Chapter — The Weight of Love

Luca stretched under the thick blankets, feeling a little better but still drained. His fever had mostly passed, but Damien was hovering like he was on his deathbed.

“You’re not going to university,” Damien said flatly, sitting beside him on the bed, fingers playing with Luca’s curls.

Luca pouted. “I feel fine—”

Damien arched a brow.

Luca sighed. “Mostly fine.”

Damien smirked and leaned down, brushing his lips over Luca’s forehead. “You’re staying home.”

“But—”

“No.”

Luca groaned, flopping back against the pillows. “You’re ridiculous.”

Damien chuckled darkly. “And you’re mine.”

Before Luca could argue again, Damien’s phone buzzed. His expression immediately darkened as he checked the caller ID. “I need to take this.”

Luca nodded, watching as Damien left the room, his powerful form disappearing into the hallway.

Ava suddenly jumped onto the bed, wrapping her arms tightly around Luca’s waist.

Luca froze. “Ava?”

She buried her face against him, her small frame shaking.

Luca’s heart ached. “Hey… what’s wrong?”

Ava sniffled. “I just—” She gripped his shirt. “I love you, Luca. You… you made my life good.”

Luca’s breath caught.

She pulled back, wiping at her eyes. “Before I met you, it was just me and Papa… and he tried, but… it was lonely.”

Luca’s chest tightened.

Ava looked down. “My mom and Papa… they were never really happy. She was always gone, traveling, doing her own thing. Even when she was home, she barely looked at me. Papa tried to give me everything, but… I knew. I knew he was just trying to make up for their absence.”

Luca swallowed hard, reaching for her hand.

Ava’s voice was quiet, raw. “And then one day… she just left. No explanation. No goodbyes. She just walked away. You know right , you were here , she slapped me.”

Luca squeezed her hand tightly. “Ava…”

She shook her head, blinking fast. “But then you came.” She forced a small smile. “And you were warm, and kind, and you never made me feel like a burden.”

Luca’s heart clenched.

Ava threw her arms around him again, her voice muffled against his chest. “Thank you for loving me. For loving Papa. You made him changed .”

Luca hugged her just as tight, his own eyes burning. “I always will.”

Ava sniffled but smiled, gripping his shirt like she never wanted to let go.

Luca stroked her hair, a lump in his throat.

Luca couldn’t stop the tears.

They slipped down his cheeks as he held Ava close, her small body warm against his. “Ava… I should be the one thanking you,” he whispered, voice thick.

Ava pulled back slightly, sniffling. “Me?”

Luca nodded, cupping her tiny face. “You don’t even realize it, but you saved me, too. You made my life brighter. I don’t think I could have survived without you.”

Ava’s lip wobbled, and then she threw her arms even tighter around him.

“I love you, Luca,” she whispered fiercely.

“I love you too, Ava,” Luca whispered back, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Ava giggled through her sniffles and pulled back, wiping at her face. “You’re the best, you know that? You even made Papa change.”

Luca blinked. “What?”

Ava grinned, eyes still wet but playful now. “Before you came, Papa was so cruel. He barely spoke, always glaring and making people terrified.” She shuddered dramatically. “Like a scary, mean monster.”

Luca laughed, even as his tears clung to his lashes. “He’s still a scary, mean monster.”

Ava snorted. “Not to you. You’re like his precious angel. He looks at you like you hung the moon.”

Luca’s face flushed, and he groaned, burying his face in his hands. “Oh my god, stop.”

Ava giggled, nudging him. “It’s true.”

A deep, amused voice suddenly interrupted.

“You two are really enjoying yourselves, huh?”

Luca’s entire body went stiff.

He turned his head slowly—and sure enough, Damien was standing at the doorway, arms crossed, his usual deadly smirk curving his lips.

Luca wanted to die.

“How long have you been standing there?” he demanded.

Damien hummed, stepping forward. “Long enough to hear my own daughter call me a scary, mean monster.” He gave Ava a mock glare. “Really, princess?”

Ava giggled, not even remotely scared. “It’s true! But now you’re just a scary, obsessive monster.”

Damien chuckled darkly and ruffled her hair. “Fair enough.” Then his sharp eyes landed on Luca, intense and unreadable. “And you.”

Luca gulped.

Damien suddenly grabbed his wrist and yanked him up into his arms, caging him in with a strong grip.

“I believe I heard something about me looking at you like you hung the moon?” Damien murmured, dangerously close.

Luca’s face burned. “Ava was exaggerating—”

“She wasn’t,” Damien cut him off smoothly, his lips brushing against Luca’s ear. “I do look at you like that.”

Luca’s breath hitched.

Ava giggled. “See?! I told you.”

Damien shot his daughter a mock warning glance. “You’re getting too smart for your own good, little one.”

Ava grinned. “I learned from the best.”

Damien chuckled, pressing a soft kiss to the top of Luca’s head. “Then I suppose I should be proud.”

Luca huffed, but he couldn’t stop the small, happy smile on his lips.

Maybe, just maybe… this was what home felt like.

And he would burn the world before letting them go.

— — The Devil’s Softness

Damien’s POV

Damien sat in his study, fingers lightly tracing the rim of his whiskey glass, but his mind was elsewhere.

On them.

Luca. Ava.

His entire world.

A smirk curled his lips as he recalled the scene from earlier—Luca, teary-eyed, embracing Ava, whispering words of love and gratitude.

It was adorable.

And utterly dangerous for a man like him.

He was going soft.

Damien internally laughed at himself, a deep, dark amusement curling in his chest.

The most feared mafia boss. A man whose name sent shivers down the spines of even the bravest men. A man who had killed without hesitation, torn apart anyone who so much as looked at him the wrong way.

And yet here he was—wrapped around the delicate fingers of a soft-hearted brat and a feisty little girl.

Ridiculous.

He took a slow sip of his drink, leaning back, but the smirk never left his face.

Because despite it all… he loved it.

This was the life he had dreamed of.

He had always imagined it. When he knew Luca existed, after seeing him.

He had fantasized about this.

A home. A family.

His husband or as he liked to call him his wife Luca to come home to, waiting for him with that beautiful, annoyed pout. A house filled with warmth, laughter, and little brats running around, looking like him and Luca.

His Luca. His beautiful, angelic Luca.

The image sent a dangerous heat spiraling in his chest.

Luca—carrying his children.

Ava—holding a tiny, dark-haired baby with Luca’s gentle smile and Damien’s sharp eyes.

More children. Their children.

A full, chaotic, beautiful family.

Damien let out a slow exhale, setting his glass down as his fingers subconsciously reached into his pocket.

A ring.

It had been there for months.

Waiting.

For the right moment.

For when he was sure that Luca wouldn’t just run.

But now?

Now, Luca was already his. In every way that mattered.

And soon… the entire world would know it.

A wicked grin spread across Damien’s lips.

His dreams were no longer just dreams.

They were becoming reality.

And he was going to make damn sure nothing—no one—ever took it away.