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LUCA
Iheld her in my arms while the concrete bit into my kneecaps.
How the hell did this happened?!
The girls should have never been able to make it through that door without Matteo’s, or my say-so. There should have been a guard at the door.
Where the hell is the guard?
Everything happened so fast. I went through more emotions in three seconds then I had my entire life. Anger, disappointment, disbelief, regret… fear. And shame.
When Becka met my eyes she’d been in total shock, I didn’t blame her one bit. This was the world that Matteo and Arianna had instructed everyone to hide from Becka while she was visiting. Arianna had been a bag of nerves for the last few weeks worrying about it.
Someone like Becka shouldn’t have even known this world existed, let alone see the worst side of it. Now all our best laid plans were shot to shit.
My gut twisted the moment they came crashing through the door.
Then she hit me with those eyes. A mouth of snarling fangs took hold of me and I wanted to let death take me. The smile and desire that had been there for me was gone, replaced by a sadness and disappointment so consuming I could barely hold her gaze.
I didn’t have regrets, but in that moment, to the depths of my black soul, I hated who I was.
When she bolted and fought with my men, I wanted to rip them apart. It killed me to see her so scared. To watch my men hurt her.
As I knelt there and held her to my chest I wanted nothing more than to hold her and shield her from whatever would happen next.
My heart thumped against my ribs and my breathing was harsh. I looked her over and my heart twisted. Her lovely tan skin had gone pale, lips parted with shallow breaths. The fire in her eyes flickered as her eyelids fluttered, trying to stay open.
Her body laid completely limp in my hold. She stared straight into my eyes and the rising panic stalled the air in my lungs as thoughts of what happens next bombarded me.
I cupped her face and brushed her cheek with my thumb soothingly. Her eyelids fluttered a few more times, and closed. She was out cold.
* * *
“Please! Please! At least give her the choice.” Arianna knelt on her knees, begging. “If she gives her word she won’t break it. I know her, she never breaks her word. I’m begging you!”
Matteo’s father sat behind his desk peering down on Arianna at his feet. He tipped her chin up with one finger, giving her a considering look.
Matteo’s dad had a soft spot for Arianna, which was a rare occurrence. To him women were little more than property and better seen, not heard. Women’s uses included sex and show pieces, nothing more.
Lorenzo Russo was a man of indifference. Unless something effected his business in a positive or negative manner, he put little thought into it. Except of course his son, Matteo. Matteo was his only child— the only one left alive anyway— but no one dared to ever talk about the his other son. Matteo remained his pride and joy, who would take over when he retired.
“Dad?” Matteo watched his dad quizzically, waiting for an answer.
I stood against the wall in silence, doing my best not to let the desperateness show on my face. We had been discussing what would happen with Becka for the last hour. Lorenzo’s simple solution had my guts twisting into painful knots.
Arianna continued to stare up at Lorenzo through wet lashes. Make-up running down her face, as fresh tears slid down her cheeks. But he held everyone in suspense with his silent deliberation.
What we were asking of him was a big risk. An unnecessary one by his standards.
We offered a solution that Lorenzo would have flat out refused had it been anyone else. But this was Matteo, and his soon to be wife, who Matteo was trying to keep from having a mental breakdown.
Then there’s me, who he trusted almost as much as his own son. We were all willing to take the risk of personally suffering the consequences if it went sideways.
“Tony.” He called to the man outside the door, instead of answering any of us.
The door opened. “Yes, boss.”
“Have them bring her in.”
