Chapter 3 - Behind Closed Doors
The interior of the mountain estate was warm, illuminated by glowing floor lamps and a roaring stone fireplace in the great room. The scent of pine and rich leather filled the air.
While Luca’s head of security, Marco, established a heavy perimeter around the grounds, Sophia was shown to a luxurious guest suite upstairs.
After showering and changing into a soft, oversized gray cashmere sweater provided by the housekeeper, Sophia walked downstairs to the kitchen, unable to sleep.
She found Luca standing at the kitchen island, dressed in a plain black t-shirt and dark trousers, pouring two cups of rich espresso from a silver stove-top pot.
"You couldn't sleep either?" Luca asked gently, handing her a steaming porcelain cup.
"My adrenaline is still running," Sophia admitted, taking a small sip. "Thank you for the espresso."
Luca leaned against the counter, his dark eyes tracing her face with a soft, protective intensity that made her heart flutter. "I checked your file tonight," he said softly. "Florence. Honors graduate. You could have been a senior executive at any law firm in the country. Why work as a secretary for a man like me?"
Sophia stared into her black coffee, a soft, wistful smile touching her lips. "My father was involved with men like Bellini back in Italy. He lost everything because he couldn't read the fine print in the contracts they forced him to sign. I vowed I would learn their language and their law so no one could ever trap my family again. When I applied to Moretti Holdings, I wanted to see if you were like them."
"And what did you decide?" Luca asked, stepping around the island, stopping right in front of her.
Sophia looked up into his eyes. "You're different, Luca. You have honor. You protect the people who work for you. You never let greed override your principles. That’s why I stayed."
Hearing his first name on her lips sent a surge of heat through Luca's chest. He set his cup down on the marble counter, stepping into her personal space.
"I stayed because of you, Sophia," Luca confessed softly, his hands coming up to gently cup her warm cheeks. "Every morning for three years, walking into my office and seeing you sit at that desk was the only part of my life that felt real. I thought you were untouchable... too quiet, too pure for my dark world."
"I'm not fragile, Luca," Sophia whispered, her breath hitching as her hands instinctively rested on his chest, feeling the steady, powerful rhythm of his heart.
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"No," Luca murmured, his dark eyes blazing with deep passion. "You are my queen."
He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers in a slow, deep, breathtaking kiss that shattered every remaining professional boundary between them, binding their hearts together in the warm quiet of the night.
