36. Luca
36
LUCA
G od, getting onto the Marino grounds is so fucking easy. All I had to say is that Mia’s husband requires an audience with Dominico Sicura and I was in without a second glance.
I storm into the Marino house, my heart pounding with a mixture of rage and anticipation. I can hear the commotion behind me as the butler sputters and follows me, but I don’t care. I’m here for one reason, and one reason only.
“Where’s Dom?” I demand, my voice echoing through the grand foyer. “I need to see him. Now.”
There’s a moment of tense silence before I hear footsteps approaching. Dom appears at the top of the stairs, his face a mask of calm composure that only fuels my anger.
“Luca,” he says, his voice steady. “What’s this about?”
I clench my fists, fighting the urge to rush up the stairs and throttle him right there. “We need to talk,” I growl. “Privately.”
Dom studies me for a moment, then nods. “Very well. Follow me.”
He leads me to his study, and as we enter, I see Sofia sitting behind the desk. She looks up, surprise flickering across her face before she schools her features into a neutral expression.
“Luca,” she says, her tone cool. “Where’s Mia?”
“That’s not important,” I snap, my eyes never leaving Dom.
Sofia slams her pen down on the desk, standing up abruptly. “The hell it’s not,” she snarls. “Where is my fucking sister, Luca?”
I turn to her, my patience wearing thin. “She’s safe,” I snarl back. “Which is more than I can say for your husband if you don’t back the fuck off.”
Dom steps forward, his eyes flashing with anger. “Watch your tone, Strambo,” he snaps. “You’re in my house now.”
The tension in the room is palpable, a powder keg ready to explode. I can feel the weight of the gun in my jacket, calling to me. It would be so easy to end this right now.
But no. Not yet. I want them to understand why I’m here. I want to see the fear in their eyes when they realize what’s coming.
“I heard about your promotion, Dom,” I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Don of the Sicura family as well now. Quite an accomplishment.”
Dom’s eyes narrow, suspicion clear in his gaze. “Thank you,” he says cautiously. “Is that why you’re here? To offer congratulations?”
I laugh, the sound harsh and bitter. “Oh, I’ve brought you a present, alright,” I say, reaching into my jacket. “A bullet that’s been waiting far too long.”
Sofia’s eyes widen as I pull out the gun, training it on Dom. “Luca, no!” she cries out. “You can’t do this. You swore to put your rivalry aside when you married Mia. You’d be breaking your vows to her!”
Her words hit me like a physical blow, but I push the feeling aside. “Mia will forgive me in time,” I say, even as a part of me doubts the truth of those words. “She understands why I have to do this.”
Dom stands perfectly still, his eyes never leaving mine. “Think about what you’re doing, Luca,” he says, his voice low and intense. “This isn’t just about us anymore. Think about Mia, about your future together.”
I tighten my grip on the gun, my finger itching to pull the trigger. “My future?” I spit out. “What future? Your family took everything from me. My father, my mother, any chance at a normal life. And now you get to stand there, with everything I should have had, and tell me about my future?”
The rage that’s been simmering inside me for years threatens to boil over. I can feel myself starting to lose control, the need for revenge overwhelming everything else.
But before I can pull the trigger, the door bursts open. Mia rushes in, her face pale and her eyes wide with fear.
“Luca, stop!” she cries out, placing herself between me and Dom. “Please, you can’t do this!”
I stare at her, momentarily stunned. How the hell did she get here? I had her fucking locked in our room! Who disobeyed my orders and let her out?
“Mia,” I say, my voice hoarse. “Get out of the way. You don’t understand?—”
“No, Luca,” she cuts me off, her voice firm despite the tremor I can hear in it. “It’s you who doesn’t understand. Dom isn’t the one who killed your parents. He’s not the one who pulled the trigger. You can’t hold him responsible for things that happened when you were children!”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I falter, my grip on the gun loosening slightly.
Mia takes a step closer, her eyes pleading. “Your father died protecting Don Sicura, Luca. It was a tragic accident. And your mother… she was ill. Their deaths aren’t on Dom.”
I shake my head, trying to clear the confusion her words are causing. “No,” I growl. "The Sicuras took everything from me. They destroyed my family!”
“Is that what you believe?” Dom’s voice cuts through my anger. I look at him, surprised to see genuine shock on his face. “Luca, is that what destroyed our friendship? You think I had something to do with your father’s death?”
I scoff, even as doubt begins to take root. “You expect me to believe you didn’t know? That you had no part in it?”
Dom shakes his head slowly. “I swear to you, Luca, I had no idea. Your father was a hero. He saved my father’s life. We mourned him, all of us.”
I shake my head, trying to clear the confusion her words are causing. “No,” I growl. “The Sicuras took everything from me. They destroyed my family! Your father sold our house, Dom. He kicked us out!”
Dom’s eyes widen in surprise. “Sold your house? Luca, is that what you think happened?”
“I know that’s what happened,” I snarl. “Don Sicura called my mother into his study and told her. She told me everything afterward, that he was selling our house. Said it was for our own good, that we’d be more comfortable in a smaller place.”
Dom takes a step forward, his hands raised placatingly. “Luca, that’s not what happened at all. My father didn’t sell your house. He put it in a trust for you.”
I falter, confusion washing over me. “What?”
“It’s true,” Dom says earnestly. “He knew your mother was struggling after your father’s death. He was worried she might make rash decisions, might sell the house out of desperation. So he put it in a trust to protect it for you. It was meant to be yours when you turned twenty-one.”
I shake my head, unable to process this information. “No, that’s… that’s not possible. We moved to a small apartment in the city.”
“Yes.” Dom nods. “Because my father thought a change of scenery might help your mother heal. But the house was always meant to be yours, Luca. It still is. It’s been waiting for you all this time.”
The gun wavers in my hand as I struggle to reconcile this new information with the narrative I’ve believed for so long. “But… but why didn’t anyone tell me?”
Dom’s face falls. “We thought you knew. God, Luca, I’m so sorry. We should have made sure you understood what was happening.”
Mia seizes on this moment of hesitation. “Luca, remember what you told me? About Dom’s birthday party? About feeling like an outsider?”
I flinch at the memory, the pain still fresh after all these years.
Dom’s face pales. “The party? Luca, I… I didn’t understand back then. I was just a kid, trying to fit in. I never meant to hurt you.”
“You threw money at me,” I spit out, the old anger rising. I shove the house information away. There will be time later to investigate it. “Like I was some beggar at your gate.”
Understanding dawns in Dom’s eyes. “God, Luca. I was trying to help. I didn’t know how to handle it. I’m so sorry.”
Mia’s voice is gentle but firm. “Luca, you’ve been carrying this pain for so long. But killing Dom won’t bring your parents back. It won’t heal the wounds of the past.”
I look at Mia, then back at Dom. The gun in my hand feels heavier now, the certainty of my actions wavering.
“It doesn’t matter,” I say, but my voice lacks conviction. “Even if you didn’t pull the trigger, your family is responsible. And killing you will punish Don Sicura better than any other form of revenge.”
Mia gasps, her eyes filling with tears. “Luca, please,” she begs. “This isn’t you. This isn’t the man I married. The man I love.”
For a moment, her words pierce through the haze of anger and pain. I look at her, really look at her, and I see the love in her eyes. The fear, yes, but also the unwavering belief in me.
But then I remember my mother’s lifeless body, the years of pain and loneliness. The rage comes rushing back, drowning out everything else.
“I’m sorry, Mia,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “But I have to do this. For my parents. For everything that was taken from me.”
I raise the gun again, aiming it squarely at Dom’s chest. He stands there, his face a blend of resignation and sorrow. Sofia cries out, moving to shield her husband, but Dom gently pushes her aside.
“If this is what you need to do, Luca,” he says softly, “then do it. But know that it won’t bring you peace. It won’t bring your parents back.”
His words wash over me, but they can’t penetrate the wall of anger and pain I’ve built around myself. All I can see is the target, the embodiment of everything that’s been taken from me.
Mia makes one last desperate attempt to reach me. “Luca, please,” she sobs. “If you do this, we’re done. I can’t be with a murderer. Please, don’t throw away everything we have.”
For a split second, I hesitate. The thought of losing Mia, of destroying the life we’ve built together, sends a jolt of fear through me. But it’s too late. I’m too far gone, too consumed by my need for revenge.
“I’m sorry, Mia,” I say, my voice hollow. “But if you’ve forgiven your father for his sins, then you’ll forgive me. I have to do this.”
Dom braces himself, his eyes meeting mine one last time. In them, I see a mix of emotions—regret, sorrow, and something that looks almost like forgiveness.
But it doesn’t matter. Nothing matters now except this moment, this act that I’ve been building toward for years. As I tighten my finger on the trigger and an explosion sounds, I’m filled with a sense of relief and satisfaction.
Finally, after all these years, I will have my revenge.