Chapter 10 Luca
THREE DAYS.
THREE days since Reeves had shown up at our penthouse and threatened to file charges within the week. Three days of waiting for federal agents to knock on our door. Three days of barely sleeping, constantly checking my phone, jumping at every sound.
Three days of watching Valentino try to work while clearly terrified.
I stood at the windows overlooking the city, coffee in hand, watching the sun rise over Manhattan. Behind me, Valentino was still asleep in our bed. He'd finally dozed off around four AM after hours of tossing and turning.
My phone buzzed. Text from Sandro: Any news?
Nothing yet, I typed back. Still waiting.
We're ready. The second it happens, we'll be there.
I pocketed my phone and took another sip of coffee. The waiting was its own kind of torture. Worse than if they'd just arrested us immediately. This limbo state where we knew it was coming but not when—it was designed to break us down. Make us panic. Make us slip up.
Reeves was a bastard, but he was a smart bastard.
"Luca?" Valentino's voice came from the bedroom. "Are you up?"
"I'm here." I walked back to the bedroom to find him sitting up in bed, hair disheveled, looking exhausted. "How'd you sleep?"
"Not well. You?"
"About the same."
He rubbed his face. "What day is it?"
"Thursday. Day three."
"So two more days until his week deadline." Valentino got out of bed and pulled on sweatpants. "Unless he does it today."
"Or tomorrow." I set down my coffee and pulled him into my arms. "How are you holding up?"
"I'm terrified. But I'm handling it." He held on to me. "I keep thinking about being arrested. About the handcuffs and the processing and the humiliation. And I know it's coming and there's nothing I can do to stop it."
"I know. I'm thinking the same things."
"Are you scared?"
"Terrified," I admitted. "Not of the arrest itself. I've been arrested before. But of them taking you. Of not being able to protect you through the process."
"Emilio said they'll separate us. Different cars, different processing."
"I know. That's what scares me most." I held him tighter. "But we'll get through it. Emilio will be there immediately. Bail is already arranged. We'll be out the same day."
"And then what? We just... wait for trial?"
"Trial prep starts immediately. Depositions, discovery, building our defense. It'll take months before we actually go to court." I pulled back to look at him. "This is just the beginning."
"I know." His eyes were shadowed with exhaustion. "I'm trying to be strong but Luca, I'm so scared."
"So am I. But we have each other. And we have family support. We're not doing this alone."
He nodded and kissed me. "I love you."
"I love you too."
We made coffee and breakfast together, both trying to act normal despite the sword of Damocles hanging over us. Valentino opened his laptop to work—he'd been doing everything from home since Reeves's visit, not wanting to be arrested in public—but I could see he wasn't actually focusing.
My phone rang. Matteo.
"Any news?" he asked immediately.
"Nothing yet. Still waiting."
"This is fucking torture. I hate that you're going through this."
"We'll survive it." I glanced at Valentino, who was pretending to read something on his screen. "How's everything there?"
"Business is fine. Stefan and Julian are handling the legitimate restructuring. Everything's on track." He paused. "Luca, when they arrest you, we'll be there within minutes. All of us. You won't go through processing alone."
"I appreciate that."
"And Sandro already has Emilio on standby. The second you call, he'll be at the courthouse."
"I know. Thank you." My voice caught slightly. "For all of this. For having our backs."
"That's what family does." His voice was firm. "You've been there for all of us. Now we're here for you. Whatever you need."
After we hung up, I sat with Valentino on the couch. Neither of us had the energy for much else. We put on a movie neither of us watched. I held his hand and he leaned against me and we both waited.
Day three became day four. Then day five.
By Friday morning—day five after Reeves's threat—we were both strung so tight I thought we'd snap. Valentino was pacing the penthouse, unable to sit still. I was checking my phone obsessively. Every noise made us jump.
"Maybe he was bluffing," Valentino said, though he clearly didn't believe it. "Maybe he's not actually filing charges."
"He's filing. He's just making us wait. Making us suffer." I watched him pace. "Come here."
"I can't sit still."
"I know. But come here anyway."
He came over and I pulled him down onto the couch. Wrapped my arms around him and just held on. Both of us breathing too fast, both of us terrified, both of us trying to be strong for the other.
"I keep thinking about my mom," Valentino said quietly. "About how she'll feel when she sees I've been arrested on the news. About how embarrassed and scared she'll be."
"We'll call her immediately after. Explain everything."
"What do I say? 'Hi Mom, I was just arrested on federal conspiracy charges but don't worry'?"
"Something like that." I kissed the top of his head. "She loves you. She'll understand."
"Will she? Or will she think I've made the worst decision of my life by staying with you?"
"Maybe both." I made him look at me. "But we can't control what anyone thinks. We can only control how we handle this. Together."
He nodded and we sat there in silence for a while. The waiting was agony. Worse than anything else because there was nothing to do except wait.
Around ten AM, my phone rang.
Elio.
"Luca. Stefan just got word from his FBI contact. Arrest warrants were issued this morning. Agents are likely already en route."
My stomach dropped. "How long?"
"Could be minutes. Could be hours. But it's happening today."
"Fuck." I looked at Valentino, who'd gone pale. "Okay. Thank you."
"We'll be there soon. All of us. You're not alone in this."
I hung up and turned to Valentino. "It's happening. Today. Warrants were issued this morning."
He stood, suddenly needing to move. "Okay. Okay. What do we do?"
"We wait. When they come, we go quietly. We don't resist, we don't argue. We ask for our lawyer immediately. We say nothing else."
"What if they ask questions?"
"We say nothing. Literally nothing except 'I want my lawyer.' That's it." I stood and took his hands. "Valentino, this is important. No matter what they say, no matter how they pressure you, you say nothing without Emilio present. Understand?"
"I understand."
"Promise me."
"I promise. Lawyer only. Nothing else."
We stood there holding each other, both trying to prepare for what was coming. Trying to be brave. Trying not to break down.
The buzz came at eleven-thirty AM.
The voice over the intercom was loud, authoritative, unmistakable.
"FBI. Let us up."
Valentino's hand tightened in mine. "This is it."
"This is it." I kissed him hard. "I love you. No matter what happens in the next few hours, remember that. I love you."
"I love you too."
Another buzz. "Mr. Romano. Mr. Russo. We have arrest warrants."
I let go of Valentino's hand and authorized the elevator to come up.
Six federal agents in tactical gear. Reeves at the front, looking satisfied.
"Luca Romano," Reeves said. "Valentino Russo. You're both under arrest."
Everything happened fast after that.
Agents flooded into the penthouse. Someone was reading me my rights while someone else pulled my hands behind my back. Cold metal of handcuffs clicking into place. The same was happening to Valentino a few feet away.
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law..."
I tried to catch Valentino's eye but an agent was between us.
"You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you..."
"I want my lawyer," I said clearly. "Emilio Rossi. I'm invoking my right to counsel."
"Noted." Reeves smiled. "You'll see him at arraignment."
They led me toward the door. I finally saw Valentino—also handcuffed, being held by two agents. Our eyes met for a second.
"It'll be okay," I said to him. "Don't say anything. Lawyer only."
"Mr. Romano, save your advice for your attorney." Reeves stepped between us. "You're going to different locations for processing. Mr. Russo will be transported to the Manhattan FBI field office. You'll be going downtown."
"Why separate locations?" My voice was harder than I'd intended.
"Standard procedure for co-conspirators." His smile widened. "Wouldn't want you coordinating your stories."
They led Valentino out first. He looked back at me once, face pale but composed. Then he was gone.
"Move," one of the agents said, pushing me forward.
They led me out of my building in handcuffs. Building security watched. Residents watched. Someone was taking pictures with their phone. The humiliation was exactly what Reeves wanted—public perp walk, maximum embarrassment.
I kept my head up and didn't react. Didn't give them the satisfaction.
They put me in the back of an unmarked SUV. One agent in front, one beside me. The car pulled away from my building and headed downtown toward federal plaza.
My phone was still in my pocket. They hadn't taken it yet. I could feel it buzzing—probably Sandro or one of the others. But with my hands cuffed behind me, I couldn't reach it.
The drive took twenty minutes. Twenty minutes of silence except for the agents' radio chatter. Twenty minutes of trying not to think about where Valentino was, what he was going through, if he was okay.
Finally we arrived at the federal courthouse. More agents waiting. They pulled me out of the car and led me inside through a side entrance—avoiding the main doors where press was likely waiting.
Processing was mechanical and dehumanizing. Fingerprints. Photos. Personal effects confiscated. They finally removed the handcuffs but only to process me. Then back on for transport to holding.