CHAPTER 47

“We're in deep shit”

Luca said. He was seated on a chair, and Arman was seated opposite him

“It's way worse than you think Luca”

Luca ran his hands through his hair. He knew his grandfather was capable of going to the extreme. But trying to convince his right hand man to spy for him was too much

“Why did you have to go ahead and fall in love Luca? You're going to complicate things, for you, your family and Sharon”

“The heart wants what the heart wants. And don't act like you didn't enjoy watching it unfold.

Besides, you knew from the beginning that this was going to happen, and you chose to play cupid”

Luca and Arman were friends before Arman started working for Luca personally.

There were times when Luca saw Arman as a brother, because his real brother was drunk on his grandfather's power crazed wine.

“I wouldn't say I played Cupid”

“You could have accepted the offer, you didn't have to put yourself in danger because of me”

Arman chuckled

“Don't think about it like that, I did it for her, not you”

Luca gave him a wry smile

“I'm beginning to think your fondness for my wife is more than meets the eye”

“I'm beginning to think you're insecure”

Luca and Arman locked eyes for a moment

“I'll double her protection. No unnecessary public appearances. I don't trust my brother or my grandfather”

“You should add that psycho Palmer to your list. That man will shoot Mr Rufus Pavilochenki if he's provoked enough. He's a killer, and he does it because he enjoys it”

Luca thought hard for a moment

“I'm beginning to think he's got something to do with my parents death—”

“Luca—”

“I know they died in an accident, but it just didn't sit well with me, it never will”

There was silence for a moment. Arman shut his mouth

Luca's brows creased

He looked up at the door

Sharon was standing there in her pyjamas, eyes swollen from sleep, but alert

She heard something, and she wanted answers

*****************

“I— thought you were sleeping”

“I couldn't sleep”

Her hands were folded in front of her

The atmosphere was tense

The only possible way they could salvage that situation was if Sharon didn't hear the beginning of their conversation

She looked from Luca to Arman, and back to Luca

“I'll get going, I'm sorry if I interrupted”

Sharon walked out the door, she wanted to go back to her room, but she didn't go far

Two strong hands wrapped around her before she could go any further

She could feel his breath on her ear, she gasped

“Sharon” he called on a soft voice

“It's fine, you don't to tell me anything. A tear slipped down her right eye”

“Fuck Sharon, what did you hear”

She sobbed

“Sharon”

“Your parents— what happened to them?”

Her breaths were strained.

“I'm sorry for asking. I know I'm not supposed to meddle in your personal life but—”

She was in his arms. He was swift, and held her as though she was weightless. He wasn't saying anything, neither was she.

He took her up the stairs, but he wasn't going to his room, or hers. Infact she didn't recognise the part of the house he was taking her to.

It was once a red light zone, a part of the house he had restricted her from. She realised that since he gave her full access, she hadn't really explored the house, and she had no idea where he was taking her

He unlocked a door with a password, took her inside and turned on the lights

Inside the room was a bed, with blue covers. It had a dinosaur patterned blue blanket.

On the walls were various paintings. The paintings seemed to evolve. First they were simple, like a house or a cup, then they began to get more interesting

But she could tell it was done by a child. Then her mind went back to the portrait in Luca's room. The one she had wanted to ask him about several times

He sat her on the bed and sat next to her. For a moment, they appreciated the sheer beauty of the room

“When I was a boy, I loved to paint. My father taught me the basics, and I just about figured it out from there

My mum framed them for me, and I just kept getting better

When they died, I stopped—”

There was silence. She could see the pain in his eyes.

“How— old we're you?”

“Eleven, Donald was eight”

“I'm sorry”

Luca stood up and walked up to a painting. He took it down and brought it to her

“You don't have to be, it's not your fault”

It was a painting of his parents, very similar to the one he had in his room.

“My dad's name was Alex, and my mum was named Ingrid”

She could feel his pain, she knew it took a lot for him to tell her something so deep, so personal

But she knew there were barriers between them, invisible boundaries—

She weaved her fingers into his on the bed. And she felt that was all she could do to comfort him. Because they still had a long way to go before they would fully open up to each other

But he took her hand and placed it on the painting. He was letting her touch a fragment of his past—

“Luca—”

“They would've loved you Sharon”

“I would've loved them too”

He wrapped his other hand around her waist. She looked into the portrait

“I can't tell you everything Sharon, I wish I could. But a time will come when I will, and I hope you're able to forgive me when that time comes”

“I have secrets too”

Sharon closed her eyes

“Luca”

“Can I stay here tonight, with you?”

He gently raised her chin and looked into her eyes

“I was thinking the exact same thing—”