17. Chapter Seventeen
17
Sofia
Sitting on the edge of the bed, looking up at Luca, my heart pounded as he took me in with dark, possessive eyes. I'd seen him look like this a thousand times before, but it was never directed towards me.
I reached up to place a trembling hand on his chest. Luca's breath caught as I pressed my lips to the spot, the rapid-fire beat of his heart thudding against his sternum. My fingers trailed down his stomach to his cock, tented against his trousers, and he hissed in a breath.
"Sofia."
The sound of my name was enough to make my blood boil, my skin tightening with need. He said my name in that way that no other man ever did, my name a plea on his tongue.
His fingers traced a line down my cheek and jaw, tilting my head back. I gasped softly when his lips met mine, our kiss deep, yet gentle, and slow, so unlike any we'd shared before.
"Are you okay with this?" he murmured. "Because once I start with you, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop. So tell me. Tell me right now--"
"I don't want you to stop." I silenced him with a kiss, pulling his lower lip between my teeth and biting down until he hissed.
He released a ragged exhale when I pulled away, shaking his head in wonder. "You are going to be the death of me."
A pang went through my chest, twisting tighter with each word. But before I could answer, he crushed his mouth to mine again, pouring every ounce of passion, desire, and adoration into it, overwhelming my senses. His tongue slid into my mouth, hot and demanding, tangling with my own. Luca's lips were soft, the rough scratch of stubble scraping deliciously along my jaw, heightening everything until I was panting for breath, gasping when he finally tore himself away and started kissing down my throat.
A growl rumbled up from his chest, and his grip on me tightened, tugging at my clothes impatiently. I broke the kiss and pulled away, looking up at him expectantly. His expression turned feral, hungry. He took a step forward, closing the distance between us. With a flick of his wrist, the buttons of my dress came undone, the silk falling off my shoulders to pool on the floor. I stepped out of it, kicking it aside, and stood before him in nothing but my underwear. My pulse fluttered, my breath catching in my throat as he traced his fingers along my collarbone, brushing against the swells of my breasts, trailing down to my stomach. I sucked in a breath as he cupped my breasts, his thumb flicking over my nipple.
"God, you're fucking beautiful," he whispered. His voice was thick, rough with want, and he leaned down, pulling the cup of my bra aside and taking one of my nipples into his mouth. He sucked on it, teasing it between his teeth until it hardened to a peak. I arched my back, pressing closer, my breath stuttering as he rolled my other nipple between his fingers, tugging lightly.
"Luca," I whispered his name. "Please..."
I didn't even know what I was begging for, but he seemed to understand. His hand slid lower, over my belly, slipping inside my panties and cupping me. I let out a soft cry at the contact, his fingers pressing against my clit, rubbing circles around the swollen nub.
"So wet for me," he murmured, slipping one finger inside me, stroking me gently. He slipped another inside me, curling his fingers forward and hitting a spot that made my entire body jolt. Heat bloomed in my core, sending sparks racing through my veins, setting me ablaze from the inside out.
I leaned forward, gripping the material of his shirt, tugging it loose from his pants and working on getting rid of it as soon as possible. Luca chuckled quietly against my skin, reaching behind me to undo the clasp of my bra. I pushed the thin straps off my shoulders and tossed it aside. His hands trailed back up to cup my breasts again, squeezing them gently as he continued his ministrations between my legs, leaving me gasping and moaning. When I finally got his shirt unbuttoned, he released me briefly, helping me push it off his shoulders. Then his mouth was back on mine, kissing me hungrily as I worked his belt buckle and pushed his pants down his hips.
He kicked them off and they fell into a pile at his feet, forgotten. I looked down, sucking in a sharp breath at the sight of him naked for the first time. The lines of his body, carved and honed by violence and suffering, told a story all their own. I ran my fingers down his chest, over old scars that told of battles fought and won. I kissed each scar I could find, reverently, whispering against his skin as I moved lower, down his stomach to his hips. His muscles flexed, trembling under my lips, and he let out a low groan as I knelt in front of him, licking along the V of his hip bones, inching closer to where he needed me most.
"Sofia, wait, you don't have to..." he breathed, his fingers threading through my hair, holding tight.
"Shhh. I know." I wrapped my hand around him, giving him a couple of teasing strokes. Luca swore quietly, his cock twitching in my hand. I smiled to myself as I leaned forward, flicking my tongue across the tip and circling it before sliding my mouth over him. The strangled noise he made as I took him deeper emboldened me, sending a wave of heat straight between my thighs. I bobbed my head slowly, relishing the sounds he was making, the feel of him in my mouth.
"Oh, fuck. Just like that, angel," he ground out, his grip on my hair tightening, urging me further down until I had him fully in my throat. "That feels so goddamn good..."
He pulled away suddenly and drew me to my feet, capturing my lips in a rough kiss, pushing me back towards the bed. His hands gripped my hips, dragging me against him, the friction of his skin against mine making me gasp. Luca pushed me onto the mattress, following me down, his weight settling over me, caging me in. He kissed his way down my neck, stopping to suck a mark at the base of my throat, then continued his path down my chest and stomach, hooking his fingers in the waistband of my underwear. He pulled them off as well, dropping them to the floor, and settled between my legs, spreading them wider with his broad shoulders.
Then he dipped his head, running the flat of his tongue up my slit slowly, parting my lips to explore, finding my clit and circling it torturously, lashing it with light flicks.
"Luca..." I cried out his name as I writhed beneath him, arching my hips, seeking more contact. He chuckled softly as he continued to lap at me, sucking lightly on my clit, alternating between fast, hard sucks that made me buck wildly into his mouth and slow, languid pulls that made me whimper with need.
Luca's hands tightened against my hips as he feasted on me, thrusting two fingers inside me again, pumping them steadily in rhythm with his tongue. He crooked them forward, hitting a spot deep inside me that made me gasp aloud, arching my back, wanting more. Needing more.
"Luka," I panted. "I'm going to come if you keep doing that."
"Yes," he replied. "You are."
I cried out again as he increased his pace, fingering me harder, faster, matching the pace of his fingers with his tongue. His tongue circled my clit, flicking the swollen nub until my toes curled. The orgasm that hit me was sudden and powerful, my inner muscles tightening around his fingers as I came apart, quaking uncontrollably.
Luca licked at me as I came down, keeping his mouth against my pussy, tasting me with lazy strokes. Only when the last tremors faded did he finally raise his head, licking his lips with a pleased hum.
"Delicious." He crawled up my body, planting a series of kisses across my flushed skin. "How are you doing, baby girl?"
My brain was hazy, fuzzy with pleasure. "Mmm."
"I'm not done with you yet."
Luca wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me down until he caged me with his arms, pinning me to the mattress. A muscular thigh parted mine, and I felt the hot, heavy weight of him press against me. I lifted my hips instinctively, angling my hips against his, until I felt the blunt tip of his cock at my entrance. Luca dropped his forehead to mine, his dark eyes meeting mine.
"Sofia." My name on his lips was a prayer, his voice husky as he braced himself on his forearms on either side of me. "Look at me, angel. I need to see you..."
He brushed the tip against my center, slowly sliding inside. My breath hitched as he stretched me, filling me, taking his time to give me time to adjust to him. Inch by slow inch. I grabbed hold of his biceps, digging my nails into the muscle as I tried desperately to catch my breath, to brace myself as Luca sheathed himself inside me fully. Luca gave a slow thrust of his hips, testing, pushing himself deeper until he filled me completely, until we were as close as two people could be. I sucked in a ragged breath, my body trembling. He was everywhere, his scent filling my lungs, his warmth seeping into me. It felt so right, as if we were meant to be like this, entangled, entwined, joined together in the most intimate way possible.
Then he began to move.
Slow, sweet friction as Luca pulled out fully and thrust into me again, seating himself to the hilt and locking our hips together. A complete joining with each other as he withdrew again, thrusting powerfully back into me. Slowly. Completely. Each stroke a silent declaration. Pleasure and promise building and building with every roll of his hips.
This wasn't just sex, not anymore. This was something more, something deeper, something I was afraid would destroy us if we examined it to closely.
The thought was fleeting, gone the instant it entered my head. I let myself go. I stopped fighting and gave in to the sensations coursing through my veins, to the feel of him inside me, over me, surrounding me. The way his mouth moved over my skin, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.
"Sofia...oh, God. Sofia..." Luca groaned as he increased the speed, the force of his thrusts, sending me sliding further up the bed with each impact.
I clutched at his back, dragging my nails down the smooth expanse. I wanted to mark him as well, brand him as mine and mine alone, to stake a claim to him, so no one could ever take him from me. Luca's teeth scraped against the sensitive spot at the crook of my neck and I cried out, arching into him, pushing myself harder against his cock.
Luca growled, a possessive, animalistic sound that vibrated deep in his chest and made me shudder. Grabbing ahold of my wrists, he pinned them above my head. Then he drew back, slowly, before snapping his hips, thrusting inside me harder than before. He repeated the motion again and again, taking me with increasing intensity, building a delicious pressure that threatened to consume me whole. His movements grew wild, uncoordinated, the muscles of his back and shoulders flexing beneath my fingers, bunching with the effort, his powerful hips driving forward until he coaxed me over the edge of oblivion. Luca followed me a moment later, spilling inside of me with a low groan that sounded wrenched out of him, broken and helpless against the intensity of his release.
Luca continued to thrust as he filled me, gasping my name as he folded over, burying his face in my hair. Against my breasts, I could feel his heart pumping wildly, unsteadily. I clutched at him, trembling in the aftermath of what we'd done, the intensity of the moment we shared leaving a void in its wake so frightening I was afraid I'd disintegrate to pieces and float away without Luca anchoring me.
Silence surrounded us. Nothing moved, nothing stirred except for our breaths, quick and uneven. Finally, after what felt like hours but must've been only minutes, he shifted his weight off me, letting go of my wrists to wrap an arm around my waist and roll us both onto our sides, wrapping the sheet around us. He pulled me into his chest, pressing a tender kiss to my temple. I blinked back tears as I felt him relax, his breathing becoming softer, steadier.
"Hey, hey," he said quietly. "You okay?"
I nodded silently as I fought to get my emotions under control. There were too many thoughts, too much to think about, too much to understand, to process, and none of it made any sense at all.
"Come here." He tucked me into the curve of his shoulder and wrapped an arm around me. His breath was warm against my cheek as he murmured soothingly into my ear, stroking my back. "Sleep now. I've got you, angel."
***
Soft light filtered through the blackout curtains we'd forgotten to close the night before, spreading across the rumpled blankets covering us. Luca was wrapped around me, his large hand cupping my breast, his muscular thigh slung over mine and keeping me pinned to the bed. His breathing was soft and steady, his body warm and solid against my back.
I stretched slowly, careful not to jostle him, and smiled when he grumbled sleepily in my ear. I ran my fingers lightly along his forearm, tracing the veins beneath the skin. Last night replayed in my mind on repeat, everything from the restaurant, the dancing, the talking...the sex...and now waking up next to him. It was almost too surreal, a dreamscape that would dissolve as soon as I reached out and touched it. I wanted to stay here forever, in this moment, with him.
Luca shifted, his arm tightening around me. His hand on my breast tightened faintly, and against my ass, his arousal thickened. He made a low sound, his voice rough with sleep, and I shifted, pushing my rear against his hips.
He groaned, and I felt his lips curve against my skin. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing," I breathed, biting my lip to keep from laughing.
He snorted, then slid his hand over my stomach and between my thighs, teasing me gently. His fingertips brushed my clit, and I jerked against him, gasping.
"Doesn't feel like nothing," he murmured.
I laughed, but it turned into a moan as his fingers circled my clit. I spread my legs, arching back against him. My head fell back onto his shoulder, and he kissed me, his tongue sliding against mine.
"Fuck, you taste good," he whispered. He rolled me onto my back, and loomed over me, his dark eyes searching my face. "You okay after last night?"
I nodded, raking my nails down his chest and stomach to grasp his cock and stroke it. He shivered, his eyelids fluttering, then swooped down to claim my lips again in a hot, bruising kiss. His cock rubbed against my clit and I moaned into his mouth, wrapping my legs around his hips and using my heels to pull him towards me.
"I wanted to go slow," he said between kisses. His voice was strained. "Tease you a little. But I can’t wait."
"I don't want that right now," I gasped. "I want you, Luca."
"Greedy." He bit down gently on my lower lip. "I like it."
"Then what are you waiting for?"
Luca's eyes widened as I rolled over on top of him, and he let out a soft laugh as I grabbed ahold of his cock and sank down on him, sheathing him deep inside me.
"Holy shit..." His head fell back on the pillows. His fingers flexed on my thighs, holding on tightly.
This time wasn't slow or gentle, but I didn't care. I dug my nails into his shoulders and met him thrust for thrust, moaning into his mouth. His hands slid under my back and pulled me closer, his cock plunging into me harder, faster, and I let go.
I shattered. Fractured. Dissolving into a million glittering shards of ecstasy until I felt him jerk beneath me, coming with a low cry that shook the walls. I collapsed onto him, breathing heavily, feeling him twitch inside of me as he rode out the waves of his own release as his lips moved silently against my skin.
Suddenly, the effort of holding myself up was too much, and I nuzzled against Luca's chest, listening to his heart slow. "So...good morning?" I asked when I could speak.
"Mm." He trailed his fingertips down my spine, then back up, tucking a lock of my hair behind my ear. "A very good morning. Best morning."
"Agreed."
He chuckled, and the sound reverberated through me. It was so rare to hear him laugh like that, and it was a beautiful sound. I smiled against his skin.
"How are you feeling?" I asked him softly, stroking my fingers down his chest and stomach.
"Amazing." Luca smiled at me, but his gaze slid away from mine, and he rolled to the side of the bed. I propped myself up on my elbow, watching him. He didn't turn around, but I could see his shoulders stiffen.
"What is it?"
"Nothing, just sat up too fast." Luca gave me another little smile. "Be right back."
The lazy ecstasy I’d felt earlier dissolved as I watched him disappear into the bathroom, trying not to show how much he was leaning on the wall for support. I heard the sound of running water, then the sound of the pills rattling.
I sighed.
Luca was lying again. He was still in pain, and the dizziness or whatever it was, the headaches, weren't going away. They were getting worse, despite the adjusted medication. But the doctor had checked him out and said he was fine, right?
I pushed the blankets off my legs and swung them over the side of the bed, pausing for a moment at the unfamiliar ache in my thighs. Then I got up and padded into the bathroom, grabbing his robe off the door and pulling it around myself.
Luca was standing in front of the sink, his hands braced on either side of the white porcelain, staring down at the basin. He looked up as I approached, and the small smile he gave me was strained.
"What's going on, Luca? What aren't you telling me?" I took his arm, but he wouldn't look at me.
"Sofia, please," he muttered.
"I'm worried about you. I want to help."
"I don't need help. I just need these meds to fucking work." He turned to face me, and I saw him swallow hard before he spoke again. "I'm fine. Okay?"
I bit my lip, nodding, and he cupped my cheek. He bent to kiss me, but I pulled away. "Are you hungry? Do you want me to make you breakfast?"
Luca sighed. "Yeah, sure. I'll be out in a minute." He leaned against the sink, and I left him to it, tying my robe tightly around myself.
Luca's fine. He's fine.
***
Luca stayed home that day, so I had no choice but to go to the interview I'd scheduled. It had been well over a week since I had actually gone to an interview, and while I felt a little bad about deceiving Luca, it wasn't a total lie. Yes, I'd turned down the first offer. Yes, I'd been pretty lackadaisical about callbacks. But I couldn't bear the thought of leaving Luca. Not now. I didn't know if I ever would be able to, even if I did find a job.
I knew he'd never ask me to stay. In fact, he'd probably try to convince me to leave, because he was convinced he was dragging me down.
And that was the problem.
I was scared I'd lose him if I left, but I was just as scared of losing him if I stayed.
I shook myself, shoving those thoughts away. It was too much, too heavy, and I didn't want to deal with it right now.
The building I was supposed to interview at was across town, but it was a nice day, so I walked, heels clicking on the pavement and enjoying the sunshine. I stopped for a coffee and a pastry on the way and sipped it while I walked. I had a few hours, and I wanted to enjoy the day. With everything that had happened, it had been a while since I had been able to enjoy something so simple.
But, unfortunately, fate had a different plan.
I was nearly there when a black SUV pulled up next to me and angled itself towards the curb, aggressively blocking my path.
There was no doubt that the man who got out was police. Cheap, tidy suit and a fade cropped close to his scalp. Sunglasses and a blankly intimidating look on his face. No visible gun, but I’d been around violence long enough to know that didn’t mean he wasn’t carrying. I turned and started to walk the other way.
"Miss Russo," he called. "Please stop."
"Leave me alone," I called back, hurrying my steps, one hand drifting into my purse where I kept my little pistol. Suddenly it seemed woefully inadequate.
"Sofia Russo," the man called again. His hand touched my shoulder, and I whirled around, pulling the pistol.
The man lifted his hands as two more men exited the vehicle. "Whoa. It's okay. Let’s all calm down."
Waving at the men behind him, he lowered his hands. "I'm Agent Sinclair with the FBI." He pulled a wallet out of his pocket, flipping it open to reveal a badge. "I just want to talk to you."
"About what?" I asked him warily.
“How about we start by lowing the gun? Please?”
“I thought Feds didn’t say please.”
Sinclair’s lips curled into a wry but good-natured smile. “What can I say. My mother was a stickler for manners. Now, about that gun?”
My fingers tightened around the pistol, and for a moment, I was tempted to just run. But the men behind him looked like they were ready to chase me down, and I knew I wouldn't get very far. I slowly lowered the pistol, placing it back into my purse, but keeping my hand close to the opening. "What's this about?"
"Come with me and I'll tell you," he said, nodding towards the car.
"I'm not getting in the car with you," I snapped.
Sinclair sighed. "Look, Miss Russo. You have two choices. You can either walk over to the car willingly, or you can do it in handcuffs. I think your brother Julian would be very upset to see that splashed across the evening news, don't you?"
I glared at him. "Fine," I muttered. "I'll go with you, but I don't know what you want."
"Just to talk."
The drive to the FBI headquarters was silent, and I stared out the window, trying to keep my nerves in check. Sinclair hadn't said anything else after he'd gotten in the car, and neither had the sitting in front.
I wondered if this had something to do with Beth's murder. Could they have connected the dots that led back to the family? If they knew that Davey owed us money, then it would be obvious who'd done that to Beth. The only question was, who would pay for it? Dominic, the guy who obviously fit the MO, even though nobody was admitting it to me? Or would he wriggle out of it yet again, taking down Dante along with him...or Julian?
Or Luca?
My hands trembled in my lap, and I sat on them. Luca had been in the alley that night. Had he handled the body? Was some kind of evidence left behind, some kind of microscopic CSI-level smoking gun that would lead the cops right to him?
I was freaking out, and I struggled to calm my racing heart, to steady my breathing. Panic wasn't going to solve anything. I was a Moretti, even if not by blood, and I needed to keep a cool head.
Just don't talk until you have a lawyer. You know that.
They led me into a large office building downtown, bypassing security and bringing me directly to an elevator that went all the way up to the 10th floor, which was populated solely by men wearing dark suits. One of them gestured for me to follow him, and Sinclair brought up the rear, and the trio guided me to a small conference room near the end of a hallway.
"Wait here, Miss Russo."
I stepped inside, and the door shut behind me. The room was small but brightly lit, a table with two chairs on either side was the only thing in the room. There was a mirror along one wall, and I felt like someone was watching me.
I shivered, then sat down, crossing my arms over my chest.
The door opened again, and Agent Sinclair walked back in, holding two cups. "Coffee, Miss Russo? Or can I call you Sofia?"
I shook my head, declining the coffee. "Why am I here, Agent Sinclair?"
"Please, call me West." He had a nice smile, but there was a sharp edge to it I didn't like one bit. He sat down across from me, set down his coffee cup, and flipped the file onto the table. "You're here because I have questions about the Moretti Crime Family." He leaned back in his seat. "And you are going to answer them."
"Am I?" I raised my eyebrows.
West chuckled, opening the file and glancing down. "You will if you don't want to see your boyfriend, Luca Mariano, behind bars."
I blinked, keeping my face neutral. "What does Luca have to do with this?"
"Nothing, really." When I looked at him, confused, he just sighed. "Look, I know what Luca is to the Moretti Crime Family—or, was, actually, before whatever happened two years ago that landed him in the ICU with a bullet in his face. Neat trick, keeping the local cops out of it, by the way.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," I said primly.
"Don't you?" He flipped a few pages in the file, glancing down. "I'll give you that it's been a busy two years. Seems like just a week ago that Lorenzo Moretti was killed. You remember that night? I'm sure you do. You were there, after all." He closed the file and sat back in his chair.
I swallowed, forcing myself to keep my composure. I said nothing, just stared back at him.
"You know, it's funny." He crossed his arms over his chest. "After that night, there was a brief spike of activity, as if someone was trying to consolidate power, but then it just...stopped. Went silent. Now, why do you think that is?"
I didn't say anything, just stared back at him.
"And then, just recently, there's a whole new bunch of crimes, and a whole new wave of murders. Not a single one of them can be connected to the Morettis, and yet somehow, we all know it's them. Their calling card, subtle as it is, was left at every scene. It's like they wanted us to know who it was. A show of force, a display of power. Maybe by someone trying to fill the hole left by Lorenzo Moretti."
I still said nothing. It was shocking, how on point he was, but Agent Sinclair still had no concrete intel. Which was why he was here in this interrogation room with me instead of breaking down the front door of the compound, I suspected. I gazed at him cooly. "Is there a point to all this, Agent Sinclair? Why are you threatening Luca?"
"Because, Miss Russo, I know you're involved, somehow. I know your brother is involved, and I know your boyfriend Luca is involved. Along with your friend, Beth Nowak." Sinclair flipped the folder open to one of the last pages. "Or, should I say, your late friend. People have a habit of ending up dead around you, don't they, Sofia?"
He slid a photo across the table, but I refused to look down at it.
Sinclair tapped the photo. "Beth's boyfriend owed your family money, didn't he?"
"No idea," I replied.
"Really? Because I do." He sat back again. "And I can connect the dots. So can the police, although for now, we're keeping them out of it. So, what do you think will happen if they decide that someone needs to be charged with Beth Nowak's murder? Who are they going to look at first? Her deadbeat boyfriend, who was found beaten to death and stuffed in a dumpster out in Jamaica Plain? What--you hadn't heard? Oh, yeah. Davey never did make that flight of his."
I felt sick, but I didn't let it show on my face. I knew he was lying, bluffing, trying to get a reaction out of me. I wasn't going to let him.
"Do you think the police are going to look at her friends next?" Sinclair asked. "Maybe her good friend and co-worker, Sofia Russo, who just happens to have blood ties to the Moretti Crime Syndicate?"
I swallowed thickly. "I didn't have anything to do with her death."
"I didn't say you did. But I think you know who was responsible. Don't you?"
When I didn't say anything, Sinclair sat back and flipped the corner of the file folder calmly. "Look, I know Luca's been through a lot recently. Hell--can he even hold a gun? There's no way he could have done this to Beth Nowak. Besides, he's not the one I want. I'm after the big fish--I want whoever has taken over the Moretti Crime Family."
"And you're using Luca, through me, to get you there."
"Bingo." West pointed his finger at me like a gun. "You're in deep, Sofia. We know Luca Mariano has done some work for the Moretti's, even if we can't prove it. We've even got a couple things on your brother, Julian, but again, we just can't seem to make any of it stick. But if it's one thing I've learned about in all my years here, it's leverage. Like a chain of dominoes, all the way to the top."
At that moment, the door opened and a woman walked through. Tall, graceful, with pale blond hair pulled back into a severe bun and a crisp pantsuit, and I was immediately shocked by the way she looked at me, like I was some new and disgusting insect specimen trapped beneath a microscope. Her strange, violet eyes were glacial as she handed West another file, never moving from me.
"This her?"
"Yes. Is that the file?"
"As requested."
"Thanks, Frankie." West flipped his hand, dismissing the woman. He seemed like he was in a hurry to get her out of there, and I wondered if that had anything to do with the blatant disgust on her face. Just what had I ever done to her?
I had a feeling I didn't want to know.
The woman walked out and shut the door, and West opened the file, spinning it around so I could see it. "What is this?"
"Leverage."
The file contained pictures, printed off from CCTV cameras or taken covertly, but all of them were of Luca. Some were recent, shots taken covertly at the hospital, at rehab, entering his apartment. Talking to Julian and Dante on the steps of the compound. There was a picture of him and me at the coffee shop I recognized from a few weeks ago. Another of us walking down the sidewalk, arm in arm.
West flipped the file. There were no pictures here, just a single mug shot of Luca taken before the shooting, years ago, before he was a capo. I remembered the incident. Luca had been picked up for aggravated assault, having the bad luck of a police patrol happening along just as he and Julian were 'tuning up' a broker with a gambling habit who thought he could skip town owing us half a million. Luca had drawn the cops attention, allowing Julian to escape. Lorenzo got him off, of course, but not before Luca spent an overnight in a holding cell.
West flipped through the sheets of paper beneath. Similar crimes, all around the same date. Not necessarily Luca, but it was enough to paint a picture. And well within the statute of limitations, I knew.
West's eyes were fixed on mine. "I don't want to put your boyfriend behind bars, Sofia. He seems like a decent enough guy. But I will not hesitate to take him down if you don't give me what I need to move up the chain."
I swallowed back bile. "And what is that?"
"Who is the new head of the Moretti Crime Family? Who's his muscle? I want names, specifics, of every gun he has and their position within the Family. I want to stop this crime wave before it gets out of hand." He slammed Beth's file down on top of Luca's. "Before this happens again. You get me what I need, and your boyfriend walks free."
I noticed he hadn't included Julian in that sentence.
Staring numbly at the files, I swallowed thickly. "I need some time to think this over."
He nodded. "I figured. That's all right. We'll talk again. Soon."
West gathered up the files and went to the door, but he stopped, turning back to me. "But Sofia, remember. We're watching. If you tip off your boyfriend or your brother or anyone else, I'll know. And I'll make sure it gets ugly."
Then he was gone, and the door swung shut behind him.
***
I don't remember how I made it back to Luca's apartment, if I walked, or if I took a cab. All I could think about were those files. The mug shots. Sinclair's threat.
The FBI.
The FBI were investigating our family.
Was this what all the news outlets were reporting? Was this us? The crime wave, the murders, the sudden influx of violence—that was because of us? My stomach lurched. Julian had been preoccupied lately, stressed. Luca, too. Maybe this was why.
Luca had confirmed that Sal had been named head of the family, and it had ruffled a lot of feathers. As had Dominic's return from exile. He had been a big part of the violence, the brutality, the old ways, back when we'd been in a war with the Irish. The same war that almost killed nearly half the people I loved.
And now, Agent Weston Sinclair was leveraging Luca against my loyalty to my family.
I felt sick as I let myself into the apartment. I hadn't decided what I was going to do—obviously, I wasn't giving Luca up, but I wasn't about to rat out my own brother or any other member of the family, either. That wasn't me. This was a sinkhole, shifting quicksand, and I felt like I'd only sink deeper the more I tried to pull myself out.
The apartment was dark, and at first, I thought Luca wasn't home. Placing my purse down on the kitchen island, I eased off my heels, letting out a low groan.
"How was the interview?"
I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of Luca's voice coming from the corner of the living room. He sat in one of the accent chairs in darkness, my computer open on the coffee table in front of him.
I put a hand over my heart. "Jesus, Luca. You scared me."
"Didn't mean to." He leaned forward, and I could see the glint of his eyes. "The interview?"
"Uh...it went fine, I guess."
"Cut the crap, Sofia. I know you didn't go. You haven't been going to them for some time now, have you?"
My heart dropped. "W-what? Of course I have—"
"Don't lie to me."
I stopped short, realizing that he knew. Of course he knew. "I went to some."
"Yes. You did." Luca turned my computer around. Open was an email from the councilor's office, regretting that I'd turned down the job but telling me that they'd keep me in mind for the future. “Julian needed me to check on some things for him, and the internet’s wonky on my computer. So I used yours. You left your email open.”
“Luca, I—”
His face twisted into something tortured. "Why? Why would you turn down that job? It was perfect."
"It wasn't a good fit."
"Bullshit. You're lying."
"I'm not."
"Yes. You are." Luca stood up, his hands balled into fists at his side. "That job was everything you wanted, Sofia. And you turned it down. Why? What's going on with you?"
I stared at him. He was right. The job had been my dream. But I'd been so preoccupied with him, with Julian, with everything else in our lives, that it had slipped to the back burner. Now, though, I realized that I didn't want it anymore.
I wanted Luca.
But I couldn't tell him that. Not now. Not after this.
"I turned it down because it wasn't right," I said quietly.
"Why? Because of me? Because of us?"
I blinked back tears, nodding.
He let out a frustrated noise. "I told you, I don't want you to give up your life for me."
"You are my life," I shouted at him. "You have been ever since the hospital. Ever since I watched you fighting for your life in that hospital bed, all because you sacrificed yourself for someone who would never feel the same as you did her. And, while we're on the subject, I find out that not only are you right back in the line of fire with Dante and Julian, but Dominic is the one who's been bringing down all this heat on the family! On us! Luca, he was the one who killed Beth!"
"How—"
"Want to know where I was instead of the interview today, Luca? I was in an FBI interrogation room, being questioned by Special Agent West Sinclair."
Across the kitchen from me, Luca paled and clutched at the chair back. "The FBI? Sofia—"
"No." I seethed. "You don't get to talk right now. You get to listen to the helpless female talk for once, something every one of you probably should have been doing since the beginning. Do you know what Agent Sinclair offered me? Immunity for you if I gave up my family. And you better believe I'm not the only one he's got his sights on. We could lose everything, Luca. Everyone . How can you expect me to confide in you about my job when I find out you've been keeping this from me? What else are you hiding? Do you have any idea what this is doing to me?"
Luca shook his head. "I won't let you give this up for me. I won't."
"Too late."
"This was your future, Sofia!"
"You don't own me!" I yelled at him. "And you certainly don't get to dictate what I do with my career. It's my future, not yours."
"I can't let you throw it away for me," he retorted.
"You don't have a choice."
"Fuck!" Luca viciously kicked the coffee table, and my laptop, already teetering on the edge, crashed to the floor with an audible crack.
Luca paled and stumbled back, clutching at his hair and staring at my computer like it was some dead thing. "Shit, I...I'm sorry. I sh-shouldn't..."
Luca sank back into the chair, his breathing labored, hands curled around his head protectively.
"Luca?" I hurried to his side, kneeling next to him and putting my hand on his arm. "Luca?"
"I'm sorry." He sucked in a breath. "Fuck, I'm sorry, Sofia."
"Stop apologizing." I stroked his hair. "Just breathe. Focus on that."
"I c-can't...you need to stay away from me right now."
I frowned at him. "Luca, it's fine. It's just a laptop."
"It's not. You don't know what I'm capable of. I can't let you get hurt. Not again."
"Luca, please." My heart ached at the way he looked. "Let me help you. It's okay. I promise."
He shook his head, but stopped the motion with a sharp groan, burying his head again. "Just g-go...I'm sorry..."
I knelt in front of him, reaching out to touch his arm. "Luca..."
He jerked away from me and stood up, taking several steps back. "Please. Just leave me alone. I'm not safe to be around when I'm like this. I can't--"
He staggered and clutched at the back of the couch, his face greying, and I felt a rush of fear. "Luca, please. You're scaring me. Tell me what's going on. Let me help you."
"I--"
Luca's knees buckled and he sagged to the floor, his eyes rolling back in his head as he began to seize.