The line connected, and the moment her voice filtered through, soft and utterly his, Luca’s body responded with electricity shooting straight to his groin. "Hey you..." Her words wrapped around him, he was unable to breathe, utterly undone.
"Bambola..." he whispered, closing his eyes.
"I’m guessing you are alone, if you’re calling me that," she said, a small smirk in her tone, teasing him through the distance.
"Sort of," he admitted. "It’s... nice to hear your voice. I missed you."
Silence answered him. Of course she was silent. She was probably fuming. Understandably. "What are you doing?"
"Shopping," she said, crisp, clipped.
"I know that. But... why are you shopping at an adult store?"
"Preparing your welcome-back-home package," she answered smoothly, as if that explained everything, as if it should.
"Vee..." he growled, shaking his head, the corner of his lips tugging into a smirk. "It’s not a lingerie store. I am... quite familiar with that store."
"I said what I said," she fired back, mischief dancing through her voice.
He ran a hand down his face, brushing the tension from his jaw. "What are you up to?" He could practically feel the heat of her smirk through the line.
"You’ll see... soon."
Luca’s pulse doubled, a grin tugging at his lips. She was dangerous. She was clever. She was his. And she was waiting to remind him exactly why he couldn’t, and wouldn’t, ever control her.
She had him exactly where she wanted: anticipating, wanting, and completely under her spell.
Luca leaned back in the seat, phone pressed to his ear, smoldering, already imagining what welcome home would really mean. "Are you still mad?" Luca asked.
"Should I not have a reason to be?" Veronica’s answer came smooth and cool. No raised tone. No dramatics. Just that controlled quiet that was far more dangerous than shouting.
For a moment he said nothing. His silence was cowardice.
Because what could he say?
How could he tell her that while he was fucking his wife, fulfilling his marital duty, it had been Veronica’s name burning behind his eyes? How could he explain that when it was over, he had finished himself off into lace that did not belong to his wife?
It sounded depraved even in his own head.
"I’ll see you later," he said instead, retreating into the one safe promise he could offer.
"Bye." She did not linger. The line went dead.
He stared at the screen for a second longer before letting out a sharp curse. "Fuck." He dragged a hand down his face, fingers pressing hard against his eyes.
He was going to pay for this.
*****
Back at the Genovese estate, Bianca moved through their bedroom. Fresh roses stood in a crystal vase by the bed. She had replaced them that morning.
The maids would have handled everything. But she wanted her hands on his things. Wanted the ritual of folding, sorting, touching.
It made the absence quieter.
Luca’s travel bag lay open on the bed. She packed it methodically, shirts folded. His scent clung to everything. She pressed a shirt briefly to her face before placing it down.
She picked up the clothes he had discarded when he arrived. The pants first. She checked the pockets automatically, emptying out a receipt, his lighter. Folded them. Into the laundry basket.
Then the shirt.
Then the T shirt and shorts he had worn to dinner.
She slipped her hand into the pocket of the shorts without looking.
Her fingers brushed fabric.
Lace.

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