Love & Gamble

Adieu

Rosa Giovenesi's P. O. V

The man in front of me doesn't seem perturbed by the realisation settling within me. Instead, he glances back towards the closed door leading to outside of my apartment.

The surprise I felt at his revelation gets thrown out the proverbial window and is replaced by a bout of fear as I take a few steps forward, worried Luca will run out without another look back and simply leave me hanging. I've had one too many people do that and I can't handle Luca doing that too. Not when it's confirmed in my mind that he's the best for the job.

"Listen I don't really care about any of that. I'm desperate enough to ignore whatever the hell you're involved in because I need you to help me with this." I practically plead, stepping to the side with my arm outstretched, motioning for him to come back inside properly without me being worried that he'll make a run for it.

"You have no idea, do you?" Luca questions with a dark brow raised and a hint of a taunting smile pulling at the corner of his lips. I awkwardly look away before clearing my throat.

"I'll tell you whatever it is that I do know if you hear me out at least. Hell, I can even help you out with clearing your name. I know a lot of people in high up places but only you can help me out with this." I finish, partially bluffing since this man could be a serial killer and even I wouldn't be able to aid him with that.

I can tell Luca is contemplating it as he tilts his head to the side, warm eyes flickering over me before glancing once at the door but then he nods his head.

"A favour for a favour."

"I'll try my best." My smile turns sheepish when he lets out a deep sigh but moves past me nonetheless, this time turning to the living room where he makes himself comfortable on the couch. Following behind him, I sit on the couch in front of where he sits and intertwine my hands so I don't fiddle with them whenever I am nervous and uncomfortable.

"What do you know about me?" Luca questions as he runs a hand through his thick unruly hair, a sliver of ink peeks through and I nearly reach out to grab his hand to see if my eyes are mistaking me or if there truly is ink sketched into his skin.

Turning my trail of thinking away from the rather good looking man in front of me, I focus on his question and think back to the time I saw him or well a picture of a much younger looking Luca. I wouldn't be sure if it was actually him since the man has broadened out over the years if that's the right word to use. His full name and the link to Mr Leo is what really solidified that Luca is who I think he is.

I raise my hand to put a strand of hair behind my ear but stop when I realise my subconscious nervous habit has resulted in my pushing only imaginary strands back. Clasping my hands on my lap, I think back to when I'm certain I saw Luca.

"It was two years ago, I think." I start off wearily, squinting my eyes as if I'm physically trying to see back into the past. "I went into my father's office so I could log in to his computer. A close friend of mine wanted her boyfriend's name cleared so I was looking through files full of blacklisted members. The lower the name on the list, the higher the treason. His name was Lorenzo and I clicked on the name but it was another Lorenzo. It was you!"

My exclamation is a bit too loud and excited as if I found out a great secret. The truth is that I pretty much had forgotten what happened and remembered while I was recounting it all and then it hit me right in the face.

"You were pretty far down on the list. Any lower and you would be the few but foolish who tried out to carry out an assassination attempt on the old man." My brow raises and it does make me wonder if this person in front of me tried to kill my father. If so, he'd get a pat on the back for trying, at least from me.