insists.”

“Boss, she doesn’t know how this whole thing works. One mistake…”

“She’ll learn,” I said, cutting him off. “And you’ll teach her. What to do and what what not. I want it to be her thing, but you’ll be behind it all.”

Alex hesitated, clearly uncomfortable, but didn’t argue further.

I was almost done with my food when Alex’s phone rang. He stepped aside to answer it.

He came back some moments later, his face unreadable. “It’s done boss. The guy who attacked Maria's apartment. It has been taken care of. No loose ends. Nothing to worry about.”

I didn’t respond.

“But he said to remind you that you owe him one,” Alex added. “And that he’ll be coming to collect soon.”

“Of course he would.” I said as I kept chewing.

But didn’t say any other word. I just let the silence stretch until I finished my meal.