Chapter 99. Crossing the Line

Leila’s POV

“Luca, we can’t…”

The word had barely parted my lips before it wobbled and my breath caught in the back of my throat. Eyes pinned on mine—fierce, his gaze ignited and sent a stutter through my pulse.

“Leila, I’m not lying to you,” he whispered, his face inches from hers. His voice was low and gravelly now, as though the words had been dragged from some deep place inside him. “I love you. I have loved you longer than I’d care to admit. I cannot hide it.”

My heart boomed in my chest, the sound of every beat getting louder with each passing second. I didn’t say a word. It was like an avalanche crashed over everything that I thought I knew, he loved me? He actually loved me?

“Luca…” I started, not even knowing what I was saying. My head was twisted up and spinning in opposite directions. “We shouldn’t do this. Not with Dominic…”

“Dom’s not here.” There was some softening in his voice now, but the steely thread of protection still hu