"I'm an only child," Luca said with a simple shrug as he showed me around his family home. "My family has money. It's not that I'm spoiled, it's just that I'm the only one here."

I rolled my eyes. "Your bedroom is just about bigger than the apartment I grew up in."

He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and brought me to his side. He didn't have words to say to that - not that I could blame him, of course. It wasn't his fault the Blackburn family was rich and made my family look like bums.

I don't remember getting into the now familiar black Escalade. I don't remember what Giuseppe said, the music that played on the way back. I don't remember how my cheeks got wet, or why.

Luca Blackburn has lied to me before. That's all come to light now.

...So why do I care so much?

He was outside when we pulled up. His eyes were sharp, a dangerous look to Giuseppe, who's hand held mind.

"I'll take her from here," Luca's demanding voice stated, taking my hand away.

"She's not a fuckin' object, bro."

I stared at the ground. I didn't give a fuck about the pissing contest in front of me.

I shook my hand free and picked my dress up, walking quickly up the brownstone to my new 'home'. The sounds of cars beeping and their whispers were somehow louder than my heart thumping in my ears.

I would've known if Luca had a brother. The Blackburns' property was often a location point for us. Hanging out, family dinners...I was there more often than not.

Fingerprints made a trail of fire on the skin of my outer thigh. The feeling of lips to my neck, the soft sigh of Luca's voice in my ear.

My fingers desperately gripped the bedsheets, the thought of my roommates parents finding us adding a sick thrill.

How long has it been since we crossed lines? From roommates to best friends, from best friends to -

"Come back to me, Chaya," his lips were now on my inner thigh, dangerously close to my underwear. "Let your mind empty."

I didn't make it to the door quick enough to ignore the sound of fist meeting cheek. By the time I rolled my eyes and turned around, Giuseppe was cocking his arm back to hit Luca in return.

I didn't care. They deserved to fucking kill each other.

...But not in this beautiful neighborhood. Undoubtedly, Luca had the police in his pocket. However, I'm sure the neighbors would be out snapchatting the entire fight.

"Knock it the fuck off," I snapped, getting in between them a few moments after Giuseppe punched his boss back. "The fuck is wrong with both of you? Huh? No one's going to say anything now?"

Though silent, the tension in the Brooklyn air spoke volumes. Giuseppe had failed the mission, and I found out something that was supposed to be kept secret. Luca was angry, Giuseppe was angry, I was annoyed -

"Get in the house, Chaya," Luca growled, his eyes still on his worker. "Please."

"Let her come back to her apartment," Giuseppe snapped. "I won't lie to her. I'll keep her safe."

Luca snorted. "Your obsession is pathetic."

"Enough!" I grabbed Luca's hand and tried dragging him up the stairs. "My feet hurt, I almost got shot, and my fancy champagne buzz is going away. I want to -"

"Are you always goin' to pick him, Chaya?" Giuseppe's voice held no emotion, which confused me even more. "You're just goin' to lay down and accept whatever Luca tells you?"

I shook my head, the ability to hold back anything rude failing. "I don't think you understand, Giuseppe. Luca will always come first."

I didn't dare look at Luca - I didn't want to see the smug look of satisfaction he most likely wore on his face. Instead I focused on Giuseppe - the way his jaw clenched, the way his eyes darkened. "It's like you got fuckin' Stockholm Syndrome. We were happy livin' together, Chaya. You'll let that die?"

I shook my head. "I tried replacing Luca with you. And I'm sorry for that, Giuseppe. But you have to know that's the truth."

Giuseppe gave a masochistic grin, my words resonating with something in his brain. "I watched you cry, you know? You didn't think I heard you at night, but I did. Cryin' like the world was ending. Gettin' up in the mornin' and pretending like nothing happened. I was there, you know? Watchin' you go through the phases - you knew he was alive and fuckin' ditched you like you were trash, and inside it was easier to pretend he was dead."

Luca laughed, the sound making my tipsy heart pound ferociously. After a short squeeze of my hand, he took a long step towards Giuseppe and grabbed his collar, the look on his face was one that only a fucking apparent son of a mob boss could have. "You're talking like I won't kill you right now - like you didn't pledge loyalty to me."

Giuseppe shook his head. "I didn't. You won't, either. Number one, my loyalty was between my father and your father - I stepped in once mine died," he grinned, sickly sweet. "Number two, you won't kill me. Chaya cares for me too much. If there's one thing you care about more than yourself, its her."

The masochist in me wanted to jump for joy that someone said Luca cared about me, and the sensible counselor in me wanted to slap the masochist.

I shook my head, desperately trying to come to my senses. Giuseppe was right - I wouldn't want him dead. Though I pathetically tried to push my ideals of Luca onto him when he first came into my life, I did care for him. "Luca, let him go."

Luca turned his head towards me, a single piece of hair falling in front of his eye. "Is that what you want?"

I nodded, keeping my eyes towards the ground in fear that looking at either of them will make me stutter. "Giuseppe was - is - my friend."

"Because of who your father was, I won't kill you," Luca snapped between gritted teeth. "But because of your sad obsession, the only job I'll give you is to protect her."

I heard the sound of footsteps retreating, and when I finally picked my head up I saw Giuseppe walking away. "I will. Better than you ever could."

Luca didn't bother to answer; instead, he took my face between his hands and leaned his forehead against mine. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you."

I placed my hands on top of his. "Everything is okay. But you have a lot to tell me - a lot of secrets you need to tell me before I could ever dream of us being normal again."

He nodded. "Please come in. I'll tell you everything. I'll tell you about my brother, CJ."