Madison

"Hit me," Luca demanded, arms spread out and a smug grin on his face.

"I'm trying!" I argued, glaring feverishly at my infuriatingly sexy opponent.

I huffed and turned my back on him, annoyed, frustrated and nervous all rolled into one.  Not only was he just in basketball shorts and a tank, but he made me wear a sport bra and booty shorts. Sweat glistened beautifully on his body but it wasn't from our sparring practice. Oh no. 

It was from his 5 mile "warm-up" run Luca completed on the treadmill just before Jarrett arrived with me, blindfolded of course, down to the in-home gym a floor below Luca's penthouse.

We had been spending each morning down here the last couple of weeks with him testing to see what I already knew from my previous self-defense classes.  Apparently it all meant squat if I were to be attacked by a mafia member.

I had gone at Luca with an open hand strike, targeting his face, neck, and eyes but he blocked me effortlessly every time. My attempted kick to the groin resulted in him grabbing my leg, twisting me around and dropping me to the floor on my stomach.

At that point, I rolled over to see Luca standing over me, arms crossed over his magnificent chest with that smug grin on his lips. I grabbed his ankles with mine, twisted and watched him lazily tumble to the  ground. I mounted him proudly only to have him spank my ass and hold my hips down so he could flip me onto my stomach then pin me from behind.

Now we stood facing each other, my chest heaving and I was fuming at all my failed attempts.

"You are still thinking I am an average, off the street attacker," He huffed.  I didn't hear his silent barefooted steps approach me from behind. "This kind of attack won't be just to...have his way with you in an alley..." I felt his fingertips glide up my arms and stifled a shiver. "It would be..." A kiss on my shoulder.  "To kill you."

I knew what he was doing.  Reaching across my front discreetly, I grabbed his wrist then lifted my other arm and came down hard, trapping his arm under mine then twisting his wrist back.  I grinned hearing the soft hiss of discomfort from behind me.

As Luca tried to grab me with his other hand, I elbowed him in the stomach causing him to pull both arms back.  I spun and grabbed his wrist again, bending it backwards while crouching to do a leg sweep.

I did manage to actually knock him down this time with a loud thunk as his back hit the mat. Grinning from ear to ear, I lunged and straddled his hips, grabbing both wrists and pinning them beside his head.  The grin that spread slowly across his face told me silently that I had done well by surprising him.

"Better, Gattina," He praised then bucked up and sideways with his hips, throwing me off.  In a swift backward movement, I was now on my back and he was straddling me. "Adoro averti sotto di me," He chuckled, wiggling his eyebrows.  "Una cosa però ..." Luca nudged a knee between my legs.  I squirmed but he managed to get exactly where he wanted, pressing his bulge against my core. He rolled his eyes closed and gently ground against me. I bit my lip to stifle my moans. "Ahh ... molto meglio."

(I love having you under me)  (One thing though...Ahh,much better)

Pulling my hips back, I gripped Luca's shoulders, rolling my eyes closed at his torment that was building a pressure in my belly again. He grinned against my neck and placed a hand on the back of my thigh pushing my leg higher.  I was proud of how flexible my limbs were so his sitting up slightly made it easier to get my feet on his shoulders and shove him off me.  The shocked look on Luca's face was priceless.

"Was that part of training me?" I spat, leaning up perched on my elbows.

"Technically not," Luca smirked as he sat back and bent his legs, lazily resting his arms on his knees.  Both of us were flushed. "But it sure was hot."

I gasped then glared at him sitting criss cross on the floor.  "Then what is the point? Are you actually going to teach me anything?"

"I've taught you quite a few things, Gattina," He winked.  "Things that I know feel good to you."

My cheeks heated furiously but I tried to ignore his truthful comment.  "I meant about fighting someone off."

"Yes," He nodded, pushing to stand up then offering me a hand.  "You are most likely going to be attacked by gunpoint or knife.  With knives, notice their stance.  If they are far away, it would be best to simply run.  If they are close, grab, twist and deflect.  If you can disarm, do it but keep their weapon to defend yourself."

He demonstrated that and I actually did better. "That makes sense," I nodded.  "What else?"

Luca smirked then continued.  "With a gun attack, shield yourself.  So instead of trying to control the weapon, do something to keep the assailants arm from bringing the weapon back into an active threat."

My eyes went wide when he went to his duffle and pulled out a gun, his gun, and took the magazine out, tossing it lazily back onto his bag.

"It's not loaded," He assured me then pointed it at me.  "Shield!"

I lunged to the side and came down hard with my elbow, also grabbing his wrist to force the gun down.  "Pull trigger until empty," I ground out and Luca relaxed, taking the gun back.

"Good, Gattina," He grinned.  "Always remember that now would be when you open hand strike, kick at the groin and all that then you must do the most important thing that will keep your gorgeous self from getting harmed."

He closed the distance and traced his index finger down my cleavage. I swallowed hard, sapphire orbs locked on his watching them follow his finger trace the swells of my breast. 

"And uh..." I stammered, licking my lips.  "What would that be?"

Luca grazed the side of my breasts with the knuckles of that mischievous hand, cupping it gently in his hand as his mouth came toward my ear.  "Run."

I rolled my eyes closed, again falling rapidly under Luca's spell.  Gliding my hands up his chest to his neck, he tormented me with those lips on his favorite spot. Then he suddenly pulled back and stepped away.

"We need to get going for your shooting lesson," He reported.  "You are ready."

Luca stood with his back to me. I could see by his shoulders and clenched fists that he was tense.  Those back muscles flexed as he clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly as if fighting the urge to rip something apart.

****

"There are five basics to be able to shoot accurately," Luca explained. 

"OK," I nodded, watching him turn the gun over in his hands. 

"Your stance is the most important," He turned my back to him to face the paper target.  "It will keep you steady," Hands on my hips. "Level," chin on my shoulder.  "And accurate."

"Ok," I agreed breathily. 

"Keep your body forward," Luca pushed gently on my shoulder so I leaned forward.  "Hips back," He guided them to tilt back. "Legs parted a bit," His knee nudged my legs open.  His body pressing flush against my back was highly distracting. "Ti prenderò così un giorno," Luca growled in my ear and my body heating tremendously.

(I'll take you like this one day)

"Focus, please," I scolded, exhaling to retrain my thoughts of how appealing that idea was.

"Now the grip," Luca cleared his throat, placing his warm, much larger hands over mine and the gun to maneuver my fingers.  "Is that comfortable? There are other positions if this is not comfortable."

"This is fine," I answered.  "I want to get used to this one then you can teach me the others before I decide my favorite."

Luca chuckled and kissed my shoulder, "As you wish, Gattina."

I rolled my eyes, cheeks flushing at his innuendo. "What's next?"

"Right here is where you look to aim.  It's called sight alignment," He pointed to the sight on the gun.  "Line up your target here."

"Got it."

"When you press the trigger, do it smoothly and only after your sight is aligned with your target."  Luca stepped back behind me but not as close as before.

"OK." I glared at the target imagining exactly who it could be.

"Then your follow through will come after you shoot," Luca explained, his hands on my shoulder blades again.  "You simply release the trigger. Are you ready?"

"Mhmm," I groaned, biting my lower lip and aligning the sights. 

"Aim..." Luca coaxed gently.  "Relax, Gattina," He purred in my ear.

"Bastardo," I whispered, slowly pulling back the trigger and fighting tears.

"Fire," Luca whispered, releasing my shoulders.

I pulled.  Bang!

"Bellissimo," Luca grinned as he kissed my neck.  I was grinning too, knowing I hit the target.

He pulled the switch that would bring the target forward.  "Let's see how you...did..."

His voice trailed off as he turned to look at the target.  The hole from the bullet was in the targets groin.

I lowered the gun and turned to look at him, beaming with pride.  "How did I do?"

In one stride Luca was in front of me, arm snaked possessively around my waist.  I squealed and rested my free hand on his chest as we collided. His lips grazed over mine, questioning, tempting.

"Così sexy."

(So sexy.)

The temptation to press my lips to his was overwhelming but before I could give in, Luca backed away. 

"Dinner?" He asked, grinning with mischief.  I nodded and let him interlace his fingers with mine.

****

Our defense trainings continued three times a week and shooting twice.  The mornings I spent with Luca, meant I practiced with the girls for our routines in the afternoons.  When I had been "collected", I had been underweight and bony, according to Luca.  With all this training and Luca making sure I ate healthy, I had gained some but toned the muscle mass as well.

Then our pattern ended. There would be days at a time I didn't see Luca.  Lucia kept us up to date on the whispers that tensions between the Luciano's and a rival mafia family were growing intense.  Which family? The Falladori? Could I be connected to that mafia family?

Each night I didn't see Luca in his booth, was another night I tossed and turned alone in my own bed. What was wrong with me that I couldn't sleep without him anymore? On the rare occasion, though it had gained in frequency lately, he carried me to his penthouse to sleep and held me all night in his warmth. Those were the nights I slept the best.

Or was it the worrying that prevented adequate rest? Worrying I had no right to feel.  It's not like I meant something to him.  More than what his father intended I be for.  So why should Luca mean anything to me? Still, there was an undeniable pull I felt when those forest green orbs were trained on me. Was it even real?

All the innuendos, all the things Luca said in Italian assuming I didn't understand, yet I understood every single word.  Including when Luca confessed I deserved better but he couldn't let me go. Would I ever be free again?

Did I want to be free? Of this lounge and the dancing? Yes!

Did I want to be free of Luca?

Makenzie must have noticed the effect Luca's absence was having on me.  I wasn't smiling as much, overall wasn't as happy. She pulled me by the hand one day and brought me into her room.  It was identical to mine but light colored furniture and bedding.

"Sweetie," Makenzie started once we were sitting on her bed and she took hold of my hands.  I couldn't lift my eyes to hers.  "Have you heard anything?"

I shook my head fighting back tears.  "This is the longest he's been gone."

"What's it been?" She asked.  "A few weeks? He's been gone for months at a time before."

"Six weeks he's been gone completely," I clarified.  "It was only a couple of days at a time before. These long absences are getting more frequent."

"Maddie," Makenzie sighed.  "Remember when I told you to be guarded?"  I nodded.  It was the morning I woke up with Luca's tattoo on my hip and Giselle pushed me off the stage. "This is what I was talking about.  He's in the immediate family, Maddie.  They have no room in their hearts to care for anyone else."

"I can't believe that's true," I shook my head, eyes stinging with tears.  I knew she was right, though.  Logically she was right but my stubborn heart just refused to listen.

"Maddie, wait!" Makenzie called but I was already out the door.

Furiously I wiped the stray tears away on my way to wardrobe angry that they fell, angry that it hurt and angry that Luca made me feel this way for him. I quickly changed into a navy bra with matching lace hi cut bikini bottoms then slipped on some sparkly silver stilettos and left for my shift.

****

The club seemed busier tonight than other nights but it was a weekend. Since rumors spread that things with a rival family had been growing more intense, perhaps everyone available had been called in. One particular booth had four burly guys I didn't recognize.

Aza found me when it was my turn to dance and I dropped my tray off at the bar. The routine was going as normal, spinning, squatting, crawling.  I busted out all the moves. The four at that table were the loudest howlers in the club.

When I finished my routine, I sashayed off to backstage and cracked open a water bottle.  I had to catch my breath before returning to work the floor.  Leaning against a wall, I tipped the refrigerated water bottle and took a long drink.

"Gorgeous, as always," A husky voice broke out of the darkness. 

A hand rested on my left hip making me jolt.  The clammy fingers lingered over my tattoo as if they knew exactly where it was. Quickly I spun to face the culprit.

"Hey! Hands off!" I yelled, swatting at the drunk guy from the loudest table.

"But I paid," He slurred, staggering closer.

"I'm not for sale!" I shoved him away and he stumbled but unfortunately caught himself.  "You have the wrong girl."

"Well, I like you better," He gave a cheesy grin and reached for me again successfully grabbing my wrist.

Just as I was reaching my arm up to slam down and break his wrist, the sound of bone on bone echoed in my ear with a loud crack and the man's body went limp. I spun to see the reason.

"Luca!"  I grabbed his shoulders and jumped.  He easily caught me and held me to him.

"I'm here, Gattina, I'm here," He hushed into my hair. "Mi è mancato tenerti."

(I missed you.)

I scoffed against his neck, raking my fingers through his hair. Just as suddenly as I jumped, I shoved Luca away and he promptly put me down. Giving him a fierce glare, I poked his chest with my index finger.

"Where have you been?" Luca frowned and rubbed the spot I poked. When he didn't answer my question, I punched his chest.  "Answer me! Do you know how worried I have been?"

"We had some...complications..." He sighed, shoving his fists in the pocket of his perfectly tailored italian suit.

"Complications?" I quirked an eyebrow and crossed my arms under my chest.  Luca's heated gazed flicking down to my bust did not go unnoticed. "Complications with what?"

"I can't tell you that," Luca groaned in annoyance.  "It wouldn't be safe and you are already in enough danger."

"You don't tell me anything!" I accused, hitting him with both fists. "Anything you want kept secret you say in Italian to purposefully keep it from me!"

Luca grabbed my fists and pulled me to him. "Sto lottando per proteggerti." 

(I'm trying to protect you.)

When I struggled, he held tighter. I finally stopped trying to pull away and rested my cheek on his chest listening to his steady, strong heart beat.  As always, being held securely in his arms mysteriously brought comfort.

"Come with me," He whispered, kissing the top of my head. 

"Where are we going?" I asked as he took my smaller hand in his and entwined our fingers.

"Out," He smiled.

Interesting training, huh? 😜

What could Luca have been up to being gone for six weeks??

What does he mean they are going "out"?

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