Chapter 4 The Night Belongs to Us
The Night Belongs to Us
The normalcy of the hotel lobby is surreal.
We pass people as they check-in, other groups are going to dinner or taking the elaborate stairs to the ballrooms. None of them know what happened at the top of the tower. What could have happened.
Animal and Chesty meet us at the main entrances, walking us through the revolving doors as I give a slight nod to the doorman working.
Ringer waits in our SUV as Leo helps me in and then shuts the door after himself.
Chesty gets into the front with Ringer before we drive off, leaving the hotel behind.
“Update on the others,” Leo states as we pass the garage. I notice black SUVs leaving.
“DeLuca is the last to leave in five minutes,” Chesty answers. “No issues, apart from some grumpy bodyguards who were detained for better than an hour.”
“Finstrum’s already asked for a meeting,” Ringer adds.
“He can wait.” Leo lounges back in his seat.
This feels more surreal than the hotel lobby. The odd calmness Leo possesses boggles me as I try to wrap my head around everything. Is this how he feels after one of my panic attacks? The way I bounce back sometimes? It’s strange being on the other side.
His hand still grasps mine. It’s the only reassurance I have that I didn’t completely screw things up.
My anxiety screams that he’s angry, warning me to run.
It takes all my willpower not to flinch every time he moves.
I remain frozen as Leo converses with the other two, discussing plans for the next few days.
I start to blur things out when they mention disposing of the bodies from the warehouse.
It’s completely dark outside when we arrive to the penthouse building. The other two don’t follow us out of the car as we exit, going inside the quiet building. I’m able to crack a smile when I see Xavier.
“Miss Watson, it’s good to see you home safe,” he greets, grinning. “Mr. Luciano, all security protocols have been implemented. If you need any more assistance, please let me know.”
Leo nods at him as we approach the elevators, and they open for us. Leo instructs, “I want no disturbances, from anyone unless she or I give permission.”
Xavier flicks his gaze between us. “Of course, sir.”
We step into the elevator, doors closing once more to leave us on our own. Once the first light flashes to the next floor, Leo loosens a long breath and some of the stiffness in his body relaxes. His brows pinch close, looking up slightly at the ceiling.
I’m still unsure what to say, quiet as we ascend for home.
What the fuck are you supposed to talk about? Why wasn’t there a manual on how to handle hiding top-secret information, including a hacking program you created from your secret husband after surviving several hits on both of you.
Face/Off was more believable.
We finally arrive, heading into the penthouse after what feels like forever since we were last here.
Finally, I let go of Leo’s hand, wrapping my arms around myself as I step into the living room space.
Leo turns the lights on, bringing up only a few at a dim level.
I turn on the fireplace, allowing the crackling to bring noise to the space as orange flames flicker shadows.
After minutes staring into the flames in silence, I turn towards Leo who stands at the edge of the living room. Against the low light and dancing shadows of the fire he appears foreboding.
“I’m sorry.” I break the quiet. Leo tilts his head in confusion, brows furrowing. “I lied to you for months, Leo.”
“Technically you never lied.” A half-hearted, exasperated laugh leaves me. Leo slowly pulls his suit jacket off, folding it over the sofa edge, then pulls out the disc. “It was smart for you not to reveal this. Keep Eleanor hidden, even from me.”
“I never wanted to use it again,” I say softly. “I’d have been buried with it if I could.”
“I know.”
“Except, I couldn’t get the guilt in your eyes to leave me. The pain and struggle I saw. I couldn’t keep watching you destroy yourself. I hoped I’d never use it, a precaution for years later maybe. I just couldn’t not…do anything, but…”
I rub my hand over my chest, breath hitching as that anger comes back. That all-consuming anger I’d felt the last few days simmers with grief and terror. The scene of walking in on him at the warehouse comes back. The realization he was alone and shattering.
“They kept me away from you.” My voice darkens, throat tightening. Tears form in my eyes as I clench my hands. “All of them. Mob bosses. Brothers. The Crew. I couldn’t get to you, and when I finally did, you were alone. You were alone covered in blood and panicking. They left you alone.”
“Autumn—”
“It was a mirror, a horrific, agonizing mirror,” I continue, hands shaking as I move towards him. “Someone forced to make impossible decisions that would make them the villain, it was cruel to leave you alone to take on those burdens.”
“I ordered them to stay out.”
“All the more reason for someone…anyone to be in there with you. I don’t care what you did to those men.
I have no pity or mercy left to give, but what that was…
it wasn’t business. It wasn’t protecting me.
It wasn’t maintaining control. You were punishing yourself, and they were helping you do that. ”
The disc clatters to the ground. Leo’s eyes widen.
My whole body trembles as that statement sinks. The lines between his brows soften as his face falls like I’ve found his final secret.
“You went from punishing every person who’s ever hurt me to punishing yourself,” I whisper, trying to keep my tears at bay.
“The moment they said it was Matteo, I knew you’d blame yourself.
You take everything upon your shoulders from the MC, the hotels, your brothers, the mafia, to me.
And so many of them have deceived you, including me, even if you refuse to be angry over it.
You’ve been betrayed. You’ve been blackmailed.
And you’ve been coerced into a life you didn’t want!
” I throw my hand towards the windows. “Your own employees turned on you. But the worst is that your younger brother, whom you’ve done all that you could to protect from monsters like your father and Gabriel, backstabbed you.
” My hands fall. “I couldn’t let you keep doing this alone anymore.
So, I used what I had left, even if it meant keeping a secret from you. ”
His eyes glisten with tears, but they don’t fall. We’re both quiet, only the crackling fire filling the silence. He asks, “Did you want me to leave?”
“It wasn’t my choice.”
“Did you want me to leave, Autumn?”
“Leo.”
“Autumn. Did you—”
“Why did you stay?” I counter. His jaw tightens, hand flexing at his side. “I made my choice, which was to follow you wherever you fucking go. Wherever you decided.”
Leo steps closer, reaching for my hand and I feel him trembling like me. My breath hitches as a tear falls down my cheek, whilst his thumb moves over my rings.
His voice is soft; fragile almost as he looks into my eyes. “I couldn’t leave you.”
My throat goes dry as my stomach twists. Should I have given him the option of me leaving with him instead? Would that have changed his answer? Had I not given him a real choice? Questions whirl inside, wondering if I’d made things worse. His other hand comes up to cup my cheek.
“My dear Watson, if you told me to walk off a bridge, I would.” My eyes widen in horror. This was not where I wanted this conversation to go.
“Don’t say that.”
“If you told me to walk through fire, I would.”
“Leo, stop.”
“I’d jump off a cliff or drive my last Harley off the end of a road if you told me to.”
“Stop. No.”
“Do you want to know why I’ll never be angry with you? Whatever you do or hide, let it be mountains of documents, software you create with your brilliant mind, or handling a meeting of mobsters on your own?”
Trembling engulfs my chest as I clutch his hand, trying to focus on the touch of his other upon my cheek. I barely whisper, “Why?”
“You choose me first. Always.” Leo’s thumb strokes my face, while his other hand brings ours up to kiss my knuckles. “No one else truly has. Not ever for me.”
He places our joined hands against his chest. His voice almost cracks as he speaks.
“Always family first. Always business first. Always money. Always something from me. But you…Autumn Watson Luciano choose me…me every time. Not the mafia don. Not The Spartan. Not the CEO. Not as a Marchetti or Luciano. Not as anyone else, other than the man you married.”
My chin quivers, tears falling. Him and his damn declarations.
He lifts my chin, wiping away tears. “You would never ask me to do those asinine things for you, because I know how much you love me. I trust you with every fiber of my being, so that anything you say I’ll do.
Deep down, I know within my soul you’ll protect me.
It sounds incredibly fucking selfish, but I don’t fucking care.
Only for you, am I willing to go to my knees for.
Happily, and in wanting of whatever you order of me. ”
The shaking stops. “Leo…”
“Did you want me to leave, dear Watson?”
My throat works, wanting to sob as I remember that fear in the boardroom. How much more terrified I was at the thought of him leaving, and how selfish that felt. I answer as more tears fall down my face, averting my gaze from his. “No.”
His hand grips mine against his chest.
“Then I made the right choice.” My eyes snap to his.
Leo frames my face with both hands, holding me gently.
“Tear apart the mafia, I don’t care. Scorn my family.
Dismantle what I built for them. Destroy it all and do what I couldn’t do.
So, help me God, just allow me to remain at your side.
” The tears in his eyes finally fall, shining in the faint light.
“My first choice will always be you. My dear wife. My Tesoro. My Dear Watson.”