Jesus.
He told himself it was nothing. Just proximity.
He bit into the pizza, deliberately choosing the same place she had just taken a bite out of. The gesture was slow, his teeth tearing through the crust where her mouth had been moments earlier. It was entirely intentional. "Nice," he said after a moment, chewing, eyes narrowing slightly. "Very nice." He swallowed and glanced down at the slice again. "Scalese should be making a lot out of this. If you need more visibility for this, I can put in a word with Luca."
"And owe him a favour too?" Veronica shot back immediately, disbelief flashing across her face. "Are you crazy? I have to go." Staying any longer felt dangerous. Not just for her sister. For herself.
"Have a good day, pizza girl," he said lightly. "And thanks for the pizza."
Vee didn't trust herself to respond. She turned and slipped out of the office, the door closing softly behind her. The hallway felt longer on the way out, the lights harsher, the air heavier. Every step carried the weight of what she hadn't managed to change.
As soon as she was gone, Luca reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. The room still smelled faintly of her perfume. It irritated him. It stayed with him. He scrolled, then tapped a contact.
"Dante," he said when the call connected. It was time for another distraction. Some kind of fire had been lit inside him, and it had nothing to do with hunger, at least not food hunger. He found himself wired, unsettled, his body responding to tension he did not want to examine too closely. Desire was familiar territory. Emotion was not.
He needed a pussy he could fuck. Immediately. He made his instructions known to Dante and ended the call.
Marco entered the office again, stopping short when he noticed the slice in Luca's hand. His brows shot up in genuine surprise. "You're eating the pizza?" he asked.
Luca glanced at the slice. "It's good," he said simply.
Marco shook his head, a grin tugging at his mouth. "We better not let Nonnina find out about this," he said.
"It was a gift," Luca responded with a shrug that looked casual. His shoulders rolled as if dismissing the subject.
"I don't think she will understand," Marco said dryly, folding his arms as he leaned against the doorframe. His eyes flicked to the half-empty pizza box, then back to Luca's face.
Luca hummed in agreement. He turned his gaze toward the wall. "Keep a tail on the Scalese daughters," he said finally. "With today's events, I think she might try to take her sister into hiding. Tell them to notify me immediately if something feels off."
"Yes, sir," Marco nodded.
*****
Valentina was already halfway packed by the time Veronica got home.
Clothes lay scattered across the bed. A duffel bag sat open, gaping, half-filled with dresses, jeans, and a single worn hoodie she slept in. Tina's movements were frantic, hands shaking as she shoved things inside without folding them, without care. She was ready to run.
She had already decided there was no universe where she stayed and became someone's property.
"What are you doing?" Vee asked quietly, closing the door behind her and settling down on the edge of the bed.
"Preparing to escape this madness," Valentina snapped, not turning around. "I haven't lived at all!" She spun suddenly, eyes bright and wet. "I don't even have a boyfriend, Vee. I've never even been kissed properly. And who knows what kind of man they are going to sell me to!" Her hands clenched at her sides, panic spilling out unchecked. "What if he's old? What if he's cruel? What if—"
Veronica stood slowly. She crossed the room and gently pushed the bag aside, forcing Tina to stop moving. "Tina," she said softly. "You don't have to run." She reached for her sister's hands, squeezing them tightly. "If you run, they will just find you and kill us."
Tina's lip trembled. "You don't know that."
"I do," Vee said quietly. She exhaled, rubbing her temples as exhaustion finally caught up with her. "I saw Luca today. He didn't even blink while I begged him."
"So what do I do? Just sit here and wait for them to come and take me away?" Tina asked.
She sat on the edge of the bed now, the fight draining out of her limbs, hands clenched in the fabric of her jeans. The walls felt closer than they had an hour ago. Even the old ceiling fan, wobbling as it turned, seemed to whisper countdowns instead of comfort.
"No…no sis. When they get here, they won't be taking you. They will be taking me." Veronica said it steadily, but her chest burned.
"I don't understand." Valentina turned to her.
Her eyes searched Vee's face desperately. She had always trusted her sister to have answers. This time, the answer scared her more than the problem.
"Look, you are my sister, my little sister," Veronica said. "And I would do anything to protect you. I don't have a plan yet but according to what I gathered, the person coming to get you is called Bastardi. He doesn't know what you look like." She inhaled slowly. "We just have to find a way to keep dad distracted so I can take your place."
"Its easy to get him distracted," she said flatly, rolling her eyes. "Just give him strong alcohol. But seriously, you don't even know whats going to happen."
"I am older," Veronica said quickly, before doubt could crawl into the space. "I am stronger." She straightened a little. "I will figure it out and when the time is right, I can escape."
"I don't like it." Tina stood abruptly. "I don't like this plan. I don't like any plan where you get hurt."
"What will you have me do? Tina! I cannot watch this happen." Vee cried.
She paced the small bedroom, fingers dragging through her hair, breath coming too fast. The cracked mirror above the dresser reflected a woman who looked older than she had that morning. Fear did that. Responsibility did that.