Chapter 10 - The Broken Lock on The Master Suite, The Hidden Truth, and The First Stolen Kiss
When Luca returned to the estate at dawn, the smell of rain and smoke clung to his leather jacket.
He walked straight up to the third floor.
He bypassed the guest wing and walked directly to Norah’s room.
He found her sitting at her desk, surrounded by financial printouts, working under the soft yellow glow of a single lamp.
“You didn't sleep,” Luca said, leaning against the doorframe.
“I was running the liquidation models for Crane Enterprises,” Norah replied, not looking up. “By noon, their stock will be delisted from the exchange.”
Luca walked over, placed his large hands over her papers, and gently closed her laptop.
Norah looked up, startled.
Luca looked down at her. He took in her soft curves, the dark circles under her beautiful hazel eyes, and the sheer, untamed resilience that made her more captivating than any woman he had ever known.
“The contract,” Luca whispered, his voice thick with raw emotion. “It was a lie, Norah.”
Norah’s breath hitched. “What do you mean?”
“I didn't choose your résumé from an agency,” Luca confessed quietly. “I watched you at the diner three months ago, the night you left your husband. I saw a woman who refused to bend, who protected her dignity when she had only thirty dollars left in her pocket. I wanted you in this house because I knew you were the only soul on this earth strong enough to stand beside me.”
Norah stood up, her heart hammering against her ribs.
“Luca...”
“I promised separate rooms,” Luca murmured, taking a step closer until there was no space left between them. “I promised you freedom. But if you tell me to walk away right now, I will walk. If you tell me to stay...”
Norah didn't tell him to walk.
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She reached up, took the lapels of his coat in her hands, and pulled him down into a fierce, breathless kiss.
Luca’s arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her against him with desperate tenderness, burying his face in her hair as if he had finally found peace in a lifetime of war.
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