CHAPTER TWENTY
Luca
Finding Viper
It took two months, but we found him.
Viper. Real name Branfo Delgado. Mid-forties, ran a trafficking ring that spanned three states.
He was careful. Smart. Had avoided law enforcement for years.
But he couldn't avoid me.
We grabbed him outside a warehouse where he was meeting with potential buyers. Deangelo and I, along with a few of our guys.
He fought. But not for long.
We brought him to the same warehouse where I'd killed the men who'd hurt Liana.
He was tied to a chair, his face already bloody from the initial beating.
"Do you know who I am?" I asked, standing in front of him.
"Luca Carmine," he spat. "Yeah, I know."
"Good. Then you know I don't fuck around."
"What do you want?"
"Two months ago, you ordered three men to grab a girl. Liana Abbatelli. They were supposed to deliver her to you."
His eyes widened slightly. "I don't know what you're talking about."
I punched him. Hard.
"Don't lie to me. They already confessed before I killed them."
"You killed them?"
"Yes. And now I'm going to kill you."
"Wait! Wait! I can give you information. Names. Locations. I can—"
"I don't want your information. I want you to suffer."
I spent the next hour making him pay. For Liana. For every girl he'd ever hurt.
By the time I was done, he was barely conscious.
"Any last words?" I asked.
He just whimpered.
I put a bullet in his head.
When I got home, Liana was waiting for me.
"Is it done?" she asked.
"Yes."
She nodded, and I saw relief in her eyes. "Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me."
"I do. You've given me closure. And justice."
I pulled her into my arms, holding her close.
"It's over," I said. "They can't hurt you anymore."
"I know."
And for the first time since I'd found her, I felt like maybe we could move forward.
Together.