Momentarily had her husband dissappeared much to her confusion before he reappeared in well dressed attire. His clothing style had certainly changed since their last encounter and she found herself slightly dissappointed in the fact that if they were going to argue she wouldn't have a distraction from the vial words he would likely be spilling. Her gaze watched as the male had gently grabbed the child hand walking along side her.
In another life perhaps this would have been a kind scene for others to witness but she'd known the moment would not last. As they began walking down the driveway Luciana hadn't bothered saying anything else until Valencia stopped in front of a matte black escalade with all black rims. She imagined the vehicle being an uber XL or belonging to an individual of the neighborhood they had no business interacting if they wished to stayed safe, so she paid little attention to it. "Cece, no uber. We're walking " She told attempting to drag along Until she felt a hand firmly pressed on the smalls of her lower back. Her face turned looking at the male in confusion as Lucius soon opened the door for the two aiding Valencia in first before Luciana.
Confusion set in as she stared from the male to the vehicle, even more so when he appeared to be perfectly prepared to give her siblings a ride by having booster seats in the back as she knew for Andres age he would still be riding in a car seat. Her sister appeared perfectly comfortable in the car as she used her tablet to demand the station be changed to something more suited to her taste, thankfully it was more so classic songs their mother listened to while cleaning than any kids bop shenangins.
As if it was soemthing Valencia had done over and over again. The distance from her In-laws house to her won had been a relatively short one mostly filled with the silence and hums of their following the tunes on the radio." Just give me 30 minutes " She told the male before hoping out and bringing Valencia with her who'd given the male a hug and waved bye once out the car. Unlocking the front door she would push several boxes out of the way and hide a few stacks of mail in the microwave in the event the male desired to follow them inside.
If anyone had enter the home it would seem the family was in the process of moving as mail was littered about along with boxes and several other misplaced items. Since moving back there were few places to store the things she had in her one bed room apartment. Along with her mothers constant request for things being sent to them and the children rummaging through the boxes to avoid anything to change cause the small three bedroom home's interior to appear in disarray.
The trio was given strict instructions to start their homework and Dinner was completed in the event they became hungry before she arrived back, although she assured them that she would eb returning the night. Since the incident with her parents, Cece and the rest of her siblings seemed to believe if she left without them she would no longer return. After going to the neighbor to ask if she could watch them for a bit she would rummage through the boxes in the basement fo several minute before finding what she was looking for.
Once more they were on the move and Luciana believed it would be a ride just as short as the last had been. It appeared she was in for a night of surprises as the scenery soon changed from their childhood neighborhood to the city before pulling into the parking lot of a luxury apartment complex. Confusion would soon set in once more as she was unsure of how to react.
With no other choice she would simply follow close behind the male. Suddenly she had become far more coonsious of her appearance when standing adjacent to the male. Upon reaching the lobby she found herself enthralled by the architecute of the building. And had it not been for the male she likely would have remained there in awe.
Her shock did not wear off as they entered the penthouse instead, she found herself walking to the windows as she stared out the view. Her hand resting against the glass as if to touch it to see if this had been real. She was sure the male would explain but for the time being she remained in awe as she had never witnessed the view of their city from such heights. It made things seem surprisingly peaceful given what was to come as she did her best to quell the negative emotions that threatened to surface. " there wouldn’t happen to be a wine cellar in this place would there?" she questioned in an attempt to break the silence.
Out of the three vehicles Luc came to acquire over four years, This was on the lower end. It was sleek, luxurious, and above all else sexy. Luc wasn’t a sedan car guy, he didn’t like feeling cramped and suffocated. Lucius preferred fast sedans if he had to choose, but for the most, he was a “truck and SUV” type of guy. His hold was firm but gently pressed against the indentation of her back, suggesting for her to enter into the car. There was a booster seat behind the front passenger seat, while the car seat for Andreas was stored in the garage of his parent’s home.
This wasn’t Valencia’s first rodeo, frankly, the seven-year-old developed a routine for car rides. When she was in the car, Lucius suffered begrudgingly through classical tunes and blues. This time was no different. Lucius tapped his phone, and within seconds classical tunes echoed within the vehicle. Valencia had a playlist dedicated to her on his phone. He often thought of signing her and himself up for ASL classes. Something he’d bring up later.
For him, the silence wasn’t insufferable. His focus settled on the road, it was calming to see the suburban street lights wave by. The city was illuminated against the blackness of the night. His thumb drummed the steering wheel to the rhythm of a song Luc sang in his head. Within ten minutes, the car would slow to the sidewalk. The vehicle rested on a familiar home, “ I’ll be here ” He replied. Angling his head, his gaze settled on the seven-year-old who began to unbuckle herself. Brushing back her dark tresses, Lucious quickly pecked the crown of her head “ Bye Cece, I’ll see you later okay? I didn’t forget about our weekly ice cream date”
With that, Cece shadowed Lulu's movements as their figures disappeared into the walls of the home. Relaxing into the spine of his chair, Lucius sighed, mentally exasperated. He loathed the conversation that inevitably would have to happen. Even more so because of how unpredictable the outcome could be. In their four years apart individually Lucius and Luciana not only grew apart but in general. Neither aware of the other's achievements or hardships.
The chime emitted from the dashboard and built-in speakers announced Lulu’s return. From the rearview member, Lucius was uncharacteristically quiet. Watching his estranged wife place a box in the back of his trunk. His hand rested on the smooth skin of black leather of the steering wheel. Within fifteen minutes the comfortable serene buildings of the suburbs blurred into the hustling concrete jungle of the city. Lucius innately slowed the Escalade before entering a familiar parking lot. He backed the vehicle into one of his parking spaces. Plural. If Luciana had taken in her surroundings, the car to her right was a Turbo S 992 Porsche. The car was plated with a custom license that attested to his ownership.
He led Luciana through the garage to the elevator. Not ahead of her, not behind her, but at her side. Occasionally stealing glances to get an inkling of an idea of the thoughts swirling in her head of hers. Momentarily shock flushed the nonchalant curvatures in his face. Unexpected but welcomed. His thumb circled the back of her palm in slow and assuring circles. Lucious gave a curt and firm nod to the doormen, “Mr. De Luca welcome back, Sir” Lucius chuckled, “Darien please, I told you to call me Lucius” The edges of his lips curled as did the doormen, “If you excuse us, My wife is eager to return” Darien nodded offering a brief smile to Luciana before Lucious continued to the elevator. He pressed the button, noticeably it was the top floor. His floor.
With an alarming chime, the metallic doors opened to reveal the modern aesthetic of the penthouse. It smelled of spice, pine, rum, and a smooth velvety vanilla. From the couch, we watched with awe as Luciana took in his abode. Well- theirs. The view was breathtaking, but that’s not what had him tongue-tied. Luciana between the fluorescents of the apartment and the blackness of the city freckled with alluring lights. A beautiful force wrecked him. Lucius pressed indecent thoughts flooded vividly in his imagination. Pressing her against that window for one, but that was leagues away.
There was already a bottle of Tequila and whiskey prepared. He disappeared momentarily deeper into the penthouse, returning with a wine glass and a bottle of wine. He didn’t know if her taste had changed in four years but he kept a bottle of what she had preferred in the past. The wine splashed within the confines of the glass. He prepared his drink before swirling the wine in glass and offering it to Luciana, “I imagine you have some question. Let’s start with the most obvious.. Yes this” He gestured to the entirety of the penthouse, “is all mine- Ours. I’ve made something of myself in the four years you’ve been in school” Lucius explained, before talking a healthy gulp of the whiskey.
The modern design seemed to fit her husband greatly although she couldn't help but feel something was missing from the design. Something that would have taken it from house to home. But she imagined the male spent a majority of time at his mothers to begin with considering each time she face timed the elderly woman she spoke of him visiting that day. A glass appearing before her broke the female out of her trance as she thanked him before taking a sip.
A Rosso Royale semi-sweet red wine with hints of raspberries, strawberries, and other red berries from the northern region of Italy from the 1990's perfectly chilled. Either it had been a lucky fluke of what the male had lying around or he remembered, either way it brought a melancholy smile to her face. She hadn't tasted it since several Christmases ago when she found herself far too drunk and alone in her studio apartment missing home, missing her family, missing her friends going bar hoping dressed as elves and surprisingly enough missing her husband. She wouldn't tell the male that she had stuck to drinking whites and orange wines instead choosing to enjoy the view before he began speaking once more.
" Yours, I can't take credit for this Luci" the female corrected. Despite her meaning well she knew the male would likely take her words poorly. Finances had always seemed to be a sore spot for the two. It'd taken all her pride to simply accept the loan from the male just so she could attend her dream school. She'd have to talk to Adrianna to get set up with one of the female's lawyer friends like she had for her parents. It might have been too late for a prenup, but she was certain a post-nup could be drafter with ease if the male had not already thought of such a thing. "You always did have big dreams" A gentle smile crossed her features as she found a spot on one of the couches.
She was happy for the male her only concern was what business he could have been in to gain such a fortune in four years. When they first met, he was living a life that typically ended in jail or in the grave and he agreed to give it all up and go the straight and narrow. But if he hadn't and instead gotten deeper into that life than she couldn't imagine it lasting long. Every empire had to fall eventually. " Car, Fancy Penthouse with a doorman, a few new tattoos. What else did I miss?" If they were going to catch up, she desired to get into all the good in the male's life during her absence. Perhaps then the guilt would subside for her participation in it all. He was a man of action having accomplished what he desired in such a short amount of time. What other adventures could he have gotten into. Did he travel to his parents' home country like he always desired? Finally get that dog he always spoke of. Maybe fall in love again.
Her family drama could wait, possibly until she was a bit more buzzed to get into the nitty gritty of why she had returned or the fact that had it not been for this she possibly would have never returned for more than a holiday or two. The thought causing her to finish the glass sooner than later before another was poured.
Lucius poured himself another drink. His liquor-warmed belly centered him, and anchored him for the inevitable conversation to come. Luc could feel the anticipation looming over him. Finding amusement, he shook his head, “ Ours.” He firmly corrected her “correction”. “That's how marriage works” Lucius plainly added, drumming his index against the coolness of the glass. In the eyes of the law, everything Luc had to offer financially was hers. Even in divorce because he neglected to issue a prenup… and he wouldn’t. Finances were a sore spot for Luciana, which made everything all the more diffcult. He didn’t have any qualms with providing financially. Luciana somehow convinced herself their financial relationship in likeness to a bank. Not or Skeptically taking what he provided believing it to be loan. How silly she was. Lucius couldn’t loan Lulu something that was also hers.
The edges of his head hummed, the feeling made everything all the more fuzzy. His lips that had been fastened with resolve loosened and were gilded with liquor-courage. For good measure, Luc took another healthy gulp. Setting the glass on the coaster, Luc’s gaze narrowed quizzically. Starting these conversations golden flakes dance in the warm topaz-brown irises of his eyes. “We’re both dreamers.” Lucius commented, remembering her dream to attend college classes. To gain an opportunity not afforded to her parents. Luc imagined she was still going to school, but something about that was askew.
His face momentarily became grim, tipping his chin lower to hide the sadness that briefly clouded his eyes. Too much happened, life had happened and he was stuck in limbo wishing to move past with someone who was adamant in defying him and their marriage. Luc’s gaze sharpened, he learned into the plushness of the sofa cushion. Gulping the rest of the whiskey he nodded to himself. He was tired of acting complacent. She couldn’t hang up the phone this time. “You can’t hang up this time, Luciana. Do you even want to be married anymore?”
Dreamers, an amusing antidote indeed considering the beginning years of her life. For a moment she allowed her guard to drop. Perhaps he missed her enough not to want their first day back together to be anything else but pleasant, but it seemed that was a pipe dream as the male elected to question her rather than sharing anything of his life. " You couldn't even give it one night "He was right she couldn't hang up on him, but she could always walk away. The female would be lying if she said the thought hadn't occurred as she rose to her feet. If she had known where a singular room in this godforsaken penthouse was, she was certain she would have walked to it merely to slam the door in his face.
During the history of their marriage, she had a pattern for being the more submissive and distant party. When arguments occurred, she had the habit of simply standing down or hung up the phone until he had calmed and then she would proceed as if nothing had occurred until a new argument likely appeared. " I told Anthony that going you see you at Sunday Brunch would be a mistake " At times her bond with the other De Luca's seemed to be stronger than that of her husband so when she realized she would be returning home it was natural for her to seek guidance in the elder male. " but no, Luc's changed Luciana. He just wants you home. Créeme, nunca te guiaría mal. " (trust me, I'd never steer you wrong) the female repeated mocking the males' words as it appeared she had been right all along. A part of her knew this conversation was inevitable but she had deluded herself into thinking that maybe just maybe it wouldn't happen right away.
Had her glass not been empty she likely would have thrown it in his face. Her heels turned as she began to walk away much like she'd done time and time again. Her thoughts racing with judgement for allowing herself to think they could have a simple night. She more than anyone should have known the moment he asked if she wanted to go to his home, it was all destined to be a setup. However, in that moment it felt like the thin string holding her afloat had snapped and all she was holding in soon came bulldozing out. Her left hand reached for the doorknob before pulling it away and turning back to the living room. Her anger seemed to taken over her judgement as she went in for more. "Most people don't see their wife for a while and have a normal conversation before questioning if they're going to stay married. Hell, maybe even try fucking her after four years away!" It took a lot to get the female to the point in anger in which she began to curse and yet for him it was a matter of minutes before he set her off.
It wasn't as if she didn't present herself as a married woman. She wore her ring, even gushed over the male whenever her collogues asked about her marital status. To those on the opposite coast he was the doting husband who endured lonely nights so his wife could live her dreams. But it was simply pretty words, one could even question if there was a marriage to begin with considering their history. " Is that why your brought me here?" She thought he simply wished for a private moment where they could speak. No doubt they would argue about her not reaching out sooner or not disclosing her family situation to him and asking her siblings to lie on her behalf, but never did she believe it would be about whether their marriage would continue. " Did you think I'd see this and what be blinded by money and want to stay?" Had he thought so little of her? There had been plenty of arguments over money in the past. Even a moment or two when he'd thrown the fact that it was his money that allowed her to follow her dreams, but she merely blamed it on the distance. Gave the male excuse after excuse because she believed her choices were the cause of it all. An idiotic view and had it been a friend she would have advised the woman to leave long ago. " Is your head so far up your own ass that that is how you think now, or have you simply been dealing with bitches who are only after your money so now that I'm back your paranoid? " Her hands moved fluidly as she spoke. An old habit that while usually under control made it hard to do so in the heat of the moment. Had the male given her any indication that another was involved. Not in the least but keeping the male at a distance even when they were already so far from one another made that an impossible thing to see. Perhaps in their beginning stages of marriage when the male would leave at night for all hours only to return before he believed she'd awaken but even then she'd made excuses, especially after she heard the rumors of what the brothers once did. Believing her then doting her husband was a drug dealer was far more logical to her than a cheater.But Rage was a terrible thing when it came to discussing their marital problems and the two knew that better than anyone.
The thickness of his brow knitted to the apex of his forehead. What did Luciana possibly expect? For four consecutive years, he elevated his lifestyle, but a single thing stayed stagnant. His marriage, or the lack thereof, was vacant and withered away for years and hardly resembled just that. A marriage. “Why would I Luciana? I've been waiting for years. Four consecutive years. You run away every time. I wouldn’t have to update you about my life if you were insistent on maintaining contact in the first place.” Lucius countered, speaking nothing but the pure unadulterated truth. A kernel of resentment rooted in the pits of his liquored-warm belly. Lucius grounded his stance; his underlying tone was solidified. If she wanted to walk away- Lucius wouldn’t stop her, just as he didn’t the other time. Lucius, initially seeing her again at his childhood home, believed he’d do anything to prevent her from doing so. Now? Lucius was tired of being the only one to “fight” for the union. Life moved on, and he was tired of feeling conflicted for 365 days a year. He loved Luciana in all her complexity, but to a point he’d have to put himself first if she was just going to continue running.
The edges of his head hummed, a fuzzy feeling gilding his nerves and senses. He wasn’t drunk, but steadily creeped in that direction with each gulp. Unsurprisingly, with his pointed question, Luciana spun on the balls of her feet. She was planning to leave… again. Lucius refilled his cup, remaining collapsed into the cushion of his seat. The topaz ripples of his irises sharpened, narrowing with brief agitation. He… admittedly didn’t want her to leave. To his surprise, his china doll wasn’t so fragile. Luciana returned; her footsteps toiled. Heavy, grounded, and left a fiery trail in its wake. Lucius’ eyes slightly widened; his features flushed with astonishment. He knew better to speak, quickly fastening his lips. Even though every instinct beckoned him to cut her off. Lucius wanted Luciana to feel heard, that her opinions and feelings mattered… because to him? They did.
Lifting his chin, Lucius’ maintained eye contact with Luciana as she found herself continuing as her previous words went uncontested. Now, he could feel himself wanting to leave. A mistake? There was something vexing about her ability to be so open to Anthony, but not him. He differed in Matteo because it didn’t garner a response, nor did Lucius condemn it. Lucius was bred to be a family man. Just a vexing observation as he wished it for himself. Luciana unknowingly spoke with a venomous tongue. Her words aimed true, plunging deep into the chambers of his heart. Mistake. That's what she believed today to be? Lucius took another drink, welcoming the burning sensation clinging to the walls of his throat. The bed of his tongue hummed, with a smoky spiciness of the whisky. It took every fiber of his being to keep himself from speaking. Every time she opened that pretty little mouth of hers it felt like an assassination of his character. Mudding his image and his intention with her.
“What?” Lucius questioned, perplexed by the line of reasoning Luciana was circling. Bewilderment and confusion grappled his senses as his focus remained fixated. Was… was she being serious right now? Lucious couldn’t imagine anyone being so emotionally illiterate. How could she be so stupid? Well- from her perspective it must’ve not been hard to conjure such an obscure conclusion. It couldn’t have been furthest from the truth. Luciana didn’t know what resided in his heart. How could she? They spoke momentarily on the phone if at all. Their words were vacant of intimacy or any indication of something worth saving.
Lucius leaned forward, prompting his elbow against his knee. He pinched the bridge of his nose, “ You are clueless, utterly and absolutely clueless.” Lucius muttered frustratingly to himself. “I have spent many nights wondering if you’d come home. I brought you here because this is our home. I brought you here so you could see, despite all biases you formed against me, that I remained focused. A man of my word! Even now you accuse me of things I’ve never done to quiet your own fuckin’ guilt. I won't let you.” He fiercely defended himself, placing the glass on the coaster. Lucius pushed off the balls of his feet taking his full height, “My bed has been cold since you left. You may want nothing to do with me, but I continue to act like a married man. Others have taken notice– believe me they have, but that doesn’t matter to me. I brought you here because I missed you Luciana. You think it was a mistake than so fuckin be it. I'm not fighting for a marriage if you think it's a mistake, that being with me is a mistake. It's ruining me to be conflicted like this..” Lucius inhaled sharply before exhaling deeply, “I asked you if you wanted to be married because if not release me from the shackles you have on me. You overwhelm me and you don't know because you aren't here.”
She found her chest rapidly rising and falling as she took labored breaths in front of the male as they stood toe to toe. Emerald irises stared up at the male with a new level of contempt they had not once known. " That’s not fair, I begged you to run with me. You chose to stay behind " Once upon a time she was naive enough to believe the solution to their problems had been so simply as changing scenery. A girl not from that world never truly understanding what it meant besides what she was taught through third parties.
" Maintaining contact? Tell me Lucius how many times have you come visit me? How many have you showed up just to surprise me. Even after I sent plane ticket after plane ticket." the female questioned knowing the answer could be counted on a singular finger. " And what happened last year when I sent you tickets to my graduation, what happened to those? Because I remember standing in front of all my colleagues and thanking a husband for always supporting my dream. But there was no face in the crowd, That seemed like a pretty clear sign there was no one to come home to." She wasn't sure he ever attempted to explain what happened nor would she allow him to at that moment as she continued her verbal assault on the man she once loved. " No husband in sight. But one of his buddies was, so if you’re a man of his word then why do you still have someone following me, Alonzo? "
Perhaps long ago had she been naive enough to think seeing the same person around the neighborhood had been merely coincidence, but that naive girl had been long gone. It'd taken her years for her to accept the fact of what her husband had truly been doing those late nights he was gone and why she always happened to bump into the same males when out. Every time he was questioned pretty words were painted to keep her in the dark, but time made those words meaningless and soon enough, she came to terms with it all. " If you gave up that life why do I need bodyguard unless..."
She could feel the pools of liquid begin to take shape in her eyes as bit down never daring to say the words before that day in fear, they might be true. " Unless you're not. And this apartment, those cars and everything you’re claiming you built for yourself, for us, while I was away built with blood money. Because if that’s the case mi Vida, your word. It ain’t worth shit " the very thought of the male choosing to stay within a life that had taken so many from them caused a pit to form in the woman's stomach. Years away could not fade the feelings she had for husband, but it brought new light to how naive she had once been.
And how she would never allow herself to turn a blind eye to that sort of thing in her marriage again. "You want the truth Lucius. You want me to free you from your shackles so badly. If my parents didn’t get deported, which thanks for asking about by the way, I wouldn’t have come back " The next stop in her journey was a research program abroad. She'd worked months just to be considered, she even thought of bringing him along. It would have been her last effort in saving her marriage, but life had a funny way at always laughing at the plans they set for themselves. And now like many others it would just be another dream to think about on a rainy day. " I refuse to sit by and watch you end up in Jail like Anthony or Worse! Lying in Saint Michael's cemetery next to Damon. And I will not apologize for that "
Her brother in-law might not have gone to jail for anything gang related but she recalled the day her husband's family got the news and how it absolutely broke his wife. Or when he had gotten the news of one of his childhood best friend's deaths. How most nights he laid in bed recking of cheap booze just to cope with what happened. Or how paranoid they'd all become those months following it. "So yes, I may have given up on our marriage but it was the only way I can protect myself for that phone call I knew I’d get one day" A phone call she believed no one should be prepared to get and yet she had multiple plans for when that day came from the moment, she accepted what her husband did in his spare time.
"Have you even given it up? You bring me to this place and expect me to consider it a home but how did you get the money for it? " The tears had dried and once more the anger took hold or perhaps it had been the liquor. The warm sensation radiating through her body made it difficult to tell which had been which at this point as she found herself raising her voice. " Was your bed so lonely at night you chose to run the streets? " Her hands pushed against the male's chest with full force although it seemed to do little to move him merely angering her more as she continued her actions with each question, she imposed a greater force would be applied. " When I left you promised you'd get out. So, how'd you get the money? "
She felt the weight of her words weighing in on her chest. As if it'd collapse at any moment and the only thing keeping her from doing so was the unyielding anger she had at her husband and at herself for allowing her emotions to easily take control all because he had asked a simple question. What had he been doing all this time she was away and what job could possibly afford this lifestyle if not the very one he'd sworn he'd give up. Many had said they'd never go back, and statistics found they did time and time again. Had her husband just been another statistic or had he been a member of the lucky few. An answer she was too fearful to find out." You may have been waiting. But if you missed me so much why did you never come. Not in the beginning when our marriage was still good and certainly not any of the times I've reached out to you since "
Lucius intently simmered his boiling temper. His heart drummed energetically, ringing his ears as the distance between them shortened. The warmth in his stomach grew, crawling up his arms and legs. Lucius’ cheek was blistered with a deep ruby shade on his sun-kissed skin. Their gazes bore into each other, neither pushing back. Someone needed to, because he was tired of bickering and arguing. “It was not fair of you to ask that of me. Mama and Papi are here, everything I’ve ever known is here.” Lucius’ muttered, Luciana had to understand that. If it were her parents here and not uprooted by I.C.E would she be so quick to run? Besides, their problems would’ve persisted. The problem was where but their lack of communication and honestly with each other— and namely themselves.
A deep grumble echoed in the back of his throat. He licked his lips contemplating a rebuttal but there truly wasn’t one. An excuse wasn’t at the tip of his tongue, because he knew why. Would she even want me there or if she's using that against me? His decisions often plagued his mind after a couple of drinks. Now being honest with himself, he regretted not going. A little bit of pettiness and unresolved feelings towards the nature of their marriage made Lucius unresponsive to the graduation letters. Lucius knew how important it was for her to graduate… yet he was intentionally not there. Luciana didn’t let up,
“ Every time we talked it was brief or an argument. You’d act like it never happened or ghost me for weeks. It’s infuriating [ and childish] and I thought you didn’t want me there and you sent it as a courtesy call...but you’re right, I shouldn't have been hardheaded, because I did want to be there. It just…I’m sorry” Lucius’ words fell into silence before ultimately apologizing. Anything else would’ve sounded like an excuse, and they would’ve been. Lucius apologized and he meant it completely. Firmly pressing his lips, Lucius exhaled heavily. Lowkey forgetting Alonzo was on his payroll “Alonzo was tasked to follow for about a year. Now, he's just an acting security measure for you.”
Lucius was too slow on the draw, likely because he was becoming gradually impaired. Luciana jumped down yet another rabbit hole, this one however standing not far from reason. There was relevant evidence to conglomerate Luciana’s hypothesis. He knew the line she treaded, and it invoked a frown between his lips. “Luc–” Lucius hushed himself, suffering the entirety of her accusation. He was convinced needed another drink but held off his impulsive urge. Then something rather unexpected happened. Her eyes swelled, blurring with wateriness before beading and streaking her cheek. It struck Lucius deep, her words twisting at the wound in his heart. He had been oblivious to the origin of her distance. It warmed him and offered an entirely different perspective.
His lips pressed together not offering an arguing view, a rebuttal, nor apology. What would he say to remedy the wariness that swelled in her chest? Nothing. What clouded her thoughts and crawled at the back of her head wasn’t easily prevented. It was a petty crime until it elevated into far more nefarious crimes. He passed the reins, disappearing from the street entirely. Lucius drowned his thoughts only shaken from his mental displacement as he braced a barrage of hits against his chest. With each drumming motion made against his chest Lucius slightly stumbled back. His eyes narrowed gilded with irritation, but noticeably made no effort to stop her either. “I didn’t use the money given to me to build my business as intended, Instead I put it towards your college fund. I applied for business grants, saved, and worked odd jobs. Anything legal to put towards my savings. I could’ve easily gotten that shit in a week if I worked the streets, not three years. It wouldn’t have taken me three years. Just because I put it past me doesn’t mean life won't catch up to me. You should know that. I’m not going to apologize for making sure you're safe” He replied, noticeably gentle in his tone. When Luciana decided to block Lucius, he didn’t know for sure if she was cared for. She made it impossible at times to know.
Another excuse. She had always known how close his ties with his family lied, in fact if not for his mother than the two would have likely never been married. But it was an answer she could never expect. Especially after she'd heard the tale of the great De Luca love story over and over again. " Your parents are here. But they did the same thing at a far younger age " She found herself following his lead and lowering her tone, if not for the pounding headache she felt coming on than due to the likelihood that someone might here their screams and call the cops. An incident that would never go well for someone like them. "So" She found herself taking two steps back once more creating the distance between the two that they had grown so accustomed to. " Either you were too scared, or you just didn't want to "
He was a being of great determination and she had known if he chose to do something heaven and hell would be moved to achieve it. She couldn't help but wonder why it seemed so difficult when it came to a life with one another. The remorse was evident on his features but had it been too little too late. " But you weren't and that's the point Luc. Just like i haven't been there for you" Neither had done right by the other and although she had liked to believe she had never intentionally set out to hurt him the more the conversation continued the more unsure of that she became.
He was asking her to be let go but the way she viewed it the male had forced that hand long ago. Hazel Irises soon expanded in shock as he revealed the very information she had been questioning. Her breath stilled as she attempted to make sense of his words. " Y-you should have told me. I would have never left " It would have broken her heart but the choice would have been a simple one. She felt her knees threaten to buckle at the weight of his words. He'd given the one thing meant to ensure his future, the thing he gained from their marriage all so she could start the life she wanted. And just like that all the arguments they had made sense.
Each subtle jab about the money given and her choices. It was as if the room was getting both hotter and colder at once as a thick line of sweat formed on her brow. She needed some air or possibly some water. Better yet she needed an escape to get far from the conversation as she attempted to make sense of all the information given to her. Her husband was a proud man likely the act of seeking out even the smallest help for his business would have been a difficult one. To put it all to the side just for the sake of her dreams left a sickness within her that threatened to have the wine resurface in the worst way possible. " Papa gave you that to get out. Why didn't you say anything sooner?"
Lucius was adamant on staying, for reasons he had just voiced to Luciana. Everything was here– his life was and his family was here. Reason enough why Lucius felt called to stay. He didn’t quite understand how Luciana could not understand that perspective considering the remainder of her family also resided here. Their marriage and circumstances were widely different from his parents. She knew that. “We are everything but my parent’s marriage” Lucius muttered quietly to himself. Lucius wasn’t concerned about the noise level, the walls here were thick. Unlike the cheap motels he founded in his youth. Still, he wanted to be an example to lead them into a discussion rather than argument. That started with their tone and speaking at a respectable level.
Or, a third option, Lucius wasn’t keen on being played with and looking stupid. As he said, there was little effort to communicate on either side. To receive a graduation letter out the blue seemed odd and out the blue. In an effort not to ruin her big day nor dampen the already sore spot that was their marriage, Lucius decided not to go all together. In hindsight obviously not the most sensible decision. “I Know” He replied softly, while he suspected there would be many certifications to be awarded to her in the future, this was Luciana’s first. He should’ve been there despite his transgression. For that, Lucius apologized.
He hated to see her cry, but Luciana wasn’t stupid. She was circling a drain to answer questions he had withheld answers too. Lucius outstretched his left hand, utilizing the thumb to give comforting strokes against her cheek before withdrawing once more. He didn’t know if it was because he was thoroughly drunk or because of the room, but he was hot. Unknowingly, Luciana answered his own question. He was never against her going to college. In fact, Lucius beamed with pride that Luciana was achieving something for herself. “ Exactly, ” He paused, matching her gaze, “My love… you have an expanding heart. You put others before yourself. I wanted you to have something of your own. That degree is yours because you put the work in. I can’t take that away from you- No one can.”
Mist filled her moss orbs as she the liquor finally took effect, and she found her control slowly slipping from her grasp. Drinking while already emotional never ended well yet she still chose to continue despite being well aware she had neared her limits during brunch. " Don't " the word left her lips in a silent whisper as her face turned away from the male's grasp. Instead utilizing the sleeves of her shirt to clear away the evidence of emotional state. Her throat cleared as she attempted to compose herself already having shown the male far more than she cared to that night choosing not to look at him and instead focus on the view of the skyline at night.
She was well aware what would come next had she leaned into the male's touch having been painfully aware how little it took for her to fall for the males' charms over and over again. The sad reality being that it took just a few sweet whispers and promises she knew likely to never come true for her to fall for his charms and the duo repeating the same pattern as usual. It was yet another reason she chose to ghost the male between arguments knowing just a few king gestures and she would fall for her husband all over again. He hadn't always had that effect on her, but it was hard to resist a de luca charm, something she learned the hard way.
Even now his gentle tone had her second guessing her own actions. But her line of questioning had not been completely unfounded as nugget of truth that had been withheld from her seemed to be slowly surfacing. All she could do in response was nod her head in agreement as she attempted to process what was being said. Had the male spoken up sooner perhaps she wouldn't have left or even chosen a different path. One that had not left her keeping him at arm's length at all times. She could have easily attended the local university even if it had not provided the same opportunities as her head, although something told her that was something he had considered and not agreed with if he chose to help her run from their life in their hometown.
The more she thought of it the more she began to be unsure of her own feelings on the matter. Selfishly she was glad she had the opportunity to go but a part of her wondered what life would have been if she stayed and resented him for making the choice for her. A silly idea but Luciana had never been the sanest person when making life choices especially ones that involved the male. After all he marries a man, she hardly knows after only one month. Her chest began to tighten as she felt every emotion, she had been pushing away over the past of the few years threatened to come back at once or perhaps that was simply the liquor threatening to come back up. Even that was unsure. " I-I should get back. They have school tomorrow " she mumbled before closing her eyes attempting to steady her breath. Her husband despite his many flaws was a good man and she'd known that but a part of her felt the marriage might be beyond repair and the fear behind the possibility of that being true seemed to worry her the most.
Warmth centered, radiating in the depths of his chest, as liquor settled in the depths of his stomach. A sensation crawled on his brain, an itch he was unable to satisfy. Lucius narrowed his wavering gaze as he struggled to maintain focus. Everything felt delayed. Even now Luciana rejected him, the touch of his fingertip all too much for her to bare. Though she whispered a quiet plea, Lucius was unsure if Luciana meant it. The fiery woman was unsure of herself, unsure of her feelings, and gradually succumbing to the effects of alcohol. In that, Lucius and Luciana were one in the same. It was for the best… that is what Lucius desperately tried reminding himself. The corners of his mind are plagued with indecent vivid imaginations. For now, Lucius begrudgingly behaved. Was it up to him? Well, Luciana would've been propped up facing the mirror with her legs kept apart.
Atlast, the woman he married was hard-headed and stubborn. Lucius considered putting a pin on their discussion and to revisit at a later time when both of them were sober. He ignored the persistent nagging desire to get this conversation over with. It was uncomfortable to lay all his cards on the table. To be stripped so bare- in a sense Lucius felt naked. Tch. Excuses. Those kids have been managing themselves for the past four years… What was one more day!?A part of him felt selfish for thinking so, the other part of him felt overly justified . Luciana was here for several days… he… he had just gotten her back. A thin line pressed between his lips, a notion he obviously disapproved of her leaving. He couldn’t drive… and calling an uber in her vulnerable state was utterly and completely out of question.
“They’re almost adults, Luciana, they’ll manage.”
And if they couldn't? Ricky didn’t hesitate to blow up his phone. In her absence, Lucius felt responsible for them. They’re his wife’s siblings… to the twins Luciana was the closest resemblance to a mother. Of course they wouldn’t go without. Lucius made sure of it.
It was clear their initial reasoning behind getting married was no longer a worry. Lucious was no longer a lost cause and had made a way out, Luciana had cemented her status in the country. Neither one required to stay apart of the union, but the concept of not being Mrs. De Luca anymore felt like cutting off a limb. Even if they had been estranged all this time she imagined there would be an unspeakable hole in her heart if they failed to repair things and she was unsure if with knowing the possibility of such an outcome she was prepared to go through with what needed to be done at that moment.
A few steps were taken away from the male nearly stumbling in the process before she adjusted herself and took a deep breath. She could do this. She had driven drunk countless times what was a simple walk to the lobby without making it too obvious that she wasn't sober. " But their not. And they need me " When it came to her siblings Luciana would always stand firm on being their for them, no matter how drunk she might have been. She knew if she didn't return home Cece would worry, and the twins well they'd pretend they didn't care but Ricky would stay up late on his games looking at the door each time he walked to the kitchen for a snack and Cami well lord knows what she would do. Even during her time away she spent more nights than one could count on the phone with one or all of them. Home work, sports, facetiming each time she went to the market and they had new fabrics she could send over.
" Don't ever ask me to put you before them again " She warned before turning to see the males facial expression. He was either extremely drunk or incredibly jealous, both ideas seemed amusing to her as it was a rare occurrence for her to witness either event. She found her resolve softening at the thoughts of the first time she witnessed the male drunk. If she recalled it was after his bachelor party, he was so drunk his friends helped him break into her room window. Her father nearly called the whole thing off when he found the male passed out in a pile of her sisters stuff animals. Don't crack, Don't crack. " I don't want to stay in this place " She hadn't trust herself if she had and more importantly she promised she would return home. "But..." She was prepared to turn the male down and yet the nagging voices in her head seemed to win out in the end. She sighed as she knew her mouth had its own agenda. " You could come with me " was it a compromise or was she merely hoping in his drunken state he would give her the answers to her own questions, The woman was unsure even in her own actions. Perhaps their whole conversation was just the ramblings of a drunken fool and come morning she would regret everything she said that night. But she'd take one last risk for that evening and if she regretted it all in the morning than she'd find a way to avoid him until she could solve it. " So are you coming or do you prefer to sleep alone ? " her heart raced as she waited for an answer knowing he could very well find another reason to get her stay and argue, or perhaps worse and allow her to leave by herself with more questions than she arrived with.
“Pinche, look at you.. You're sooo… fuckin’ drunk” Lucius commented, finding amusement in the severity of the conversation as nearly tripped over herself. The alcohol had simmered and dulled his senses to a simple, amused, muttering fool. Lucius felt light, bubbly, and giddy inside. Quelling his inner impulse, even a drunk Lucius knew better than to push on this issue. She’d walk the earth barefoot if it was for their sake. It didn’t deny the irrefutable fact that the majority in the household was nearing adulthood. Cece is an obvious exception. A quick text would have been satisfactory. In this state, liquor only brazened her stubbornness. It quickly flooded to the surface, making an accusation with zero base. He was bewildered, offended, and rendered speechless. Lucius couldn’t conceal the contour of his face, souring in defiance. “I don’t remember saying that- but oookay?” He muttered childishly underneath his breath. In the silence that filled the space, his attention continued to waver, he found himself leaning against the wall for support. Fuck.
‘Hm?’ Angling his chin, ripples of topaz irises held her wine-soaked gaze. Lucius was beyond forcing her to stay. Though he desperately wanted her to. The ‘but’ peaked his interest, insinuating an alternative opportunity. Oh? What a turn of events. “Yeah. Yeah- lemme… lemme change my shirt and pants at least” Lucius tried his best to hide his excitement, “ yeah but…We are not driving.” He drunkenly commanded, reflecting Luciana’s stubbornness in equal measure. On this matter, there wasn’t going to be a compromise. He walked as confidently as he could to deeper into the heart of the penthouse. He reemerged moments later with his black sweatsuit fitted with a pair of Bred 4s. Lucius practically b-lined it to the glass bottle of whiskey and the glass that accompanied it. Before she could appeal to his logical side, which was evidently losing. “One for the road” He jested, pouring a sizable amount into the cup Lucius didn't hesitate to bring it to his lips. Three to four shot worths of whiskey gulped in a matter of a few seconds.
