Small Time Jump... 3 days later (Leaving Day)
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Teresa laid on the bed, her face in her hand as she stared, watching Luciano walk back and forth through the room, packing their things. She still hasn't gotten up because she wasn't sure if she wanted to leave.
Luciano walked back into the room, his finally landing on Teresa after laying there for so long and his shoulders slumped as he chuckled, shaking his head, setting his clothes down in the bag. He walked, standing in front of the end of the bed and with two strong hands wrapped around her ankles, she was pulled down hard, on the bed with a giggle.
"Get dressed Tesoro" She grabbed her pillow, wrapping her arms around it, pouting saying no.
"You said a week Tesoro' He took the pillow from her and she grabbed the blanket, throwing it over her. "Okay I changed my mind." She said from underneath the blanket.
" Then we'll stay." He said and she heard the unzipping of the bag and she threw her blanket down, saying
"No! Rolo will miss me!"
Luciano huffed.
" Tesoro make up your mind"
She kicked the blanket off, getting up all the while shooting him a glare mixed with pleading eyes and he only kissed her forehead, walking past her with her suitcase.
Teresa stood outside with her arms folded as she watched the black Lincoln Navigator pull in, the rims cleaned, car shiny. Of course it was. She stared at the car, indecisive whether to get in or not. Somehow she felt the second she gets in the car is the second everything changes. During the entire week they were wonderful. They were happily in love with no problems or interruptions. They slept together every single day, held each other. All the talking, great conversations, jokes that brought out their laughs, intimate moments that made her want to cry. The affection, the kissing, showering together, sex. What if when they go back it all changes? Sure he may have shown Luciano, but he would go back to being Don of Rome.
And she didn't want that to happen, because it would mean the ending of everything else.
Even with all thoughts, she got in the car.
Luciano stared at Teresa as they drove off. Her head was on the window, silent and didn't look happy much to his confusion.
"Tesoro if leaving makes you unhappy, I told you we can stay as long as you want" He said, and she shook her head, not exactly helpful. And like usual, he grew irritated not exactly like having to pull answers out of people, but he started to slowly do it with her. He did like babying her sometimes but when it was something serious, he didn't want to baby her to talk to him.
"Tesoro tell me what it is" He said, using his authoritative voice, knowing she would always answer to it, because she knew he was serious.
"Do you love me now or all the time?" She asked softly, never turning around to meet his eyes. His eyebrows furrowed as he said, "Both. Why?"
"Do you love me every second of the day or just for the week?" She then asked and he groaned.
"Tesoro you know I hate when you prevaricate"
She turned around, Luciano concerned as he saw her glossy eyes.
" When we step out of this car, will you be the Luciano that loves me or will you be the Luciano who dismissed me and talked to me when he felt like it?" He looked down and out the window, disappointed that that's the image he gave her. The description she gave him. A horrible person.
But he knew what she was asking and she wouldn't like his answer.
"You're wondering if I will treat you differently" He said and she sniffled, Luciano's eyes finding hers, his heart crushing.
"Yes" He said and she sighed, turning to the window. "You know in my business I am not supposed to be a man spending his time chasing false love" Her head snapped and he put his hand up, letting her know he was not done. "Because they will see it that way. To everyone I am a Don, Tesoro"
"So that means you have to go back treating me like dirt?" He groaned, running his hand down his face.
Damnit, He thought. This was going to be their first argument and they hadn't even made it home, but he did not feel okay with her insults.
"Treat you like dirt? I guess that says a lot about you as a woman" She scoffed, " What is that supposed to mean?"
" You tell me ,Tesoro. You are in love with a man who treated you like dirt aren't you? Too fucking bad you are stuck with this man." He turned his face at the window, hurt and angry all at once. If she really felt that way, what was the point of the trip? What was the point of saying he loved her?
Teresa stared at him, watching his jaw clench and his eyes staring out the window, hurt written in them and it wasn't that he wanted her to see, he just couldn't hide it.
"I didn't-"
"I will love you everyday. I will show you I love you every single moment for the rest of my life. But when we're in my world, I will also treat you like a Don should. You can't only want one side of me Tesoro. It's all of me or none of me."
Teresa took a deep breath. She was stressing him out because of her overthinking. So good, they were and yet again she was the reason why they were backtracking.
" I love all of you" She said, but he didn't turn around. "I just don't want to be shut out again"
He turned his head, capturing her gaze.
"There are things that are just not at the right time. Sometimes I won't be what you want me to be, but it's not because I don't love you" Luciano sighed. If he declared her as his woman already, everything would have been much easier. He would be able to kiss her and leave her any and everywhere he wanted, but he couldn't now. Because he couldn't push the process.
"I know. I understand" She said and he grabbed her hand saying, "Come here" He pulled her across his lap, kissing her forehead. She laid her head on his shoulder, feeling his hands softly caressing her thighs.
"I love you, I love you with my life Tesoro." She stared at him, searching the depths of his eyes.
"And I love you." She cupped his face, both of their eyes closing as their lips met.
_
Laura huffed, tying the string around her pants so that it wouldn't be too loose on her, which still it was because she was now tinier with just a small waist and barely any ass. Her arms were basically bone with fairly 20% of meat on it, as for her thighs, they were like her legs, skinny. All the weight she lost. She was once 154 lbs, though if you saw her before, you would have thought she weighed more because of how thick she was.
Especially in the back. Now she was fairly 105 lbs, with no ass, no thighs, and barely enough titties to pass by, but still she could say she was pretty, but not beautiful. Considering Teresa weighed almost 30 more lbs than her, her clothes were too big to fit, too baggy. Even her tights.
Adriano and her got to the house yesterday. Apparently he thought it was much safer and smarter for her to live with Luciano than to live in a three bedroom apartment with him. It didn't make much sense, considering Luciano had more than three rooms, but she also knew that it was because Adriano wasn't exactly comfortable with her staying there after not knowing her for a year. And she understood that it would be hard to trust her after that time. It was smart, a smart move, something she would have done to.
But that was the least of her concerns. It was Teresa. She didn't know that was her name, but she had a pretty idea of how she looked from the modeling photos. She had a feeling Adriano was hiding some information about her and at first she thought it was because he and her were together, but the way he acted yesterday, she came to the conclusion that Luciano and her were together instead. She wanted to know who Teresa was, how she was, if she were even good enough for Luciano because even after a year Laura what's still madly in love with Luciano and either way, Teresa was in the way of that love.
She needed to feel Teresa out. To see if she was too weak, or too strong. It didn't matter, because in her mind, when Luciano sees her, he will come back. When they were together, he loved her so much and she was more than certain he wouldn't stop, he didn't stop, just because Teresa came into the picture.
She still dislikes the fact that he did move on with Teresa and just a year of her supposed death.
Walking out the room, she looked both ways, before she walked to Teresa's room which was down the hall. She saw him walking there when he went to grab some of her clothes for her.
Opening the door quietly, she looked over her shoulder, before she slipped into Teresa's room, closing the door. She was in awe, staring, observing the room. Lightly decorated in his taste of course, but the canvases of Teresa around the room, she didn't expect him to spoil her like that. Maybe it was just a request for whatever she was doing for him, she thought. The light from her patio, not being blocked by the curtains, flew through, warmth surrounding her room. It was gorgeous, the bed big enough for a Queen, the big walk in closet that she stepped in, looking around.
So many clothes, She thought. So many unworn, brand new.
Then she frowned as she touched the tag, holding it up to her gaze only to see that one simple shirt cost 10,000€. Old Luciano would have never spent that much on just a shirt.
It made her feel a bit of jealousy and bitterness.
Walking into the restroom, she came across the small closet, opening it, her eyes bulging as she registered the heavily filled closet of woman products. All the perfume, lotion, body wash, shampoo and conditioner. Some of her favorite brands and Teresa damn near had them all.
"That's a lot of stuff for one woman" She mused in a whisper.
Teresa squealed, giggling as Luciano scooped her in his arms with a chuckle.
"What are you doing?" She laughed, putting her arm over his neck and he smirked, walking up the stairs as he said,
"Carrying the bride over the threshold" His eyes twinkled at the word bride and so did hers because she only imagined how it would be to be married to Luciano.
Then she grinned, shaking her head.
"I don't have a ring on my finger" She wiggled them around and he chuckled and said,
"I'm good for it"
Seeing the door, she grew excited and jumped out his arms and he grabbed her arm, raising his eyebrow. "Why in a rush?"
She smiled, pulling him by his shirt.
"Well I want to start moving myself into our room" She kissed him briefly, slipping out his hold as she ran through the house and upstairs. Walking into her room, her first move was going to her closet and snatching a handful of clothes off the rack until she heard a creak from the bathroom, and it caused her to halt.
She knew she should have gone to Luciano instantly, but what could possibly go wrong anyway? No one could get inside Luciano's house.
Setting the things down softly, her hands balled into fists by her sides, as she took a step forward, her head going around the corner and she saw nothing. Now standing in the middle, she frowned. Then she heard things fall on the ground and she turned quickly, screaming and her fist swung right into Laura's face and her eyes widened hearing Laura groan, holding her face.
"Ow!" She yelled.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry" Teresa helped her stand up, looking at her face and she smiled.
"You have pretty eyes" Laura whispered and Teresa smiled, thanking her.
"Tesoro I thought I heard -" Luciano halted as he stood in the middle of the room, facing them and Teresa's head snapped up to explain, but the words left as she saw Luciano's eyes and they definitely were not on her.
They were on her.
Laura stood up, Teresa carefully watching her every move as she took a step forward to Luciano. Luciano's eyes were flickering back and forth, doubt, confusion, surprise and Teresa swore she thought she saw love swirling within his orbs, but her mind didn't allow her to think it.
"Luciano..." Laura whispered and Teresa saw a tear flow over her cheek.
Luciano stood there, speechless, completely a different person and Laura just ran straight into his arms, burying her face into his chest and her cries heard. Luciano didn't make a move to hug her, instead he stared down at her and all Teresa felt was confusion.
Who was she? And why was Luciano acting this way?
Laura pulled back, sniffling and smiling.
"I'm here" She said and as if someone grabbed Teresa's heart and crushed it, Laura destroyed it when her lips were against Luciano's. She thought Luciano would have stopped instantly, but to her sadness, his hand cradled the back of Laura's head as he returned that kiss, causing Teresa to now be the one crying.
Except it wasn't out of happiness, it was out of pain.
She walked out the room, running downstairs, wiping her face off and she walked into Adriano who was confused, until his face contorted with the knowing.
"Teresa-"
She pushed him hard, stomping away.
Luciano eyes furrowing now with the realization of what he was doing, he withdrew back quickly, backing up at a distance. "I'm sorry I thought-"
Luciano wiped his lips like she poisoned him and it sent some anger up her body though she decided not to show it.
"How are you here?" He asked, completely dismissing their kiss and she knew he did, which only made her boil even more.
But she needed to show him. "I was never dead, my love." She took a step forward. "I was running"
"From who?" She looked down, "From them"
Adriano was struck speechless after he had ran after Teresa and she told him what happened. He didn't know if he should tell her who Laura was or Luciano. Either way someone was going to get yelled at and slapped. And he was sure it was going to be him after he told her he's the one who brought Laura there. He watched her pace back and forth, her fists in her hand, constantly rubbing it, no doubt trying to ease the pain of punching someone for the first time.
"I should wrap that up Teresa" He said and she ignored him, but her hand dropped, but it was shaking instead.
"Teresa please calm down" He stepped forward and she yelled, "I am calm!" Causing him to step back, with his hands up.
"You're yelling" He huffed, obviously not something he should say to someone angry and already knowing.
It looked like Teresa had enough because she grabbed him by his collar, her eyes almost deadly, though not as much because she wasn't a vicious person, but she was starting to be. "Who is she and why the fuck Luciano let that happen?!"
He grabbed her hands, calmly saying, " I think you should let him tell you"
Then instantly, she slammed him to the wall, " I don't care what you think!"
Luciano sat on the bed, his eyes closed as he ran his hands through his hair.
" They kidnapped you, tortured you, faked your death, made you run and found you, tortured you again and forced you to come back?" He rephrased in a summary of the information that was given to him.
"Yes" She answered with a sigh and he raised his head, shaking it. "You can't possibly expect me to believe that" He said and her heart constricted because of his subtle implied accusation.
"They wanted to hurt you" She said, turning her head, averting her eyes from his. "They saw how happy we were. They couldn't get to you, but they could get to me. They wanted to take something precious from you and they did. And just when you finish grieving, just when you get over it, they would send me back to hurt you all over again" A tear fell and she wiped it away quickly, so he wouldn't think she was weak for it. She wasn't like this before, he wouldn't understand.
"What else?" He asked and she bit her lip, preparing herself for the memories that she was going to relieve, but she ended up crying anyway, shaking.
"I-" She sniffled, but only more came down quickly. "I was pregnant"
Luciano's eyes widened and his jaw clenched and he grabbed her jaw, turning her face to his, seeing her drenched red puffy cheeks. "I need you to specify. Are you saying-"
She nodded her head, "We were going to have a baby"
Teresa sat on the bed, now calm after Adriano gave her some water and did breathing segments with her. Still her hand was shaking in his. "He told me he's only been in one committed relationship. She's the one isn't she?" She questioned and Adriano huffed.
"Yes"
"How long?"
He sighed, "Teresa"
"How long?" She raised her voice and he looked down as he said, "4 years"
Teresa put her face in her hands, silently crying to herself. Four years... There was no way Luciano could stop loving someone he's been with for 4 years of his life. You never really let go of your first love. Worst of all, she knew Laura still loved him.
After hearing what happened to Laura and his unborn child, he wanted to go on a murder spree. Kill every single one of them. He thought this all the while she was crying in his chest and as he lifted his head, it only hit him now, that Teresa was no longer in the room.
He was so shaken, so shocked, he didn't acknowledge her. He wished he could say he could imagine how hurt she felt, but he didn't have to imagine it, because it wouldn't be the first time. Just when everything was going so good.
Laura had fallen asleep, and he carried her to her room. It was hard to see her again. So many emotions, so many he couldn't hide. He stared at her as he pulled the blanket up her body. It was only then did he notice the loss of weight, the different hair color, the bags under her eyes, the darkness from the lack of sleep. Still, he could see the gorgeous Laura underneath it all.
Closing her door, he saw Adriano and he did not look okay.
"How long has she been here?" Luciano asked.
"Three days" Luciano's jaw clenched, but he remembered that he did turn his phone off and ordered everyone to not call him. So he had no one to be mad at but himself.
"Where is she?" His eyes lowered and Luciano could see why he didn't look good. Because of Teresa. "Your room" Luciano turned around before he stopped when Adriano called his name.
He turned to stare at him and Adriano's entire posture changed, and he looked like his Capo. The man who killed without a blink of an eye. "What are we going to do about them?" He asked, his jaw clenching and Luciano looked down, feeling the pain of not knowing, not being able to meet his unborn child.
Then he looked up, staring Adriano in the eyes, feeling the heavy, extreme and intense feelings between them both. "Words cannot describe"
His nose twitched and he turned away, walking upstairs to his room. And he opened the door, the room completely dark, his lights off and he only could see the small shadow of her body because of the fair light of the moon barely getting through his curtains. He closed the door, making it known that he was there and turned the lights on, seeing her with her head down, sitting on the bed.
He didn't even get an inch near her before she said, "Are you still in love with her?" She asked.
He didn't answer, he walked up to her and lifted her face softly only to see the streams of tears down her face, the glossiness of her eyes. "Why are you crying?" He thumbed her cheek, wiping away tears.
"Are. You. In love with her?" She asked again and he couldn't anything but, "Tesoro"
She got up, walking away before he tugged her arm and she stared at the door as her voice shook and softly said, " Please just answer the question"
"I can't because I don't know Tesoro," He said, being honest with her and most importantly being honest with himself.
She shook her head sniffling, " I think you do" Teresa knew Luciano. And Luciano knew everything about himself. He was certain of everything he said, and did.
"Tesoro you don't understand" His hand slipped from hers and she turned around, staring at him.
"4 years Luciano. 4 years you were together. You don't just unlove someone so fast"
"It's complicated Tesoro." He huffed and she walked up to him, raising her hand to his face. "Tell me please"
He grabbed her hand, taking it off, causing her eyes to dim. "No" He couldn't tell her. He couldn't tell her what he's been told. He can't tell her what Laura's been through. How it impacted him because it would bring pain to him. And he didn't want to feel pain. He felt pain just by seeing Laura's face for the first time in over a year.
"Luciano I'm standing here, doubtful because a woman, who I have no knowledge of, except she was the first person you ever loved, popped up out of nowhere. Am I the woman you love?" Luciano nearly broke hearing her question his love for her. He cupped her face, staring into her beautiful hazel eyes.
"Tesoro I love you. You know I love you."
She felt relieved, but still there were things she needed to know. What does it matter if he loved someone else? She grabbed his hands, "I need some answers" He huffed, removing his hands and turning away.
"I need to know are we going forward or moving back in the same cycle?" He shook his head and she cried, a tear falling.
" You can't even answer that?"
" I thought she was dead" His face and body turning to stare at her, causing her to tense. He saw the tear on her face and he sighed, grabbing her hand and pulling her between his legs as he now sat on the bed. " For over a year, I thought she was dead"
Teresa didn't say anything, she just nodded, deciding to not hurt him anymore.
" Tesoro Promise me. Promise me you will always be here." His hand shook and she nodded frantically, and he brought her in for a brief kiss and she saw his eyes watering. Luciano never cries.
" I'm here." He shook his head. " No. Promise me Tesoro. Say the words"
Now she was more than concerned. " Luciano I- tell me what's wrong"
"I never looked" He said and she ran her fingers through his hair, letting him speak.
"I didn't look for her. I was focused on being a Don, that I didn't prioritize her like I should have. They told me she was dead and I accepted it. I was selfish Tesoro"
She shook her head, shushing him. She knew what he was doing. "No. Don't blame yourself." It was never fair to carry the weight of a death or in his case a supposed death. He was young, and he wanted to do his father good being the best Don he could. It wasn't his fault.
"No. If I would have looked-"
"Stop. Stop it." She demanded.
"I would've been a father" He whispered, more so musing to himself but as Teresa heard it, she let her stream of tears fall. It caused her to grip his hair harder and she felt her body being squeezed even more. She laid her face on his head. She didn't understand how it could feel to not be able to meet your child, or to not be able to even know that he could have had a child. She didn't understand how it felt to think the first love of his life was dead only to find out she was alive, and went through traumatic times. She didn't know, and she didn't understand.
But she knew one thing, they weren't going forward, for all she knew, they weren't going anywhere. Not anymore.
She heard and felt the zipper of her dress being pulled down, but Luciano's head never lifted until his hand touched her bare skin. He lifted his head and Teresa wiped his face off. "I need you here" He said and she nodded as she undid his cufflinks and his buttons.
Luciano never took his eyes off her as she pulled his shirt off his arms. He stood up, his lips on hers softly and so strongly that she felt he were translating his emotions with his lips. Letting the dress fall down, he picked her up, laying her on the bed, and he pulled back, hovering over her as he whispered, "I love you"
"I love you" She said and he laid down, against her, on the side of her and pulled her into his arms. Her thigh and leg went over him, her arm thrown over his neck as one of his hands fell on the bareness of her upper back and the other over her ass. Her eyes closed, his following being comforted by the warmth of her body against his and the woman he loves, in his arms.
_
A few hours later...
Luciano stared at her sleeping face, not being able to fall asleep himself. He couldn't.
Slowly, he removed her thigh from over him and unwrapped himself from her arms, Teresa turning over, letting a breath of air out her nose. Kissing her forehead, he pulled the blanket over her and walked out his room, grabbing a beer out the fridge and finding his spot on the patio, sitting in the chair.
He took a sip and sighed, staring out at the world, the lights everywhere. He just thought about Teresa's question. Are you still in love with her? And it was hard not being able to give her a straight answer. He didn't know and that was the worst thing when you were trying to build something with someone else. Someone you were certain that you loved.
It just reminded him of all the times she wanted, she begged for him to tell her how he felt, and when he did it was perfect. But when they came back, she was now asking if he was in love with another woman.
He couldn't cry himself to sleep. He rarely cried at all, considering the amount of death he saw in his time. He was taught not to show weakness, were those words to his enemies, Teresa was someone he planned to spend his life with. And if she could see him at his strongest, she could see him at his weakest. And holding her was helpful, but nothing could ease his mind.
I was pregnant, Is what Laura told him. He could have been a father, something he does want. And he could have found her if he tried. But like everyone said, the business comes first and at the time he listened. But with Teresa, she came first. He will make her his woman even if his mother doesn't agree with it. Because with her, he wanted love, he chose love.
Then there was his family, he had to think about. They loved Laura to death, so at the time he never had to choose between anything, between love or the business. At the time he did love her, he could see now that he didn't love her as much as he loved Teresa, but he did love her in his own way. He just didn't know if that love went away with his grieving or if it was buried.
His head turned as he heard the door slide and he saw Laura in a huge shirt, the sleeves almost falling off her shoulders.
"I thought I would find you here" She smiled, Luciano chuckling softly. When they were together, in their old house, he usually went on the patio when he was thinking. And she used to always wake up, find him outside, and stay with him until he was ready to go back in. And sometimes it would be so long that she will fall asleep right in his arms. She always stayed by his side.
She put her arms on the rail, looking out as he did. "How is she?" She asked. She turned to look at him, but his eyes stayed on the night life. He wasn't going to respond. Laura knew he wasn't going to. She had learned that of him in their previous relationship. Luciano didn't want to talk about his relationship with Laura. Somehow it wasn't appropriate to him.
"Well what is she like?" She asked and he shook his head, with a huff of breath. Then his eyes fell to hers. "Do you want to ask me something?"
"I just did" She said and he chuckled, shaking his head once more. "No. I know you Laura" He said, knowingly.
She huffed, and folded her arms, staring at him. "How could you forget about me so fast?" His eyes averted as he took a sip of his beer.
" I could never forget you," He said.
" And yet, you forbid everyone to speak about me" She accused. " Because I didn't want to think about you"
" It reminds me, that not even I, a powerful man, can protect my loved ones" She sighed, saying it wasn't his fault, but he was tired of hearing it.
" I should have known they were targeting me. I should have known they were targeting you. I was too naive back then. I didn't take things so seriously. If I did you would have never been captured and I-"
" I know," She interrupted, knowing where he was going with it.
She walked towards him, his eyes following the movement. " I never stopped loving you Luciano. I still do" He stared at her, but he didn't respond. And she chose anger.
" You moved on so fast though. You barely even loved me." Luciano stood up, throwing his beer on the ground, causing her to jump back as he yelled,
" Barely loved you? I loved you with everything I had!" It was always a sensitive, weak spot to accuse him of something as important as love. He didn't like it when Teresa questioned him either. Because he would never say those words to someone if it weren't true. "You chose the mafia over me"
He chuckled, amused by that particular statement before his nose twitched, showing he wasn't amused at all. "You knew my priorities before you laid with me"
She scoffed, even though it was true. " So me or our murdered, unborn child wasn't your priority?" His jaw clenched hearing the mention of their child. He couldn't deal with it, not while he had to deal with her and Teresa.
He stepped around her and she pushed him hard back into the chair. "Tell me you love me Luciano. I can't bear to know that after all this time of loving you, crying for you, missing you, wanting you that I come back and you have no love for me at all because you gave it away to her." He saw her eyes, something about them didn't show begging. It didn't show the pain like they were supposed to. The hurt, the desperation.
They did show love, and they showed anger. But it was one flicker he couldn't decipher. But he knew, he's seen it before.
Though he didn't answer and he turned his head. She stepped over the glass. "You can choose not to respond all you want, but we both know it's because you don't want to say the truth"
She straddled him, Luciano tensing but he couldn't find the words to tell her to get off. She leaned her head down, turning his face as their eyes met. "Tell me," She whispered.
"I can't," He said and she smiled.
"You can" And she kissed him.
Luciano couldn't help but kiss her back as his hand found its way into her hair softly.
Without his emotions to have everywhere, it was hard to find the line. But he knew he crossed it.
____________________________________
Aww man! C'mon Luciano!
Anyways if you liked this Chapter vote please and thank you