Epilogue
Luca
The last week since coming home from Shine has been busy as hell. Giada and I have decided to take a proper honeymoon now that we aren’t hiding from her psychotic brother. We’re going to Italy to meet her family and travel to all of her favorite places. I still haven’t figured out what I’m going to do with the rest of my life, but apparently, Finn has been setting aside money for me for the time I worked undercover in the Cataldi organization. After over seven years, I have a more than decent nest egg to live off until we figure out where we want to settle. Giada brought up possibly going back to California, but I think I would miss my family that I’m finally able to get to know here. Maybe we can figure out a way to be bicoastal, but we have plenty of time to decide. Right now, the only thing I care about is spending as much time enjoying my wife as humanly possible.
That’s why this meeting at the prison needs to happen today so I can finally put everything I came to Boston to do to bed. Jude’s brother apparently has some pull with some political bigwigs and as a favor to Jude, his brother made a couple phone calls. Without having to wait to go through the normal channels, I’m standing inside the state penitentiary where Francesco Cataldi will be living out the rest of his days.
Francesco is led into a room normally reserved for meetings with attorneys, his eyes narrowing in confusion when he spots me leaning against the wall.
“Hello, Francesco,” I greet as the guard attaches the handcuffs Francesco is wearing to the table in front of him.
When the guard leaves, Francesco is silent as he studies me. The man looks worse than the last time I laid eyes on him, his skin a pale shade of gray and practically hanging from his bones.
“You’re not looking too well,” I comment, taking a seat across from him.
“What the hell are you doing here, Luca? They told me I had a meeting with my attorney.”
I shake my head from side to side. “Nope. Just me. I wanted to reintroduce myself to you.”
His head rears back and he looks around the cement-walled room as though he doesn’t understand what the hell is going on. That’s fair. No one other than Giada and the capos, who are now under Finn’s control, know who I am.
“I’ve always gone by Luca Bennetti, but my real last name is Romano.”
Francesco’s eyes widen. The look on his face is similar to the one his son wore before I killed him. “You had my parents murdered. Wanted me dead alongside them.”
He’s too stunned to speak and looks at me as though he’s seeing a ghost, or maybe he’s recognizing my father in me for the first time.
“You little fucking prick. When Carlo finds out you betrayed our family for all these years, you’re fucking dead. He won’t stop until he finds you.”
“Funny you should mention your son. He made some pigs very happy and full last I checked.”
Francesco’s face goes even more pale than I would think possible, considering it doesn't contain much more color than the walls around us.
“Your empire is gone. Your capos have made the wise decision to absorb their businesses into the Monaghan organization. It’s over, Francesco, and you lost.” I chuckle then stare the man in the eyes. “I thought it would take you lying in front of me in a pool of your own blood for me to feel like my parents’ murders were avenged. But you know what? Knowing you’re going to die here in pain and alone with the knowledge that your reign is now a cautionary tale to those who would dare fuck with my family is pretty fucking sweet revenge. There isn’t a single person who is going to miss you or cry when you die unless, of course, it’s tears of joy. Your wife's daughter will never have to fear you or who you're going to sell her off to because she married me, and it’s now my life’s mission to give her all the happiness and love you never showed her.”
Francesco doesn’t say a word as I lay everything at his feet. “Good fucking riddance, old man.”
I stand and walk to the door, knocking twice to be escorted out. Francesco’s back is to me as he stares at the wall. I don’t need him to say anything to me; don’t need any explanation or justification for his abhorrent actions through the years. I came to say my piece, and I’m leaving this hellhole lighter than when I walked in.
Giada and I are at Clovers, the bar I called all those years ago, looking for Cormac and finding my cousin instead. It feels so damn good to be here, surrounded by my family. I’m finally able to spend time with them without worrying about raising suspicion or being found out by Francesco or Carlo. Cillian and Finn are sitting at the table with me while Alessia and Giada are picking out songs from the jukebox. I’m admiring my wife’s ass as she shakes it to the beat of the song when Finn interrupts me.
“So, Italy for three months, then where?” he asks.
I shrug and take a sip of my beer. “No clue. I’ve never had a vacation. Who knows, maybe Giada and I will decide to travel the world for the next few years.” Between my money from Finn and the accounts Cillian was able to recover from the Cataldi estate for Giada, we don’t have to worry about money for the next while, or maybe ever.
“Well, the offer stands. If you want to be part of my organization, I’ll find a spot for you. Legal or otherwise.”
“Thanks, cousin.”
I’ve brought it up to Giada, and she says she’s perfectly happy with whatever I choose, but all she knows is the darker side of this life. I want to give her something different.
Finn’s eyes narrow on the front door when three men walk in. He turns to Cillian. “Go get Eoghan.” Then he turns to me. “Fucking Russians.”
Cillian nods and stands from his seat, heading to the back of the bar where Eoghan’s office is.
“There’re no fights tonight, Andrei. Not that you're welcome at any of them or in Boston at all, for that matter,” he says when the three men approach the table. Finn leans back in his seat and opens his leather jacket, revealing the double holsters with a 9mm in each.
“We aren’t here to cause problems, Finn,” Andrei replies. “Our boss wanted us to come and pay our respects. He’s sorry about the mix-up with the Cataldi girl.”
That comment raises my hackles. “She isn’t any of your boss’s concern.”
From the corner of my eye, I see Eoghan and Gemma come from the direction of Eoghan’s office. His hair is a mess, and if I’m not mistaken, her sweater is on inside out.
“That’s what he wanted you to know,” the man says, briefly looking at me before turning back to Finn. “His plans to make his way into Boston have been put on hold.”
“Tell him he’d better keep it that way. I’m not open to any new alliances with him or anyone from New York.”
Andrei nods, looks at Gemma and then Eoghan, who looks mad enough to lay this guy out in the middle of his busy bar.
“You look familiar,” Andrei says to Gemma. “Have you ever lived in New York?”
“Nope. And never plan on it,” she replies, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Hmm. Could have sworn I knew you.” Andrei turns and meets the gaze of every man standing or sitting in front of him. “I'll let you get back to your celebration. Have a good night.”
The three men turn and leave the bar.
“That was fucking ballsy as hell,” Alessia comments when she walks back to the table. “For all they knew, you could have shot them on sight.”
“That’s probably why Nikolai sent Andrei. He knows if Luca sees his face, he might do just that. And in Irish territory, he’d definitely get away with it,” Cillian comments, staring at the door.
Alessia notices Gemma standing next to Eoghan and does a double take when she notes the state of her sweater. She shakes her head but doesn’t call attention to what she sees before sitting next to Finn. Conversation resumes around us as I tuck Giada against my side.
“That kind of puts a damper on the evening,” my wife says quietly.
I turn my head so I can speak softly in her ear. “That’s okay. I was ready to get out of here anyways. I’d like to take you back to the penthouse and make you come at least twice more before we head to the airport in”—I look at my watch—“three hours.”
Her tinkling laughter brings a wide smile to my face.
“You’re something else, Luca Bennetti.”
“Right back at you, Mrs. Bennetti.”
The End