Chapter 16 Luca
Luca
I’ve barely stepped into the bar when I call for the brothers to join me in the backroom. I pull out my chair and fall into it as brothers take their seats. Spinning the gavel around in my hand, I take a firm hold and slam it down on the tabletop.
“Shit is beginning to spin. The first mistake a club can make is to allow matters to climb out of control. This life we’ve chosen is beginning to kick in and I won’t have us look weak or unable to handle our shit because we don’t know where we stand.”
I lean back in my chair and wish I could light a cigarette.
“I visited the owner of the warehouse out back. He refused to sell cause I wouldn’t tell him what I wanted it for.
It’s now the prospect’s job to acquire it for us.
I’ve told him that if he’s successful, he’ll earn his patches and a seat at this table. Anyone disagree?”
Brothers shake their heads, and I move on. “We still don’t know who is shooting at us or watching us. This will become Max and Warren’s only job. From morning till night, you will focus on tracking down our unknown enemy.”
They both nod and I look to King. “You know your job, keep the Mayor’s daughter away from me, and make sure she doesn’t leave.”
To Trey, I instruct, “I want you figuring out how we can fortify this place and the warehouse out back. When we get our hands on the second building, I want our properties to be able to be locked down in seconds. I don’t give a shit how much it costs, I want it done.
More cameras, no hidden spots. Steel doors.
Barred windows. No one gets in or out, if that’s what we choose. ”
“What about an escape for us if it comes to that?” King asks.
I smile. “That’ll be another job for you. Once we own both buildings, I want a tunnel from here to the warehouse, and out from there. Don’t hire outsiders for it. Only us can know about it, otherwise it’ll be pointless.”
He nods and I move onto Ford. “Effie.” It’s all I need to say and he nods.
He has time when it comes to her. I won’t take it from him, but I will keep checking where his head is at.
“As for me and Angel, we’ll deal with the Haywards. Are we all understood moving forward? Cause if you fuck up, it’s on you. No one else.”
Angel’s laughter fills the room. “Good times are coming brothers, blood, money, and all that we want.”
Brothers pound their fists on the tabletop, and I smile. Every brother has heard their instruction, and in due time, we’ll see who performs adequately and who outshines the rest.
All I’ve wanted since my father sent me to this city is to build a strong chapter. There’s no room for weakness or mistakes. I need them to think before acting. I need them to act without hesitation. Every move we make has to be justified in order for there to be no remorse later down the line.
Remorse leads to regrets and that can lead to loose lips and talking to the wrong people.
I’ve had the privilege of growing up under my father’s presidency. I’ve not known any other way. I’ve seen every consequence of his choices. Some successful, a few not. I have to believe that I have learned from him.
“Regardless of the shit you’ve got to do, we’ve got a run for the Haywards coming up…”
“What about Annabel?” King asks.
“What about her?” I ask.
“What should I do with her while we’re on the run if she’s still here?”
“She’s your responsibility. What do you think you should do?” I turn on him.
“Stay behind and watch her,” he mumbles.
“Then you know what to do with her.” To everyone else, I say, “You have your orders. Get to them.”
I slam the gavel down and push up out of my seat. I step out of the back room to the news channel playing on the TV, and the prospect is glued to the screen.
“What are they talking about today?” I ask, leaning on the bar.
“They’ve released the details of the threats to the Mayor. Though they haven’t mentioned the threats to his daughter.”
Call it paranoia or whatever you want, but why would they mention threats but not mention them all?
“Victoria went out to her greenhouse while you were in the backroom.”
“Thanks.”
I head out back and true to the prospect’s word, my wife is in her area of peace. I lean against the doorframe and watch as she waters her plants. There’s no music playing and no sway of her hips to the beat.
It’s not until she turns around that I see the tear tracks staining her cheeks. She meets my eye for a second or two then continues to water her plants.
“I need to cry today. I can’t stop them, nor do I want to,” she tells me.
If I could go to the afterlife and bring them back, I would. Fuck, I wish it were possible just to save her pain. In all the world and in all the things I can do for her, I can’t do anything to take her grief from her.
“What can I do?”
It’s a question I’ve not only been asking her since their deaths, but myself and never coming up with an answer.
“Just stay with me for a while.”
I step into her greenhouse and pull up the small stool she keeps around.
My wife moves around her space with fluidity and grace.
The tears fall and she carries on silently.
She creates life within nature yet it’s life that hurts her the most. It’s cruel.
For over an hour I sit on the stool as she cries and waters.
Cries and prunes. Cries and buries her hands in dirt, planting new seeds, creating new life. And cries.
She cleans her hands in a jug of water and dries them with an old rag, then makes her way over to me.
She slips down onto her knees and rests her head in my lap.
I wind my fingers into her hair and rub her back as she begins to sob.
Anger courses through me that I still can’t take this pain from her.
I pull her up onto my lap until she’s straddling me, her arms circling my neck.
“I love you so much, I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you. I can’t…”
I cut her off. “I’m not going anywhere. You know this, unless you and our son come with me. Of all the times I’ve told you this, I would’ve thought you’d believe me by now.”
“I do. It’s just every day that passes I grow more afraid that something you can’t control will take you and there won’t be anything I can do to stop it.”
I push her back so she can look into my eyes as I vow, “I can control every part of our lives. I’ll still be here in many years to come, as old as Pope was, I’ll be even older than he was.
I’ll be by your side till that day. I’m going to watch our son grow and become a man, do great things, whatever he chooses.
And when the end comes, I hope that we’re lying next to each other so we don’t have to find out what it’s like to live without the other.
On that day you’ll look back and see that I had everything under control.
You’ll see that our son will have many memories of us together that will live on with him.
Don’t be afraid. Your dad and Pope wouldn’t want you to be, and you know it. ”
She holds my gaze until I drop mine to her lips, waiting for her to say she heard me, that I’m right and she won’t be scared anymore.
“If you let the fear set in, it will bury itself in you and you’ll never be free from it.”
She kisses me and in between, tells me, “Don’t ever leave me.”
Clasping her face in my hands, I pull away a fraction. “Fuckin’ never.”
I skim my finger under dress strap and flick it off of her shoulder, following suit with the other side.
She doesn’t flinch or squeal that someone might see us.
She trusts that I’ve got her. Taking her nipple into my mouth, I tease her between my teeth and bite until she flings her head back and gasps.
She works her fingers in my hair as I work my belt and pop open my jeans. I shove my jeans and boxers down my thighs, Tor lifting herself from my lap for a few seconds before lifting her dress up and over her hips.
Her slender fingers wrap around my length, and I close my eyes to how fucking good she always feels on me.
“I need you inside me,” she whispers.
“I’m right here.”
She guides herself onto the tip and slowly slides down, taking my fucking breath away.
She rocks back and forth, and I grab onto her ass, needing to be all the way inside her.
Her cries and groans, her nails digging into the back of my neck, her sucking my bottom lip before kissing me, it all has me on the verge of blowing my load.
She takes what she needs from me until she’s crying out and trembling against me.
Once she has had her pleasure, I take mine.
She lifts onto her tiptoes, and I fuck her without restraint. With every stroke I pound into her, the closer to the edge I become. Her tits bounce up and down and her groan tips me over. I fill her with everything I have and hold her close after.
“See, I’m right here,” I whisper.
She leans back and stares at me for a long moment. “I’m gonna be okay.”
Sweeping the back of my fingers across her cheek, I say, “Fuck yeah you will be, cause you’re strong, and you’re amazing, and you can handle anything.”
“It’s cause I have you.”
Smirking, I say, “That too.”
She playfully slaps my arm and lifts herself off me. She cleans herself and I take care of myself before doing my jeans back up.
“I’m done in here for today. I’m gonna go check on River. He’s with Rudi.”
Taking her hand, I walk with her inside, noticing the feminine figure in the upstairs window. The sooner the Mayor’s daughter is out of here, the fucking better.