Signed To The Mafia King - Chapter 22: Chapter 22

ALINA
Luca was dressed when I woke up.
The sound of his belt buckling pulled me from the edge of sleep.
I heard him moving around the room, heard the clink of metal as he fastened his watch.
I pushed myself up on one elbow, blinking the sleep from my eyes. He was already wearing his signature dark pants. “Where are you going?”
His hands paused for half a second before he went back to what he was doing. “Since when do you ask me that?”
I shifted, the sheets cool against my skin. Since he officially became my husband, since I found out he was hiding a mistress from me, since he had gone back to his mistress when we came home together.
I pretended none of that mattered. “Since I arranged a meeting with Pietro.”
That got his attention. He stopped dragging the jacket over his broad shoulders
“With my father’s men,” I added. Just so we were clear.
Luca turned fully, his face impossible to read. “I should be there.”
I sat up, dragging the sheet with me, not because I cared but because I wasn’t ready to get up yet. “I don’t want you there.”
Luca stopped and turned to stare at me, his brows lifted. He looked surprised.
Good. Let him feel it. Let him sit with the same feeling I’d had earlier when he walked away with his mistress.
I wanted to ask.
I wanted to say her name, to watch his face when I did, to hear him explain himself.
But I wasn’t going to give him that.
Instead, I pushed the covers back and stood.
Completely naked.
Luca sucked in a breath.
His eyes dragged over me, slow and heated, his whole body tense like he was fighting himself.
I stretched, running my fingers through my hair, pretending not to notice the way his breathing changed.
“I don’t want you involved with my father’s empire,” I said.
His jaw tightened. “It’s not just your decision.”
He kept his eyes on my breasts. I remembered him calling them his babies and felt my stomach turn to jelly.
I stepped past him, heading toward the dresser. “It is, actually.”
His voice was closer than I expected when he said, “You’ll wait for me. We’ll go together.”
I laughed, giving a look over my shoulder. “No, I won’t.”
Then I grabbed my robe, stepped around him, and walked out the door.
I stepped into the bathroom, my heart banging against my ribs. My hands were damp, my breath a little unsteady, but I ignored it.
I wasn't going to let Luca get to me.
The large bathtub was already filled, the warm water inviting, and I wasted no time stepping in.
The heat wrapped around me, soothing, washing away the ache in my muscles.
I sank lower, letting the water rise to my shoulders as I rubbed my hands over my arms.
I wasn’t going to wait for Luca. I didn’t need him there. This was my father’s empire, my responsibility, and I would take control of it with or without him.
All I needed was the protection that his name offered me. And I had that now.
Adriano’s future depended on this. As did Valentina’s and mine.
I closed my eyes for a moment, my fingers trailing lazily through the water. My mind went to Ethan.
I needed to find a way to get in touch with him. He had the kind of resources I could use, the kind of skills that weren’t easily found.
I didn't think I'd have to kill anyone. But this was the business. If you weren't ready, there was always someone who would come for you.
The door slammed open, hitting the wall like a gunshot. My eyes flew open as my head jerked toward the doorway.
Luca stood there, watching me, his jaw locked. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him gently.
I arched a brow, leaning back against the tub to buy myself a few minutes to calm my galloping heart. Luca looked furious. "You need to learn how to knock."
He didn’t even blink. His hands were fisted at his sides as he stalked toward me. "I won’t stand for you questioning my orders.”
I dragged a wet hand down my arm, scrubbing gently. "You won’t be able to control me."
His lips pressed into a thin line.
I tilted my head slightly, studying him. "I want to control my father’s empire. That’s exactly the reason I married you."
"You think you can do it alone?" he asked. He squatted by the bath, leaning, much so I had to stop and give him my attention.
"I don’t think. I know."
He lifted his hand towards me like he was going to shake my shoulders, but he rubbed it over his chin. "My father is back."
Why was he telling me that? I already knew. “Does that have anything to do with me?”
"Yes."
That wasn’t good. Not for him, and maybe not for me either.
I swallowed down the fear and leaned back against the tub again, acting unbothered. "So? What does it have to do with me?"
Luca let out a dry laugh, shaking his head like I was being ridiculous. "Everything with me has everything to do with you."
I frowned at him.
"You’re a Marino now," he said simply. "They won’t care."
A shiver ran down my spine.
It was true. It didn’t matter that I had my own name, my own history, my own goals.
The second I married Luca, I became part of his world, his family, whether I wanted to or not.
I glanced at him again, forcing my voice to stay even. "What about Sofia?"
"What about her?"
"Is she safe?"
His eyes darkened, but he nodded. "She’s safe."
That was something, at least.
"But my father being back means he probably has some information he isn’t willing to share yet," Luca added.
I shrugged again. "That’s your problem, not mine."
Luca took another step forward, his gaze steady on me. "It will be your problem."
I lifted my chin. "Only if I let it be."
We stared at each other, the air heavy.
He wasn’t going to change my mind. And I wasn’t going to change mine.
But it didn’t matter. Because I knew exactly what I needed to do.