Chapter 51

Luca’s POV

“Thank you”, Mara sighed with relief, when Carlo left the room. “You’re welcome, bambina”, I said, sitting down next to her. “Okay, I need to ask”, I exhaled, “Why does ma call you Bella?”, I questioned curiously. “I don’t know”, she shrugged softly, dipping me up a plate. I knew it was for me, because she would never put that much food for herself. “Are you okay with being called that?”, I asked, noticing how she had cringed earlier when my mother said it.

Mara shrugged, “No, not particularly. But, if it’s only her, then it is okay”, she said. “You are okay with being called a name you don’t like, just because it is my mother?”, I asked, surprised. She nodded, “Yes, if it makes her happy. Then I can deal with it”, she murmured. “Why don’t you like the nick-name?”, I questioned softly.

Mara sighed heavily. “One of my mother’s ex-boyfriends used to tease me when twilight first came out. So, now I can’t stand it”, she answered, whole-heartily. I laughed, catching Mara by surprise. “I’m serious”, she groaned. “I fucking cringe every time I hear it”, she admitted. “I know”, I chuckled. “I noticed”, I sighed, trying to catch my breath.

“Eat your food”, she pouted, placing my plate in front of me. I smiled as I shook my head and made her a plate. “You eat, too”, I said, sternly. She blushed and nodded her head once before picking up her fork. I watched her eat for a moment before she looked up and caught me. “What do you want to do today, piccola?”, I asked, breaking the silence.

“I need to try and get caught up with my school work”, she sighed. “It’s the weekend, bambina. And you just got shot. I think they will understand”, I said, brushing the hair off of her worried face. “No, they won’t trust me. They have a no-excuse policy when it comes to turning in assignments”, she muttered, shaking her head. “It’s okay, I can finish up my paper work today. And tomorrow I will do the model”, she said, planning for herself.

I watched her pick at her food for a moment before she got side tracked over the things she was muttering about. “Are you okay, piccola?”, I asked, noticing her looking around. “Yeah, I thought I left my bag and computer over here”, she said, still looking on the ground and around the sofa. “I put it up, bambina. It was on the coffee table in the living room”, I told her, tilting my head to the side to study her.

Mara frowned, “Oh,”, she uttered. She shook her head, trying to clear her own confusion, “I’m sorry, I-“, Mara broke off her sentence and looked away from me. “Marabella”, I whispered, reaching up to gently grab her chin. Mara’s head followed my hand, bringing her eyes back to me. “It has been a very eventful, 48 hours, you are allowed to forget where you left your school work almost two days ago”, I said firmly.

She poked her bottom lip out in a pout. “I think you need to get some rest, little one”, I said sternly. “But, I’m not tired”, she tried to protest. “Don’t argue with me. I know you are. Regardless, you need it”, I said, with a frown that matched hers. “What will you do then?”, she asked.

I stroked her cheek, “I’m going to lay with you, and hold my baby girl until she falls asleep. After a quick shower, since I’m covered in blood”, I murmured. I turned the television to a cartoon movie, seemingly making Mara happy. She seemed to try and hide that fact from me, but I loved it.

I bent down and kissed her forehead, then her nose, then her lips. “Let’s get you laid in bed before so”, I uttered, wrapping her arms around my neck. I gently scooped my arms under her legs and around her back. I slowly picked her up, being extra careful not to jar her. Mara chuckled, “You are going to hurt yourself doing that”, she said, patting my shoulder.

I growled at the insult, “The hell I am”, I gritted. “You barely weigh 110 lbs”, I chastised, taking her over to the bed. I tenderly laid her on the bed and set the pillows up behind her so that she could lean back and relax. “I’ll be out in just a minute”, I murmured, kissing her on the forehead, again, “Okay”, she whispered softly.

I stripped out of my bloody clothes and threw them in the hamper, before quickly jumping in the shower. I washed my body and rinsed as swiftly as I could. The water ran red and it pebbled down my skin and onto the shower floor. The look that was in Mara’s eyes when I was torturing Antonio popped into my head.

She did not cower away, she relished it. It is kind of scary but such a major turn on at the same time. She accepts the darker side of me as I am. I could see that in her eyes tonight and that’s a big deal for me. It worried me that she would shy away from me when she saw how truly sadistic I can get, especially when it comes to my family.

But she understood that. She was as furious as I was that he tried to take away our ability to produce children. He injured her badly, and for that he had to pay. When I found out his true intentions, I had to play.

When I got dressed and walked back into the master-room, Mara was already sound asleep, leaning against the headboard. Not tired, my ass. The little wench. I sighed softly, as I adjusted her to lay down fully. She stirred and whined, reaching out for me. I chuckled lowly, and climbed in bed next to her.

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her to my chest. Mara sighed with content as she snuggled in. “Sweet dreams, principessa”, I uttered, kissing her head. “Thank you”, she whispered with a hum. “You’re welcome, amore mia”.