Chapter 96

Chapter 52

Amber stormed out of the hospital, her heels clicking sharply against the pavement as she raged. “I hate you! Do you hear me? I hate you so much right now I could strangle you with my bare hands—and I swear, if you make another asphyxiation sex joke, I will lose it!”

Her voice echoed into the night, and Luca, walking calmly beside her, didn’t bother hiding his smirk. He knew better than to argue when she was in this state. Instead, he casually reached into her bag and plucked out the keys to her old Mazda, holding them up as if asking permission.

Amber glared at him. “Fine,” she hissed, throwing her hands up in defeat.

Without a word, Luca turned and strode toward the parking lot, leaving her standing by the curb, arms crossed and still fuming. Moments later, the engine roared to life, and he pulled up in front of her, leaning slightly out the window.

“Back home, then?” he asked, his tone deliberately neutral.

Amber shook her head, her expression softening just a fraction. “No. You go home. Mrs. Talbot’s been babysitting Nico long enough, and she’ll want to get back to her own place. I have another errand to run.”

Luca frowned, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. “What errand?”

“Nothing you need to worry about,” she replied curtly, walking around to the passenger side and climbing in. “And please, Luca—don’t fight me on this. I need to do it alone.”

For a moment, he said nothing, his jaw working as he struggled to bite back the protest rising in his throat. Finally, he exhaled, his shoulders sagging slightly. “Fine,” he agreed reluctantly, casting a quick glance at her pale, exhausted face.

Amber looked out the window, her expression unreadable.

The drive downtown was quiet, tension lingering in the confined space. Luca stole glances at her every now and then, the dim glow of the streetlights illuminating the lines of exhaustion etched into her features. Maybe he had pushed her too hard, he thought. Maybe she really did need some space to process everything.

When they reached her stop, Luca pulled up to the curb and shifted the car into park. He hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Take care of yourself, Amber,” he said quietly. “And don’t overdo it.”

“I’ll be fine,” she replied, opening the door without meeting his gaze.

Luca nodded, watching as she stepped onto the sidewalk and disappeared into the crowd.

He sighed as he pulled back onto the road, heading toward her little apartment. Mrs. Talbot deserved to go home, and Nico, as much as the boy might protest, needed to be tucked into bed.

Luca leaned against the doorframe, watching Nico sprawled on the living room floor, completely absorbed in an episode of Paw Patrol. His little face lit up every time Chase or Marshall saved the day, and for a moment, Luca found himself smiling. But then he glanced at the clock. It was way past Nico’s bedtime.

“Alright, Nico,” Luca said, walking over and clapping his hands together to get the boy’s attention. “Time for bed, Piccolino.”

Nico barely spared him a glance, waving a dismissive hand. “Don’t you need to wash the dishes?” he quipped, his eyes glued to the screen.

Luca frowned, turning to look at the sink. Sure enough, there was a mountain of dishes piled high, crusted with the remnants of dinner. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. The kid wasn’t wrong. The dishes did need washing, but God, how he wished Gabriella, his housekeeper, was here. She would have had this mess cleaned up in no time.

The reality of the months ahead hit him like a ton of bricks. Household chores weren’t exactly his forte, and he was starting to realize just how much he’d taken for granted.

“Come on, Nico,” Luca said, turning back to his son. “It’s way beyond your bedtime.”

Nico pouted, his lip jutting out dramatically. “But Mummy lets me watch TV until she’s done with the dishes.”

Luca raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. “Nice try, Piccolino. But here’s the thing—I’m not your mummy. You’re going to bed. Now.”

The little boy groaned, dragging himself up from the floor like it was the greatest injustice of his life. “Fine,” he muttered, stomping off toward his room with all the drama a five-year-old could muster.

Luca followed, biting back a grin at Nico’s antics. Once they were in the bedroom, the bedtime routine began. There was a little whining, a lot of stalling, and finally, the promise of a special adventure the next morning. After a bedtime story about a brave little lion who saved his pride, Nico’s eyelids grew heavy, and he drifted off to sleep.

Luca stood over him for a moment, brushing the boy’s curls back gently. His heart swelled with a mix of love and guilt. He hadn’t been around as much as he should have, but he was determined to change that now.

Quietly, he backed out of the room, pulling the door to a crack. With Nico finally asleep, Luca headed back to the kitchen and groaned at the sight of the sink. The dishes stared back at him like a challenge he didn’t want to take on.

He sighed, rolling up his sleeves. “I need a housekeeper,” he muttered to himself, grabbing a sponge and some soap. As he scrubbed at the stubborn grease on a frying pan, he couldn’t help but imagine Gabriella’s disapproving look.

It was almost nine, and Luca couldn’t shake the gnawing worry building in his chest. Amber was still not back, and the longer he waited, the heavier his thoughts became. What errand could possibly take this long? He tapped his fingers restlessly against the arm of the couch, his gaze darting to the clock every other second.

By 9:15, his patience wore thin. He had already called her phone more times than he cared to count, and each unanswered ring only deepened his unease. Was she stuck somewhere? In trouble? He started pacing the small living room, weighing whether he should call the police or get in the car to look for her himself.

His internal debate ended when headlights illuminated the street outside. Luca froze, his heart racing as he watched a taxi pull up. The moment he saw Amber step out, relief washed over him. But something was off.

It wasn’t just the lateness of her return. It was her.

She moved differently, her steps slow and deliberate, like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. And as she came closer, he saw it—her hair, or what was left of it. Shaved close to her scalp.

Luca stood frozen, his breath catching in his throat. It wasn’t just the hair; it was the expression on her face. She looked fragile, like glass about to shatter. The spark in her eyes had dimmed, replaced by an emptiness that made his chest ache.

Without thinking, he closed the distance between them, wrapping her in his arms the moment she stepped through the door. He held her tightly, his hand rubbing soothing circles on her back, but she didn’t respond. She stood stiffly, unyielding, like she didn’t know how to accept comfort anymore.

“Is Nico in bed?” she asked, her voice flat, almost mechanical.

“Yes,” he replied softly, his arms reluctantly loosening their hold. She nodded, brushing past him and disappearing into her bedroom without another word.

Luca stayed rooted in the spot, staring after her. The room felt suffocating, the walls closing in as he tried to process what he’d just seen. This wasn’t Amber—at least, not the Amber he knew. The chemo hadn’t even started, but the fight was already changing her.

He sank onto the couch, raking a hand through his hair as his mind spiraled. He couldn’t just sit by and watch this unfold. But he didn’t know how to stop it, how to shield her from what was coming.

Later, he went to check on her, but her lights were off. Not wanting to disturb her, he grabbed some blankets and pillows and made himself as comfortable as possible on the couch. As he lay there, staring at the ceiling, he made a mental list: a better place for them to stay, a housekeeper, a car—no, cars. Maybe a pool and a garden for Nico to play in. He wanted to give them everything they needed, everything they deserved.

Sometime after midnight, he was jarred awake by a scream. He shot up, heart pounding, and ran to Amber’s room.

The sight made his stomach drop. She was thrashing in her bed, caught in the grips of a nightmare. Her cries were desperate, her voice breaking as she shouted and cursed at unseen demons.

“Amber!” he called, rushing to her side. He grabbed her shoulders, trying to wake her, but she didn’t respond. Her trembling and thrashing only worsened.

Left with no other choice, Luca climbed onto the bed, pinning her gently but firmly to keep her from hurting herself. He pressed soft kisses to her cheeks, her temple, her throat, murmuring words of comfort. “It’s okay, amore. It’s okay. I’m here. You’re safe. I’ve got you.”

Slowly, the fight left her body. Her cries turned into quiet sobs, and then silence. She was still shaking when her eyes fluttered open, wide and unfocused.

“Luca?” she whispered, her voice raw and trembling.

“I’m here,” he said softly, brushing her damp hair back from her face.

She clung to him like a lifeline, burying her face in his chest. He held her tightly, his heart breaking at the vulnerability she rarely showed. “Go back to sleep,” he urged gently, his voice low and soothing.

“I can’t,” she said, her voice cracking. “I... I need something. I just can’t... can’t stop thinking about it. About everything.”

Her words tumbled out in a rush, and then, suddenly, her gaze snapped up to meet his. Her eyes were startlingly clear, a spark of something raw and desperate shining through.

“Luca?” she said again, this time almost hesitantly, her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink.

“Hmm?” he replied, his hand still stroking her hair absentmindedly.

“Does your offer...” She swallowed hard, her voice dipping into a whisper. “From the doctor’s office... does it still stand?”

It took a moment for her meaning to sink in, but when it did, his hand stilled, his breath catching. The blush that crept from her cheeks to her throat made her look shy, almost delicate.

And it took him a while to understand, that she was asking for Sex!