Chapter 10
“Please, come in and make yourselves comfortable,” Luca said as everyone arrived, gesturing to the large formal dining room. The capos filed in, greeting him with respect and taking their seats around the table.
I hesitated in the doorway, my stomach churning as I watched the table fill up. A few of the men I recognized from the club, but not as many as I”d feared. Good. Maybe they”d actually take me somewhat seriously.
A large, warm hand touched my lower back, and when I looked up I was surprised to find Tristan beside me.
”You don”t have to do this, Luna,” he murmured.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. ”No, I want to. If it”ll help you find Gino, I”ll do what I can.” My voice sounded steadier than I felt. The thought of facing the capos, the men who knew my father, made my insides twist in knots. But I had to be strong. For Logan. For myself. And for the damaged man standing beside me.
”You understand that if we find him, he”ll be dead as soon as Luca gets all the information out of him that he needs.”
”Yes,” I told him. ”I understand.” And I did. If Luca didn”t kill him, Tristan would.
His dark eyes searched my face for a long moment, and then he gave me a nod before leaving me standing there in the doorway and making his way to his place behind Luca”s chair.
Enzo came in then and guided me to a chair by the windows near Luca. I sat, my hands twisting in my lap as Lisa bustled in and out, setting out bowls of bread and plates of pasta in front of the guests and filling their glasses with water and red wine. As everyone caught up with business, I pushed my food around on my plate, feeling Tristan”s constant stare as he watched me.
The men at the table also openly stared at me, some with appreciation, some not, but no one was rude enough to question why I was at the table. They probably assumed I was Luca”s new side piece since Veda wasn”t here.
Luca waited until pleasantries had been exchanged and everyone had eaten some of their meal before leaning forward, his elbows on the table and his fingers laced together. ”Thank you all for coming on such short notice. We have an urgent situation to discuss.” He waited until everyone was paying attention. ”As I”m sure you”ve noticed, Gino Ricci is not here.”
There were some murmurs around the table.
”He”s not here because he”s in hiding. I”ve had my suspicions for quite a long time, however yesterday I saw the proof with my own eyes. Gino is working with the Bratva.”
”I don”t believe it!” The shout came from the end of the table. A man around Gino”s age threw down his napkin. ”Where is your proof?”
Luca cocked his head at the outburst, and a chill ran down my spine as he said, ”The fact that I saw them with my own eyes isn”t enough for you? Are you saying I”m lying?”
The older man was red in the face, but he backed down when everyone turned to look at him. ”Of course not, Luca. I apologize.”
”Should we be speaking of this right now?” another man across the table asked, lifting his chin toward me.
Luca sat back in his chair. ”This is Luna. She”s Gino”s daughter.”
Another rumble of murmurs exploded around the table.
”I thought both of the children died with their mother?” someone said.
”That is just one of the many lies Gino has told us,” Luca told them. ”The children were put up for adoption, and you can see by looking at her, Luna is the image of her mother. Her brother, Logan, is currently recuperating from his reunion with their father here in my home.”
The looks I received now were more curious than lewd.
”Luna is here because she recently stayed with her father after he found her in the club where she worked, and she has some interesting things to say.” He looked to me. ”Luna, please tell everyone about how you found your father again and what it was like living with him. As much as you can remember.”
I glanced at Tristan, who hadn”t taken his eyes from me. Of course, Luca knew what my role was—and what he”d done to me—at Gino”s before Tristan took me out of there.
I swallowed hard, my mouth dry. Haltingly at first, I began to recount the events of the past few weeks—seeing Gino where I worked, the poker games, how I got in on them, our bet, how he”d starved me, how he would get drunk and confuse me with my mother. I didn”t go into details about the rapes, but I did tell them it always happened when he was drinking. Lastly, I told them how he came into my room with a gun, ready to kill the both of us. And how Tristan had brought me here.
My voice shook as I described how Gino had gone after Logan, and how I”d found him beaten and tied up. I skipped over the parts of the story where Tristan was involved. Again, it wasn”t my story to tell.
The capos listened in grim silence, their faces darkening with each revelation. When I finished, Luca sat back, rubbing a hand over his mouth before he spoke. ”If what his own daughter just told you isn”t enough, we”ve suspected for a while now that Gino has been working with the Russians. Not long ago, I gave them all a little warning, one Gino and the Russians chose to ignore. Yesterday, however, we got our proof. Enzo, Tristan, and I saw Gino with them. They opened fire on us.” He paused. ”Gino needs to be taken care of.”
”I agree,” one of the capos growled. ”This cannot stand. Gino”s a traitor to you and to the family. He must be dealt with.”
Murmurs of assent echoed around the table. Luca met the gaze of every man there. ”I want eyes on every street corner, every hole in the wall Gino might scurry to. We need to find him, and we need to end whatever alliance he has with the Russians. ”
”God only knows what kind of information he”s giving them, or what he”s promised them,” the man across from me said.
”That”s something I intend to find out,” Luca promised. Then he stood and gave me a nod. A sign that it was time for me to go and let the boys talk. ”Thank you, Luna. I know that wasn”t easy for you.”
”You”re welcome,” I told him. I felt numb as I was dismissed from the room, the capos” dark mutterings and Tristan”s heavy gaze following me.
I made my way back to Logan”s room, my mind whirling. I”d just betrayed my own father, condemned him to death. But what choice did I have? He was who he was, and other than taking care of Logan”s school costs, he”d never done anything to earn my loyalty, and he”d never stop coming after us. If for no other reason than some sick need for revenge.
I pushed open the door to Logan”s room and found him sitting up in bed, his face pale and his lunch untouched in front of him. ”What happened?” he demanded.
I sank into the chair near him, rubbing my face with both hands. ”They just wanted to know about Gino,” I said. ”I told them everything.” Well, not everything, but enough.
He was quiet for a long time. ”Is it true? What he told me? Did you fuck him? Our own father?”
Shame washed over me. ”I didn”t know he was our father then, and it”s not like I had a choice.”
”He told me you were a stripper, and a whore.” There was no disgust in my brother”s voice, just curiosity.
Shrugging, I said, ”The stripping part is true. That”s how I made enough money to give us a place to live and to help you pay for school.”
”I could”ve helped, Luni. I could”ve gotten a job.”
I smiled. ”It wouldn”t have been enough. Besides, I don”t mind dancing. I”ve never been shy about my body, and I won”t be able to do it forever. Plus, the club I worked at takes really good care of me and all the girls who work there.”
My brother was quiet for a long moment, studying my face. I waited for his judgment, but I should”ve known that wasn”t the kind of man he was, because it never came. ”Do you think they”ll find him?”
”I don”t know,” I admitted. ”But they”re going to try.”
He nodded, his jaw tight. ”Good. I hope they do. And I hope they make him pay for what he did to you.”
I squeezed his hand, grateful that we still had each other. ”Me too,” I whispered.
A soft knock sounded on the door, and I turned to see Tristan standing there, his dark eyes unreadable. ”Can I speak with you for a moment?” he asked.
I met Logan”s gaze. He shook his head slightly. ”I”ll be right back,” I promised, rising to my feet.
I followed Tristan out into the great room, my skin tingling with nervous energy. He led me away from the doors and out of my brother”s earshot before stopping and turning to face me.
”I just wanted to check on you,” he said, his voice low.
I met his eyes, trying to appear steadier than I felt. ”I”m fine,” I told him. I swallowed hard, my heart racing. ”Tristan, I...” I trailed off into silence, not knowing what to say.
His dark eyes bored into mine with an intensity that made my pulse race. ”I don”t like you being here.”
I frowned. ”At Luca”s?”
”Yes.” He reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair back from my face, his fingertips grazing my cheek.
I shivered at his touch. ”I”d think the home of the mafia boss would be a pretty safe place to hang out.”
”It is.”
”Then I don”t understand.”
His hand fell back to his side as his eyes darkened. ”Neither do I.”
I couldn”t tear my eyes away from him. ”What don”t you understand?”
”When does the wanting stop, Luna?” he whispered. ”Will I ever be able to get you the fuck out of my head?”
I stared up at him in surprise, my pulse pounding in my ears. This dangerous, enigmatic man had turned my world upside down from the moment he entered my life. And now here he was, laying his soul bare before me.
”Tristan...” I breathed.
He cupped my face in his large hands, his eyes intense on mine and his thumbs stroking my cheekbones. ”Tell me you feel it too, bambolina. Tell me it”s not just me.”
I opened my mouth to respond, my heart hammering against my ribcage. But before I could get a word out, he wrapped his fists in my hair and kissed me.