“We’ll see about that. Let’s go before I cancel our training and have my way with you right here on the bench.”

That didn’t sound too bad, but Luca took my hand and led me out of the changing room, probably to show me how good his self-control was.

We headed straight toward the sparring mats as we always did. When we faced each other, my eyes darted to Luca’s crotch even without intending to, but his bulge was gone, which shouldn’t have disappointed me as much as it did. The Capo could hardly prance around with his erection in front of his soldiers. Luca’s eyes flashed, but he didn’t give me the grin he reserved for when we were alone. His face remained the hard mask he almost always wore when he was around his soldiers. I wasn’t sure why Made Men thought showing any kind of emotion that wasn’t anger or hate was some kind of weakness. Luca motioned for me to attack him. As usual, I tried to land a hit, which was impossible with his fight experience and reflexes. My third try landed me flat on my back with Luca crouching over me. His hand brushed my mound through my shorts, only the barest touch, but it sent bolts of lightning through my body.

It hadn’t been an accident. Luca’s eyes said it all. I let him pull me to my feet and made sure to brush past him in a way that my hip touched his groin area.

After that, it was pretty clear that our fight training had turned into a game of who could drive the other wilder with secret touches. The other men in the gym seemed oblivious to our activities, or they knew better than to pay too much attention to us. My body was practically bursting with need when Luca finally ended our session. I wanted to drag him into the changing room with me, even if that meant I’d lose our little game. But one of the men came over to us, a teenage boy at his side.

Luca sent me a look of regret. “He’s a new initiate. I’ll have to talk to his father and him for a moment.”

I smiled. “I’ll go ahead and shower.”

It was the last thing I wanted but it would have been rude for Luca to disappear without a word. I gave both man and boy a smile as I walked away. Once I was inside the changing room and had closed the door behind me, I let out a sigh. My panties were sticking to my skin and not just from sweat. After I’d listened for sounds that I wasn’t alone, I undressed, grabbed a towel and then headed for the shower stalls. I turned the water to cold and hopped under the stream, gasping for breath. The cold didn’t help with my desire. I wasn’t sure if a cold shower worked like that for anyone, or if that was only urban legend. I turned up the heat and tried to relax. I lathered myself in shower gel but as my fingers brushed my folds, I couldn’t resist. Who knew how long Luca would be gone? I needed some relief now. The second I touched my clit, I slumped against the wall and exhaled, my eyes falling shut. I was already close; all the teasing touches had driven me to the brink. I rubbed myself faster and my legs began shaking. God, I was so close.

A strong hand curled around my wrist and pulled my hand away moments before I could reach my peak. I groaned in frustration and my eyes shot open, only to find Luca in front of me, naked and with a raging hard-on, his eyes flashing with hunger. I almost came because of that look. He raised my hand to his lips and sucked my fingers into his mouth, but his gray eyes burned into mine with the same need I felt.

“That’s my job,” he growled.

I shivered in delight. He grabbed my thighs and lifted me up. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. Luca positioned my opening above his erection but he didn’t lower me. Instead his lips claimed mine, and he kneaded my butt cheeks. I ground my pussy against his abs, hoping it would get him moving. His tip brushed my folds and I sucked in a breath. Luca growled into my mouth but he still didn’t move. Of course he had no trouble holding me upright.

I raked my fingernails down his back, pulled back from his mouth and whispered into his ear, “I need you now.”

“You do, hm?” Luca murmured as his lips traced my throat. I ground myself against him once more and felt his abs constrict under me. This was torture for him too.

I kissed the spot under his ear. “Don’t you want to be inside of me? I’m so wet.”

Luca’s fingers on my thighs tensed. He caught my lips for another kiss, and then finally started lowering my body. His tip eased into me, then slowly the rest of his shaft followed until he filled me to the hilt. I threw my head back with a moan and Luca let out a low groan. We stayed like that for a moment, relishing in the feeling of being united like that, almost reluctant to move.

“Fuck, you feel so good, Aria,” Luca rasped. I shivered at the sound of his voice and goose bumps covered my body despite the warm water.

Luca gripped my butt and supported my back against the shower stall before he started to slide out of me. He halted with his tip against my opening again. I parted my lips for a protest but before I could utter a word, he slammed back into me. I dug my fingers into his shoulders as I cried out in pleasure. I didn’t even care if someone heard us. This felt too amazing.

Luca claimed my mouth, silencing my next moan as he thrust into me hard and fast. My back rubbed against the tiles and Luca’s grip on my butt was almost painful, but that only heightened my pleasure. I wrapped my arms around Luca’s neck to pull myself even closer. Our bodies were pressed against each other so tightly I could feel Luca’s heart pounding in his chest. We locked gazes, and I knew the look in Luca’s eyes had only ever been for me. Our breaths were coming faster and as Luca slammed into me again, I fell apart. I tensed and moaned into his mouth, and seconds later Luca’s own release followed. Afterward, we still clung to each other as the water slowly turned cold. I slid my legs down, even though I wasn’t sure if they could hold me yet. I leaned against the stall just in case.

Luca released my butt and leaned over me, stopping the water from splashing my face. He kissed me again, lightly this time, and our eyes met. In the beginning, I’d found his gray eyes cold and terrifying, and I knew it was what others still saw in them, but not for me, not anymore.

“What are you thinking?” Luca murmured. He turned the shower off but didn’t move away from me.

“That I love you.”

Luca raised an eyebrow. “That’s what you were thinking?”

“Not in those exact words, but it always comes down to it,” I whispered before I grasped Luca’s neck and pulled him down to me for another lingering kiss.

Aria

Romero, Lily, Gianna, Matteo, Luca, and I had gathered on the roof terrace to celebrate New Year’s Eve as a family. It was becoming a beautiful tradition.

“I love New York at night,” Lily said as she leaned back against Romero who had his arms wrapped around her waist, looking at her as if she was the center of his world. Those two were such a harmonic couple, I’d never seen them argue.

“It’s grown on me. I thought I’d hate it but I really don’t,” Gianna said, propping her elbows up on the railing. Matteo bent down and whispered something in her ear that made her slap his arm but she was obviously fighting a smile.

“New York is home,” I said quietly. Luca squeezed my hip and our eyes met. Because of him, this city had become a place of happiness and the home of our small family.

“Ten, nine,” Matteo began the countdown to midnight, quickly handing us glasses with champagne.