LUCA 18
The night of the meeting arrived like a storm cloud on the horizon—heavy and dark with the weight of uncertainty. Luca is standing in front of the mirror in his bedroom, adjusting his cufflinks with steady hands, though his mind is anything but calm. The Romero’s had requested the truce, but Luca knew better than to trust them. Desperation made men dangerous, and the Romero’s were desperate.
He turns slightly, catching sight of Phoenix out of the corner of his eye. She is sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands resting in her lap, her face pale with worry. Ever since Bianca had come into the picture, the tension between them had grown. Phoenix tried to be strong, but Luca could see the weight of the situation pressing down on her.
Luca crosses the room, his footsteps quiet as he moves toward her. Kneeling down in front of her, his hands resting on her knees he looks up into her eyes.
“Hey,” he calls softly, his voice low and calm. “I’m going to handle this. You don’t need to worry.”
Phoenix’s eyes flicked to his, her lips pressed into a tight line. “How can I not worry?” she whispers, her voice trembling slightly. “You’re walking into a meeting with people who want to kill you, Luca. And I don’t think Bianca—is done. I can feel it.”
Luca’s jaw tightens at the mention of Bianca. He hadn’t seen her since the incident in the penthouse, but he knew she was still out there, lurking in the shadows, waiting for her moment. It infuriated him to think that Phoenix had to bear the burden of someone like Bianca. But he couldn’t afford to lose focus now.
“I’m not letting Bianca or the Romero’s get the upper hand,” Luca promises firmly, his hands tightening slightly on Phoenix’s knees. “I’ve got Miguel and the men ready. We’ll have eyes on every exit. If this is a trap, we’ll be prepared.”
Phoenix swallows hard, her hands trembling slightly as she reaches out and placed them on Luca’s shoulders. “I don’t want to lose you,” she whispers, her voice filled with fear and vulnerability.
Luca’s heart clenches at the raw emotion in her voice. He had always been so focused on protecting her physically, on keeping her safe from the violence of his world, that he hadn’t fully considered the emotional toll it was taking on her. She wasn’t just afraid for her life—she was afraid for his too.
“You won’t lose me,” Luca promises, his voice soft but filled with resolve. He leans in, pressing a tender kiss to her lips. “I’m coming back to you. I swear it.”
Phoenix closes her eyes, leaning into the kiss, her hands tightening around his shoulders as if she can hold onto him, to anchor him to her. When they pull apart, her eyes are filled with unshed tears, but she nods, her trust in him clear.
“I believe you,” she whispers.
Luca stands, his hand brushing lightly against her cheek before he turns to leave. He doesn’t want to draw this moment out any longer than necessary. The sooner he faces the Romero’s, the sooner he can put an end to this war and come back to her.
The meeting had been arranged at a neutral location—an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city, far from the bustling streets of Palermo. It was the kind of place where deals were made in secret, where no one asked questions, and where blood had been spilled before.
Luca arrives with Miguel and several of his most trusted men, each of them armed and ready for anything. The air is thick with tension as they exit the cars, their eyes scanning the area for any sign of an ambush. Luca’s heart is pounding in his chest, but his expression remains cold and unreadable. He can’t show any sign of weakness—not here, not now.
Miguel falls into step beside him, his face grim. “We’ve got eyes on the perimeter,” he updates quietly. “No sign of trouble... yet.”
Luca nods, his jaw tightening. “Keep it that way.”
As they approach the entrance to the warehouse, Luca can see several of Santino Romero’s men standing guard outside. Their eyes narrowed as Luca and his men draw closer, but they step aside, allowing them to pass without issue. It was a show of respect—or perhaps fear. Either way, it didn’t matter. Luca was here to settle things once and for all.
Inside the warehouse, the atmosphere was just as tense. The space was large and empty, the only sound the echo of their footsteps against the concrete floor. At the far end of the room, a long table had been set up, and Santino Romero sat at the head of it, flanked by two of his remaining lieutenants.
Luca’s eyes locked onto Santino’s the moment he entered the room. The man looked older than the last time they had met—his face gaunt, his eyes hollow, but there was still a dangerous glint in his gaze. He wasn’t defeated yet, and that made him all the more dangerous.
“Luca,” Santino greets, his voice raspy. “Thank you for agreeing to meet.”
Luca doesn’t respond immediately. He takes a moment to assess the room, his eyes sweeping over every detail before finally stepping forward. “I didn’t come here for pleasantries,” he says coldly. “What do you want?”
Santino’s lips curl into a thin smile. “Straight to the point, I see. Very well.”
He gestures to the empty chairs across from him. Luca’s men took their positions, standing behind him as he and Miguel sit down. The tension in the room is suffocating, both sides watching the other closely, waiting for any sign of betrayal.
“We’re here because you’re losing,” Luca said bluntly, his voice cold. “Your empire is crumbling, and you know it. You asked for this meeting because you’re desperate.”
Santino’s eyes flash with anger, but he doesn’t deny it. “I won’t lie to you, Tempo,” he responds, his voice filled with bitterness. “You’ve backed us into a corner. But that doesn’t mean I’m finished.”
Luca raises an eyebrow. “Then why the truce? Why not fight to the end if you think you still have a chance?”
Santino leans back in his chair, his eyes narrowing. “Because I’m not stupid. I know when the odds aren’t in my favour. But I also know that wars like these don’t end cleanly. There’s always a price to be paid, and I’m offering you a way to avoid that.”
Luca’s expression remains hard. He doesn’t trust Santino—not for a second. But he was willing to hear him out.
“What are you proposing?” Luca asks, his voice flat.
Santino leans forward, his gaze sharp. “I’m offering you a ceasefire. We’ll pull out of Palermo, shut down our operations here, and leave you in control. In exchange, you let us keep our remaining assets outside of Sicily. We walk away with what’s left of our business, and you don’t have to worry about us coming after you again.”
Miguel snorted from beside Luca. “You expect us to believe that?”
Santino’s gaze flickers to Miguel for a brief moment before returning to Luca. “You don’t have to believe me. But you should believe in self-preservation. I’ve lost enough men already. I’m not interested in dying for a lost cause.”
Luca studies Santino closely, his mind working through the possibilities. A ceasefire would mean an end to the bloodshed, at least for now. But it also meant letting the Romero’s walk away with their lives. And Luca wasn’t sure he was ready to do that.
“What’s stopping me from killing you right here, right now?” Luca asks coldly, his hand resting on the gun at his side.
Santino’s smile fades, but he doesn’t flinch. “Because you’re not a fool, Tempo. You know that if you kill me, there will be others. Men loyal to my family, men who won’t stop until they’ve avenged me. But if you let us walk away, you’ll have complete control of Palermo. No more war. No more bloodshed.”
Luca’s jaw clenches, his mind racing. He didn’t trust Santino, but there was a logic to his words. Killing him now would only invite more chaos, more enemies. But letting him live—letting him walk away with a sliver of power—could buy Luca the peace he needed to protect Phoenix, to build a future without constant threats.
He glances at Miguel, who is watching him closely, waiting for his decision.
Luca takes a deep breath, his eyes narrowing as he turns back to Santino. “Fine,” he agrees quietly. “You walk away. But if I ever see your face in Palermo again, if I hear so much as a whisper of your name, I’ll end you myself. No negotiations. No second chances.”
Santino nods slowly, relief washing over his features. “Agreed.”
Luca stands, his men following suit as they prepare to leave. But before he turns to go, he looks at Santino one last time, his voice low and filled with warning. “Don’t test me.”
Santino doesn’t respond, but the message was clear. The Romero’s had been defeated, and Luca was the one holding the reins now.
As they left the warehouse, Luca’s mind was already on Phoenix. He had made a deal tonight, one that would protect her, but it didn’t feel like a victory. It felt like a reprieve—temporary and fragile.
The war wasn’t over. Not yet.