She Gets Me | #DarkRomance | RomePi™

֍13: Nothing Is As It Seems֍ (UPDATED 10/08/2022)

***(This chapter will contain graphic abuse and attempted suicide)***

~THE MEETING~

"Hello, son. How are you doing?" The older gentleman's voice stopped him in his tracks.

As usual, Luca was on his way to meet Torren for lunch. He was still on the fence about how to deal with his compulsion to resolve the angst he had in his heart for her.

In truth, his life conditioned him to not see a problem determining the best way to punish people who crossed the line with him. He wasn't a murderer or anything close to that. No, he was more sadistic than homicidal.

Luca was known to be a respectful gentleman who tried to encourage others to accomplish great things in their lives. The battles and struggles of his life taught him how to create greatness from nothing. With that knowledge, he assisted others to become the very best in whatever they aspired to do. He crafted a course to guide young people through essential changes if they really wanted to grow into greatness.

Programs received donations from his non-profit organizations. Local community centers received large grants to provide underprivileged children with access to better opportunities.

What people saw in him was a caring individual. No one ever suspected there was another side of him. Luca was full of contradictions safely tucked away in the core of his being unless an individual did something to draw it out.

The voice he heard threatened to bring out the worst in him. How could he ask such a question after everything that had already transpired?

As he stood shocked by the unwanted visitor's words, Torren broke through the walls that were quickly going up all around him as she cradled him in her arms.

Even though he was truly a tortured soul, she managed to break through all the barriers he constructed to protect himself. His eyes fluttered closed as if he was hoping to be delivered from the nightmare that materialized in his life.

Luca found that even when she was in the other rooms of her apartment, he ached for her. It became increasingly more difficult for him to sleep without her. They spent most of their time locked in one another's embrace, and she so freely shared her concern for him. His eyes fluttered closed as he imagined the many times she walked by him and kissed or hugged him for no reason at all.

Her every move confused and comforted him all at the same time. He didn't know what to do or how to deal with the emotions battling for space in his head.

All of this was racing around in his mind when he heard his father's voice.

Two familiar voices rivaled one another for his attention. A brief pause and several deep breaths gave him a chance to pull himself together before he turned to face the woman who perplexed him to no end as well as the man he was really in no mood to deal with.

"Hey, babe. I missed you so much." Her voice was like warm honey. The sound was needed to soothe his soul. He pushed himself to resist the urge to lean back against her. It was amazing how safe he felt in her arms because he was hard-pressed to remember a time when someone made him feel that way.

Luca turned to greet her and request that she wait for him at their designated spot.

"Son is this your girlfriend." His father asked as he attempted to direct her away from the interaction. Torren walked around Luca to find the older man standing there.

"Torren go ahead and I'll be with you in a minute." Luca ushered her in the opposite direction towards the restaurant where they enjoyed their lunch break. He placed a peck on her forehead and sent her on her way.