VELVET AND VIOLENCE:A Mafia romance

Blackthorn Academy, Senior Year Monday Morning Nineteen-year-old Luca Moretti groaned as icy water poured over his body. Every muscle tensed while a shiver raced down his spine. He hated cold showers. Luca preferred water hot enough to turn the bathroom into a cloud of steam, hot enough to leave his skin red and burning. But this morning, he didn't have a choice. The boiler was broken. "Perfect," he muttered, running a hand through his dark hair. As if Mondays weren't bad enough. After drying off, Luca stared at his reflection in the mirror. Sharp jawline. Dark eyes. A face most girls at Blackthorn Academy seemed to obsess over. He wasn't interested. Attention was easy to get. Trust was impossible. Pulling on his black uniform blazer, Luca grabbed his watch from the counter. It had belonged to his grandfather—a man whose name carried power and fear throughout the city. The Moretti name opened doors. It also painted targets on backs. Luca slipped the watch onto his wrist and headed downstairs. The smell of coffee filled the mansion. His father sat at the dining table, reading reports with the same cold expression he wore every day. "Morning," Luca said. His father barely looked up. "You're late." "It's seven-thirty." "Exactly." Luca fought the urge to roll his eyes. Breakfast passed in silence before he grabbed his keys and left. Outside, a sleek black car waited in the driveway. The city was waking up as he drove toward Blackthorn Academy. Students flooded the campus when he arrived. Conversations stopped as he stepped out of the car. He ignored the stares. Ignored the girls pretending not to look. Then he saw her. A girl standing near the entrance, clutching a stack of books against her chest. She was beautiful. Not in the obvious way girls tried to be. She looked real. Luca didn't know why he was still looking at her. Girls had never held his attention for more than a few seconds. Most were interested in his money, his family name, or the dangerous reputation that followed him everywhere. But this girl was different. She wasn't staring at him. In fact, she seemed completely unaware that half the school had just turned to look when he arrived. A faint smile touched Luca's lips. Interesting. "Who are you looking at?" Luca's best friend, Matteo Russo, appeared beside him carrying two coffees. Luca took one and nodded toward the girl. Matteo followed his gaze. "Oh." "What?" Matteo smirked. "Nothing. That's just the new girl." Luca raised an eyebrow. "New girl?" "Transferred here last week. Haven't you noticed?" "No." Matteo laughed. "Clearly." Before Luca could ask another question, the warning bell rang. Students rushed toward their classrooms. The girl adjusted the books in her arms and hurried through the crowd. Someone slammed into her shoulder. The books slipped from her hands. They scattered across the ground. A few students laughed. Luca frowned. Without thinking, he walked forward. The girl dropped to her knees, trying to gather everything before people stepped on them. A pair of polished black shoes appeared beside her. She froze. Slowly, she looked up. Her breath caught. Luca Moretti. The most feared student at Blackthorn Academy. At least, that's what everyone called him. Luca crouched down and picked up a notebook. The girl's eyes widened. "Here." She accepted it cautiously. "Thank you." Her voice was soft. Luca handed her the rest of the books. "No problem." For a second, neither of them moved. The noise of the crowded hallway seemed to disappear. "What’s your name?" Luca asked. The girl blinked. Most students were too intimidated to speak to him normally. She simply answered. "Aria Bennett." Aria. The name suited her. "I'm Luca." A tiny laugh escaped her lips. "I know." His mouth twitched. Fair enough. Everyone knew who he was. The second bell rang. Aria stood quickly. "I should get to class." "Yeah." She gave him one last smile before disappearing into the crowd. Luca watched her leave. Matteo appeared beside him again. "You've got that look." "What look?" "The one that says you're already in trouble." Luca scoffed and started walking. He didn't believe in love and does not know what falling in love looks like. And he definitely didn't believe one girl could change his life. Unfortunately for him... Aria Bennett was about to prove him wrong. Soft brown eyes. Wind-tousled hair. A nervous smile she gave a friend beside her. For a moment, Luca found himself staring. And for the first time in a very long time... Something caught his attention. He didn't know her name. But he was about to.