Chapter 32 Cristian
CRISTIAN
I stand beside Luca in the abandoned warehouse, my gun at my side.
The room is quiet except for the whimpering of the man kneeling before us.
"This is Vito," Luca says calmly, as if introducing an old friend at dinner. "He's decided it was okay to help himself to some of my inventory."
I study the trembling man. His face is already bloody from Luca's men who worked him over good before we arrived.
“As if that wasn’t enough, he shared family business with the Dominis. Information that took away my advantage in my negotiations with them.”
I don’t respond, but inside I’m thinking Vito is one dumb fuck.
"I require loyalty above all," Luca continues, his voice carrying a similar eerie calm I've seen in Alessandro, that I remember seeing in Lorenzo. It must be a Dante trait. "I need to know you understand this."
He’s speaking to me, and I understand that this is my initiation. I step forward, raising the gun. The man begs through split lips, eyes wild with fear.
I pull the trigger, killing for the family I'm now bound to protect.
I'm still wiping blood from my hands when Luca's phone rings.
He picks up. “Valentina.”
Her name stops my breath.
In an instant, all my attention is on him, wanting to hear the conversation.
It’s rude.
In any other scenario, I’d leave the room or stand aside out of respect.
But I won’t be denied knowing what’s happening with Valentina.
"Everything's fine here. He's adjusting." Luca's eyes flick to mine.
I stand paralyzed between wanting to grab the phone and knowing I can't.
"The wedding…" Luca's jaw tightens. "Yes, I'll be there."
My chest constricts.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Luca asks, his voice growing concerned. "You don't sound—"
He pauses, listening. His face morphs into a dangerous sneer. "What did Maksim do?" he growls.
My blood freezes. I move closer, straining to hear her voice on the other end. All I catch is a muffling of words.
"He did what? And Alessandro allowed this?"
I'm inches from him now. My mind races through horrific possibilities of what Maksim might have done to her.
He meets my eyes. "Well… that's interesting. But if he'd said no, that could have been worse."
More silence, and I’m about to come out of my skin.
“Yes, I agree. Be strong, okay?”
That’s it? Be strong?
When he hangs up, I don't wait for him to speak. "What happened?"
"It's family business," Luca says dismissively, tucking his phone away.
I fight the urge to grab him by his expensive suit lapels. "With all due respect, Don Dante, I'm trying to be diplomatic here. I respect your position and your authority, but Valentina is my life. If something's happening to her, I need to know."
Luca studies me. For a moment, I think he's going to tell me to go fuck myself or worse, put a bullet in my head for my insolence.
Instead, he gives a slight nod. "Maksim found out she's not a virgin."
“Oh, fuck. He’s going to…” I have no idea what Maksim will do, but it’s not good.
“Thanks to you, of course. I could kill you for this, you know.”
“You’d kill me for loving her but not Maksim for abusing her?” I have nothing left to lose now.
He watches me, and I wish I knew what he was looking for.
“The wedding is off, right?” I ask as I realize that this could be good news. I could send for her.
Surely, Luca could negotiate with Alessandro to bring her here. Maybe not for me, but for her.
"Instead of calling off the wedding, he's going forward."
I feel the blood drain from my face. “He'll kill her. He won't let this go. You know what Maksim's like." Rage is building, radiating off me, and I have no doubt Luca can sense it.
"Calm down," Luca commands, though his own tension betrays him. "Alessandro told him you took advantage of her. Forced yourself on her."
My head snaps up. "What?" I hate that anyone would think that, and yet, it could work. I suggested it myself.
Luca watches my reaction carefully. "Maksim said as long as no one outside their inner circle ever knows, he'll still marry her."
I consider all that, but something still isn’t right. “I don’t believe it. It makes no sense."
“Why?”
“This is Maksim we’re talking about. He spent a great deal of time telling Valentina what he planned to do to her, to teach her in pleasuring him—”
“Fucking hell.” Luca’s control slips for a moment. “Did Alessandro know?”
“Yes, sir. I told him.” My mind races to find reasons Maksim would continue the arrangement.
It can’t just be the money in the partnership.
"He must be planning something worse. He’ll have Alessandro by the shorthairs when he marries Valentina.
He’ll use her, humiliate her, and he believes Alessandro won’t do anything or he’ll use her to get more from Alessandro. ”
“Alessandro isn’t that weak.”
I don’t say anything.
Luca’s eyes narrow. “What?”
“Alessandro has made concessions… and Maksim has taken advantage of all of them. This wedding can’t happen.” I start for the door. “I have to go back to New York."
"You work for me now, Bonetti. I don't recall giving you permission to leave."
"Then you'll need to kill me now." My hand is on the doorknob as I look over my shoulder at him and meet his gaze. “Because I'm going. Most likely, Alessandro will kill me when I get there. I just hope I can put a bullet in Maksim's head before then."
I've essentially signed my death warrant either here with Luca or back in New York with Alessandro. But I don't care anymore.
"You're willing to start a war?" Luca asks. "Over my sister?"
"What would you do if it were Katerina?" I challenge him. "If someone were forcing her to marry a man who'd eventually kill her? What would you do for her and Enzo?"
Fury flashes in his eyes. "I'd start a war.”
I don’t drive.
I fly.
But this time, I’m on Luca’s plane.
He’s not with me, but he’s at least understood that my love for Valentina knows no bounds.
That there’s nothing I won’t do.
I arrive at the Dante compound late. The guards recognize me immediately, weapons raising before I can even step out of my rental car.
"I need to see Alessandro," I announce, hands raised.
"You're not welcome here, Bonetti," one of them snarls. "Don's orders."
"Tell him it's about Valentina. Tell him I know what Maksim's planning."
The lie works. Minutes later, I'm escorted through familiar hallways as dozens of eyes track my every move.
These men once considered me a brother.
Now they wait for the order to kill me.
Alessandro stands behind his desk when I enter, his face filled with fury. "You have thirty seconds to explain why I shouldn't kill you where you stand."
"Valentina can't marry Maksim. It's a death sentence."
“You came back to sing that same song and dance?”
“He’s going to use her to get to you. He’ll torture her, and what you do or don’t do will reflect on you. You’ll look weak either way.”
His jaw clenches. “Did Luca tell you that? I know you went to him.”
“Luca didn’t have to tell me anything. I’ve watched Maksim. He’ll take great pleasure in violating your sister, humiliating her in front of you and everyone else. And what will you do? Let him get away with it to keep the peace? Will you let him continue to drag you around by the balls?”
Alessandro's hand slams onto the desk. "You watch yourself.”
“Why? I don’t work for you. I’m here because no one else seems to want to fight for Valentina.”
“And how do you plan to do that besides disrespecting me in my own home?”
"Let me kill Maksim."
Alessandro stares at me, his gray eyes calculating. “That solution leads to what we’re trying to avoid.”
"I'm no longer part of your family," I say, hoping I’ll get through. Although it won’t matter. Maksim is as good as dead regardless of what Alessandro does. "I'll be seen as acting alone. A jilted lover seeking revenge. Maksim's men will come for me, not you."
"That's insane," Alessandro scoffs. "The Bratva would see through it."
"Not if I make a scene. Not if I go unhinged, wild with jealousy." I lean forward, desperate for him to understand. "I'll attack him publicly. At the ceremony itself. Everyone will see a man destroyed by passion or seeking to take back what he’s obsessed with, not a calculated hit."
Alessandro studies me, but I can’t read his expression. "You genuinely love her, don't you?"
"Enough to die for her."
He thinks for a moment, but then he shakes his head. "It won't work. The Bratva will still blame us. They'll still come for blood. One death won't satisfy them."
"Then satisfy them with mine."
Something shifts in his eyes. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying after I kill Maksim, you kill me."