Chapter 95 Luca
LUCA
All my energy is gone, and the night is barely over. Shaking hands and smiling is the easy part. It’s my last night of freedom, and I don’t get to be with her. Again, a penalty that I earned. But it doesn’t make it easier to accept.
I spot Anthony across the room. He’s wide-eyed, franticly searching around with his phone to his ear. Something is wrong.
Hurrying over, he’s already on the way to the exit as he passes me his phone.
“It’s me.” Troy. The detail I assigned to Ivy’s father. “Chad dipped out of the casino. I lost him. I’ve been calling but couldn’t reach you. Pierce isn’t answering either and the cameras are all offline.”
Pierce is supposed to be safeguarding Ivy. And the system being offline is a red flag in and of itself. But the two factors together send me into overdrive.
My phone is in my suit jacket, hanging on the back of my chair. Why didn’t I have my phone on me?
“How long ago?” I ask as I reach my car.
“An hour, maybe more. He went into the bathroom with a woman. They were pretty hot and heavy when they went in, but he must’ve slipped out at some point.
She was passed out in a stall when I went in to check.
Apparently, there’s someone after him for a gambling debt.
So, I don’t know if he was ducking me or them.
Or both. I’m so sorry. I should’ve gone in sooner. I didn’t want to tip him off.”
It doesn’t matter. Getting to her is the only thing that does.
“Meet me at her house. I’m on my way now.”
“Will do. I’m fifteen minutes out though.”
That’s ten more than me. And all of it seems like too long. Anthony is in the passenger seat as he calls Ivy’s phone again. No answer.
“Pick up,” I yell.
“Ivy will be okay.” Anthony dials her again. “She’s resourceful and strong. Ivy will be okay.”
She has to be. If she’s gone, I’m gone. “Chad won’t hurt her. He wants money.” I tell myself to ease the sheer terror crawling up my spine.
Anthony continues trying to reach her. “Don’t underestimate his desperation.”
“I won’t.” But I’m not sure I can keep from gutting the motherfucker when I get to him. Will she forgive me if it comes to that?
Once we’re in her driveway, I bail from the car before it’s completely in park. The front door is locked as I punch in the new code.
I whisper to Anthony, “Stay here and wait on Troy.” Pierce is around here somewhere. But I don’t want to stop long enough to search for him. I need to find her.
While I carefully make my way through the house, I hear a muffled sob before she shrieks, “Luca, stop. He has a gun.”
The sound of him slapping her prevents me from doing anything except getting closer to her. I stop when I see him standing next to her, the pistol aimed directly at her.
His grin grows as he says, “Told you he’d come for you. But will he pay up?” He moves the barrel under her chin. “How much is she worth? Give me a dollar amount and maybe we can reach an agreement on her well-being.”
“He’s lying,” she states firmly. “He’s going to kill you whether you give him the money or not.”
“Stupid bitch. Shut your mouth.” He slams the butt of the gun against her jaw.
“Fuck you,” Ivy grunts out before she spits blood in his face then screams, “Run, Luca. Get out of here.”
“No. You fall, I fall. Remember?”
Chad laughs. “That cunt must really be great to be worth all this.”
I surge forward as he aims the gun at me. “Don’t get stupid, boy. Pussy is replaceable. Your beating heart, not so much.”
“You’re demented,” Ivy shrieks.
When Chad raises his hand, I step forward. “Don’t hit her again or you won’t get a fucking cent.”
His shoulders bounce as he laughs. “I don’t get it, but whatever. Just give me my money, and I’ll let the two of you live. After all, I’ll need more money eventually.”
“You won’t get anything,” Ivy quips.
“How about when I turn your boyfriend in for that hit-and-run?” Chad threatens.
“Be my guest,” I inform him that the little leverage he thought he had is gone. “They’ll have my full confession on record in the morning. Some of us don’t run from our debts, and I hear you owe a large amount to some dangerous people.”
Ivy snickers. “Good. I hope they bury your sorry ass.”
Can’t say I blame her for saying it, but I’d rather her not when there’s a literal gun to her head.
“Ten million and I’m gone.”
Chad presses the barrel to her temple as she calmly tells me, “Don’t pay him anything.”
“Keep your mouth shut,” he shouts.
Her resolute eyes meet mine as she reiterates, “Don’t give it to him. He will shoot you even if you provide exactly what he’s demanding.”
Even with the threat beside her, she’s not scared for herself.
“How much for you to go away permanently?” I ask with no intention to ever deliver it.
I just need him distracted and thinking he has control over the situation. But it sends Ivy into a screaming fit, “I said no. Don’t give him shit.”
“Ivy, if it saves your life I have to.” I’ve stalled for as long as I can. Chad’s getting antsier by the second. “I left my phone at the fundraiser, but I can use Ivy’s to transfer the money.”
“No,” she cries.
Chad screams at her. His anger surging as he waves the gun around. She struggles, finally getting out of his grip. And as soon as the pistol isn’t aimed at her, I take the opening. Charging at him, I yell for her to run. It’s enough to get him fully focused on me. But she isn’t running.
Thankfully, he’s too busy worried about me as his hand raises, the weapon pointed at me as I rush him.
Grabbing his arm, I force the gun into the air as he fires.
My other arm comes around, striking him in his head.
As he stumbles backwards, his grip on the pistol releases and it slides across the floor.
I slam my fist into his mouth repeatedly until I hear Troy yell, “He’s down, Montclair. ”
He should be dead. As I stand, I grab the gun and place myself between Ivy and her father.
“Luca, you’ve been shot.” She inspects the area with her fingers trembling as she presses her palm to the wound.
Thank God she’s alive. “It was just a graze. I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. He could’ve killed you,” she whispers.
I lean forward, pressing my lips to her forehead.
Troy holsters his weapon as he informs me, “Pierce is in the garage. He’s been shot, but he’s still breathing. Anthony called 911. Police and medics will be here shortly. You should head out before they arrive. I’ll take care of everything.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I state.
Before Troy can respond to my statement, he reaches for his weapon as he shouts, “Gun.”
Shifting, I raise the pistol and pull the trigger as Troy also discharges his firearm. Chad goes limp, crumpling back to the floor.
We stand in silence, a high-pitched ringing in my ears from the shots. I’m scared to look at her but finally do before I say, “I’m so sorry.”
Her hand moves back to my wound. “You had to.”
Anthony hurries in, heading straight for her. “Ivy, oh my goodness. Are you all right?” He wraps her in a tight embrace before he says, “Paramedics are on their way.”
That’s the least of my worries. I just executed her remaining parent.