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CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
THERE’D BEEN MANY moments over the last few days where Luca wondered how he’d gotten twisted up in such insanity, but tonight might top it all.
He tugged at the collar of his shirt as a bead of sweat fell down the back of his neck. He didn’t belong here. Not in this fancy suit, not in a casino in Times Square, and definitely not with these people. Everyone they passed gave deference to Dom, which made seeking help impossible. Though based on the dark looks Luca was getting from many of them, it seemed they already knew exactly who and what the situation was.
As Dom led him through the crowd, being stopped every so often by men they passed, Luca scanned the room. There had to be more than one way out in a place so big. Some weak link, a door he could slip out of without anyone noticing. He doubted there’d be many more opportunities like this one, and if he didn’t at least try, he’d regret it.
Though he wouldn’t think about the regret he’d physically feel if he was caught.
“Good evening,” Dom said as they joined a small group that seemed to be primarily bodyguards surrounding his father and another shorter, dignified-looking man. Dom greeted his father with a kiss to each cheek and shook the other man’s hand. “Mayor Whitlock.”
The man Luca didn’t recognize smiled. “I will be soon if your family has anything to do with it.”
“Never doubt a Rossetti,” Dom replied.
“I wouldn’t dream of it. This party alone will be the talk of the town.”
So this was the guy they wanted in charge and on their payroll. Now that Luca was getting a closer look, Whitlock didn’t seem so dignified after all. Sure, he looked the part, but he was the same as everyone else in this world of theirs—just using each other to get what they wanted, no matter the cost. He had no doubt that if he knew Luca was being held captive by the Rossettis, he would just laugh it off or ignore it. He wouldn’t care at all.
Fuck, Luca couldn’t trust anybody.
As the soon-to-be mayor walked off to greet more of his followers, Vincenzo turned his attention to Luca.“You clean up well, Luca. Enjoying yourself?”
Enjoying himself?Like he was a guest and not someone who was forced to be here? Vincenzo was delusional, and apparently the look on Luca’s face told him just that, because he laughed.
“Maybe some champagne will help.” Vincenzo lifted two flutes from a passing waiter and handed one to Luca and the other to Dom.
“I thought you said two hundred and fifty attendees. This looks almost double that,” Dom said.
“Whitlock is gaining support. It would be a disservice to the campaign to turn them away.”
“Do we have the security for this?”
Vincenzo reached out to squeeze Dom’s shoulders. “Domenico, relax. I wouldn’t compromise our safety. Every guest has been vetted. The entire family is here. They won’t try anything, not tonight.”
Luca saw the muscle in Dom’s jaw twitch and noticed how tightly wound every part of his body was. Dom hadn’t even touched his champagne, so he definitely wasn’t feeling as untroubled as his father.
“Make your presence known. Show the boy off more to the people who need to see him. Then you can go.”
Dom nodded and handed Vincenzo his drink, then he guided Luca back through the crowd.
“You don’t want to be here either, do you?” Luca said.He didn’t expect Dom to answer.
“No.”
Huh. So Dom was worried. And that worry meant they wouldn’t be down here for much longer. Luca needed to make a move, and soon.
Needing some courage wherever he could find it, he downed the champagne in one long gulp and set the empty glass on one of the high-top tables nearby.
Dom raised a brow. “Thirsty?”
“Um, yeah.” Luca was full-on sweating now, his nerves in overdrive as he looked down an empty hall behind Dom. There was a restroom sign and no line. Maybe—just maybe—that could be his chance.
“Another?” Dom said.
“Uh…yeah. I could use another. And a restroom.”
Dom scanned the room, and when he saw the same empty hall, he inclined his head for Luca to follow.
