MAFIA QUEEN

CHAPTER 10- shameless

Luke felt a heat inside him that was impossible to ignore. His control, which he prided himself on, had slipped. For the first time in a long while, he couldn’t seem to rein it in. His gaze lingered on Gwen, tracing her carefully, memorizing every movement, every little gesture, and his chest tightened. The world outside that room no longer existed. All that mattered was her.

He leaned in slightly, letting his hand hover near hers for a moment before moving to gently push her back onto the bed. The motion was slow, deliberate, careful, yet there was no denying the tension that charged the air between them. Gwen’s eyes widened slightly as she felt the bed dip under her, her heart racing, but she didn’t move away immediately. She waited, a mixture of curiosity and nervousness written across her features.

Luke hovered over her for a moment, giving her time to react. He could feel every heartbeat, every sharp intake of breath. He was about to go further, drawn to her in a way that scared him, that made him forget everything but the pull he felt. But then, in the fraction of a second that felt like an eternity, Gwen spoke.

“I… it’s still the first day,” she said softly, looking up at him with wide, honest eyes. “I… need to get to know you.”

Luke froze. He blinked, and for the first time, he wasn’t thinking about what he wanted or how he felt. He was thinking about her. Her words, careful but firm, reminded him that she wasn’t ready to cross any lines yet. And as he looked into her eyes, all the tension in his shoulders softened slightly. He understood.

A slow, measured nod was all he gave her, moving off the bed to sit beside her instead. His hands dropped to his knees, and he looked down at the floor, as if he was trying to regain his composure. His breathing was still a little heavier than usual, the adrenaline of the moment lingering like a faint echo.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, almost to himself. “I got carried away. That’s… that’s why I never allowed revealing clothes from you.” His voice was calm now, but there was a quiet edge of desperation in it, the kind that came from someone who genuinely cared and hated that he had let his emotions get the better of him.

Gwen’s hands rested lightly on the bed, her fingers curling around the edge, and she looked down, cheeks faintly pink. “I’m sorry too,” she whispered. Her voice was soft, hesitant, but sincere.

For a while, neither of them spoke. The silence wasn’t awkward. It was charged. Full of the kind of tension that made the air feel thick, heavy, almost impossible to breathe in. They stayed like that, shy, vulnerable, aware of each other’s presence in a way that made every small movement feel significant.

Gwen slowly sat up straighter, shifting her weight slightly. Her heart was still racing, and she knew she needed to leave before her nerves got the better of her. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, and finally spoke.

“I… I need to go home before Kian gets mad,” she said softly. Her voice carried that familiar mix of nervousness and determination.

Luke looked up at her, his eyes tracking her every move. He didn’t stop her this time. Not physically. Not with words. He simply nodded, a small but meaningful gesture that communicated both understanding and lingering desire.

“Take care of yourself,” he said quietly. His voice held that subtle weight, the hint of emotion he was trying hard not to show.

Gwen smiled faintly, the kind of smile that lit her face, and it made his chest tighten again. “You too,” she replied, starting to move toward the door. Her hand brushed the handle as if she wanted to linger a second longer, but before she could step fully out, he spoke again.

“I love you,” Luke said, the words breaking through the careful restraint he had been maintaining. There was desperation in them, urgency that made her pause in her tracks.

Gwen turned to face him fully, her lips curving into a small, tender smile. Without hesitation, she leaned in and pressed a soft peck against his cheek. “I do too,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper but full of sincerity and warmth.

For a moment, the room was still. The tension that had hung between them all evening lingered, unspoken but heavy, as they shared that small, intimate confirmation of each other’s feelings. Gwen’s cheeks flushed faintly, and Luke’s chest felt tight, a combination of relief and lingering desire that he hadn’t expected to feel so strongly.

Gwen finally stepped toward the door again, pausing for a second to glance back at him. Luke’s eyes followed her every movement, still heavy with emotion, but this time there was no immediate need to act, no lingering frustration. She had expressed herself, and he had said what he needed to say. That moment of honesty, raw and unguarded, was enough for now.

As she left, the faint scent of her lingered in the air, a reminder of the closeness they had shared. Luke stayed seated on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair, staring at the spot where she had been. His mind raced with thoughts — flashes of her smile, the way she looked when she turned away shyly, the warmth of her presence that had left a mark he didn’t want to forget.

He let out a low sigh, leaning back slightly. His hoodie felt heavier somehow, as if the room itself remembered the tension, the closeness, the confession. He had wanted more, yes, but he had respected her boundaries. And in that restraint, he realized something profound — that this slow burn, the careful dance of trust and vulnerability, was more intoxicating than anything he had ever experienced.

Outside, Gwen walked slowly, heart still pounding. She could still feel the warmth of his hands, the weight of his gaze, the intensity of his voice lingering in her mind. Her steps were hesitant, almost floating, as she replayed every moment in her head. When she whispered her final words, her own heart caught. “I do too,” she had said. And it felt like more than just words — it felt like a promise.

Back in the room, Luke finally leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. The quiet was almost comforting now, a contrast to the storm of feelings that had just passed. He knew one thing for certain: today had changed everything. The rules, the boundaries, the careful facades he had built around himself — all of it had shifted. And he wouldn’t go back, not now. Not ever.

The tension, the closeness, the fleeting touches, the confessions, the desperate words — it all lingered, etched into the memory of the room, a promise of what was to come. And for the first time in a long while, Luke felt something he hadn’t allowed himself to feel in years: hope.

When Gwen reached home, she couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face. She kicked off her shoes and jumped onto her bed, bouncing lightly like a lovesick girl, heart still racing from the events with Luke. She curled up on her side and, almost absentmindedly, touched her lips, remembering the way they had moved against his — the softness, the warmth, the undeniable pull between them.

She felt an overwhelming happiness, the kind that made her chest flutter, but she also knew that soon, reality would intrude. Work would call. Responsibilities would demand her attention.

Still, she couldn’t resist one small indulgence. She reached for her phone, pretending to check Luke’s schedule. As his assistant, it was plausible — a professional excuse. But really, she wanted to call him just to hear his voice, to hear that low, calm, familiar tone that had somehow become her anchor. She typed his number carefully and pressed call, holding the phone close to her chest.

She waited. And waited.

But he didn’t answer.

A soft sigh escaped her lips. Maybe she was being delusional. Maybe he was asleep, tired from the day. Still, a stubborn little spark inside her whispered that once she fell in love, she would never let go.

The night dragged on, and sleep refused to come. Her throat was dry, so she got out of bed and padded down to the kitchen for water. Her bare feet made no sound on the wooden floor, her mind still replaying Luke’s words and the ki.ss that had left her dizzy and longing.

As she descended the stairs, her gaze caught Kian’s laptop, still open on the desk. She had refused to stay at Luke’s place that night, wanting to feel comfortable with him first, wanting to take small steps, and she had spent some of the evening at Kian’s house. Despite his cold exterior, she had come to consider him a father figure of sorts, someone she could rely on… or so she had thought.

Curiosity gnawed at her. She hesitated, checking the house for signs that anyone else was around. The silence was heavy, almost suffocating. Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached for the laptop, unsure why she felt compelled to look. Maybe it was the lingering unease from the day, or maybe some instinct told her there was more she needed to see.

She opened it, expecting the usual: work files, emails, reports. But instead, she found a video file that made her heart freeze.

The screen flickered to life, and her eyes widened as she realized what it was. CCTV footage. She leaned closer, trying to make sense of it. The footage was messy, chaotic, but one detail was horrifyingly clear.