CHAPTER 7 — “ALMOST
536 Words
The moment they returned to Luciano’s penthouse, Ava felt the silence press down on her chest.
He hasn’t said a word since the party.
No explanations.
No apologies.
Nothing.
She removes her heels slowly.
Her hand is still warm where Luciano held her in front of everyone… like she belonged to him.
She turns around and finds him standing in the living room, unbuttoning his cuffs, jaw tight.
“You shouldn’t have let him touch you,” he finally says, voice low and strained.
Ava folds her arms.
“He only held my hand.”
Luciano looks up sharply.
“That’s enough.”
“Why?” she fires back.
“Because we’re under a contract? Or because you just don’t want anyone touching your… property?”
His entire body goes still.
“Ava,” he warns.
“No,” she steps closer, heart pounding.
“Answer me. Why did you act like that? Why were you jealous?”
Luciano turns away.
He runs a hand through his hair — something he only does when he’s losing control.
“You think I wanted to react that way?” he mutters.
“You think I planned it?”
Ava swallows hard.
“Then what was it?”
He turns suddenly — and she gasps.
He’s right in front of her.
Close enough for her to smell the faint scent of smoke and something darkly expensive on his skin.
“Ava…” he whispers, voice dangerously soft,
“You keep asking me questions that you don’t want the answers to.”
Her breath trembles.
“I want the truth.”
Luciano takes a slow step forward.
She steps back.
He follows.
She hits the wall.
He cages her in with his arms.
“Luciano—”
“Look at me,” he says.
She does.
His eyes aren’t cold now.
They’re burning.
“You think this is just a contract,” he whispers.
“But every time another man looks at you, I—”
He stops himself, inhaling sharply.
Ava’s heart races so fast it hurts.
His hand lifts, trembling, brushing just lightly against her cheek.
“Ava…” he breathes out,
“Don’t make me say things I shouldn’t.”
Her lips part.
“Then don’t get this close—”
He leans closer.
“So stay away from me.”
His forehead touches hers.
Just barely.
Her knees weaken.
Her fingers clutch his shirt.
Luciano’s lips hover over hers—
warm, soft, dangerously close.
“Luciano…” she whispers.
For one heartbeat, he gives in—
he leans in, almost kissing her—
Then—
His phone rings.
Luciano’s entire body tenses.
He curses under his breath and pulls away instantly, walls slamming back into place.
The warmth disappears.
The softness vanishes.
He steps back like nothing happened.
“This isn’t supposed to happen,” he says coldly, grabbing his coat.
Ava’s chest tightens.
“So that’s it?”
He pauses at the door.
Without looking back, he says in a low, pained voice:
“If I kiss you, Ava…
I won’t be able to stop.”
Then he’s gone.
And Ava is left standing alone, lips still trembling from the kiss that almost happened.
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