Chapter 8: Grief and pleasure

That night, draped over the Morano estate like a thick, mourning shroud. Late Morano was buried immediately, as it was their tradition to bury the Mafia without delay. Thunder grumbled beyond the hills. Rain tapped against the stained-glass windows, as if the heavens themselves wept for Alessandro Morano. Every candle flickered with the weight of his passing. Every corridor whispered his name. But Alessia mourned him just the way everyone else did. She barely knew the man, yet he had marked her life forever. Now she was bound by blood, by marriage, by the twisted destiny that threaded her fate to the Moranos’. And to Luca. She sat on the edge of the bed in their chambers, staring at her hands. They wouldn’t stop shaking. The door creaked open behind her. Luca entered slowly. His black shirt clung to his body, damp from the rain. His jaw was clenched tight, but it wasn’t anger she saw. It was a restraint. Pain. Guilt. Conflict. He locked the door behind him. Neither of them spoke. Not at first. He approached her with heavy steps, then crouched before her, resting his hand on her knee. "You were outside the room," he said. Her breath caught. She didn’t lie, "yes". He nodded once, unsurprised. "You heard everything?" She met his eyes. "The map. The book. The coin. Your father’s warning." Luca exhaled sharply and stood, pacing like a predator caged with his thoughts. "I wanted to tell you. I should’ve..." he ran a hand through his damp hair. "But everything has changed." Alessia rose from the bed slowly, stepping toward him. "Tell me now." Their eyes locked. The tension between them wasn’t just emotional—it was combustible. Grief, secrets, fear, and desire—all twisted into a dangerous, hungry thing. Luca’s jaw ticked. "That book... It’s not just a legend. I’ve seen what it does. I’ve seen what it takes from people. My father’s soul was only the beginning." She stepped closer. "And now Donato is going after it?" Luca’s gaze dropped to her lips. "Donato can handle himself." "And you?" "I was ordered to stay," he muttered, voice bitter. "Because of you." Her chest tightened. "You resent me for that?" He looked up sharply. "No. I resent how much I want to protect you. I should be chasing blood and vengeance—but I’m here. And all I can think about is how fragile you looked in that hallway. How much I wanted to pull you into my arms." Silence. Thick, electric silence. Then Alessia whispered, "Then do it." That was all it took. Luca moved fast. Too fast for her breath to catch. He cupped her face, crashing his lips against hers in a kiss so bruising, so desperate, it felt like a claim. His hands roamed down her back, gripping her hips like he feared she’d vanish if he let go. She moaned into his mouth, arching into him as heat pulsed low in her belly. "You drive me insane," he growled against her throat, biting lightly. "Even in mourning, I want you like a madman." His hands found the buttons of her blouse, fumbling until her chest was bare. Her nipples tightened in the cool air, and Luca bent to suck one into his mouth, groaning at the taste of her. "Luca..." she gasped, fingers tangling in his hair. He lifted her, carried her to the bed, and laid her down as if she were a precious, breakable thing, then tore her panties away in a single motion. "Still so wet," he murmured, sliding two fingers through her folds. "Were you thinking about this? About me inside you?" She nodded breathlessly. "Use your words," he growled. "Yes, Luca... I’ve wanted you. I want you now." He smiled darkly, satisfied. Then he bent his head and licked her. A moan tore from her throat as his tongue stroked her folds slowly, thoroughly, teasing her clit until her thighs trembled. He took his time, devouring her like a man starved. Her fingers fisted the sheets as waves of pleasure crashed over her. He sucked her clit, then slipped a finger inside her, curling just right. "Oh God—Luca!" she cried, body shaking. He didn’t stop until she shattered, hips bucking off the bed, breath ragged. Only then did he rise, unbuttoning his pants with one hand, eyes burning into hers. His cock sprang free, huge, thick, and hard. "You still want me, sweetheart?" he asked, stroking it slowly. Alessia reached for him, desperate. "Yes." He climbed over her, lining himself up with her slick entrance. "Then take me. All of me." With one deep thrust, he was inside, stretching her, filling her. She gasped, nails digging into his back as he began to move. Deep, slow strokes at first, then faster, harder, driven by grief and need and raw desire. Their bodies collided with sweat and heat. The bed creaked. The storm outside howled. But inside the room, the only sound was their cries, their breathing, their moans. Alessia wrapped her legs around his waist, meeting every thrust. As Luca stroked her juicy, wet pus*y with hishardd long d*ck. The moment was heavenly. As Alessia’s banging body added more pleasure. He uses his hand to caress all her mighty curves and stroke her tore and harder. The more he strokes, the wetter and slipperier it becomes, giving more pleasure. "You’re mine," he growled, voice breaking. "No matter what happens." "I’m yours," she whispered back, kissing him fiercely. Their rhythm grew frantic. He gripped her thighs tighter, pounding into her harder again. Her walls clenched around him. "I’m close," she gasped. "Let go," he urged. "Cum for me." She exploded with a cry, her entire body convulsing beneath him. That sent him over the edge. With a deep, guttural moan, he spilled into her, trembling with release. For a long moment, they stayed tangled—sweaty, breathless, quiet. But silence didn’t mean peace. Eventually, Alessia spoke. "What happens now, Luca? With the book, with Donato gone... with your father dead?" Luca rolled off her, lying beside her on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "I don’t know," he admitted. "But I do know this house isn’t safe anymore. Secrets are bubbling, and not just about the book." Alessia frowned. "What do you mean?" He turned his head to face her. "You haven’t wondered why my mother vanished for days before the wedding?" She froze. "She was abducted. That’s the rumor." Luca’s eyes darkened. "That’s what they want you to think." She sat up slowly, heart thumping. "Then what happened?" Before he could answer, a loud bang echoed through the hallway. They both stiffened. Then a knock—three sharp, deliberate. Luca was already up, pulling on his pants. He grabbed his gun from the drawer and stepped toward the door. "Stay behind me." But as he opened it... A maid stood there, pale as a ghost. In her trembling hands, she held a bloodied envelope. "This... this came for you, Sir Luca",, she whispered. Your brother sent for you., He is about to embark on a journey.....