CHAPTER 91: RESISTING HIS CLOSENESS

Luca pulled the car into the driveway and retrieved the grocery bag from the back seat. "What is in her mind?" he murmured to himself, sensing a shift in Sara’s demeanor, and walked inside.

As he entered the living room, Jonathan approached and greeted him.

"Where’s Sara? And take this grocery bag to the kitchen," Luca instructed him.

"Madam is resting in the room," Jonathan replied, taking the bag from him.

Luca hummed in acknowledgment. However, before going upstairs, he made a quick detour to the weapons room and secured the gun in its place. Then, he proceeded to the bedroom. Pushing open the door, he found Sara working intently on her laptop.

"You’re working!?" Luca mused, surprised to see her engaged in business so soon after the family drama.

Sara turned off the laptop upon hearing his voice and set it aside.

"Yeah. I thought to start something new for myself," Sara replied.

"Something new? Why? You can take over the Falcone Industries again," Luca suggested, believing that justice meant restoration.

"No. I am no longer interested in that," Sara said simply. "Where did you go?" She lowered her feet to the rug and walked toward him. Bringing her hands to his shirt, she began to deliberately open the buttons.

"What are you doing?" Luca asked, momentarily stunned and unable to understand the charming, sensual confidence she was radiating in that moment.

"Helping you remove your shirt," Sara answered, meeting his gaze.

"Why?" Luca questioned, grasping her wrists and pulling her closer until their bodies were nearly touching. "I suppose your Grandma already told you what I did at your house," he said, his eyes lowering to her lips.

Taking a deep, intense breath, he continued, his tone turning serious. "You promised me you would let me do whatever I want if I had to free Diego from the charges of going to prison. So, I don’t think I have to give you any explanation on that."

"I don’t like mafias," Sara stated, suddenly trying to pull herself away from him, the reality of his methods pushing back against her desire.

"Well, I don’t harm innocents," Luca countered, holding her fast. He changed the subject, his brow furrowed in question. "Why have you called Remo for dinner?"

"You’ll find out when the dinner hour arrives," Sara stated, keeping her gaze fixed on him, maintaining the mystery. "Now, let me go, Luca."

He slowly pulled back, releasing her wrists. She immediately lowered her arms.

"I am not angry with you," Sara admitted, finally giving in to the relief she felt. "Thank you for bringing out the truth. Asher spiked my drinks and made me sign the papers," she murmured, the words tinged with the memory of betrayal.

"Yes. You trusted a very wrong man, Sara," Luca said, a hint of frustration in his voice. "We could have found out the truth long ago if you had let me use my way," he pronounced, reminding her of her past resistance.

Luca didn’t respond immediately to Sara’s challenge about Remo. Instead, he simply accepted her previous statement.

"You’re right," Sara conceded.

Luca seized the momentary lull, his true insecurity breaking through. "Did Asher kiss you?" he asked.

"What kind of question is that? And why are you even asking about him?" Sara frowned, recoiling slightly. She genuinely hated talking about Asher.

"Because I can’t bear the thought that he laid his hands on you or kissed you. It makes me go insane. I just want to kill him," Luca muttered, a frustrated, guttural sigh escaping his mouth.

"Don’t say such words about killing anyone," Sara said sharply. "Also, don’t act like you cared for me. You didn’t. Keep that in mind. If I hadn’t come to you to save Falcone Industries, we would not have been together."

"You’re wrong!" Luca’s voice suddenly raised as he took a challenging step closer to her, his control snapping.

Sara furrowed her brows together, looking intently at his lips, anticipating the words she knew he wanted to speak. "What? Why am I wrong?" She provoked him, maintaining the argument. "Also, my past relationships shouldn’t matter to you. Why do you care if I kissed another man or not? In love, such intimacy is allowed," she affirmed defensively.

Luca’s eyes darkened. He quickly reached for her waist, drawing her into his hard embrace once more. "You only dated Asher. And I admit I neglected it. I should have—"

"You should have what, Luca?" Sara lifted her head, challenging him, her hands pressing against his chest, resisting his closeness yet staying captive in his grip. "You—you don’t understand me. Nor do I understand you. I always thought I knew you, but I didn’t. And the same goes for you. You never truly understood me."

Then, taking a deep, deliberate breath, Sara hardened her resolve. "I won’t ever love you if you keep walking on the path of mafia. This is what I want to clarify to you. I don’t like men with violence as their trait."

"My mother brainwashed you, it seems," Luca muttered, his shoulders slumping slightly as he was forced to let her go again, hurt by the cold wall she was putting up.

"No," Sara stated firmly. "These were my views from the day you revealed about yourself. I told you I want a peaceful life, not a dramatic one."

"I get it," Luca said. "Why do you start arguing with me all the time?" he mumbled, running his fingers through his tresses. "I’ll freshen up then."

Sara watched him turn his back to her.

"Luca, thank you," she said. "You showed the truth to my father. I am truly grateful to you. And you also love to argue with me. You suddenly brought that name in front of me, which angered me."

Luca turned again toward her. "Fine. I won’t do that anymore. But I regret it. Keep that in mind. I regret for letting you date that guy. And I am sorry for not coming to save you earlier. I wish I could."