Veronica Scalese belonged beside him, publicly and completely and she was late. Luca dragged a hand through his hair and walked toward the window, trying to keep himself distracted. He had already watched the TV without absorbing a single word, and reorganised the flowers again and again.
He wanted to call her guard. He wanted to know exactly where she was, who she was with, what road they were taking that would get her home faster.
But she didn't like that. Vee hated being managed. She tolerated being protected only because life had given her too much proof that protection was no longer optional. The fact that she had agreed to move around with a guard without Luca having to get on his knees and beg for it was already a miracle worthy of church bells.
He knew she had finally accepted that protection was a necessity in their world. Accepted it, yes.
Enjoyed it? Absolutely not.
"She is fine," Luca muttered to himself. He sighed.
