28
LEVI
F iglio di puttana! This is so fucked up!
I have so many questions, and I know I didn’t give Sera the chance to answer them, but damn. How the hell am I meant to navigate this? I spent so much of my time sitting on the sidelines, waiting for Enzo to make his move—he never did—but I respected him enough not to act on how I felt. Now I have the chance and Sera steam rolls me over with new information. Information where I have to share her with someone else.
How can she want me and Luca? It’s like one of us isn’t enough for her. Or has Luciano fucked her up that badly that she’s too scared to face an actual relationship, so she’s more comfortable bouncing between us?
At least she was honest. I can’t fault her for that. Her delivery was shit, but then again, what she admitted isn’t exactly conventional. I’ve heard of situations where there is more than one guy, but I never once thought I would be a part of something like that. What does she expect me to do? Watch her fuck Luca or let someone watch us?
Fuck that. I didn’t spend years on the sidelines to be ‘the other guy’.
The door slams shut behind me as I march out into the courtyard. I have every intention of trying to calm down and make sense of what Sera just told me. But I can’t seem to make head nor tail of it. And as soon as I see him , my anger rages to the surface.
I storm over to Luca like a bullet aimed at a target. He’s in deep conversation with the Ferrante brothers so he doesn’t notice me coming. I’m surprised, because with rage coursing through my veins, I can practically feel the heat emanating from me.
It’s not just because of what Sera said, but the fact that Luca knew there was something going on between us and still fucked her. I sensed he liked her, but I never thought he would act on it.
“You just couldn’t help yourself, could you?”
Luca spins around, his brows furrowing, but I don’t give him the opportunity to answer me. I don’t even think. I just lunge forward, arm swinging until my fist connects with his nose and an almighty crack sounds between us. I feel every knuckle pop under the pressure, the force not only bringing Luca to stagger, but me too.
His coffee cup smashes to the ground, the shattering sound drawing us into a hefty silence.
“The fuck?” he bawls, grabbing his nose. Blood spatters his crisp white shirt, the once clean rigid look Luca always portrays has now gone and between his fingers I see the stream of crimson liquid thread through them. “What the fuck is your problem?”
“You’re my problem, Fontana!” I go to shove him against the side of the SUV but he catches me on the jaw with a right hook, growling as he sends me swaying sideways. “ Fongoul !”
It stuns me for a moment until I right myself, my vision tunneling until it’s just me and him. My nostrils flare, my fists clench and without a second thought, I rush him. My knee connects with his gut, barreling him over, but he’s quick to throw a punch into my ribs.
“ Fig —“ Pain radiates up my side, but it only fuels the fury. I pin him to the vehicle, catching him with a cheap shot to the eye.
“Hey!” Marco barks at us. It’s enough to distract me, and when Luca throws a fist to the same spot as before, I see stars and taste the faint tang of blood coating my tongue.
The guy can fucking fight. I should have reminded myself of that, but I’m just too damn furious to care. I’ve only just got to a place with Sera where she’s comfortable enough for me to get close to and in a matter of fucking days, she’s in bed with the guy who saw her as a way to reap his revenge.
“What the fuck is going on with you two?” Matteo shouts as he slips between us, forcing us apart with his hands to our chests. “You guys are on the same team!”
“Are we?” I snap while Marco pulls me backwards. My chest heaves as I stare Luca down, images of him plowing into Sera fill my mind with waves of disgust. “Because I don’t think Fontana and I are even on the same fucking planet!”
“Really?” Luca scoffs, swiping at his bloody nose. “What did I do?”
“You know what you did!”
There’s a split second where Luca thinks about what I’ve said before his lips lift with conviction.
“She told you then?” he smirks, which only makes my blood boil hotter. I don’t know what fucking game he’s playing, or how much he played a part in Sera’s decision, but if there is one thing I know about Fontana, it’s that he’s not a one woman kind of man. “Tell me what pisses you off more, her wanting me too? Or the thought of you having to share her?”
I lunge for him again, but Marco is quick to yank me back, pinning my arms behind my back. “Stay the fuck away from her!”
Luca presses forward with a look of satisfaction plastered to his lips. “Newsflash, Marchese,” he whispers. “She’s a grown woman, she can do what she wants. She can fuck who she wants.”
We stutter into silence until realization dawns on Matteo and his eyes widen. But I’m too focused on Luca’s smug look to care about shocking the twins. They must have had some idea about Sera and I, but I don’t think anybody saw anything happening between her and Luca.
“She doesn’t deserve your fucking games!”
“What fucking games?” he scoffs, throwing his hands in the air. “Last time I checked, she was the one who initiated it.”
I tug away from Marco’s grip. “I’m warning you, Fontana.”
“She wants us both, Marchese! Deal with it! ”
“Like fuck I will!”
We both draw our guns out at the same time, our eyes narrowing on one another.
“What the hell is going on out here?!” Sera’s voice pierces the air. We all turn, breathless and angry to see her marching towards us with Giovanni in tow. She takes one look at Luca, then at me. “Put your guns down, now!”
“You first,” I sneer at Luca.
He lets up first, turning his palms into the air in surrender before returning his gun to the back of his slacks.
“Are you both done acting like cavemen?” Sera chides, pointing her accusation at me.
“He started it,” Luca laughs. “The man is so fucking insecure he can’t handle the idea of sharing.”
“Enough!” Sera screams.
We’re all still standing out in the courtyard. There’s a blend of confusion and shock charging the atmosphere, tensions running high as we attempt to battle our way through this fucked up situation.
“You’re both grown ass men! Start fucking acting like it!” Sera runs a hand through her hair. This probably wasn’t how she saw her day starting. But I’m not going to hide the fact that I’m beyond pissed off. I’m pretty sure there’s some kind of bro-code to cover this sort of thing happening. And while Luca is right, Sera can be with whoever she wants, I’m still not okay with this sharing shit.
“Maybe we should sit down and talk?” Sera suggests, gesturing back towards the house.
“No!” I snap, tucking my gun away. “I’m done fucking talking.”
“So fucking mature,” Luca mutters, rolling his eyes. If it weren’t for the pain radiating through my fist, I’d give him another punch.
“Luca!” She glares at him before reaching for me.
I shrug her off. The last thing I want to be is anywhere near her right now.
“Levi, please.”
“You want Fontana?” I bark. “You can fucking have him.”
“That’s not what I want and you know it. ”
“Yeah, I know! You want to sleep with the whole fucking crew by the sounds of it!”
Cazzo.
I don’t even mean for the words to come out, they just do. I look at Sera but she doesn’t react the way I thought she would. She’s more angry than upset, and I think that scares me more because I’ve never really seen Sera angry before.
“Okay,” Marco whistles, stepping in between the group to push me away. “I think that’s enough. Sera is still our leader so treat her like one. Respect it or leave.”
“Fine! This is too fucked up for me, anyway!”
“Levi!”
“I won’t be a part of it, Sera. I’m done! It’s either me or him.”
“You can’t make me choose,” Sera argues. “This isn’t a competition!”
I stalk towards her until Giovanni steps in front of me. I’m glad he’s finally taking his job seriously, but now’s not the time to prove his loyalty.
As if sensing my frustration, Sera taps Giovanni on the shoulder. He moves away with a huff, allowing Sera to step forward. “Levi, let’s talk.”
The thing is, I don’t want to talk. There’s nothing to say anyway. She wants to be with Luca, the guy who wears the moody look like a goddamn accessory while I’ve done everything I could to be patient, understanding, loyal. Luca might have her wrapped around his finger, but not me. I don’t know what Luca’s angle is, but Sera’s caught up in his net. There’s nothing I can do to stop her but be there when he eventually fucks it up.
Once again, I find myself back on the sidelines. It’s the only place I can be right now because if she thinks I’m willing to watch Luca fuck her, she’s got another thing coming.
“Don’t make me choose,” Sera whispers, reaching for my hand.
Just those few words cement everything I’ve suspected. In a matter of seconds, I’ve gone from doting on Bianchi to doubting what we had. I hate myself for what I do next, but this situation is too much for me to handle. I’ve been bombarded with information I can’t get to grips with and Sera just bulldozed any last sliver of hope I had for us.
Snatching my hand away, I feel every dark and empty emotion rise to the surface. Looking at Sera only makes it worse because I know she’s hoping for a different outcome. Too bad I’m done sitting on the sidelines.
“You just did.”