SUBMIT.

XII.

I nearly jumped out of my skin as I turned and saw him walking towards me slowly. I watched him carefully, waiting for him to get angry or violent, but he didn't. He sat down next to me, leaning back on his hands.

"How did you find me?" I asked.

"You come out here every night." He said matter of factly.

"So you've been watching me." I narrowed my eyes at him.

He shrugged, "Just making sure you don't pull another stunt."

"If you just came up here to be an asshole then leave." I snarled, "You didn't mind leaving for a month anyways."

He turned to me with an amused smile, "I'm sorry, Kitten. I didn't think you'd miss me so much."

I managed to glare at him, but my cheeks were burning red. I turned away, glaring down at the cityscape instead. Good thing it was too dark for him to see me blushing.

"I came up to apologize." He said seriously.

My head snapped back over to him immediately, not quite believing that I heard him correctly. I must be going mad because Luca couldn't possibly be apologizing to me.

"Yeah yeah." He waved off the shocked look on my face, "I know I'm an ass. I do. And I know you're afraid of me."

"Im not afraid of you." I claimed.

"I saw it on your eyes...when you remembered." He said quietly, "That's when I knew I fucked up."

I turned back towards the city and sighed, "I want to go home,"

"The street is not your home." He said quickly, "Your home is here,"

"My home is with my family," I muttered.

"And your family is here too. You just don't know it yet." He replied calmly.

I looked over at him in confusion. Why was he saying that? Did he actually think I would grow to enjoy my time here? That I would just forget all the people I left behind?

"Why are you keeping me here?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I don't fit in here." I shrugged, "you and all your friends are all these big tough guys and I'm just...I don't belong."

He laughed softly.

"It's not funny." I muttered.

"Just because you're different doesn't mean you don't belong, Kitten." He argued, "You've outsmarted me and the other tough guys multiple times by now. And you got the information we needed. You fit in just fine."

"That's easy for you to say." I grumbled.

"Maybe," He shrugged, "But it's true. There is nothing for you back on the streets. Its time you realize that and let go of the past."

"You can't just come out here and say things like that, expecting it to be okay. You stole me from my family and you...you're making me into someone I don't want to be." I replied, getting up to my feet and trying to make a quick exit.