“Are you okay?” Romero asked, stopping a few steps from our class, letting go of my hand.

I shook my head. “I wish Luca could be here.”

“We are all bound to the path we were destined for.”

A group of boys my age walked past, and one of them turned and grinned at me. Surprise shot through me at his obvious flirting.

“Okay. I don’t like this,” Romero growled.

“Then show them that I’m your girlfriend. Trust me, they will back off if you give them that look. They are full of themselves, but anyone with eyes in their heads can tell that you aren’t a man to be messed with.”

Romero hesitated.

“How would you treat me if I were your girlfriend?”

He frowned.

“Without kissing,” I added quickly, flushing.

“Trust me, Aria, I would never dream of kissing you. You are like my little sister.”

I smiled, because Romero was like a big brother I’d never had.

He moved closer and circled my waist with his arm, his palm resting lightly on my hip. I tensed at the unfamiliar closeness.

Romero regarded me, murmuring, “Is this okay?”

“Yeah. I’m just not used to being this close with anyone but Luca,” I admitted, embarrassed.

He nodded. “I know. Are you ready to go in?”

I took a deep breath and together we strolled into my first class as a college student, and like I’d predicted the guys backed off the moment they saw me with Romero.

I was giddy when we were on our way back home. I couldn’t wait to tell Luca about my day. For the first time I had more to tell him than just about my shopping adventures or the book I’d been reading.

Romero’s phone rang and he picked up after a glance at the screen. “Luca,” he said.

I turned, curious.

Romero nodded. “Will do. Yes, everything went well.”

“What did he want?”

“He is still in the Sphere. He wants me to take you there because he wants to take you to our dojo for training when he’s done.”

My eyes widened. It had been a long time since Luca and I had practiced, but me going to college obviously made him reconsider. It was unusual that Luca had told Romero to take me to the Sphere. I pulled off my wig and smoothed down my hair. It was wilder than usual.

After picking up gym clothes, we headed for the Sphere and Romero parked the car right in front of the entrance. This time he was quick enough to open my door, and I gave him a look before I headed for the entrance. It was only late afternoon so the club wasn’t open yet, but Jorge guarded the door nevertheless. His dark face registered surprise when he saw me, especially dressed in jeans and sneakers. That wasn’t my usual outfit. He didn’t comment though.

We entered the club, went past the cloakroom, then into the main area. Blue and white and black were the dominating colors. The bar counter looked like it had been carved from frozen water, a pale fluorescent blue. “That’s new,” I said, surprised.

“Luca had it renovated recently. To stay at the top, we need to keep our clubs up to date.” My eyes were drawn toward the platforms with poles in the middle. “And pole dancers are a must for that?”

Romero shrugged. “They send the crowd into rapture.”

Luca hadn’t mentioned that he’d renovated his club. I wished he’d share more of his daily life with me. I’d have to talk to him about it, make him see that for us to be partners all the way he had to involve me more, and not shield me from everything Famiglia related. Perhaps him inviting me over was a start.

Romero led me to the back of the Sphere where several private rooms were located and then into a sort of office. I remembered it dimly from the roofie incident. Luca and Matteo both perched on the edge of the desk, deep in conversation. Luca looked my way when I stepped in, his eyes lingering on my hair, and a pleased look passed his face.

“Gianna has been asking about you,” Matteo said by way of greeting. Guilt tightened my stomach over keeping my going to college a secret, but Luca had insisted we involve as few people as possible for as long as possible. She would find out soon, of course, because we usually spent every day together.

“He knows,” Luca said.

“You realize the moment Gianna finds out you are attending college, she’s going to want that too,” Matteo muttered.

I gave a shrug. “Then let her.” Luca sent me a warning glare. I knew he still didn’t trust Gianna, but that was his problem.

“How did it go?” Luca asked as he walked toward me and pulled me against him for a possessive kiss. His eyes were drawn to Romero, not me.

“It went well,” I said. “Romero was the perfect boyfriend.”

Luca chuckled.

“Did Aria at least put out?” Matteo asked with a grin.

Romero laughed.

Luca smirked, then he lowered his dominant gaze to me. Mine, that’s what his eyes said.

Romero joined Luca and me in the gym, but a few other soldiers were there as well when we entered the old warehouse.

Before I joined Luca in the ring, Romero whispered. “Use your speed. Luca will never be able to move as fast as you with your small body.”

I sent him a smile before I climbed into the ring. Luca hadn’t bothered with a shirt this time and was only wearing fighting shorts. My eyes trailed over his six-pack, his pecs, his broad shoulders. Looking at him, I could think of many things I’d rather be doing than fight. Luca’s answering smirk made it clear he knew exactly what I was thinking.

Even my speed wasn’t enough to outsmart Luca. He seemed to guess my every move, and when I landed on my back for what felt like the hundredth time with him crouching over me, I let out an exasperated sigh. Luca’s eyes were dominant but soft as they looked down at me.

Then I heard one of the teenage boys, who had been doing bench presses, say something along the lines that he wouldn’t mind fighting me either, and my body tensed at Luca’s expression.

He pushed to his feet and pulled me with him.

It was like a switch had been turned as he faced the group of three boys. They were perhaps sixteen or seventeen, and their faces flashed with fear the moment they realized Luca had heard them.

I touched Luca’s wrist lightly. “Luca, they are boys.”

His eyes settled on the boys, ignoring me. “They are my soldiers.”

Romero moved toward the ring and parted the ropes for me. “Come on, Aria.” I let him help me out of the boxing ring.

Luca motioned for the boys to come closer. “Show me your tattoos,” he ordered.

One after the other the boys pulled their shirts over their heads, revealing the Famiglia tattoo over their hearts. They were more muscled than I’d thought.

Luca pointed at the tallest, and the boy didn’t hesitate to climb into the ring even though he looked like he was going to wet himself. He was tall but only reached Luca’s nose.

“He isn’t going to hurt them, right?” I asked Romero, who had his arms crossed over his muscled chest and was watching without mercy.

“They are his soldiers.”

As if that answered my question. “They are boys.”

“They stopped being boys when they were inducted into the Famiglia.”