Never Giving Up

Chapter 33

"Sounds like you need to take a step back and re-evaluate."

"If Fredrick feels the same as I do, and no doubt he does, we may have to do that. It'll stop us from going down a dangerous route and that's something we don't want."

"I know you were talking in the business sense there, but I was talking about in the holiday sense."

He shakes his head. "I can't do that when things are beginning to get unstable. I can't do that to Fredrick, either."

"Sometimes you need to take a break in order for you to clear your mind so you can go forward in the right direction. Your company isn't going to run away from you. It wouldn't be for long."

"If this is your way of telling me that you want me to take you away on holiday-" He reaches for my hand and runs his thumb over my knuckles. "-all you had to do was ask me."

I bite down on my bottom lip, a grin playing on my lips at the same time, and hit him on the chest with my free hand. "Cheeky, git!"

He laughs.

"I'm being serious, though, Luca. You need to take a step back or that route you're talking about will come at you before you even get a chance to go down it."

"I know but I can't do anything until I deal with all of the issues I have on my plate at the moment."

I look down at our clasped hands and run a finger over the face of Luca's watch on his wrist. "Like selling my flat?"

"The furniture has been sent to charity and the painters will be finished decorating it this afternoon," he informs.

I look up at him without moving my face and see him staring at me. I stop running my finger over his watch and sit back.

"I want to go back and see it after work before you put it up for sale," I confess.

"Not without me being there," he fires back instantly.

"You can't be there if you've got meetings," I defend weakly.

"I can if it means you're safe."

"I'll have Jones there and it won't be like I'm going to be there for long. Only to see it once more so I can close that chapter of my life once and for all."

He eyes me closely and shakes his head. "I don't want you there after what's happened."

"It's not like someone was murdered there, Luca."

"Only someone watching you," he retorts.

"Send one of your other guys with Jones as a backup if it makes you feel better. Either way, I'm going to my flat before it's no longer classed as mine."

The car falls silent that lasts until we get to my office, almost an hours drive later. I know Luca won't argue much more on the matter because I'm going to my flat regardless of what he says. It was mine for a long time and until it's sold, it will still be mine.

The car stops directly outside the entrance to my office. I take my seatbelt off, give Luca a small peck on the cheek, and get out the car without uttering a word.

"Jones will see you at five," I hear Luca remind before I close the door.

I look at Jones in the car behind Carlo's and nod in agreement to Luca's reminder. He nods once at me and I enter the office building while the cars drive off down the rest of the road.

"Please tell me you've signed off on the wedding favours?" Is the way I'm greeted by Julia as soon as I step into the office building.

I let the door close behind me take a step closer to my assistant who is breathing heavily before me, using the reception desk to keep her upright. Her chest is rising and falling quickly and she's swallowing hard.