DANGEROUSLY YOURS MR.VALE

CHAPTER 9

Chapter 9

Sienna’s Pov

I woke up next to Luca again. His arm was around me, warm and steady. I turned and kissed his cheek. “Good morning,” I said softly.

He opened his eyes and smiled. “Best way to wake up.” He pulled me closer for a real kiss. It was slow and sweet. “I love you, Sienna.”

“I love you too,” I whispered back. We stayed in bed a little longer, just talking quietly. “What now? We can’t hide here forever.”

Luca nodded. “We talk to Clara today. She’s smart. She might help us with Victor.” He ran his fingers through my hair. “But only if you’re okay with it.”

“I’m okay if we’re together,” I said. We got up and joined Noah in the main room. My brother looked better today. He smiled at us.

“You two are cute,” Noah said. “Like actually happy.”

Luca chuckled and put his arm around my shoulders. “We are.” We ate breakfast together. Simple stuff like cereal and fruit. Luca kept touching my hand or my back. Every little touch made me feel closer to him.

After eating, we sat on the couch. Luca explained the plan. “Clara suspects something about me. But she doesn’t like Victor’s games. I think she can be an ally.”

I nodded. “I can talk to her first. Woman to woman.” Noah added, “I can stay here and help Marco with calls. I want to be useful.”

“Good,” Luca said. He looked at me. “See? Team.” He leaned in and kissed me right there. It was gentle, full of care. “You make this easier.”

We spent the morning planning the call. Luca held my hand the whole time. “If she asks questions, tell her enough but not everything,” he said.

“I can do that,” I replied. We practised a little. Between lines, Luca would kiss my forehead or squeeze my fingers. “You’re amazing at this,” he told me.

“You make me feel strong,” I said. We took a short break. Luca pulled me into the bedroom for a moment alone. “I needed this,” he said, hugging me tight. We kissed again, longer this time. His hands were soft on my back. “After all the lies, being real with you feels good.”

“It does,” I agreed. “I want more days like this. Just us talking and being close.” He smiled and kissed me once more before we went back out.

Marco helped set up the secure call to Clara. She answered after a few rings. Her voice was calm. “Damian? Or should I say Luca?”

I took the lead. “It’s Sienna. We need to talk. Privately.”

Clara was quiet for a second. “I knew something was off. But I like you, Sienna. What do you need?”

We talked for almost an hour. She shared some family secrets about Victor. Luca listened beside me, his arm around my waist. When the call ended, he kissed my cheek. “You did great.”

“She’s willing to meet soon,” I said. “No pressure. Just talk.”

Noah looked relieved. “This could work.” We all sat together after that. Luca told more stories about his sister Isabella. “She would love you, Sienna. You both have big hearts.”

“I hope I can meet her soon,” I said. Luca pulled me onto his lap. “You will. I promise.” We kissed softly while Noah pretended not to watch.

The afternoon was peaceful. We played cards to pass time. Luca kept cheating a little just to make me laugh. “Hey, that’s not fair,” I said, poking his side.

“All is fair in love,” he replied with a grin. He won the game but gave me a big hug afterwards. “I love seeing you smile.” His words felt warm. We talked about life after this. “I want a quiet place with you,” he said. “No big mansion. Just us.”

“That sounds perfect,” I answered. I rested my head on his chest. His heartbeat was steady. “I used to chase stories alone. Now I have you and Noah. It feels like family.”

Noah smiled from across the room. “We are family now.” Luca nodded and kissed the top of my head. “Yes.”

Later, we cooked lunch together. Luca chopped vegetables while I stirred the pot. He bumped me gently. “Remember our first dinner here? This is better.”

“Much better,” I said. We ate and talked more. Luca asked Noah about school. “You can go back when it’s safe. I’ll help with anything.”

“Thanks, man,” Noah said. I watched them bond and felt happy. After food, Luca and I went for a short walk in the safe backyard area. Hand in hand.

“I never thought I’d have this,” Luca said. “Real love in the middle of everything.”

“Me neither,” I replied. We stopped and kissed under the sky. It was tender and full of feeling. “You changed my life too.”

Back inside, we planned the next steps with Clara. “We’ll meet at a quiet spot,” Luca said. “Listen more than talk at first.” I agreed. He pulled me close again. “But right now, I just want time with my wife.”

We spent hours like that. Talking, holding each other, stealing kisses. “I love how you look at me,” I told him.

“You make me see hope,” he said. His hand traced my arm softly. We shared more about our pasts. I told him about my parents’ accident. He opened up about losing his dad. “It hurt for years. But you heal me.”

“You’re healing me too,” I whispered. We kissed deeply but stayed gentle. No rush. Just love growing.

As the evening came, Marco gave us an update. “Clara is on board for a safe meeting soon. No risks.”

“Good,” Luca said. He turned to me. “See? Progress.” We had dinner with Noah. Simple and warm. After, Luca and I sat alone. “I meant what I said about forever,” he told me.

“I want that too,” I said. We cuddled on the couch. His arms felt like home. We talked about small dreams. Coffee dates. Walks in the park. “Normal stuff,” he said.

“Yes,” I agreed. I kissed him goodnight style, even though it was early. “I love you so much.”

“I love you more,” he replied with a soft laugh. We held each other until Noah joined for a movie. Luca kept his hand in mine the whole time. Every touch reminded me this was real.

Before bed, Luca whispered, “Tomorrow we take another step. But tonight, it’s just us.” We kissed one last time, full of promise. I fell asleep feeling loved and safe in his arms. Our fake marriage had become the best thing in my life.