HIDDEN TRUTHS

Are you sure it's okay that I'm here?" I asked as we stepped into Luca's house.

Luca's hand brushed mine as we walked down the hallway. "Yeah, my parents are excited to meet you.

"His house was huge—way bigger than I expected. "You live here? It's like a mansion," I said, trying to take it all in.

Luca chuckled. "I guess. It's just home to me.

"A woman with sharp eyes and a warm smile appeared in the doorway. "You must be Sofia," she said, her voice soft yet commanding.

"Hi," I greeted her, feeling a bit nervous. "It's nice to meet you."

"I'm Elena, Luca's mom. We've heard so much about you.

"Before I could respond, Luca's dad entered the room, his presence immediately commanding. He extended his hand, "Sofia, welcome. I'm Antonio."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Russo," I said, shaking his hand.

"Antonio, please," he corrected with a smile.

Luca's mom gestured for us to sit on the plush couch. "Make yourself comfortable, Sofia."

Luca sat next to me, closer than usual, his leg lightly touching mine. "So, how was school?" he asked, his voice casual but his eyes searching.

"Good," I said, trying to sound normal, though I could feel the tension in the room. "Pretty uneventful."

Elena exchanged a glance with Antonio before looking at me. "Sofia, there's something we need to discuss with you."

I looked at Luca, who nodded slightly. "Okay…" I said slowly, my heart beating faster.

Antonio cleared his throat. "We haven't been entirely honest with you, Sofia. Our family… we're involved in certain activities that we keep private."

"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice shaky.

Luca took a deep breath. "My family… we're part of the mafia."

I stared at him, waiting for him to laugh, but his expression was serious. "You're joking, right?"

"No," Elena said softly, shaking her head. "It's the truth, Sofia."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Why are you telling me this now?"

"Because you're important to Luca," Antonio said. "And we don't want to keep secrets from you."

I looked at Luca, searching his eyes. "Are you involved too?"

He nodded. "But not in the way you're thinking. I don't… hurt people, Sofia. I manage the legitimate side of our businesses."

I blinked, trying to wrap my head around it. "So, you… what?"

"Restaurants, construction, real estate. That's my focus," Luca explained. "But I know what the rest of the family does."

"This is… a lot to take in," I admitted, feeling overwhelmed.

"I get it," Luca said, his voice gentle. "And I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

I looked at him, trying to see him differently, but he was still the same Luca. "This doesn't change who you are, right?"

"No," he said quickly. "I'm still me. And I care about you, Sofia. A lot."

I took a deep breath, my mind racing. "I care about you too, Luca. But this… it's a lot."Luca reached for my hand, his thumb gently stroking my knuckles. "I understand. I just need you to know that I'd never let anything happen to you. Ever."

"Okay," I whispered, squeezing his hand. "I just… need some time to process this."

"Take all the time you need," he said softly. "Do you want to go somewhere quieter?"

I nodded. "Yeah… can we?"

"Come on," he said, standing up and leading me out of the living room. We walked down the hallway and up the stairs to his room.

Once inside, I sat on the edge of his bed, trying to calm my racing heart. "Your room is… nice."

"Thanks," he said, sitting beside me. "I know this is a lot, but I want you to feel safe here."

"I do," I admitted. "I'm just… confused, I guess."

"That's understandable," Luca said, his voice soft. "I didn't want to scare you off."

"You're not," I said quickly. "I just… I don't know how to react."

Luca gently lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. "You don't have to react right now. Just know that I'm here for you. Always."

Without thinking, I leaned in, our lips meeting in a soft, tentative kiss. It was brief, but it felt like everything had shifted between us.

When we pulled away, Luca's eyes were soft, full of something unspoken. "I've wanted to do that for a while," he confessed.

"Me too," I whispered, my heart racing for an entirely different reason now.

Luca smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "We'll figure this out together, okay?"

"Okay," I said, smiling back. And for the first time since I walked into his house, I felt a sense of calm.

Luca reached for my hand, his thumb gently stroking my knuckles. "I understand. I just need you to know that I'd never let anything happen to you. Ever."

"Okay," I whispered, squeezing his hand. "I just… need some time to process this."

"Take all the time you need," he said softly. "Do you want to go somewhere quieter?"

I nodded. "Yeah… can we?"

"Come on," he said, standing up and leading me out of the living room. We walked down the hallway and up the stairs to his room.

Once inside, I sat on the edge of his bed, trying to calm my racing heart. "Your room is… nice."

"Thanks," he said, sitting beside me. "I know this is a lot, but I want you to feel safe here."

"I do," I admitted. "I'm just… confused, I guess."

"That's understandable," Luca said, his voice soft. "I didn't want to scare you off."

"You're not," I said quickly. "I just… I don't know how to react."

Luca gently lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. "You don't have to react right now. Just know that I'm here for you. Always."

Without thinking, I leaned in, our lips meeting in a soft, tentative kiss. It was brief, but it felt like everything had shifted between us.

When we pulled away, Luca's eyes were soft, full of something unspoken. "I've wanted to do that for a while," he confessed.

"Me too," I whispered, my heart racing for an entirely different reason now.

Luca smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "We'll figure this out together, okay?"

"Okay," I said, smiling back. "But... can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Luca replied.

"Why did you keep this from me?" I asked, needing to understand.

"It wasn't the right time," he said honestly. "I wanted to get to know you better first, to see if this was real."

"And?" I asked, feeling a mix of hope and fear.

"And it is," he said softly. "I care about you more than anything. I didn't want to risk losing you."

"Thank you for telling me," I said, leaning closer. "I know it must have been hard."

"It was," Luca admitted, his eyes earnest. "But I wanted you to know the truth."

We stayed there in his room, talking quietly and holding each other, as the world outside seemed to fade away. For the first time since I'd walked in, I felt a sense of calm and connection with Luca, despite the chaos swirling around us.