2. Luca
Luca
Iclose my eyes for a brief second. When I open them, Sarah is staring at me. The shock is already giving way to anger.
“Sarah,” I say, stepping toward her.
She puts a hand up.
“What the hell, Luca?”
“I know this looks bad.”
She barks out a laugh.
“‘Looks bad?’ Are you out of your fucking mind? You’ve got two pistols strapped to your body.”
She starts pacing the room while I stay rooted to the spot.
“I know, and I can explain.”
She stops abruptly.
“Explain? Great. Start with Katie. What doesn’t she know?”
Fuck.
I drag a hand down my face.
“Baby Girl, please sit down.”
She lets out a sharp laugh.
“Baby Girl?” she repeats. “That’s what you’re going with right now?”
“Sarah—“
“No. Tell me what the fuck my best friend doesn’t know, or you can stand there and watch me walk out of here for good.”
She points toward the bedroom door.
Every instinct I have is screaming at me to keep my mouth shut.
Mikey is my best friend. My brother in every way that matters.
If he finds out I told her, he’s going to be fucking furious.
I know that. I also know Sarah. I know that look in her eyes.
If I dodge the question or try to feed her some bullshit answer, she’s gone.
I’ve been taught my whole life to protect the secret, protect the family.
That’s how this life works, but right now, all I can think about is Sarah walking out that door and never looking back.
For the first time in my life, loyalty doesn’t feel like the most important thing in the room, and I’m faced with a choice I never thought I’d have to make.
Betray him or lose her, and the worst part is I already know the answer.
“You’re going to hate me,” I say.
Her face crumples for a second.
“Luca, please.”
She takes a step toward me.
“Just tell me.”
I drop onto the edge of the bed and drag both hands through my hair.
“Sit down with me.”
I swallow.
“Please.”
“Okay,” she says, settling beside me.
For several seconds, I can’t speak. I take a deep breath and keep my eyes fixed on the sliding doors of the terrace.
“My family—Mikey in particular—owns restaurants, hotels, real estate, shipping companies, and investment firms. Most of that is legitimate.”
“Most?”
Fuck. I close my eyes.
“Sarah.”
Her voice drops.
“Luca.”
I look at her.
“The Amatos don’t just do business.”
“What are you saying?”
I swallow hard.
“I’m saying Mikey isn’t just a CEO.”
“What else is he then?”
I laugh once.
“You’re not going to believe me.”
“Try me.”
I stare at her for another second. Then I say it.
“He’s the Don of the Amato family.”
Her face goes completely blank.
“What?”
“The Mafia, Sarah.”
Her eyes widen.
“He’s in charge.”
Sarah rises slowly from the bed, staring at me like she’s waiting for me to take it back. When I don’t, she takes a step backward.
“No.”
I swallow.
“Sarah—“
“No.” She shakes her head. “This isn’t real. This doesn’t happen.”
I almost laugh at that. Not because it’s funny, but because I remember thinking the same thing once. Before I was old enough to understand exactly who my family was and what came with the Amato name.
“It is real.”
“Stop saying that.”
There are tears gathering in her eyes now, and somehow that’s worse than the yelling. Worse than the anger. Worse than the threats to leave.
“This is real life, Luca. Not the movies. This can’t be true.”
I know. God, I know. I move toward her and stop when I’m close enough to touch her.
“Look at me.”
“Please tell me this isn’t true,” she whispers.
“I’m so sorry,” is all I can say.
The fight leaves her all at once. She bites the inside of her cheek, nodding like she’s trying to absorb the blow, but a second later her composure shatters.
She folds into me with a broken sound, and I wrap my arms around her automatically, holding her against my chest as the first sob works its way free.