16. Luciano
Luciano
“Find out everything about Monroe Faith Jenkins,” I say to Angelo. “She’s Fallon’s best friend.”
Angelo nods and gets to work on his phone while I stare at the screen of mine, waiting for another text from Fallon.
Massimo side-eyes me from his seat, as Alessandro stares across while we’re flying at thirty thousand feet in our luxurious private jet.
Normally, Alessandro and I handle these meetings as the heads of the Italians, but because of the severity of this situation, we brought Massimo and Gio, as well as all our personal security.
The thought of another Italian family—the Morettis—stealing from their own blood is a sickening betrayal.
The worst of the worst, and they know it.
The fact that they agreed to meet with us in person tells us two things.
Either they’re traitors and stupid, or they didn’t do this, and we have a leak somewhere in between.
“I’ve never known you to be so obsessed with a woman before,” Massimo says seriously.
To my surprise, Alessandro speaks up before I do.
“I can see why he is,” he admits. “Fallon is different from the women we’re used to fawning over us. She’s real and a fighter. I don’t think she could be fake if she tried. I like her, honestly.”
That makes me smile, and Massimo raises his eyebrows, nodding his own approval.
“Fallon has been hurt a lot in her life, and instead of being a victim, she’s a fighter,” I tell them. “She needs a Daddy to take care of her, though. She needs safety and boundaries and people she trusts.”
Massimo shrugs. “I guess she found the right man, then, because you come with a whole army of men who will have her back.”
These men surrounding me might be nosy assholes at times, but deep down we all love each other. They will care for Fallon simply because I do. It’s loyalty, and it’s the way we live and breathe.
Gio joins us, taking the seat next to Alessandro that Angelo vacated moments ago.
“We’re going to land in about twenty. What’s the plan?” Gio asks.
The hair on the back of my neck rises, and I shake my head, disgusted that we have to deal with this bullshit.
“We’re going to meet with them and ask where our emeralds are. If they don’t have an answer, we give them forty-eight hours to find them and return them to us,” Alessandro says. “Or else.”
I check my phone again, waiting for a message from Fallon before we land because it’s already been far too long since I’ve heard from her. Even if it has only been half an hour.
“I’m going to loop Killian and Nikolai in on this so they’re aware. I’m sure if there’s any unrest about to happen, the Irish will want to put their wives in lockdown for the time being,” I say, typing out a message to them.
Alessandro watches me for a moment before he glances out of the window where everything is pitch-black outside.
“Make sure they include Paige Gilroy in the lockdown. The Moretti family knows the Irish are our allies. I wouldn’t put it past them to go after our women in retaliation if they get pissed. ”
He isn’t wrong. The Sicilians don’t abide by the common rules of the American syndicates like the rest of us. I wouldn’t put it past them to harm women. It’s getting to the point that we may need to create a larger alliance with more syndicates so we can chase the Morettis back to Sicily.
I send both Killian and Nikolai a message, then switch to Fallon’s thread.
Luciano: Are you tucked into bed, baby girl?
It’s almost midnight, which means she should be at least getting ready to go to sleep soon. If she’s deciding to obey me, that is.
Fallon: Yes. I just got off the phone with my friend. Thank you for the sandwich, it was delicious.
My chest loosens slightly, knowing she ate and is snuggled up in her new bed. If only I could be there to really tire her out.
The heat between her legs was almost enough to make me come in my pants even though we were both fully dressed.
The skimpy shorts and tank top she had on when she came out of the shower had me salivating just looking at her.
Fallon has no idea how sexy and beautiful she is.
I think that’s one of my favorite things about her.
Though I’m starting to realize there are many things about her that I’m obsessed with.
Luciano: You’re welcome, princess. Are you keeping your hands off your hot little pussy like a good girl?
Fallon: Hmm. I haven’t decided yet.
I chuckle and shake my head. Such a brat.
Luciano: Just remember, good girls get rewards, and naughty girls get punished.
Fallon: What if I can’t handle being punished? What if I’m not good at this sort of dynamic? I’ve never been spanked.
Luciano: I’ll never give you more than you can handle, baby. I’ll never abuse you. You’ll always have a safeword, even during punishment. And if you truly can’t handle it, there are other ways to punish you other than spankings.
Fallon: You seem so sure of yourself.
Luciano: I know what works for me, princess. I think it will work for you too, from the reaction you’ve had to me talking about it. I know the idea of submitting to me turns you on. You wouldn’t have been as wet as you were earlier if it didn’t.
I didn’t want to embarrass her by pointing it out earlier when I could feel the dampness soaking through her jeans. Fallon wants this, but she’s afraid to give up control because of her past.
The wheels of the plane touch the ground, and I sigh.
Luciano: I have to go. I’ll be home in the morning. Sleep well, princess.
Fallon: Night, Luciano.
Luciano: I prefer Daddy.
The three dots appear and disappear several times over the course of a few minutes, and I watch the screen before we step off the plane and move toward the waiting bulletproof SUVs. Just when I’m about to lock my phone and slide it in my pocket, a message comes through.
Fallon: Night, Daddy.
I stare at the text in silence as we move through Las Vegas toward our meeting.
We may have only known each other for a short time, but I have no doubt I’m going to spend the rest of my life with this woman.
And I think she’s finally starting to understand that I’m like not any of the people from her past. I’m the man who is going to give her everything she’s always deserved but never got.
“Where are our gems?” Alessandro asks.
Gabriele Moretti, the leader of the Sicilian mafia, meets his gaze with his own, the skin around his eyes wrinkled and weathered, and holds up his shaky hands. “I assure you, we had nothing to do with your missing emeralds. You know the containers pass through many hands in the shipping process.”
I lean forward and rest my elbows on the table, the barrel of my gun digging into my back.
“The hands belong to you, Gabriele. Whether your own or your men, they belong to the Moretti family, which means you are responsible. You know this. So, either you’re lying to us, or you have a thief in your ranks.
Whichever it is, twenty-five million dollars is on your head right now.
And you know that isn’t a number we’re going to turn a blind eye to. ”
The tension in the room is so thick that the only ones who sit at the table are me, Alessandro, Gabriele, and his underboss, Romeo.
The rest of the men in the room are standing, shoulders squared, eyes scanning, ready for anything that may happen.
And with the way this meeting is going, it may end with bloodshed.
I don’t believe the Moretti syndicate has nothing to do with this.
There’s something off about these men tonight.
I can’t put my finger on it, but I don’t like it. Alessandro senses it, too.
“You’re blaming the wrong people,” Gabriele says as he stares at us. “We don’t have any interest in your gems. We run drugs and guns and tail.” He smirks as the last word comes out, like it’s something to be proud of.
It makes me sick that people in my own bloodline can sell women and live with themselves.
They don’t understand that women are the most precious beings in this world.
Without them, we would not be here today, sitting in this luxurious meeting room.
Without them, no one would have children. Without them, we would be nothing.
Fallon’s sweet face floats through my mind. She’s everything the world needs. How they can hurt women just like her, I’ll never know. Or Lacey. Women who deserve everything.
I bite back a snarl and glare at them with disgust.
I want to kill these guys right here.
We knew they trafficked women. Each syndicate is welcome to deal whatever they wish.
The De Luca organization only messes with diamonds, gems, and precious metals, and the good old-fashioned line of betting.
Of course, we have our more legitimate businesses as well, bringing in revenue.
Between us, the Irish, and the Russians in Seattle, we own about ninety percent of the city.
And we take care of our city in return. Give back to women and children in need.
These snakes are fucking dealing them.
Staying professional, I tilt my head to Alessandro. His expression is as dark as I feel inside about these men. They are not to be trusted, and we know it.
“The Moretti family has only had blood in the Italian mafia for half a century. When your family came into this, it was by ways and means that no one trusted. It seems you’re still upholding that reputation. You have forty-eight hours to locate our emeralds…or else,” Alessandro warns.
I watch closely, and as soon as Alessandro puts his hand on the arm of his chair, I rise with him. He’s calling this meeting over, and he did it with a threat. Which means he knows they’re guilty.
We don’t make idle threats.
Both Gabriele and Romeo burst out of their chairs as well, their expressions as dangerous as ours.