3. Luca
Chapter 3
Luca
“ Y our decision is final?”
I took a drag of my cigarette as I stared out onto Roman’s property.
We stood on the balcony of the third floor, the cold breeze of early morning seeping through my clothes.
“Yes.”
One simple word yet it held the weight of an anchor.
Roman turned to face me, his silence louder than any words he could’ve said. I knew he wasn’t happy with my answer with the way his lips pursed.
He knew me through and through. It didn’t matter if we didn’t share the same blood, we were brothers in every sense of that word.
“Don’t.” I leveled his gaze. “It’s the only way I can protect Eva.”
“And does Evangeline know that you’ve chosen to become the leader of the Camorra?”
Another inhale of smoke, feeling the burn in my chest. No, she didn’t, and it wasn’t any of her concern. I wouldn’t hide it from her, but I wouldn’t explain my choices either. She’d beg me not to do this for her sake. And it’d be useless.
I had already spoken to my father last night and finalized my position.
“It doesn’t matter. Her reaction wouldn’t have hindered my decision.”
“I see,” he said, turning toward the view before us. The sun had fully risen, brightening the winter sky.
“Any advice?”
“On?”
“Being a leader.”
I knew the ins and outs of our organizations but Roman was the most feared Don which earned him my respect. He unapologetically did as he pleased, and the other three clans followed whether they approved or not.
I had always been a one man show, bound by nothing and not giving a shit what others did either.
He didn’t answer me, causing me to glance over at him. His body shook as he laughed silently.
It caught me off guard. Roman rarely ever laughed openly.
“You’re asking me for advice on how to run a criminal organization.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “Don’t worry, Luca. I’ll be sure to hold your hand every step of the way.”
“Oh, fuck off.” I threw the cigarette on the floor, crushing it under my boot.
A flock of birds chirped above, and it was only when I looked up that I caught a glimpse of pale blonde hair .
My heart thumped against my rib cage harder than before. I inched forward, clutching the wooden railing as I watched her.
Women either feared me or kneeled before me but this little rebel had done neither.
And what a mistake she’d made a year ago by doing that and catching my attention. It was a fucking understatement.
I ran my tongue along my teeth. “You have a guest over.”
“Irina arrived yesterday,” Roman confirmed. “She’ll be staying with us for Christmas.”
A fiery sensation ignited inside the pit of my stomach, traveling through the rest of my body. I wanted to know what else that troublesome tongue of hers was capable of.
My lips quirked up when I remembered the way she called me an asshole in Russian, thinking I wouldn’t understand.
My father raised me to learn many languages. He’d said it would be beneficial to know what outsiders said when they spoke in their native tongue. It had been a useful skill during operations.
“I want you to leave her alone, Luca,” Roman said, interrupting my thoughts.
“Did I say something to elicit that command?”
Aurora joined her Russian friend, carrying two mugs before she sat down inside the gazebo.
“You are a dog,” he muttered. “Perhaps if you stopped staring at her like she was your next meal, I wouldn’t have to warn you away.”
A dog? The fuck did that even mean ?
“She’s Aurora’s best friend and not one of your escapades. Irina is off limits.”
He slid the door open and left me alone with his unwarranted order.
I wish I could head his warning, but I’d never been good at fearing them. Roman could control as many people as he wanted to, but we both knew I wasn’t on that list. And what he didn’t know, wouldn’t hurt him.
Seeing my little rebel again hadn’t been in the cards, but now that she was, I had to play the game.
Roman walked down the stone path to where his wife sat. He leaned down to kiss her and Irina averted her eyes, her head turning toward the house.
Her gaze fell on me, the sun reflecting against her blue eyes. She stilled, her full red lips parting slightly in what seemed to be shock.
I tilted my head at her unblinking stare. I’d caught her by surprise with my presence. Good.
In a split second, her face morphed into a scowl. However, the interesting part was that she didn’t avert her eyes.
It seemed that I wasn’t the only one who wanted to play this game. My little rebel was intrigued and who was I if not to satisfy her interest.
I winked at her, knowing the reaction I’d receive would satiate my unauthorized desire.
And as her middle finger shot up at me, I knew this woman would be one hell of a damn chase.
“Luca!” Aurora called out, pulling my attention. She beamed at me with a wide smile. “Come down!”
I nodded at her, my eyes flitting to Roman’s narrowed ones. If I was being honest, once Irina was in my peripheral, she had become my sole focus. So, if he’d seen my interaction with her, I knew he’d give me shit for it.
I walked downstairs from the balcony and through the double doors in the back.
The trail to the gazebo would’ve been surrounded by flourishing flowers if it weren’t for the winter. The gazebo itself was a large hardtop patio with curtains—that were tied back—and a round marble table at the center surrounded by cushioned wicker chairs.
Irina tore her gaze away from me, her long hair swaying from the wind. She wore tight leather pants with a large black coat that covered the rest of her body.
“I guess introductions aren’t really necessary since you two have met before,” Aurora said, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink, probably recalling the time she and her friend attempted to get into my museum.
They hadn’t been on the list, but I was obviously a gentleman. How could I turn down the woman who avoided my gaze as if it was her fucking job?
“And what a first impression it’d been.”
“Indeed.”
Fuck me. Her voice was smooth as silk. . . and grated on my nerves. How could one woman have this effect on me?
Irina looked up at me, her face fierce against her fair complexion. “I’d say first impressions tell you all you need to know about a person.”
The freckles on her face appeared more prominent under the harsh light of the sun, somehow emphasizing her displeasure to my presence .
I ran my finger over my lip to hide my amusement. “Then I hope I made an unforgettable one.”
Her jaw clenched, the outline of her tongue poking against her cheek. “It’s difficult to say when I hardly remember the interaction.” She stood from her seat, eyeing the length of me in distaste. It could’ve been with any expression, but my little rebel had checked me out and damn it felt good to have her ocean blues on me.
As she passed by me, I suppressed a groan from her amber scent drifting toward me. “I’ll have to fix that, piccola ribelle ,” I whispered.
I sat in her seat, watching her stride back into the house before I regarded the beloved couple.
“Luca,” Roman gritted out through clenched teeth, anger marring his face. “What did I tell you?”
I shrugged. The bastard was a control freak in every way, and I’d never give him the satisfaction.
“What did you tell him?” Aurora’s brows furrowed as she glanced between her husband and me.
“He told me to stay away from your precious guest.”
Aurora laughed, slowly at first before it grew louder. Her hand clutched the side of her stomach as we eyed her strange outburst.
“What’s humorous about that, anima mia?” Roman asked, caressing the strands of her black curls.
She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and chuckled once more before composing herself. “I love you both, but you’re fools. Irina can handle herself and she certainly doesn’t need a man warning off others on her behalf. Nothing could break that girl.”
That wasn’t surprising but Aurora feeding me information on her had only made my skin buzz with curiosity and anticipation.
I wanted to be the one to break Irina, to peel back all her layers just so I could put her back together again. Just so I could call her mine.
That thought jarred me. I had never been fixated on anything or anyone in my life. Yet, this Russian woman had only said a handful of unpleasant words to me, and I’d been captivated.
I didn’t know whether to revel in it or loathe it.
“Besides, Luca is a gentleman. He won’t cross any boundaries, isn’t that, right?”
I stared at her expectant face and saw how confident she was in me. I’d always liked Aurora; she was the only person who’d brought a Don to his knees. But her image of me was skewed. She didn’t know that when I wanted something, I’d get it without so much of thinking of the consequences.
I smiled at her lazily and looked at the man who’d turned a blind eye to all my questionable actions over the years. “That’s right. Although, what’s the saying? A gentleman never tells.”
Pushing Roman’s buttons was my favorite pastime so when he shot to his feet to lunge at me, I dodged it and walked backward toward the house. “See you later, brother,” I called out. “Aurora, it’s always a pleasure!”
He stepped forward before a giggling Aurora tugged him back down in his seat.
My cabin was a few miles away from Roman’s manor. It was atop a large piece of land, far away from everyone and everything. Exactly how I wanted it.
I entered using the keypad and kicked off my boots, feeling the weight of the day settling upon my shoulders.
Movement from my right had me pulling out my gun in a split second.
“It’s Eva!” My sister appeared before me, her hands up in defense mode as her eyes widened.
“What the fuck, Evangeline?” I bellowed, my heart racing. I put my gun back inside its holster. “Never do that again.”
“You gave me your pin,” she whispered, letting her arms fall beside her.
“For emergencies.” I glared at her. “Call me before you show up next time.”
She knew better than to come here unannounced, especially when I wasn’t home. I’d secured the place, but she could’ve been followed by anyone.
“So now I need permission to come see my brother?”
“If it has to do with your safety, then yes. You do as your told, do you understand?” I knew my words were harsh, but she had come unescorted and without her security team.
“Yes, I fucking understand! Eva, do this, Eva, do that!” Her anger was palpable, her body shaking. “I’m exhausted, fratello.”
She walked into the living area and sank down onto the black leather couch, her frail shoulders slumped.
I looked up at the white ceiling, reining in my emotions. I often wished our mother were here to guide me on how to approach certain situations with Eva. I’d helped raise her, but I knew she missed out on that motherly bond, and I wished she hadn’t.
I felt the start of a headache, remembering the reason why my mother was six feet under the ground. And I’d make sure my sister didn’t meet the same fate.
I removed my leather jacket and sat beside her. She peered up at me with a sad expression and in this moment, she resembled our mother so heavily, it pained me.
“You want to talk about it?”
She shook her head subtly.
“Alright, come here.” She laid her head on my lap like she used to do when she’d cry as a small child. “I’ll always take care of you.”
The silence stretched as I caressed the strands of her hair before she asked, “And who takes care of you, Luca?”
I didn’t know how long I’d sat there, mulling over my sister’s question until sleep overcame her.
I didn’t need anyone to take care of me and the only person who ever had was murdered in front of me by our father.