"Only way out is death, isn’t it?" Luca said.
"Well..." she faltered, searching for the words, her mind swirling. The logic of normal life felt alien here. Her pulse thudded in her ears as she tried to articulate the impossible.
"Are you changing your mind?"
"What? No! But...it’s a child...a living, breathing being that we will both be responsible for."
"And?" Luca’s brow arched, genuine confusion lacing his tone. He didn’t understand. How could she hesitate when the idea seemed like the only thing that made sense to him?
"Luca, in the time we have known each other, I have been held at gunpoint three times, twice by you, you have been stabbed, I have been beaten by one of your men, and ninety percent of the time, we are fighting. You want to raise a family?" Her hands dropped to her sides.
"Me holding you at gunpoint doesn’t count. You snuck up on me. And everyone who has threatened you and touched you, I have killed or maimed." He leaned closer.
"Exactly my point, Luca!" She almost shouted now, frustration boiling over. Her entire body trembled, from the intensity of the emotions that had been building since the moment they had started this conversation.
"Are you saying I am unfit to be a father?" He was challenging her, demanding that she name him incapable, forcing the truth out of her, no matter how uncomfortable.
"Luca...I am saying what you do makes us unfit to have kids. What kind of life would our kids live?"
The chaos in his life, the danger that defined every choice, seemed distant for just a second as he regarded her, trying to measure her fear, her resolve, and the impossible love they both shared.
"I turned out fine." Luca argued.
"Did you?" Vee raised an eyebrow.
The look alone was enough to stall him.
Luca dragged a hand through his dark hair, the muscles along his arm tightening. His jaw flexed. "You have something to say, Vee. Say it!"
Vee sucked in a breath, steadying herself. The man was standing half naked in the middle of her bedroom, a dangerous creature, and somehow he was talking about raising children. "I don’t want a fight, Luca."
"I’m not fighting."
"I cannot have a child with you."
"With me?" Luca repeated slowly, as if he needed to hear the words again to believe them.
"Yes."
"Well, that’s good to know. Looks like I am meant for fucking alone."
"That’s not what I meant. Besides, that’s the only amazing skill you have." Vee said, rolling her eyes.
Luca gawked at her. Then a crooked grin tugged at his mouth. "Only? Sweetie, I will have you know that I can carve a man’s heart out of his chest blindfolded with one hand behind my back."



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