Astrid's POV I guess the alcohol had started to kick in already at this point because the only thing I could think about was Luca taking me to my climax. When I was supposed to be mad at him for leaving me for so long, all I could think about now was pleasing Luca and making him get the same sensation I was having down there. "Spread your legs wider for me!" Luca instructed before he crashed his lips against mine. I did as he said while my tongue did a little dance with his inside his mouth. I felt Luca thrust in deeply into me, ascending a peak I had never attained. I moaned against his lips while he continued thrusting deep inside of me. I couldn't hold my legs up any longer and wrapped it around it his waist instead while he sent me forth to paradise and back. "Fuck, Luca...." I screamed out his name at the top of my lungs when I felt my walls climaxing. I sank my fingers into his back and raised my hip toward him while my eyes were rolled inside my head with pleasure. After
Luca's POV "There's no way father needs me now!" I let out when I saw the text message from my father's butler hovering over the notification screen. I texted him back to assure him that I would be leaving first thing tomorrow morning and I'll definitely arrive before dusk tomorrow. I had already calculated the distance from my territory to my father's and it would take quite a long drive before I get there and besides, I hadn't started packing up yet. I was about to get back to business when I heard another notification. It was the butler suggesting that I leave today. "You know what, I'm just going to call my father and tell him that I won't be able to make it out today!" I said slowly while I typed down onto my phone. He replied instantly; "please sire, your father is extremely busy and I'd suggest that you follow his instructions and leave today.""Extremely busy, oh really now, even for his own son." I rolled my eyes into the back of my head and set the phone down, leaving
Astrid's POV "Geez, what do I pack, what do I pack, what do I pack?" I said a thousand and one times again. How did I not know what I was supposed to take and now, Luca had given me a time frame to get done with my packing. I couldn't deny the fact that I was equally nervous that I was going to meet Luca's family....for the first time. What are they going to think of me. I hoped I'd be able to impress them by the time I got there. The smile on my face vanished immediately I caught myself smiling. What was I even getting excited about, I was supposed to be pissed that Luca had asked that I start getting myself prepared for an impromptu trip and here I was, smiling to myself like a five year old child who had just been asked to get prepared to go to Disney world. Well this wasn't the first time that Luca had asked me to get ready for an impromptu trip but I was still getting quite used to it. I didn't know how long we were going to stay for so I had pack things—majorly my dresses t
Luca's POV My legs were already killing me from having to sit down behind the wheels for almost twenty hours without stopping. Getting down from the car felt like I had forgotten the art of walking. I looked over at Astrid who had found her way to the rear of the car, signaling to me to open up the boot for her so she can take out her things. "Hold on, Astrid!" I said to her, trying to conceal my tired smile as I reached into the car to unlock the boot of the car. "It's open now, Astrid, do you wanr to come take your things out for you?" I asked her. "No, I can handle my things by myself." Astrid replied with a grunt and the next thing I heard was a loud thud on the ground. Astrid had fallen one of the luggages on the ground. I rolled my eyes into the back of my head before made my way toward her. "I asked if I could help!" Was the only thing that I said before I grabbed the luggage she was struggling to lift from the floor. With the way she acted, I knew that she wanted to get
The subtle murmurs, the slight gazes was the least way i thought I would be welcomed by Lucas's family. Why the hell did he not tell me anything about his family before bringing me down here?! "Astrid, what are you still standing for there, come let's go inside. Or don't you need some rest?" Luca's voice jolted me out of my thoughts. I swallowed as I made my way past the pair of eyes that stayed glued to my body. I could hear their side talks but I chose to ignore them. I couldn't bare to look at me—i would be drowned in the scornful pool of their gazes. I felt I didn't belong here or rather, they made me feel like I didn't belong here. The youngest women among them stared down at my dress and my shoes with a look in the eyes that I couldn't discern if it was irritation or surprise. Now I wished that I had taken my time to dress up like I belonged to their class. I wanted to scream it out to them that I had better clothes and shoes than this. I hated the look of judgement that th
Luca's POV The one thing I hated the most was being interrupted, especially when I was almost on the middle of moving into another dimension with Astrid. I wiped my hand across my face trying to hide the irritation making its way to my face as I turned to face my sister. I knew she was the one from the way she kicked the door open, only she had the audacity to kick my door open even after I had warned her countless times not to do so. "Have you suddenly forgotten the art of knocking?!" I asked her, placing both hands on my hips. She didn't seem to mind the fact that I was pissed that she had forced her way into my room when I had told her several times to act like that lady like she was and knock on the door before I decided of to open the door to her not. And instead, her attention was on Astrid who seemed to cower under her gaze. "Father ask that you have dinner with him!" She finally said but not without folding her arms at me. I knew that she was ready to ask who Astrid was
Astrid's POV How dare Luca leave me alone with his family, what the hell was he thinking?!All my efforts to avoid his family had been in vain and for some reason, I kept winding up with his sisters even when he told me that the probability of running into any of his family members when I was on a tour in the house was close to zero. Had Luca lied to me or did his sisters just loved to snoop around the room at every chance that they got? I couldn't have had the energy to restrain the urge to want to look around the house and When Luca told me that it was okay for me to look around the house but with the aid of the butler, I had jumped at the chance. And now it felt like I was trapped in a maze with no way of getting out. With shaky fingers, I reached for the glass of wine in front of me and gulped down the whole content. And I regretted it almost immediately. I held myself back from slapping myself across the forehead when all of Luca's family turned to look at me. They were se
Astrid's POV I waited patiently until they all had left the dining table. None of them had eaten even up to half a morsel from their plates—not to mention requesting for more. I looked around me—the only people left were the maids who looked like they were ready to clear the table and were waiting for me to follow suit by leaving. I would have broken out in a loud laughter at the look on their faces. Did they think that I was going to abandon this food and go to bed hungry? I had not had anything as good as this food in years, and I was bound on devouring the whole thing from my plate before I took a step from this place. "If you want more miss, I can dish some more out for you!" The maid behind me said in a warm tone. She didn't look like she was mocking me or anything and genuinely looked like she was ready to dish more food for me. I couldn't say no to a request like this. I shamelessly smiled at her, revealing the food stuck in between my teeth and nodded my head in approval
Luca’s POVIn the end, I learnt that what was meant to be will always be. Here’s me, happy with my kids and my sweetheart Astrid. If someone had told me a few years back that I’ll find a girl who had the code to my heart, I would have laughed at them and called them foolish. I just? Cos I was a hard nut to crack. I was just all about my business, conquering cities and being the boss, bloody fights etc. I had no eyes for love. But Astrid isn’t just a hacker of systems, she had the ability to even hack into hearts. She did so to mine.I stared at her, as she walked round the house trying to put one or two things in place and I couldn’t help but feel blessed. “Dang! I had it all!” I said to myself smiling sheepishly. I had my baby girl and the kids… I felt like I had the entire world under my feet. Like I could trample on anyone and everything just for my family.“What’s running through your mind? You’ve been lost in thought for a while, I noticed” she said softly with a smile.“Mum…
Luca's POVI raised my hand and slowed in my movement. "Let her go, Ace. That's not an option.A sharp, bitter laugh pierced the cold night. "Do you think I care what you do, do you think I care?”Astrid winced but said nothing. Her teeth clenched and I saw her fist clench. She was angry, but she was also scared. I couldn't blame her."You've lost, Ace," I said calmly. "Your people are gone. El Sombra's job is done for. Let Astrid go, and maybe, just maybe you can get out of here alive."Ace scoffed. "Don't insult me, Santoro. Do you think I'm afraid of you? You're the one who should beg for mercy. You have no choice."What do you think, Ace?" I asked, ignoring his sarcasm."Money? Power? You name the price, I'll make it happen.He grinned, his eyes glinted with malice. "What do I want? It's simple. I want you to leave, Luca."I frowned, my mind filled with thoughts. "What did you say?"Ace hugged Astrid tightly and leaned toward her."Kill yourself," he said in a low voice. "If you d
Luca's POVAs I stepped out of the car with Halo beside me and the rest of my men behind me. My boots crunched onto the gravel path, past the blazing warehouse along the dark road.The air smelled strongly of diesel, and in a confused, oppressive way. I felt the weight of this decision on my shoulders, but I was too far gone to turn back.This meeting was not about reconciliation. It was about drawing a line. The door opened, and a dark figure emerged. One of the eldest members of the El Sombra group. That sharp, wild smile like a knife made my blood irate.Behind him, I saw Astrid. She stood motionless, close to Ace, with an unspeakable expression on her face."Luca Santoro, you've been here a long time." One of the El Sombra members stepped forward."I'm here. Let's get started," I said."That's a brave move, Luca," Ace said, his voice filled with the arrogance I hated."You made it to the gates of El Sombra with weapons. Or should I say you're just ... scared?I didn't answer, jus
Astrid's POVThe moonlight shone, exposing the gloomy night. I prepared to leave, I knew this would be my only chance to get away from Ace and his watchful guards.He trusted me less with every passing day, and I had to make my move before he decided to tighten his grip completely.I hung the small bag over my shoulder, tucking the paper with Luca's address into the inner pocket of my jacket. The laptop I’d used to track him was safely hidden, wiped clean of any traceable activity.I exhaled quietly as I opened the window of my room. The estate's security lights shone towards the grounds below in slow, predictable arcs.I had studied the patterns of the securities countless times, preparing for this exact day.As the lights went out steadily, I came out, clinging to the ledge as I lowered myself beneath the first floor balcony. My feet barely made any sound as they touched the tiled grounds in the balcony. I pressed against a wall, my heart pounding in haste.I waited.Some guards wer
Astrid's POVThe silence in the car on our way to Ace's house was just choking. He didn't say a word, but I knew a storm was brewing inside him. He was upset, obviously and I knew it, from the way his jaws kept clenching and unclenching every few seconds.I should be the one getting upset, not him. Not after what he did at the meeting.The minute we entered inside, I was done holding in the anger that was brewing within me."You had no right to interrupt me at that meeting," I said, wheeling back to him.Ace raised an eyebrow at me in pretended innocence. "Interrupt you? You had nothing to contribute, Astrid. You've been off your game for weeks."I crossed my arms, glaring at him. "The question they asked was directed to me and you didn't even give me a chance to answer."He leaned against the wall, an air of nonchalance, though his gaze was keen. "Alright then. What would you have said?"I froze. So fast my lie formed in my mind, I couldn't even stop it."I'd have said no," I said fi
Astrid's POVThe room felt like the walls were closing on me, it was suffocating. Ace and the El Sombra members were deep in their scheming, voices melding together into a hum of plans I couldn't force myself to care about.I sat at the edge of the long table, my mind elsewhere as they debated how to handle Luca's inevitable encounter with El Sombra."Astrid," one of them called, breaking through my haze. "You got any input?"I blinked, my eyes rising to meet the inquiring glances of the group. I used to love these moments; my sharp mind was always one step ahead of everybody else. But now? I couldn't muster the will even to play this game."No," I said briefly, coldly. "I have nothing to add.Ace's gaze lingered on me, an edge of suspicion alive in his eyes. I gave him a well-practiced look of indifference, refusing to let him see through the fissures forming in my resolve."Excuse me," I said, suddenly standing. "I need to use the restroom."Ace didn't respond, but I felt his gaze b
Luca's POVHelena sat across from Halo and me in a dim lit room, her arms crossed tightly, a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes.The atmosphere felt almost suffocating, a thick tension that wrapped around us like a heavy cloak. Nico and Vincent leaned against the wall in the corner of the dim room, his gaze fixed on her as if trying to decode the puzzle she presented.It was a standoff, and it wasn't lost on me that I had placed myself right in the middle of it."Start talking," I said, leaning forward in my chair, elbows resting on my knees. My voice was calm, though deep down I felt a storm brewing. I needed answers, and I wasn't in any mood for games.Helena squared her shoulders, and for a second, I saw something fragile behind the iron mask. Her face was impassive, but I saw her hands flinch just a little a tell, maybe."Ace killed my father," she said, her voice even and bitter. "My father was working for one of the El Sombra members, he was a low-level enforcer.” She p
Luca's POVWe were getting closer to my secret estate where my mother and sisters are hidden. My arm throbbed faintly, a reminder of how close I’d been to losing everything. As Nico drove with a characteristic focus, Halo perched in the back seat fidgety, his hand grazing the handle of his pistol, constantly.“We’re getting pretty close,” Nico finally spoke, breaking the silence.I nodded and looked out the window. I had not seen my family in weeks, had left them in Vincent’s care for weeks. The prospect of what I was going into sent a tight pain through my chest.The hidden estate was the same as I left it when we arrived surrounded by tall gates and cloaked in mystery. Nico had parked the car and I got out, boots crunching on the gravel. Halo was already patrolling the perimeter, his watchful shadow always near.The front door opened before I could knock, and there she was-my mother. Her eyes welled up then, and tears flowed down her face as she came to me."Luca," she whispered, h
Astrid's POVAs I entered the car, my heart kept pounding and I couldn't help but fidget. Maybe I shouldn't have told the driver to stop, it was my chance to escape from all this. And it could be the last chance I get to have.The silence between Ace and I was deafening and I knew if any of us began to talk, there would be an explosion of emotions, especially from my end.Ace began, “I see you've been busy, Astrid.” he said, his tone low and suspicious. He glared but I preferred to look elsewhere, at nothing in particular, rather than stare into those stern brown eyes.“I had some issues with proceeding with the mission last night.”I simply said because narrating everything that happened between Luca and I last night was something I couldn't do.It wouldn't only make me feel more guilty than I am already but it was surely not going to get Ace to be on my good side. Whatever he wanted to do to me, he could. I wasn't scared of him.“I know that, my men informed me about how you left the