43
LEVI
R af, Luca and I all sit in the den, awaiting our leader’s impending arrival. Raf has news. Luca already told us the good news about Giovanni waking up, now it’s just up to Sera to decide what we do next.
The last few days have been rocky. Luca and Sera have barely said a word to one another. Luca and I are still talking, but there’s the elephant in the room that keeps blowing its trunk at me to speak to Luca about what happened between us.
How do you even address something like that?
It came out of nowhere, like a storm never picked up on a radar. Luca and I have shared Sera, and that was all it was ever meant to be. I don’t know when things changed, but it’s dangerous new territory. Kissing Luca is dangerous territory.
Sera wants us both, and we’ve been working hard to give her that. Somewhere along the way, though, we’ve blurred the lines. I’m not saying I hate it, because I don’t. Then again, I can keep telling myself I don’t like guys, but my actions remain a contradiction to my words. Even now, I find myself drawn to Luca in his gray suit, the shirt open at the top to reveal a couple of inches of his tanned chest. He’s sporting a black eye from Sera’s fist that’s only just starting to fade, but he isn’t bothered by it. I think deep down he knows he deserved it. He wasn’t exactly taking it easy on Sera the night Giovanni was shot.
Footsteps echo on the wooden stairs before they enter the room. We all turn to see Sera approaching us, her hips swaying with every intentional movement. She looks fresh, like the last few days haven’t been hell for her. With her hair pulled back into a low ponytail and her makeup near non-existent, she looks fiercely beautiful. Even the cut on her forehead that has faded into the tiniest scar makes her look badass.
“Hey,” she breathes out, her eyes landing on us.
There’s a different reaction on her face for each of us. For me, I see the fondness we’ve always shared. For Raf, she’s battling between gratefulness and irritation. But the worst is held for Luca, because for some reason, she’s harboring guilt. I’ve seen that look so many times by now that it’s odd not to see her looking like that. The fact it’s held for Luca over something that happened between them a few days ago sits heavier than any other time, though.
Luca locks his blue-eyed gaze with mine, and I have to avert my attention, hoping he doesn’t notice that I’m reluctantly attracted to the fucker.
After our visit to Zeke down at the marina, we’ve gathered a hell of a lot more information. But with Sera refusing to leave her bodyguard’s side, we’ve had to sit on it and wait. We’re all itching to share what we’ve found, but Sera takes her time, getting comfortable at her desk.
“Okay,” she huffs. “What do you have?”
Raf is the first to speak. By the way he stands so quickly, I’d say he’s more than aware of the sickening tension suffocating the room.
“I couldn’t find anything on our mole, everyone is clean.”
Sera gives him a pointed look.
“Okay,” Raf chuckles. “As clean as any man under your leadership can be.”
“What about the guy at the compound?” Luca asks .
Raf shakes his head. “I went through the footage from the drones that night. Nothing. Whoever it was doesn’t want to be found, and right now, I’m happy to keep it that way if you are?”
Sera nods. “It’s not my first priority, but the mole situation is still concerning. We need to close ranks on this.”
“We’ve already gotten rid of Greco’s men,” I say. “After the shooting, we found out The Vultures had a leak. We didn’t want to take any chances with men that weren’t our own.”
“It has been taken care of,” Luca assures. He still doesn’t make eye contact, though.
“Okay…” Sera glances at Luca for more, but she’s just staring at the side of his head. After a beat, she turns to Mancini. “What’s next then?”
“The twins have planned their attack on the second warehouse,” Raf answers, adding to the already long list of things we need to address today. “We put it off after recent events, but if you’re happy to give us the go ahead, they’re ready to get their boots on the ground.”
“Numbers?” Sera asks, instantly fitting into the role she was designed for.
“Less than before,” Raf answers with unbridled certainty.
Sera doesn’t question him on that either, she just nods. “I want the same message sent, Mancini. Destroy what’s theirs.”
Raf agrees silently, before adding, “There’s one more thing.”
Sera’s eyes flicker between all of us before she resigns to the fact that Raf is the only one in the room that knows what he’s about to say. It certainly doesn’t bode well for any of us if he’s kept this information close.
“I did some digging on the docks and the shipment of bodies. I’ve hacked into the federal databases and it’s being treated as a trafficking ring, which of course doesn’t do us any favors.”
“Way to state the obvious,” Luca mumbles, eyes glued to his fingernails like this whole conversation bores him.
Raf ignores Luca’s efforts to rile him up, remaining focused on our leader. “The good news is they don’t suspect you.”
“Is that through your efforts or sheer dumb luck?” she chides .
“A bit of both,” he smiles. “But the fact you own the docks is the main reason your name hit the headlines. Nobody, not even the police, have come here looking for you, right?”
The realization of that fact crosses my mind. While we’ve been laying low, we’ve not had so much as a knock at the door. If Bianchi was really under investigation, they would have taken her in for questioning. The mafia might have hands in everyone’s pockets, but there are just some things that are out of our control. And when dead bodies turn up at a dockyard owned by the most powerful family in La Cosa Nostra, people are bound to start asking questions.
“So, who do they suspect?” Sera quizzes, and I guess we’re all thinking the same thing because we’re looking straight at Raf for the answer.
“That’s the bad news. It’s an open case, one they won’t stop investigating until they have a lead. Access to the docks won’t be allowed until the case is closed, though, that much I do know.”
“So this isn’t the Verdi’s doing?” Sera asks exasperatedly, running her hand over face.
“Yes and no,” Raf answers. “I think the Verdis had something to do with the bodies found, but I don’t think they accounted for this to happen. Unfortunately, the only evidence I could find is through tracking their phones.”
The moment those words drop, a deafening silence descends. I don’t think any of us saw this coming. We all suspected the Verdis were behind the bodies found—maybe not this deep, but the fact the Verdis didn’t plan this is even more reassuring.
Our ears all perk up at the mention of the phones, though. I wasn’t aware Raf was tracking anyone’s phones.
“Luciano is clever,” Raf continues. “He keeps his phone off about seventy percent of the time. It’s only on when he’s at home or in the city.” Raf grabs his laptop, excitement bubbling away under the surface as I watch him flick the big TV on. A map comes onto full display, a couple of circles pulsing on the screen. “Ronaldo isn’t quite so smart.”
Raf zooms into the map, the satellite images of the docks coming into view with a bright green dot flashing at the entrance to the docks. “He’s been at the docks three times this week.”
Sera frowns, resting her elbow on her desk with two fingers pressed to her lips. “Why would he be there if access is blocked?”
“That’s what I wondered. The more I’ve tracked Ronaldo, the more I’ve realized their connection with the docks has more to do with what was there than framing you.”
“They know my incarceration wouldn’t result in any of the Verdis gaining power,” Sera realizes.
Everything is finally starting to piece together. It’s like one perfect fit of a single puzzle piece and the entire image starts slotting into place. The Verdis are in the flesh trade, and ironically, did not have anything to do with the docks closing. This could work in our favor.
“Okay, new plan,” Sera directs. “Tell the twins to go ahead to take down the warehouse. If the Verdis are in the flesh trade, the twins are going to have to check before destroying anything. I don’t want any innocents hurt.”
We all nod in agreement before Sera continues.
“Raf, I want you to keep searching for that mole. Someone is leaking shit to my father and I want it handled,” she growls.
“What about the docks?” Raf asks.
“I don’t think there is anything we can do at this point but wait.” She presses a palm to her cheek, her fingertips tapping lightly on her temple. “We keep an eye on the Verdis, though. If they’re occupied with their own problems, I can focus on my own businesses, but that doesn’t mean we’re in the clear.”
After Sera has doled out her orders and we’ve all taken on our own assignments, we start to head out.
“Luca, Levi.”
We both stop short of the door. Raf is already heading upstairs, leaving just us two lingering in the den.
“Close the door.”
Luca and I glance at one another, a nervous buzz vibrating beneath my skin. We step back into the room, closing the door behind us.
“What’s up?” I ask, while Luca huffs beside me .
“I owe you both an explanation for the other night.” She stands up from her desk, stepping towards the sectional as she gestures for us to join her.
Without hesitation, I’m right beside her, but Luca is a little more reserved, perching on the end of the couch instead while we get comfortable. I take her hand, lacing our fingers together. It’s the closest interaction we’ve had since Giovanni was shot. To say I’m craving the slightest touch from her is an understatement. She has been completely out of bounds. Add that to Luca’s intense brooding stare, and I’m harboring a constant hard-on that I have no outlet for.
“I’m not going to apologize,” Sera states.
Good start.
“At the end of the day, I am still your leader and I make the decisions.” Her words are aimed at both of us, but I sense this runs a little deeper than her just reminding us of our positions. “Show me respect and I’ll show you the same.”
Luca huffs, folding his arms across his taut chest. Patience is normally his strong suit, but today, he’s definitely short of it.
“Where is this coming from?” I push, squeezing Sera’s hand.
“My father said something to me,” she whispers, her eyes closing as she speaks.
I look to Luca, hoping he can see Sera’s inner turmoil as well as I can. I know he has a heart under that malibu-tanned skin of his, but it kind of stings to see he’s not affected by this moment between us.
“What did he say, Bellissima ?” I bring her hand to my lips, kissing her knuckles softly.
“A lot of things.” She lifts her head to Fontana. “But ultimately, that you’re nothing more than my soldiers and you guys will be my ruin.”
I bark a laugh at the audacity of the man that calls himself Sera’s father. The guy doesn’t know the first thing about this situation, and yes, I think we’re all aware of how we’re no longer confining to societal norms. But this has been kept strictly between those of us in this house.
“He’s right,” she says, her eyes wide as she looks at me.
“How so?” I suppress the anger fizzing beneath my skin. I need to hear her out before I start jumping to conclusions—unlike Luca who already seems to be there.
She exhales loudly, an errant hair floating with the force of her breath. “I care about you both. If something were to happen…”
“Let’s not think about that, yeah?”
“Besides, that’s not really an explanation,” Luca scoffs. “You left that fucking party without any regard for yourself.”
Sera scowls, and I can practically feel the anger returning.
I raise a hand to Luca to stop him from saying any more. “Respectfully?”
“I blame myself for what happened to Gio. You know I would never have done anything that would have put you all in danger on purpose.” Sera cups her face, muffling her voice, but I can still make out the words. “I wasn’t thinking, and that’s on me. I won’t ever forgive myself for what happened, but my father got to me. He pushed my buttons, talked about you like you meant nothing, and…”
“Shhh…” I soothe, rubbing my palm over her back. “We get it.”
“Do you?” she snaps, brows furrowing with tempered confusion. She turns to Luca, her anger averting to him. “Do you get it now?”
Luca’s jaw feathers with barely contained fury. I can already see his resolve faltering, though, and I’d hazard a guess that Sera is softening him. “I get why you left, but not why you didn’t tell us.”
Sometimes the fucker can be so wise. Other times, he’s so obtuse that I genuinely believe he is made of stone.
“You shouldn’t have kept this from us,” I say, turning her by the cheek. I grip her chin between my thumb and forefinger, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her lips. “And it’s not true. You’re not weak.”
“I will always be seen as weak,” she murmurs sadly.
“But being weak isn’t you,” Luca interjects, stepping towards her. He crouches down in front of us, his tune totally changed now that he’s heard Sera’s explanation. “You can’t keep this shit from us, Dolcezza . We’re in this together.”
I kind of like the way he says ‘together’, like this strange dynamic we have between us isn’t just about sharing Sera anymore. I’m not an idiot, though. Luca is as straight as they come, but he also kissed me back just as fiercely as I kissed him that night, and I still haven’t gotten the memory out of my head.
There’s a lot more we need to discuss. The raging elephant in the room is still screaming at me, but right now, Sera needs us, and she will always come first.
Always.