✧

The last two days have been absolute chaos. I haven't parted from my phone or laptop, not even to get a wink of sleep. I haven't heard anything from my father so I presume that he's left Chessman's alone—he knows what will happen if he dares to take another step.

After a call with the family solicitors who are nothing but backstabbers and my own personal lawyers who I trust, things look like they're getting back on track. I don't care how much money I have to throw around to make sure that Hazel and Luca don't lose their business and all their hard work.

It's my only priority right now.

After dozing off at some point in the early hours of the morning, I wake up to my phone ringing as the sun starts shining through the blinds of my office. I groan and rush to look at the number but my eyes still haven't adjusted.

My thumb presses down on the answer button and I raise it to my ear. I'm relieved to hear my lawyer's voice and then I almost collapse on the floor when he says that the transfer over into Hazel's name is complete.

Chessman's is officially theirs again and my father can never get his greedy hands on it again. The building, the name, everything—it's officially and legally theirs.

I've never felt relief and pure joy like it. And boy, I'm fucking exhausted.

Luca's face flashes in my mind. Those tears of hurt coating his cheeks. I have to see him again, I have to let him know how I never intended for this to happen. I have to make him believe me. Show him exactly what he means to me.

I itch to see him, to make everything better. I can't go a single second more without seeing him, without giving him a well needed cuddle. I pray that he's been okay these last few days because the thought of him suffering alone makes me quiver with discomfort.

He's my boyfriend. I should be the one who is there for him. And now I need to step the fuck up and get him back before my heart shatters for good.

I've tried his phone over and over, texts and calls but no response. All I want to do is hear his voice, see how he is. Now I'm going to have to track him down otherwise I'll go fucking crazy.

After sorting myself out, printing out documents into a folder and taking a well needed shower, I head out. I have only one place I'll be going at this time. My car pulls up outside of the cafe and I practically jump out of the seat and hurry towards the front door.

The bell rings above my head and I dart my eyes towards the counter. Except I don't see Luca anywhere, instead Aris' eyes flick to mine with a look that tells me he's not fond of me right now.

I walk straight towards him and he steps back, leaning on the back counter. "Hi," I exhale. "Where is Luca?"

Aris folds his arms over his chest and then tilts his head. He stares back at me with his intense eyes and I know that he knows everything—but not the truth.

"Aris, please," I say desperately. "He's not answering my calls and I need to see him. I need to speak to him. Please."

He huffs out a breath and pushes off the counter, taking one step towards me. "He's not here."

"Then where is he?"

When I'm met by silence I realise that my patience is wearing thin. I need him now.

"Aris," I grumble. "I need to know where he is."

"Fine," he mutters and drops his tattooed arms to his sides. "He went for a walk. I presume around the park. I'm not entirely sure where he is but he'll be around there."

My jaw aches from the way I tense it. "How has he been?"

Aris' furrows his brows at me. "How you expect him to be, Declan."

Ouch. I guess I deserve that. I nod once and take a step backwards. "Thank you, Aris. I appreciate it."

Then I'm out of the door faster than I can blink. All the cold air whips me in my face and I wrap my coat closer to my body. I can't wait for winter to be over and out of this bitter weather.=

I head towards the park near the town centre. It's not huge but if he's walking in a different direction than I am, I might miss him. My eyes scan everyone as I pass, checking to see if I can catch a glimpse of him.

For ten minutes I keep walking until I pause for a moment. I glance across the field of grass to see a lone bench. I could spot Luca a mile away. His head is down and he's staring at nothing.

My feet start moving rapidly before he gets up to leave. As I approach he doesn't lift his head, all I can see is the back of his blonde hair. I perch on the bench next to him but not too close that I'm intimidating him.

I feel my eyes practically bore into the side of his head but he still doesn't meet my gaze. "Luca," I whisper.

"What are you doing here?" He murmurs.

My lips part and I close them shortly after. Instead I wait for him to raise his head. I almost melt when those beautiful blue eyes latch onto mine, even I can spot the vacancy of them and I hate it. This isn't my Luca and I need to make everything better as soon as possible.

"I'm here to tell you that Chessman's is officially back in your mother's name. I have no ties to the business, neither does my family. I told you I would put this right and I have." I exhale through a shaky breath, relieved when Luca holds my eyes as I speak. "I'm sorry for all of this. I never intended for this to happen."

Luca rolls his lips together and glances down at the pavement, pressing his hands together and lacing his fingers. "I can't lose you," I lean closer, deep heaviness weighing on my chest. "I'm done with my father and his shit. You are my future now, Luca. As soon as I met you, you've always been my future."

His hands begin to shake as a sharp gust of wind rushes by us. I watch his shoulders as they slump forward as if to protect him from the cold. Before I second guess my next actions, I take his hands in mine.

"Jesus," I hiss through my teeth. His hands are like ice. Frozen. "Your hands are bitterly cold, Luca. How long have you been out here?"

All he does is shrug. "Long enough."

I frown and rub his hands between mine in an attempt to warm them up. If anything I'm glad that he's allowing me to touch him. But by the look on his face, it's clear as day how tired and mentally exhausted he is.

"Please tell me you believe me," I whisper, ducking my head to try and see his expression.

He releases a long sigh. "You're not just saying this even though it could have been your plan in the first place?"

His statement hits me in the chest like a sledgehammer but I understand his uncertainty. The paperwork was at my house, casually sitting in my living room. I don't blame him for questioning things, it was an unfortunate chain of events.

I know about his internalised insecurities about not being enough. Especially when I told him I loved him and he ignored me for days. I could only imagine what this is doing to him right now.

"Luca," I squeeze his hands to get him to look at me. After a few moments he eventually does and listens to what I have to say. "I am not my father. I never want to be anything like my father. You know me. You truly know me. The way I care for you, the way I love you. I can do those things easily because you mean absolutely everything to me. If I had to lose all of my money to put this right, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I don't care about money or profits. I never had any intention of taking your business, I only wanted to help because of how kind and welcoming you were when I first started visiting. And then when the shop got robbed, I had to do something. I couldn't see your business tarnish. My intentions were never manipulative. I promise you that."

He runs his tongue along the small curve of his bottom lip. "It–" the word falters before he tries again. "It was so real to me."

A noise escapes the back of my throat as I raise one of my hands from his to cradle his face. The coldness of my skin sears into mine but I can't let his words fizzle away for a second. I tilt his chin ever so slightly, our eyes are like magnets to one another.

"Because it was real, Luca. It still is real. All of it. I've been a wreck without you. This isn't living, this is suffering."

Luca searches through my gaze for whatever is lying there but it's pretty obvious. I'm putting all my emotions and feelings on the table, right where he can see them. Nothing is hidden, or will be hidden. I need him to trust me with everything he has.

He swallows slowly and removes one of his hands from my hold and lays it flat against the one on his cheek instead. "I do believe you, Declan," he says under a breath and I almost topple over the bench even though I'm sitting down. "It just shocked me at the time. I'm still coming to terms with everything now. When I really sat and thought about it, I realised what we had was magical. That couldn't have been faked."

I nod once. "I know. I totally understand that. I just want you to know how real this has been. How much I fucking love you and couldn't imagine my life without you know."

"Me too," he exhales, pressing his forehead to mine. "I love you. Falling in love with you was so easy for me. After everything you did for me, looking after me, being the best boyfriend. It was inevitable I would feel like this."

My eyes flutter shut at the pure relief that rockets through me. "Luca, I–"

Words fail me and instead I press my lips to his, desperately. I've missed him so much that I almost forgot how to inhale oxygen as a way of living. I clutch the edge of his jaw, my body warming up his skin and his cold lips.

He sighs into my mouth when I extend my tongue slowly, enough to leave us both panting for air. I pull away and tug him closer, my arm sliding around his back. He peeks up at me through his fair eyelashes. "The business is truly ours again?"

"Yeah," I state simply. "Do you want me to prove it to you? The documents are in my ba–"

"No," he places a hand onto my shoulder. "I believe you. It's just surreal. The last few days have been rough."

I clench down on my jaw and nod subtly. "I know, Luca. It has for me too."

My fingers lace through his and I bring them up to my lips to give a gentle peck. We stay like this for a few moments because I know when we leave, he'll need to go back to work and I selfishly want every last second I have of that time.

I've been deprived for days.

"You're so cold, Luca," I whisper. "Let's get inside. You didn't even bring a coat."

We both look at the thin jacket hanging from his body. "I didn't really think before I left the house today."

My lips slant to the side. "Come on," I stand up. "Your hands will start turning blue soon."

Luca snorts as if my statement is ludicrous. "Yeah, right."

I take his hand and shove it into the warmth of my coat pocket, lacing our fingers together tightly. We take a stroll back in the direction of the cafe and I know it's the last thing we want. "I'm sorry for how I reacted," he admits, hanging his head as if he should be embarrassed.

"It's okay, you don't need to apologise." I say honestly. "I know it must have been overwhelming at the time. I'm just glad that you believe me now. I'd never do anything to hurt you, Luca. never."

He twists his head towards me and flashes me a weak smile. "Deep down I knew that," he rasps. "It just took me a while to get past my own bullshit thoughts. I know how much you care about me. I'd be blind not to see it. Everyday you outdo yourself."

"Because I want to make you happy."

Luca's hand begins to warm. "You have always made me happy, Declan. Always."

"Then let me do it forever," I press my lips to the crown of his head.

"Only if you let me return the favour."

My mouth stretches into a grin. "Then the answer is yes," I place my index finger of my vacant hand under his chin. "You're mine and I'm never letting you go."

✧

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Author's Note

MY BABIES ARE BACK TOGETHER. IM SO HAPPY!!!!🥹

Don't fret there are still two more chapters and an epilogue in this story, it's not over yet!🫶

GUYS. I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE NEXT BOOK IN THE SERIES. Yes, it's going to be about Aris and Nick. Are you guys excited?

Single dad x nanny, chronic illness rep, forced proximity, grumpy MMC, sassy little girl, lots of angst and grovelling!!!

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Love Savanna x

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