Chapter Thirteen :Elena
399 Words
The apartment suddenly felt too small.
Too warm.
Too dangerous.
Rain hammered against the windows while Luca stood between my knees, one hand resting possessively on my waist as Rowan’s shadow lingered across the street outside.
Watching.
Waiting.
My pulse wouldn’t slow down.
“Luca…” I whispered.
But I didn’t even know what I wanted to say.
He brushed his thumb along my cheek gently, gray eyes searching mine.
“I meant it,” he said quietly. “I’m not losing you.”
Emotion tightened painfully in my chest.
“You’re not.”
His jaw flexed.
“You hesitated earlier.”
The truth of that stung.
Because I had.
And we both knew why.
Luca rested his forehead against mine for a moment, breathing heavily like he was trying to hold himself together.
“You look at him differently,” he admitted softly.
I swallowed hard.
“He’s intense.”
A humorless laugh escaped him.
“That’s one word for it.”
Outside, Rowan still stood in the rain beneath the streetlight, hoodie soaked through, dark eyes fixed on the apartment.
On me.
Luca noticed my attention drift again.
Jealousy flashed instantly across his face before he gently grabbed my chin and turned me back toward him.
“Eyes on me.”
The possessiveness in his voice sent heat through me immediately.
“I’m here,” I whispered.
“You better be.”
Then he kissed me again.
Slower this time.
Not angry.
Not rough.
Almost desperate.
Like he was trying to remind both of us what we already had together.
History.
Love.
Two years of memories no one else could touch.
I melted against him instantly, fingers sliding into his hair while his arms tightened around me protectively.
The tension in the room changed.
Less fury.
More vulnerability.
Luca pulled back slightly, brushing his nose against mine.
“You know what scares me most?” he murmured.
“What?”
“That part of you likes the chaos he brings.”
Silence.
Because he was right.
I hated how right he was.
Luca gave a small bitter smile at my expression.
“Yeah,” he said quietly. “Thought so.”
Then suddenly there was movement outside.
Rowan finally turned away from the apartment and disappeared into the rain.
But somehow that felt worse.
Because now he was gone…
And I still couldn’t stop thinking about him.
- Writer
