er mind too tangled with thoughts of Luca, her mother, and the fact that her entire life had been turned upside down in less th

of the window. She didn't know how long she had been sitting there when she heard the soun

she could panic, the door swung open, and

carried in several bags filled with groceries and supplies. They set the bags down on the sm

rought food? What, no five-star c

rowing. "You're welcome," he said curtl

ags. There were a few loaves of bread, some vegetables, pasta, canned goods,

uca said, leaning casually against

f tomatoes. She turned to him slowly, her exp

brow. "Unless you'

Unbelievable. You're the one who dragged me into t

it," Luca said evenly. "Ju

to the surface. "Fine," she snapped. "But don

mmed it onto the tiny stove, muttering under her breath ab

-

her best to make do with what she had. She decided on some

harder than

y of something burning. Alessia waved a hand in front of her face, coughing as she tried to salv

?" Luca's voice calle

t's *fine!*" she yelled back,

he surveyed the disaster unfolding in front of him. The corner of his mo

oing?" he asked, his ton

mbarrassment. She tried to scrape the burnt sauce off

and plucking the wooden spoon from her hand.

e and crossed her arms, watching as Luca expertly salvaged what little he could of the meal. He poured

" Alessia asked, unabl

stirred the sauce. "My mothe

life. She hadn't thought much about Luca's mother-she barely knew any

ter a moment, her tone dry. "You're

ng into something that almost resembl

ugged at her lips. For a brief moment, the tension between them

-

. The villa's bathroom was small and outdated, with cracked tiles and a showerhead that dripped incessantly, but s

r the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself a moment of peace. But as

ant, and cold; the next, he was stepping in to save her cooking disaster

that she hadn't brought any clean clothes with her. Wrapping a towel

e called h

ice came from

wear," she said, feel

tsteps. A moment later, Luca appeared in the ha

got," he said, hol

uickly shut the door and slipped the shirt over her head, the fabric soft and warm against her

, scrolling through his phone. He glanced up as she entered, his gaze l

," he said, his

he way his eyes seemed to darken slightly as

anything. Instead, he turned his attention back to his p

er out, like he saw more than she wanted him to. But what she hate

't help but wonder if she was in more danger from