Chapter 48
Luciano
“We’re leaving,” I said to my father.
My father didn’t look up from his glass. Brandy at seven in the morning. But he looked like he hadn’t slept so I guess it was okay.
He exhaled once through his nose. “I need you here. You’ve proven yourself with the Russo sweep. It’s time we start the transition to you taking over.”
“Ava doesn’t need to be here, and everything is still as it was.” I knew her strange behavior had something to do with my father and being in that house again. “I’m ready to step up. I just won’t live here.”
“No,” he growled.
“I’m not asking.” I had left Ava upstairs packing. Telling him was a simple courtesy.
His head snapped up, eyes like flint. “You never used to talk to me like this. Hell, you never used to talk at all. Now you’re telling me what you are and aren’t doing?” His knuckles whitened around his glass. “She’s got your head twisted. Don’t forget who raised you to be who you are.”
Before I could respond and tell him he hadn't raised me. and explosion shook the house.
BOOM.
The sound split through the estate like thunder.
Followed by another. BOOM.
My head snapped toward the windows. “What was that?”
My father stood slowly, placing the glass down. “I don’t know.”
I turned toward the door. “We’re not waiting to find out.”
I grabbed his shoulder and met his gaze. “Take Ava. Go to La Stanza. Lock the door from the inside.”
His eyes narrowed. “Luciano—”
“If anything happens to me,” I said, voice low, even, “you protect her. You watch her. You owe me that.”
He gave one short nod.
We didn’t speak again.
We sprinted through the halls.
At the top of the stairs, we made for my bedroom. I flung the door open.
Ava was crouched low beside the bed, wide-eyed, clutching a pillow to her chest like it would protect her.
She looked up when I entered, breath ragged. “Luciano?”
I was across the room in seconds. I lifted her up, scanned her for injuries, then kissed her—hard, quick.
“You’re going with him,” I said, already pushing her toward the door.
“What? No—”
“No arguments.”
I started dragging her toward the door where my father stood. His guards stood behind him. Weapons drawn.
I locked eyes with my father. “Lock the door from the inside.”
The guards flanked them, weapons raised, and they disappeared down the hall.
Ava looked back once.
I nodded to her. Then turned.
BOOM. Another explosion rattled the windows.
I ran.
Downstairs. Out into the courtyard.
Forty guards. Guns drawn. Eyes wild met me.
Smoke billowed from the estate gates. A black SUV was burning in the driveway—just the frame was left.
I pulled my phone.
“Saint.”
“Yeah?” His voice was tense.
“We’re under attack. Blown vehicles in the drive. We’re locking down.”
“I’m on my way,” he said. “Bringing a crew.”
I shoved the phone in my pocket and started barking orders. "Sweep the grounds. Check the security panels. "Secure the perimeter."
Who the fuck had come for us? No one had every come to my fathers home. We had too many enemies to figure out who without someone or something,
Saint pulled up fifteen minutes later, flanked by four black trucks. His men dispersed fast, checking corners, scanning rooftops.
We searched for nearly an hour.
Nothing.
No bodies. No shooters.
Just three exploded cars.
I stood in the driveway, hands in my pockets, trying to make it make sense.
I ran it all through my head and suddenly it all clicked into place.
The lockdown. The panic.
Ava.
My stomach turned.
Ava and my father were alone in a sealed room.
My brain started firing.
The tapes. The questions. The training.
She had been planning something. I knew it—but I couldn’t figure out what. I got distracted.
She needed a locked room and with him.
And I’d handed it to her.
“Fuck.”
I turned and sprinted for the house.
“Luciano!”Saint’s shout chased after me.“What’s wrong? ”
I didn’t answer.
I couldn’t.
Because if I was right—
I was already too late.