Stolen Christmas (Stolen Hearts #5)

Chapter One

Luca

I lift up the collar of my Bruar wool coat as I come down the courthouse steps.

It doesn’t matter whether I’m a tough bastard or how expensive my coat is.

There’s nothing like the cold, icy Chicago wind slicing across your face like a razor blade.

The chill is brutal on your visible flesh, leaving your unprotected skin marred by the winter wind.

You’d think with big motherfuckers flanked at my sides that they’d manage to block the wind, but at six three, I have a little more height over their brawny frames.

Still, the weather isn’t the reason they were hired.

As the head of the D’Antonio Organization, I have more enemies than friends.

Right now, it looks as though I might need them again.

My ride is MIA, and we’re about to turn back in.

I look out toward the street, and my driver is just pulling up to the slushy curb in the midday traffic. He should have been here before we stepped out of the building since he told us he was leaving the parking garage when we called him.

The sludge from the street flies onto the sidewalk, and we all jump back a step.

I do my best to control my temper since the press are waiting for my reaction.

Even in this shit weather, the media is out here with their cameras.

What enjoyment do they get out of snapping my picture?

It isn’t as if I’m here for some major RICO case.

I’d gotten some stupid ticket. That’s the best they could manage. Fucking losers.

“Sorry, Boss. I’ll get the door.” Sammy rushes around as fast as he can, out of breath and doing his best not to slide on his ass.

It’s not a day to be rushing, but the weather isn’t kind enough to be loitering outside either.

The fucking cameras flash repeatedly, but I keep my head ducked down.

My security detail has me well surrounded as I enter the back of my secure sedan.

“Just get in and fucking drive,” I growl low enough for just him to hear.

I’ve had enough of all these fucks today, and I don’t need anyone else to make my day worse by adding some story to the news so the other families have some fodder.

Sammy has been my driver for eight years, so this normally doesn’t happen, but given our current situation, I would expect that something delayed him.

He should have called one of us, though.

My security slides inside, and my driver does the same. Without waiting for me to ask, he explains why he fucked up. “The thing is, I was harassed by a cop out there before I left, and I couldn’t call to let you know I had a problem.”

“Which asshole?” I raise my brow and peer out the window, trying to see if any cops are lurking about. Of course there are, but which prick has made it a point to harass my guy?

“Officer A. Verta,” he states, looking through his rearview at me. I know exactly who that fuck is, and I want to put a bullet in his head.

“That bastard is friends with Fields.” They are playing a dangerous game with me. “Take me home.”

I need a warm bowl of chili and a glass of liquor to heat me up.

It’s been a hell of a day, but it isn’t over yet.

I think about the reason I’m in downtown Chicago in the first place.

I turn my head toward the steps of the old building and see the son of a bitch who actually charged me with a petty fucking traffic violation.

I actually had to appear in court for a speeding ticket.

I paid the stupid fine, which was negligible, but that wasn’t what the jackass officer did it for.

No, he intentionally stopped me, making the city take notice of our public encounter so that his illegal activities would keep him safe from my men.

The judge nearly tossed it out because Fields had the nerve to smirk in the courtroom.

The bastard needs to meet someone in a dark alley one day, and he will. I won’t be anywhere near him, though.

As soon as I saw that fucker step out of his squad car, I knew that I’d been played. If I killed that prick, the entire force would be looking at me for his death.

The traffic is heavy so it takes a moment for us to pull out, but before we can, the asshole in question comes out of the courthouse.

I roll down my window and state, “Have a good day, Officer Fields. Keep up the good work and tell your boss, Tommy, I said hello.” I wink and then raise the window as his face goes from stunned to pissed.

Let the bastard stew and try to explain to his bosses why I was talking about another mob boss.

“What do you want us to do about him?” Sammy asks through the rearview mirror. My men are no more pleased than I am. This chump of a cop knows damn well who I am and thought he was creating a safety net for himself, but he just created a huge target on his back.

“Nothing. The prick is just a little bump in the road. The ticket is paid, and I have better things to do with my time. Just keep tabs on Fields’s whereabouts.

Ensure he remains alive and out of our territory.

It’s not going to save his ass like he thinks.

Maybe he can have an accident. He’s married—check to see if he has any kids.

I want to know if he’s a piece of shit or if he’s being forced to fuck with me. Either way, he’s got my attention.”

“Yes, Boss,” Sammy replies, and I note as I turn my head that Fields hops into an unmarked car that came up as we pulled off.

“Good.”

“Sir, the roads are looking a little rough.” Straight ahead is nothing but red taillights. I groan. “Do you want to take a detour, or should we go straight through this mess?”

“Take the detour.” I close my eyes and try to consider my plan for revenge on that asshole.

I know he is working for Tommy Torcello, the king of the southwest region, because he’s been caught on camera.

I can’t just send the video to the cops because the dealings include some of mine, which aren’t legal, but I’ll get his ass, anyway.

I’m not a stupid motherfucker. I don’t get where I was being clumsy or dumb, but there were eyes on me from the moment I walked out of that courtroom.

That stupid son of a bitch thought that he could play me.

First, he sent that little cop ass after me with a ticket and a court date because he couldn’t catch me on anything.

Now, he and his men are tailing me after my driver takes me on a different route. “We have a tail,” Sammy says.

Did Fields have a serious malfunction?

“I know.” I spotted them the second we pulled out. It wasn’t like he was trying to be discreet. The bastard practically had a neon sign on his car. It might as well have been a marked car. That’s why I told him to take the detour. If he was still on our tail, I knew it was personal.

We’re not going to lose them right now in this shitty weather in city traffic. “We would really hate to give him an opportunity to slam on his brakes. Still, a little fender bender would be nice right now.”

“It is a bit icy—things like that just happen,” he replies with a chuckle.

I grip the “oh shit handle,” as my mother calls it, and Sammy makes an abrupt stop to prevent hitting the woman crossing at the light who we’re clearly not going to hit in the first place, but hey, we need an excuse.

Still, the tires behind us squeal as they try to brake as well.

Unfortunately, they don’t hit us, but they do cause their own fender bender behind them.

An unexpected rumble of laughter rips through me.

“Oops,” Sammy says with a chuckle, driving off. “Some people just don’t know how to drive.”

Looking back, I see that it’s a car with an Uber sticker that hit the unmarked police car.

“Have fun with that, fucker.” Smirking, we drive off and get a brief chance to create a detour and distance so the asshole doesn’t know where we’re going.

It takes a damn hour to get home, which only makes my anger grow for that dirty cop.

There are a lot of crooked ones on the force and ones who won’t speak up because they don’t know who to trust, but I have my own line of assholes who do my dirty work, and I’ll deal with that fuck soon.

They have it coming. Tommy has the nerve to send someone to follow me, as if I were under surveillance.

Well, he’s about to be taught a lesson in manners.

We finally reach my estate and drive up, and Sammy lets me out before heading to park in the garage. As soon as I step through the front door, I find an angry visitor waiting for me.

“Son, do you care to tell me why you were at the courthouse today?” She’s looking around me.

“Well, isn’t it wonderful to see you too, Mother?”

“Don’t start with me,” she huffs, pointing her finger at me.

“How did you find out about it? Why didn’t you call me to tell me you were coming here? The weather isn’t great, Mother.”

“Yes, well, then you would have stopped me, but I saw it on the news this morning. The reporters didn’t specify the charges. Do you know how worried I was?” Of course the press did that shit on purpose. It was probably at the hands of the local officials in Torcello’s pockets.

“Yes, of course, and I’m sure you were, but it was just a speeding ticket. Besides, there is this thing called a phone or even Dad, who knew what was going on.”

“A speeding ticket? Are you serious?” She slaps her hands onto her waist.

“Yes. Apparently, it was a thirty-five and I was doing forty-five, so the bastard got me for it.” I’m not even sure why the area is that speed limit, other than a reason to speed trap dumbasses like me because it goes from forty-five to thirty-five to thirty and then back up to fifty within blocks.

It’s a dickhead move on the city’s part.

“Oh really.” She shakes her head, and I’m positive she’s going to scold me for speeding, but she doesn’t. “That’s bullshit. They’re just out to get you. You need to be careful, Luca. I will not lose you for something stupid.”

“I won’t do anything dumb, Mother.” Everything I do is well thought out and motivated.

“I want grandbabies.” I knew it was coming because it always is. There isn’t a conversation we have without her mentioning a family. It’s her go-to. We speak almost daily, and every single one of our talks includes starting my own little brood.

“Isn’t there something easier you want? Like for Christmas.”

“A Christmas present? A baby is the easiest thing you could get me. I’m surprised you don’t have a little army already.” I throw my upper body back to dodge that emotional blow.

“I make a valiant effort to avoid babies.” Does she think I’m out laying broads without protection? Hell, no.

“Yes, I suppose I don’t want babies from just any woman, but can’t you find a wife already?” A wife? I have way too much to do before I marry.

“Mother, when I find a woman worth marrying, I will.” I rub my temples and finally slide off my coat.

It’s ridiculous that she hit me with a barrage of words before can I take off my coat.

What do I need a wife for when my mom is here?

She nags me enough about everything, from how well I am eating to staying out of trouble.

If I had a wife, it would be no different except I’d have another worry on my hands with my enemies. It’s a headache I don’t care for.

“Stop it with that look. I know what you’re thinking. I only want the best for you.”

“And yourself,” I mutter.

“Trust me, when you get to a certain age and you’re lonely, you’ll understand and then you’ll want a wife and family,” she scolds me.

She and my father are so happy that she wants me to have the same thing.

If I were to find a woman like that, then maybe it would be a good thing, but that’s not likely.

“Mother, do you want to join me for dinner tonight?” I ask, wondering if she’s staying or going home.

“No. Your father is waiting for me at the house, and you know how he can get.”

“I can’t believe he let you come out in this weather.”

“He didn’t know I left until I was halfway here.”

“What the hell? He’s dropping the ball. The old man is getting slow.”

“No, I rather think he’s going to enjoy punishing me for this,” she says with a faraway look in her eyes.

I try to hold back the revulsion. That is not an image I need in my head.

The two of them act stately around others, but in front of me, the gloves are off and they forget to hold back their feelings.

“Well, I should have someone escort you home,” I insist. I wave Sammy over, who just came in from the garage entrance.

She’s about to protest when my phone alerts me that I have a visitor. I check the front gate and it’s my father, pulling into the drive. “Apparently, he couldn’t wait.”

She shakes her head. “See, you don’t know what I’m missing.” The smile on her face spreads so wide that I’m positive she’s right, but I won’t admit it.

“A damn headache,” I grumble.

“That’s not what he calls it.”

“Wife,” he growls as her man or as I like to call him, father, opens the front door. I chuckle because I find them both insane.

“Coming,” she answers.

“How about you stop by for dinner?” she offers as I walk up to my father.

“Sounds good. Father and I need to have a conversation later, anyway.” We nod, a simple understanding between us. My butler, Maurizio, hands her coat to my father, who slips it on like the gentleman he is.

“Let’s go, Wife.” They open the door, and the damn wind gives us a blast of winter air.

“Shit, it’s freezing. Be safe,” I grumble.

“We will.”

I walk back to my office to finally get some work done while my chef brings me some lunch so I can get this chill off my bones.