47. Luca
Amor is burnt to the fucking ground. Police officers, bystanders, and media are standing behind yellow tape. I don’t give a fuck about the establishment itself. I didn’t use it to conduct any of my other business here. My jaw tics at the tight leash which is slipping. This could encourage any of my enemies to start attempting their own shit. Though I doubt anyone in the past who’s crossed me would attempt it twice, not that many of them were still alive.
“Mr. Armani. We need to ask you a few questions,” one of the detectives on the scene say. One I’m not familiar with. He’s barged out of the way by one of their senior members, Craig. A man who I also practically own.
Anything associated in my name that goes amiss he’s on the scene immediately. He keeps my name out of speculation with the law and in return has a nice shiny paycheck. The young detective sinks back into himself as he walks away to assist fire fighters.
“Should I be suspicious of this?” Craig asks.
When I look at him, he flinches, and I can only imagine the promising death in my gaze. “No,” I say. “I want you to narrow it down to an unsuspected kitchen fault.”
“They’re saying so far it might look like arson,” he advises.
“Do I have to repeat myself?” I quip.
“No, Mr. Armani. I’ll do exactly that.”
I will deal with the culprit better than any law.
The media try to draw me in for interviews but I ignore them as I step back into the car where Lorenzo is waiting.
First, there’s just one more idiot I have to deal with.
My brother has done somany stupid things in the past but this was the breaking point. This is another unnecessary chip to our empire that makes us look weak. I storm into the family mansion’s office library where Dario waits.
With my explosive entrance, he shoots out of his chair. “Why won’t you let me leave to see Amor?” He’s a mess with red rimmed eyes and looks like he hasn’t showered. Obviously, another big night.
“Roll up your sleeves. Do you have track marks right now?”
“What? No!”
I grab him by the collar of the shirt and slam him against the library shelves. “You’ve made a fucking fool of us!”
“How is this my fault? I wasn’t even there!”
“Everything you touch goes to shit.” I release him and watch as he wobbles to make my point. “You can’t even fucking stand up on your own feet.”
“I—” His words fall flat.
“You had one fucking job. One place to manage. To think you actually had the confidence to tell me you were ready for more. Shit like this always happens when you’re around,” I grit out.
Dario’s gaze is pinned to the floor and I can tell he’s doing it to mostly focus on remaining upright.
“You’ll never clean up your shit, Dario. You’ll never manage business when you can’t even look after yourself. You bitch and complain about having a babysitter? This is why. Pack your shit, you’re returning to Italy with Ivan.”
“Luca, please. This is home to me,” Dario says so quietly it reminds me of when he was a sniffling child. The times I’d protect him and step in for him. But we weren’t fucking kids anymore.
“No, Dario. Any place with a bottle of liquor can be your home.”
I step out before I kill my own brother. Lorenzo is only a few steps behind me. “We’ve obtained the footage sir from the Amor club.”
“Show me,” I say as I put my phone to my ear and call Ivan. He answers on the second dial. “I want you back in New York immediately. You’ll be taking Dario to Italy with you.”
“What ha—” I hang up on him.
I take the front steps two at a time walking toward the car. Then I come to a sudden stop as I look out over the long driveway and a realization snaps into place. Ivan was a former hound and although we already intended to press him for information when he returned regarding the cargo, another thought dawns.
Ara says she wants some kind of proof of her father’s betrayal. It never quite felt right. As if it were a mirror concealing truth. Wouldn’t she want the man who had killed her mother? A hound? Revenge?
“Sir?” Lorenzo looks at me from the car. Ara isn’t looking for answers, I realize. She’s after cold blooded murder. The corner of my mouth raises. My little viper is willing to stop at nothing to get it.
“Show me the footage.”