Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Luca
F iremen raced all over the estate like ants.
I stood in the street, leaning against a car and watching, all while contemplating the ways I planned to hurt Flavio Segreto when I found him. No one had been harmed in the fire, but I hated the idea of strangers in my personal space. Not that I left anything incriminating in the mansion for the firemen to find. That would have been incredibly stupid.
A man in a crisp blue uniform with the tag “chief” on it approached me. “You are very lucky, Mr. DiMarco.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.” He pushed his glasses further onto his nose. “You have minimal damage, mostly contained to the garage where the fire was started. There’s some smoke damage on the ground floor of the house, though, so I would recommend leaving the windows open to air the place out.”
“How was it started?”
“Rags with an accelerant in a bin. You’re lucky none of the cars were parked inside. Otherwise, we might not be standing here talking to you.”
Fucking Segreto. I was going to enjoy killing him.
“Grazie.” I offered my hand for him to shake, which he took. “We appreciate you coming so quickly.”
“It’s our job. We’re happy when the fires are this easy to contain. I’m going to recommend the Portofinos install a smart system throughout the property. The fire could’ve been detected earlier and saved you a lot of headache.”
I thanked him again. “I’m going to have the trattoria send over some food to the station house later, as a way of showing my gratitude.”
“Not necessary, but I’m sure they’d appreciate it, Mr. DiMarco. Thank you.”
Slowly, the crew began leaving, and I made sure to thank each one and shake their hand. It was something we always did back home. A personal touch went a long way with people, something unmatched by texts and emails.
As the trucks rolled away, Aldo and my brothers circled around me. Even Rico, who I was still pissed at.
“Fucking crazy,” Dante remarked. “The garage is a mess. It needs to be torn down and rebuilt.”
“I’ll speak to Portofino today,” I said, rubbing my eyes. “I’ll explain what happened and pay for the damage. How the fuck did Segreto get on and off the estate? What did the cameras see?”
“He snuck here last night when we were away. Came on a boat, docked down river and walked over. Then he set the fire on a timer so it would go off today. Guards didn’t see or hear him.”
“Why today?” Rico asked. “Why not burn it all down last night? And it was a nuisance fire, not a giant blaze meant to hurt anyone. It doesn’t make sense.”
A terrible feeling settled in my gut. “This was a distraction,” I said, my heart beginning to pick up speed. I reached into my trouser pocket and pulled out my phone. “Call Roberto,” I snapped at Sergio as I pressed the button to reach Valentina.
She’d better answer.
It went straight to voicemail. “Merda!” I tried to connect again.
When that failed I knew something was wrong. It could be nothing, but my intuition was screaming that a terrible thing had occurred. I rang her a third time and pinned Sergio with a harsh stare. “What did he say?”
Sergio shook his head. “He didn’t pick up. Straight to voicemail.”
“Call Giovanni. Call the trattoria. Find out if anyone has seen them.” Valentina’s phone went to voicemail again. “Cazzo!” Disconnecting, I left my brothers and hurried toward the car. “Aldo!”
“I’m here, Don Benetti,” he said.
“The fob. I’m taking the Maserati.”
“We are coming with you.” Sergio jogged up alongside me. “You’re not going alone with Segreto somewhere around. He’s probably waiting for you to drive into town so he can ambush you.”
I couldn’t argue with that logic, but I wasn’t slowing down. I would leave without them if they couldn’t keep up. When we reached the car, Aldo unlocked it and slid into the driver’s seat. Sergio got in the back with me, talking into the mobile at his ear. “Che cazzo? Hold on.” He quickly put it on speaker. “Here, Luca. Listen. It’s Giovanni.”
“Don Benetti. The fire chief just called here. On the way back into town they found Roberto on the road. There was an accident and he has been shot in the leg.”
“Valentina?” I croaked. “Was she with him?”
“According to Roberto, Valentina’s father caused the car to crash by blowing out a tire. Then he took her away on an ATV.”
All the air left my body in a rush. “Fuck!” I punched the back of the leather seat three times, my skin stretched tight with fear and anger. Segreto had Valentina. Had taken her away on an ATV. I was going to chop that motherfucker into tiny pieces when I found him. I punched the seat again .
“Calm down,” my brother said under his breath. “Do not lose your shit. We need to find her.”
“How badly is Roberto hurt?” I asked into the phone.
“Bullet went through his calf. He’ll be fine according to the medics.”
“Any other details? Anything else that could help us find her?”
“Her father took both of their phones. Said he would kill you if you tried to follow them.”
I wasn’t afraid of Flavio Segreto. The man was a coward, hiding out and sneaking around. I was not a coward; I dealt with my problems directly. When I killed someone, they knew exactly who was responsible before they took their last breath. And my face would be the last thing Segreto saw before he died.
“Anything else?” Sergio asked Giovanni.
“She reassured Roberto that her father wouldn’t hurt her. Then they drove off into the woods.”
I told Giovanni to deliver food to the firemen today, then we rang off. Sergio and I locked gazes. I saw the determination in his eyes, the blaze of fury and retribution, and no doubt he saw the same in mine. No one fucked with Benettis and lived.
“Find the crash site and stop,” I said. “We’ll get out there and start searching.”
“They could be anywhere, Luca.” Sergio gestured to the woods around us. “And Segreto knows how to hide.”
The boat was the key. I knew it in my bones. Segreto had traveled by boat to my estate to start the fire, and it reasoned he was living either on the river or near an inlet. “He’s near the water.”
Sergio made a dismissive noise. “Everyone is near the water. Have you seen the length of the river? It’s as bad as the woods.”
“Look.” Aldo pointed as we turned a corner. “There’s the car.”
A lone sedan had skidded into the grass, its two flat front tires lurching awkwardly. My stomach dropped. She must have been terrified. Two police cars were parked nearby, and a man was writing notes by the empty car .
“Pull over,” I said. “Let’s talk to them and then we’ll begin searching.”
Once we stopped, I walked toward the officers. Another car with my other brothers and two guards followed, and they parked behind Aldo. When I approached the officers I gave them a humble, non-threatening smile while letting my accent thicken. “Ciao, officers. Come stai?” I offered my hand, which they all accepted. “Do we know what happened here?”
An older officer shook his head and rested his hands on his utility belt. “Some nut put spikes in the middle of the road. Caused that car there to skid to a stop.”
“That is terrible,” I said sympathetically. “And the people inside the car?”
“We can’t share those details yet,” the younger officer said. “We’re still looking for the suspect.”
“I see. May I speak to the other officer, the one making notes? I live nearby and perhaps can offer some insight.”
They looked skeptical, but they shrugged. “Go ahead. I think Detective Antonelli is almost finished.”
I thanked them, then told my brother to wait. There was no need for both of us to approach the detective and scare him off.
“Signore,” I said. “May I have a word?”
He looked up from his notebook, his eyes weary with a dash of suspicion. “Who are you?”
“I’m a man who will be very, very grateful for any information you can give me regarding what happened here.”
“Listen, I don’t have time for this. I need to get back?—”
“You aren’t listening.” I moved closer and lowered my voice. “My name is Luca DiMarco and trust me, I am someone you should like to have on your side, detective. I’m very generous to those who help me.”
He rose to his full height, and I was surprised to learn he was as tall as me. Young, in good shape, with a short dark beard covering his face. Definitely of Italian descent. “Are you bribing me?”
I shook my head and thrust my hands into pockets, trying to appear unthreatening. “I’m not that stupid. I am offering a favor, however. Any time you need it in the future. As I said, I’m resourceful in ways that are maybe considered old school in this country. But I know how to get things done. Capisce?”
“Ah.” He sized me up. “You’re the one I keep hearing about. The Italian businessman who rented the Portofino place. You’re dating Val Montella.”
I dipped my chin in confirmation. “You have an advantage, Detective Antonelli, as I’ve not heard of you before.”
“I can’t talk about an active investigation, Mr. DiMarco.”
“Detective, Valentina was in this car when it crashed. Her father is responsible. And he drove away with her on an ATV. I need your help in finding her.”
“That’s the same story the other man in the car, the one who was shot, told us. It sounded pretty far-fetched, though, and there isn’t any evidence of an ATV.”
“His name is Flavio Segreto and he is a danger to her. The ATV was hidden in the woods. I believe he took her somewhere near the river or an inlet of some kind.”
Staring at the ground, he toed a rock with his shoe. “A favor, you said?”
“Yes.”
Antonelli pulled out his mobile and unlocked it. “I know of a few inlets that are fairly remote. We used to fish out here a lot as kids.” He loaded a map and zoomed in with his fingers. “This is where we are,” he said, showing me his screen. “Out here—” he slid over to the west and south “—there are three or four inlets.”
“Houses?”
“Yes, on a few of them.”
He gave me the coordinates and I entered them into my phone. “Grazie, detective.” I put a hand on my heart. “I owe you a favor. Sul mio onore . ”
“I’m coming with you.” Antonelli closed his notebook and unclipped his sunglasses from his shirtfront. “We can look together.”
“No offense, detective, but this is best handled by me and my brothers.”
His lips thinned unhappily. “No offense, Mr. DiMarco, but I insist. We don’t allow vigilante justice here. You aren’t in Italy any longer.”
I took offense to that.
“With all due respect, detective, no one will prevent me from doing what needs to be done when I find Segreto.”
He let out a big sigh and stared off into the woods. “Shit. I really don’t need this hassle today.”
I lifted my palms out and put a few steps between us. “Let’s pretend we never spoke.”
“How about I give you a thirty-minute head start?”
I could live with that. I held out my hand again and we shook. When I turned to go, he said, “I’m holding you to that favor, Mr. DiMarco.”
I nodded once then strode back to where my brothers were huddled together, far away from the police officers. Distrust of government authority ran deep in the Benettis, regardless of the country we found ourselves in.
“What did you learn?” Dante asked.
“He told me of a few remote inlets. I have the coordinates. Let’s go.”
“How are we getting there? By car?”
“On foot. It’s not far and he won’t hear us coming.”
Valentina
I dropped into a chair at the kitchen table, my head reeling. The fire, the car accident, Flavio shooting Roberto . . . and now my former dishwasher conspiring with my father? My god. I wasn’t sure if I could handle anything else.
Flavio set a glass of water on the table for me, then lowered himself into the chair opposite and drummed his fingers on the wood. I ignored the water. I didn’t want one thing from this man other than an explanation. “Let’s hear it. Then I need to get back and make sure Roberto and Luca are okay.”
The lines around his eyes deepened, like he was irritated, but he didn’t argue. “I grew up in a small town in Southern Italy?—”
“I don’t have time for your life story. Skip ahead already.”
“Valentina.” He slapped his palm on the table. “You will listen. It is relevant to why I am here.”
I folded my arms and cocked my head, saying nothing. Flavio took this as his opportunity to continue. “Where I come from, figlia, there are no jobs. No opportunities for young men. Everyone is broke and the ’Ndrangheta? They suck you in as babies. I never had a hope of another life. And what did I care? I was able to feed my mother, my sisters. My father was dead and if joining the ’ndrina saved my sisters from being sold off to predatory men, I would gladly do it.” He inhaled then let it out. “I was good at being a soldato, too. Kept my head down, did what was asked of me. Soon I rose higher and higher, until I was part of the Padrino, the five men who reported directly to the capobastone.”
Was he trying to justify being in the mafia? Or impress me with his rank? I didn’t care. I didn’t want to know anything about him or his motivations. “Good for you,” I said sarcastically.
“Then I met your mother.” He paused and stared down at the tabletop for a moment before meeting my gaze again. His expression was sad, a strange light in his eyes reminiscent of bitter and happy memories. “She was . . . Well, you know. Abby was the prettiest, most beautiful woman I had seen. I was struck from the first second I saw her. Like Cupid’s arrow, no? Smart, too. We met in the bar of a restaurant when she was out with friends. I worshipped at her feet like she was Mary and I was a sinner begging for salvation. Did I lie about my vocation? Of course I did. I couldn’t tell this woman I was a killer, a demon among angels. I was stupid and selfish.”
We could definitely agree on that.
“But I loved her,” he continued, placing his hand on his chest. “If you believe nothing else, please figlia, believe this. Your mother was the other half of my soul, the pure half.”
“So why didn’t you stay with her? Why did you let her go?”
“Men in the ’ndrina don’t leave. There isn’t a way to get out other than death. Women join our world, not the other way around, and your mother wanted nothing to do with that life. It wasn’t like I didn’t try. Talked until I was out of breath, but Abby wouldn’t bend. I had to let her go.”
This matched with everything I knew about my mother. “She said to stay away from men who want to control me.”
Surprisingly, this made him laugh. His weathered face transformed to make him look younger, more carefree. “I never wanted to control her. She was too tough for that.”
My chest ached, the ever-present grief rising up to remind me that she was really gone. But even in this, I didn’t want to share her memory with my father. He didn’t deserve her. I lifted my chin, ready to move this along. “So you let her go and found out thirteen years later that I existed.”
“I was sent to prison shortly after Abby left. I was young, angry that I’d lost her, and I did something stupid. For four years I couldn’t get to her even if I had wanted to.”
“What about when you were released?”
He tapped his fingers on the tabletop and stared through the window. “Men like me, we are a cancer, a poison to the decent and vulnerable. She was innocent. Why would I drag her down into the pits of Hell with me?”
Hard to argue with that. “How did you find out about me?”
“I came to Canada on business and had a moment of weakness. I decided to check up on her. I couldn’t stop wondering about Abby, even all those years later. I never planned on speaking to her.”
“But then you learned about me.”
“I knew the instant I saw you. Your eyes are your mother’s, but your nose and chin are from my side. You look like my mother.”
A warmth spread through my chest, unbidden and surprising. “Is she still alive?”
“No, figlia mia. She died before I met your mother.”
I tried not to be disappointed, but it was hard. This man was my only family—and he was a monster. “Okay, keep going. Let’s finish this.”
“I approached your mother and you might guess how such a conversation went. When I returned home I decided to get out. I didn’t ask permission from the capo because I wouldn’t receive it. So I went dark. To find me, they fabricated lies to turn everyone against me. Said I was a traitor. But it wasn’t true. It took some time, but I finally settled here.”
My jaw fell open. “You’ve been hiding in New York for seven years?”
“Five, but yes.”
I couldn’t wrap my head around it. “What the fuck? Did she know?”
He folded his hands, then placed them on the table. Then folded them again. It was clear he was stalling.
I sucked in a sharp breath, realization dawning. “She knew. You two were talking.”
He dipped his chin in acknowledgment, but didn’t meet my eyes. It was a red flag. My voice rose dramatically. “And more?”
“And more.”
Holy shit. I felt . . . stunned. And betrayed. My parents had been sleeping together while I was at school. I couldn’t believe it. Why didn’t she tell me? How had I never noticed?
“We could not tell you,” he said. “It was too dangerous. If I resurfaced, then you both were at risk. ”
“So you made an exception for her, but not for your daughter. Great. Thanks for clearing that up.”
“There is no need for sarcasm, figlia. Your mother was an adult, you were not. There is a difference.”
“Right. The difference is I needed a father. I needed help when she?—”
I couldn’t say it.
He drew in a shaky breath. “Perdonami, Val. But your mother insisted. She did not want you involved in my world. I had to respect her wishes.”
“So you just stood around and watched her die? ”
“No. She allowed me to help in the ways I could after she grew sick. Little things. Groceries, repairs. Laundry. You were at school, and this was important to her. She did not want you giving up your future to take care of her.”
I thought back to that chaotic time. I’d spent so much of it scrambling between her, the trattoria and school. “She told me the neighbors were helping out.”
“Sì.” He pointed to his chest. “I was the neighbors. I fixed the kitchen sink. I made sure the fridge had food. I helped her shower.”
It was too much. I pushed out of my chair and began walking around the kitchen. I gave the neighbors free food for months in gratitude. They must’ve been so confused.
But this was bigger than free meals. My head spun with what this meant. “You really loved her.”
“With all my heart.”
“Shit.” I could feel my eyes welling, the sting of oncoming tears. “I want to hate you so badly right now.”
“I know I have not been a good father to you. I never wanted you to be tainted by my past. Worse, I didn’t want you to lose another parent. I thought it was better if I stayed away in case Don Rossi found me.”
“Don Rossi? ”
He waved his hand. “It’s not worth explaining. But they can’t allow me to live, Val. I know too much, especially now.”
“It’s been a long time. Why would they even care?”
“These men, they never forget. Now that they know where I am, I will need to go somewhere else to hide. I stayed here only to watch over you the past few years. I wanted to keep you away from men like Benetti.”
I leaned against the kitchen counter and folded my arms. “He’s not a terrible person. He cares about me.”
“Dai, figlia mia. He is a violent monster, a cruel man. He only cares about himself, his family. And he will destroy your life, if you let him.”
“You’re wrong. He’s sweet and very gentle with me.”
“That is how they seem at first. Once you give in, he will do whatever he wants to you. He’s already moved you in! You give these men an opening and?—”
A floorboard creaked. My father fell silent, his body going rigid.
A half-second later, Luca walked into the kitchen. In his hand was a gun pointed at my father.
Luca was here. And he looked terrifying. Eyes hard, muscles taut. His face was etched in granite as menace leached from every pore. This was the mob boss, the killer. The man he hid underneath the naughty words and orgasms. I hardly recognized him, even though those hickeys were definitely mine.
How on earth did he find us?
Luca didn’t spare me a glance. He kept his attention entirely on Flavio as he snarled something in Italian. My father didn’t respond, which seemed to make Luca even angrier. He said more that I didn’t understand, so I snapped, “English, Luca. I want to know what you’re saying.”
“I am saying,” Luca responded, “that he needs to come with me and get away from you.”
Flavio snorted derisively. “Tell her what you really said, Benetti. Tell her how you promised to slice me open and remove my organs in punishment for kidnapping her.”
I flinched. Had Luca really said that? “Gross and unnecessary, Luca.”
“Yet this is the man you’ve chosen to align yourself with,” my father reminded me. “Do you now see what I mean, figlia?”
“Shut your mouth.” Luca edged closer. “Or I will shoot you in the face.”
I wasn’t a huge fan of my father, but I wasn’t about to let him get murdered, either. “No, you’re not. Put the gun down, Luca. We’re having a civil conversation.”
“He is incapable of a civil conversation,” Flavio said unhelpfully.
One of Luca’s brothers appeared in the doorway. Sergio said, “I would shut my mouth, Segreto, if I were you. Luca has had a shitty day. We wouldn’t want him to take it out on you.”
“Luca, please.” I walked over to him and placed my palm on his arm. The heat nearly scorched my skin, even through cloth, and the muscle was locked tight.
“Go with Sergio, Valentina,” he said quietly, his gaze on Flavio. The two seemed engaged in a silent battle of wills.
“So you can kill my father? No, I won’t do that.”
“Now, Valentina.”
“No way, Luca. I’m not leaving. Please, put the gun away and let’s talk.”
“There is nothing to discuss. He caused you to crash and kidnapped you. Shot Roberto. Set fire to my home. For those reasons and many more he will die today.”
“The fire was small,” Flavio said with a hand gesture. “And I shot this man in a place I knew would not cause lasting harm. It’s nothing.”
Was my father for real right now? Justifying arson and shooting a man in the leg was not helpful. Luca’s right eye began twitching, so I hurried to say, “I’m fine, though. You don’t need to kill anyone today.”
His head turned slowly and Luca met my eyes for the first time since he’d arrived. I could see remnants of panic there, the worry he’d been carrying, the anger over what my father had done. I put my hand on his cheek. “I’m okay. Really. And you can’t hurt him.” He stared at me, unmoving. I wasn’t sure if he was breathing. The coldness in his dark irises sent a shiver through me. “Luca, please.”
Slowly, muscle by muscle, he relaxed. The gun lowered to his side and I could see some of the man I knew—the one who cuddled with me, who laughed with me—resurface. “Thank you, baby,” I whispered.
“You are only delaying the inevitable, fiore mio.”
We would see about that.
I grabbed Luca’s free hand and shifted to face my father. “Are we done here? Because I need to go check on Roberto.”
My father’s glance dipped to where Luca and I held hands and his upper lip curled into a sneer. “Have you asked him, figlia? Have you asked him about what I told you?”
“About your crazy ramblings in the alley? No, I haven’t. And we’re leaving.”
“Ask him!” My father’s voice rose. “Ask him why he came to New York. Ask him why he’s so focused on you.”
I felt Luca’s body jolt next to mine, but I ignored it. “You’re talking about conspiracy theories, Flavio. Save it for trolling scientists on social media, okay?”
“He knows it,” my father said, indicating Luca. “Look at his face. The guilt is written all over it. You think he cares for you, maybe even loves you, but he’s here for me and you are collateral damage, Valentina.”
The words, coming from a man whose love I’d craved all these years, hurt more than I expected. “Because no one could really want me for me, right?”
“No!” Flavio shot to his feet, his weathered face twisting with impatience. “Per favore, figlia. I’m not letting you leave until you ask the questions. Because ignorance hurts you most of all. ”
Suddenly, it dawned on me that Luca hadn’t said anything. His silence was weird, considering the man had an opinion on every situation. Why wasn’t he telling Flavio to shut up? Or denying the claims as untrue?
“Fine.” Dropping Luca’s hand, I angled toward him. “Why New York? Why me? Was it only about my father?”