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LUCA sat beside her on the plush sofa, tucking one leg beneath hi her His warht of it, a link that kept her froroundless and out of control Now that she said the words they sounded surreal Like it couldn’t have possibly happened But it had, and she squeezed his hand in response

She didn’t talk about that day Not ever But perhaps now she needed to This afternoon had taught her that it wasn’t behind her as she’d thought it was And the scary truth was Robert was out of prison and knowing it had chipped away at her safety barrierwith Luca was the only thing holding her together right now

She looked up at hiin, giving her the tith about hi Luca was a man to be relied upon, so much more than the media’s Fiori heir who liked fast cars and beautiful women That wasn’t the real Luca

The real Luca was sitting before her now, a safe port in the stor to be whatever she needed

She stared at the sensuous curve of his lips, feeling a little wonder that a man like him had kissed a wos like that didn’t happen Real life wasn’t like that

They certainly didn’t happen to a plain Jane from Ontario Not one asNot arguing He was caring for her, and knowing it unlocked so she kept hidden deep inside For the first tiive of herself to another hu

“Mariella, you don’t have to tell me if it’s too difficult It’s okay”

She was brought back by the warm sound of his voice She lifted their joined hands and kissed the top of his, holding it against her lips She closed her eyes, grateful he was there Even noas being understanding and her appreciation ran long and deep When she ith him, Robert somehow lost his power

“When I was six, ston” She focused on Luca’s face to keep the iht s would get better, we’d have a new family Only it didn’t turn out that way”

“It wasn’t the fairy tale you expected”

She nodded “The abuse didn’t happen right at the beginning, but that doesn’t matter now What is important is that when it did start it escalated quickly and completely, and ere essentially terrorized He had complete control He ruled us with fear, and it ful The years were…”