Luca breathed in heavily. “Like a five-year-old?!” he shouted, as if I had dented his ego. I couldn’t believe this man.
“You seriously want to bring that up, like it’s the most important issue here?”
Luca stepped in closer. “I do a lot of things, but fighting like a five-year-old isn’t one of them.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re being a twat.”
For the first time, I saw a hint of a smile, but it quickly vanished once he saw my dress. Without another word, he zipped it up. “You pull a stunt like that again, and I will personally see to it that you are locked up and guarded every moment I’m not with you.”
I snorted. “What good did that do you before?” I raised my eyebrow at him in challenge.
“I know your tricks. None of your women can promise blow jobs to any of my men without it being known that they’re up to something.”
I crossed my arms again. “You think I’m not intelligent enough to think of something else? I’m not a one-trick pony. You of all people should know that about me by now.”
“You’re deviating from the issue. You’re to be my wife soon. My wife doesn’t turn up at places like this. And she certainly doesn’t get up on stage and start flaunting herself in front of every man with a fucking pulse.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Oh, but it’s perfectly acceptable for you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because, I’m a man,” he growled. He saw my eyes widen, and he knew then he was in big trouble … and I mean big trouble. He stepped forward, but I made a move to step back. He sighed and closed the distance anyway. “Look, I didn’t want to be here, but my uncle owns the club. He wanted me here so we could catch up. I wasn’t looking at the women. You saw that much, didn’t you? I was facing away from the dancers. Why would I want to look at them when I have a much better sight back at home? All I ever want to look at, and all I will ever want to look at for the rest of my days is you. I love you, Clara. No other woman could ever come close to you. Besides,” he smiled, “you keep me more than occupied.” He pulled me closer, and although I wanted to fight him, his smell along with everything else about him was pulling me in.
“I’m still mad at you,” I whispered as he started nibbling my neck.
“And I’m still fucking pissed at Angelo. But, he will have to wait. Right now, I want to fuck-love you, but not here. This is no place for you, amore mio.” He pulled my hair away and started kissing further up my neck. I couldn’t help the moan that escaped me.
“Would you like me to give you a private dance?”
Luca laughed lightly at my neck. “Nothing would give me more—”
As he was in the middle of talking, a knock sounded at the door. “Yes?” he answered with a grumble.
The door opened, and Tony stood there looking a little out of sorts. “Sorry to trouble you, boss, but we have a situation. Fabrizio and his men have turned up.”
I felt Luca stiffen with a growl. Whoever the hell Fabrizio was, Luca obviously didn’t like him. “I’ll be right out.” Tony nodded and closed the door behind him. Once he was gone, Luca turned to me. “I want you to stay in here while I sort this issue out.”
I sighed. “Luca, I…”
“Can you—for once—do as I ask of you? This was the reason why I didn’t want Angelo bringing you here. He should have known better.”
“Who is he then?” I was curious to know why Luca was so uptight.
“He’s … an obstacle. I will deal with it, and then we can go home. Just stay here, and I’ll come and get you once I’m done.” He kissed my cheek, but didn’t say any more. He just walked out without another word.
The trouble with Luca was that he underestimated me all of the time. I knew whatever he faced was dangerous, so I would be out of my mind to want to face it too, but I’d be damned if I was going to stay behind these four walls any longer. It was nice in here, but it had no windows for crying out loud.
So, without a moment’s thought, I stepped towards the door and opened it just enough to peek through. I scanned the room, and I couldn’t see Luca at first until my eyes landed on a big man in a pinstriped suit, who was sitting in one of the big booths in the corner of the room. On either side of him was a girl. Each had the same big fake tits and even bigger hair. He was smoking a cigar in one hand and toying with his drink glass in the other. He wore a smirk as he looked up to Luca. Whatever Luca was saying was obviously amusing the guy in some way. Although, I feared, it wasn’t the friendliest of smiles. In fact, he looked damn right evil, whoever he was.
I didn’t hesitate, though. Without another thought, I opened the door and walked out towards the crowd. If Tony, Belinda, and the gang could be around him, then why couldn’t I?
As I neared the table, the evil man looked up, and the grin on his face spread even further. “Ah. I was starting to think that Luca was hiding you away from me for a moment there. I may look like the big, bad wolf, but I swear I’m not one really.” The girls giggled beside him as Luca turned to face me.
As I reached his side, Luca pulled me close and whispered in my ear, “Is it impossible to ask you to do anything without you totally going against me?” He pulled away and smiled at me, but I could tell it wasn’t a happy smile. “Fabrizio, this is my fiancée, Clara.”
Fabrizio rose out of his chair and motioned me towards him. He took my hand over the table and kissed it. “Please forgive me for my rudeness. As you can tell, I’m a little stuck in the middle.” He motioned to the two girls and smiled. They giggled again like a couple of airheads. Who the hell was this guy?
“Apology accepted. I wouldn’t want to tear you away from your … company.” I smiled and that made him laugh.
He turned to Luca. “I like her. She seems feisty.”
“And then some,” Luca murmured under his breath.
I would have elbowed him for that comment, but something was telling me that although everyone was being friendly enough, this was not—by far—meant to be friendly. Everyone around Luca seemed tense. It was almost as if they were waiting for something to happen.
“How is Giuseppe?”
Luca stiffened. “He’s fine. Thank you for asking.” I got the feeling that he wasn’t thankful at all.
“Hmm. You must send him my regards. It has been a while since we all touched base. Everyone has moved onto different things…” He looked at me with a smile. “Different ventures.”
Luca’s grip around my waist tightened. “Yes, a lot has happened, but we are all moving forward. Isn’t it always best to move forward? No point in living in the past.” I saw something pass from Fabrizio to Luca. It was a look full of unspoken words which were all said loud and clear.
Suddenly, Fabrizio smiled. “Of course. So, you won’t be interested in the fact that Luigi is in town and happens to be drinking at a bar not far from us, then.”
Luca’s eyes suddenly widened. “Where?” he growled.
Fabrizio smiled. “I thought so.” He sucked in a breath and tapped at his glass on the table. “Florentino’s in—”
“I know where it is,” Luca interrupted, “but why are you telling me this?”
Everyone remained deathly silent as all stared at both Luca and Fabrizio. You could tell they didn’t like each other, but for some reason, Fabrizio was giving Luca information about this guy, Luigi. I had no idea who the hell he was or why Luca was so interested in him.
Fabrizio straightened his position. “Let’s just say we have a mutual interest in both Luigi and Antonio.” That definitely gained my attention. I stiffened at the sound of his name. Luca noticed, of course, and gave me a gentle squeeze. “I don’t like getting my hands dirty, but I would very much like it if the filth was cleaned off the streets. I think you get my meaning.”
Luca remained stoic, but nodded his head. “I understand.”
Fabrizio smiled. “Maybe one day when this matter is cleared up, you and I could have a little discussion regarding some
business.”
“Of course. But, this is neither the time nor the place.”
Fabrizio put his hand up. “Of course.” He looked at the two girls beside him and squeezed them closer to him. “Do I look like I’m here on business?” He laughed, and the two girls chuckled again. Did they not speak any words?
“No,” Luca simply said. He smiled at Fabrizio, but I knew it was strained. “Tony, go fetch a bottle of the finest champagne for Fabrizio and his company.” Tony nodded and walked towards the bar.
“That’s very kind of you. Thank you.” Fabrizio smiled at Luca and Luca nodded.
“My pleasure. Please… Enjoy your evening.”
I thought that was going to be all, but Fabrizio obviously wasn’t finished yet. “Is that it? Why don’t you and your lovely fiancée join us for that champagne? We can celebrate your upcoming marriage. I’m sure Luigi can wait. I doubt he’s going anywhere. Let’s just say that he likes to drink at that bar very much.” He gave Luca a wicked smile as if it was some kind of inside joke.
Luca smiled back and kept his tight grip around my waist. “That is kind, but I’m actually getting married tomorrow. We’re out here celebrating, and of course, time is of the essence.”
He cocked his eyebrow with a smirk. “I understand, but I wouldn’t say this was the most romantic place to bring your fiancée. Besides, isn’t it bad luck to see her on the night before the wedding?”
Luca faked a chuckle. “Well, we weren’t all meant to be here together, but circumstances brought us together.”
Fabrizio looked over at me with a smirk. “Ah, the feisty one didn’t like you being here? I would make him pay for that a little later … if I were you.” He winked at me, and for a fraction of a second, I saw Luca move toward him, but he stopped himself before he was noticed. I didn’t know what was happening here as they obviously hated each other, but for some reason, they were both acting polite.
“Oh, don’t worry. I will,” I joked, just to keep up the momentum. I could tell Luca was fuming beside me, so I knew it was time to go. “Well, it was nice meeting you, Fabrizio, but you will forgive me and Luca for not joining you. We would love to, but as you know, we need to get back, so we can make the final preparations.”
Fabrizio smiled and rose out of his seat again. “Of course. It was a pleasure meeting you.” He took my hand again and kissed it. As he let go of my hand, he smiled at Luca. “Don’t hide this one away. Such beauty needs to be shown to the world.”
I heard Luca growl beside me. It wasn’t loud enough for Fabrizio to hear, but it was enough for me to make out just how pissed he was.
All went quiet, and I noticed that Luca was giving Fabrizio the death stare. My God, he looked like he was about to murder the guy. I pulled at Luca to get him out of his trance. “I’m a little thirsty. Can we just get some water?” I pleaded, trying to gain his attention.
Finally, he looked at me, and when he saw my expression, he smiled. “Of course, amore mio. Let me get that for you straight away.” He nodded his head towards Fabrizio and turned us both towards the bar. Luca never said a word, but I knew he didn’t need to. He was pissed off, and I wasn’t sure how much of it was directed at me.
“Santiago, a water, please,” Luca shouted over the bar. He turned his head back around towards Fabrizio, and I watched as he watched one of the barmen pour the champagne. When the glasses were filled, Fabrizio smiled in our direction and gestured a “cheers” with his glass before he downed the lot. Luca looked away in disgust.
“Who was that man?”
“Nobody you should be mixing with. He shouldn’t even be breathing the same air as you. That’s how unworthy he is.”
I huffed. “And yet, he’s offering you information, and you’re buying him expensive champagne.”
Luca fisted his hands together. “It wasn’t a gesture; it was sarcasm. Besides, the information benefits him. He can tell me, knowing I will act on that information, and he just has to sit back, drink his champagne, and fuck those two girls once he’s done.” I winced and Luca noticed. “Sorry.”
I smiled back, letting him know it was okay. I knew he was angry about something, and I needed to know more. I was about to ask when the gang crowded round us. “What do you want to do, boss?” Tony asked.
“You and Alessandro scope out Florentino’s, and wait for my call. The rest of us need to all leave.” He turned to Pietro. “Take everyone back home. Then, we need to reconvene in the study.”
Tony and Pietro nodded, and in a flurry of activity, Luca was on the phone, and I barely had time to drink my water before Luca was pulling me by the hand towards the exit.
As we gathered outside, car after car pulled up, and Luca pulled me into the one in front. “What about the others?” I asked.
Luca looked behind to make sure everyone got in the cars safely. “They’ll follow us. It will be okay.” He then looked at the driver and said something to him in Italian. I wasn’t sure what, but pretty soon we were on our way.
“Luca, who was that man?”
Luca
“He’s fucking bad news. That's all you need to know.” I could feel my anger rising. How dare that greasy fuck come into my uncle’s bar like he owned the place? Of course, he got wind we were all there; that was the whole point. He wanted to wave his middle finger at us, and we had no other choice but to stand there and take it. If I had my way, I would go back and teach him a fucking lesson. But, that was also what he wanted. He wanted me to feel powerless. He wanted me in a position of weakness. Families—the people you cared about—were everyone’s weakness. He knew this and exploited it to its fullest. He also knew that I would give anything to gain information regarding the whereabouts of Antonio. Antonio’s brother, Luigi, would be the best source. All the families knew of what had happened to Clara, and all of them were just as pissed. No matter what, you don’t bring women or children into an argument. Rule number one in the Cosa Nostra.
“You keep giving me that shit, but I know there’s more to it then he’s simply bad news. Also, who the hell is Luigi? I’m assuming he has something to do with Antonio.”
I wanted to either throttle Clara or smother her with kisses. Apart from my mother, she was the strongest woman I had ever met. But, that was also her downfall. I didn’t want Clara mixed in my life. What I did business-wise was separate from my family life. Never should both meet, and that was the way it would stay. Clara had already been mixed up in a family feud that had nothing to do with her, and it almost got her raped.
I fisted my hands together as the anger gripped my insides. I wanted blood. I wanted revenge. I wanted everyone to stay the fuck away from my Clara. She may have been strong, but she was also vulnerable to the evils of my world… Evils that could end up hurting her.
“Yes,” I answered, closing my eyes. “He’s Antonio’s brother.”
Clara remained silent for a moment. “And you would be interested in knowing where he is because he would know where Antonio is.” She didn’t ask; she already knew what was happening. “So, why is he helping you? What history do you have together?”
Questions. Questions I didn’t want to answer. Questions I couldn’t answer for her safety. “Let’s just say he wants Antonio punished as much as I do.”
“But, why?”
My God, this woman was infuriating. She wouldn’t leave it alone, and I both loved her and was annoyed with her for it. She didn’t know just how dangerous this life could be.
And I was the one who had brought her into this.
To Clara’s surprise, I pulled her onto my lap and cupped her face. “I’m forever trying to keep you safe, but it just follows me wherever I go. Maybe I should have walked away, but I’m a selfish man. I need you in my life.”
I saw the hint of tears well in her eyes, and I hated that I had done that to her. “I knew the kind of man you were. I’m not stupid. I didn’t just realise that you have a past, and that past follows you everywhere you go. I knew it all, and I accepted
it. I knew it when you asked—,” she rolled her eyes, “sorry—told me to be your wife. I was already used to danger, and I’m not about to run under a rock just because some arsehole wants to intimidate us. I’m here for the long haul. I’m not going anywhere.”
Man, I loved this woman.
I brought her in for a long, deep kiss, and my anger quickly turned into another uncontrollable urge. It didn’t take much with Clara. Her lips were so inviting, her smell was intoxicating, and her touch was addictive. But now wasn’t the time to give into these urges. More important issues needed clearing up before Clara and I had our time.
“You make it so hard to pull away.”
Clara smiled wickedly at me. “Then, don’t.”
I growled, pulling her onto my rock-hard cock. It had been hours since I had been in her warmth. It was far too long. “I have to take care of business. Can you understand that?”
She nodded, but I could tell she wasn’t happy. “Why won’t you tell me who he is? Don’t you trust me?”
I sighed. “It’s not a case of not trusting you. It’s a case of keeping you away from what I do. I don’t want you mixed up in all of this. Our time together is the only pure, honest thing I have in my life. Please don’t take that away from me.”
She looked at me for a while, and I couldn’t tell what was going on in that beautiful head of hers. I thought she was going to push it. In fact, I was expecting it, so I was surprised when she simply nodded her head and lay her head on my shoulder. “Please, be safe. Promise me you’ll come back to me.”
I breathed out a sigh of relief and wrapped my arms around her. “I promise. I just need to do this. Don’t you worry about Luigi. I can more than handle him.”
The rest of the journey passed in silence, and Clara eventually fell asleep in my arms. Having her with me like that calmed me, but I still felt riled up about that fucking punk, Fabrizio. He was the kind of asshole that would put a horse’s head on your pillow. In fact, he was so pissed off with his lawyer for not getting his brother off on a murder charge that he cut off the head of his daughter’s pony and hung it above their Christmas tree. Luckily, the daughter never saw it, and they made some excuse that the pony had gotten sick during the night and died suddenly. That was just one of the many examples of his intolerance. The Salvatore’s were always ruthless fuckers, and my family knew of this. They also knew they had to be put on a leash. They may have been ruthless, but they also lacked intelligence. Once my uncle became involved in politics, the Salvatore’s suddenly appeared under the FBI’s radar. The Salvatore’s knew full well that the Belatoni’s were the ones that put the FBI up to it, but there was no proof, and also—above all else—there was nothing they could do about it. The Belatoni’s effectively made us all bulletproof. If a hit was ordered on one of us, then the Salvatore’s would be the first under investigation. It had forced them to tow the line since then, and they hated us for it. Then again, they had dealt in many underhanded tactics. They tried undercutting our investors, bribing our workers, and stealing our business deals. They simply had to be stopped, and the only way was by teaching them the lesson that the Belatoni’s could not and would not be messed with.
Luca - You Will Be Mine (Sicilian Mafia #2) Page 14
