Sweet Temptation by Cora Reilly

“Please,” I said hoarsely, tears stinging in my eyes. They didn’t move Luca.
Compassion wasn’t one of his character traits.
A knock sounded and Luca motioned for me to stay where I was. He pulled
his gun and headed toward the door. My mind whirled, trying to figure out a way
out of this.
“Good evening, Luca,” Cassio said calmly.
Luca stepped back and let Cassio pass then closed the door. Cassio scanned
me from head to toe then stalked toward me. He pulled me against him, his
expression anxious. “What’s going on?”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I wanted to help and ruined everything.”
Cassio searched my eyes before his gaze cut to Luca, who regarded us as if
he was trying to decide if we were friend or foe. The change in Cassio’s body
was immediate. He tensed, and the look in his eyes became predator-like as they
watched one another. He was armed of course. Two guns and at least the same
number of knives. Luca didn’t take his eyes off Cassio and regarded him in the
same way as Cassio did him.
Cassio squeezed my hip gently then kissed my temple. “Let Elia take you
home.”
Was he serious? I wouldn’t leave this suite without him.
“Cassio—”
He nudged me in the direction of the door. I glanced between Luca and him.
“Cassio, Luca knows about Gaia and Andrea,” I whispered imploringly, trying to
get through to him.
Cassio nodded. “I know. Your brother called to warn me about your father’s
plan.”
I froze. “What exactly did he say?”
Cassio stroked my hair gently. “That you’re fighting like a lioness to protect
Daniele and Simona and me.” His mouth pulled into a wistful smile.
I searched his eyes. Did that mean he knew they weren’t his kids? I didn’t
ask from fear of revealing more than Christian had revealed, but his words led to
only one conclusion. “I know you didn’t want to find out.”
Cassio nodded then glanced back at Luca, who was watching closely, the
hand with his gun hanging casually at his side. “You need to leave now.”
“That she should. We have matters to discuss,” Luca said coldly.
Cassio tried to nudge me in the direction of the door again. I stepped back.
“I’m not going anywhere without you.”
“Giulia, everything will be fine. Let Elia take you home so you can have
some rest.”
I sidestepped Cassio’s tall frame to fix Luca with a stare. “Will everything be
fine, Luca?”
Luca’s gray eyes remained emotionless pools. “I think you should leave now
like your husband said.”
“I don’t care what you think, and I most definitely won’t leave until you
swear that my husband will return to me.”