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“Fuck. Too late. They’re there. Better stay sharp. We’re on our way,”Cruz’s voice crackled in their ears.
“Very well. My father phoned me two days prior to the bombing, very upset that Abu and Fadhil had pushed the time frame forward without discussing it with anyone.” Luca spread his hands wide. “I was serious, Jared. I’ll give you what you need to put them all away.”
“And what do you expect for this quid pro quo arrangement?”
“Complete immunity. Freedom.”
Brock snorted out a laugh. “From what? You’re cut from the same cloth as your father, Boneiro. It’s in your DNA. Do you honestly think we’ll just cut you lose?”
“What about Jared? He didn’t turn out too bad.” He looked at Brock. “Any man has the ability to change… if the will is there. I’m tired of this life. It’s time to break free of the shackles that have bound me.”
“How very poetic, Boneiro but I’m not buying it. You could’ve walked away long ago if you really wanted to,” Brock countered.
Luca snorted. “And get killed in the process? Don’t fool yourself, Carter. No one walks away from the mob alive, especially the son of one of the Bosses. I would’ve ended up as shark bait… just like Marco intended with Jared.”
“It looks like you have visitors,” Jared said dolefully. His gaze was glued to the regal figure of the petite blonde woman appearing in the doorway. Her clear green eyes scanned the two strange men in the room before she approached.
Luca spun around and released a muted groan. “Mother, this is a surprise.”
“Surely I don’t need an invitation to visit my son, do I, Luca?”
“Of course not. I just hadn’t expected you since you hardly ever grace me with your company.”
She regarded Brock unflinchingly for a couple of moments before her gaze swung to Jared, who stood frozen on the spot. Her eyes narrowed as she took note of every feature, every line on his face; the square jaw and the glimmering hue of molten gold reflecting in his honeyed-colored eyes.
“Oh, my God.” The sudden gasp dissipated into the fragile hush of the room. Stunned by the image of the man who stood across from her, she drew closer and peered unbelievingly into the face of a ghost. He returned her gaze with an unfathomable look. “It can’t be,” she murmured as she lifted a hand to cup his strong jaw. “Angelo? Is it you? Truly you?”
Jared couldn’t respond. The shock of seeing his mother after all that had happened left him speechless. To feel the touch of her hand against his cheek threatened to unleash a confusion of emotions inside of him. His hands curled into fists.
Isabella Boneiro looked over her shoulder at Luca. “Tell me I’m wrong, Luca,” she pleaded with a mixture of disbelief and pleading in her eyes.
“Mother, this is Jared Bates. He owns and commands The Cobra Black Ops Group.”
“I don’t care what he’s called or who he is now,” she snapped, her voice turning cold as ice. She turned back to Jared. “A mother knows. I can feel it…” she placed her hand over her heart, “in here. You are my son. Angelo. God, please tell me it’s true! Is it you? Please! I have to know.”
Jared neither moved nor responded. He had been struck mute.
Luca sighed. It would be a disaster if Marco found out now that Angelo was alive— even more so if he discovered that Jared was the reason for all the problems that had plagued him the past couple of years. Having failed to kill him years ago, Jared would once again become a target of his father’s pathological hatred.
“I’m afraid not, mother. He is Jared Bates, an acquaintance of mine.” His voice turned gravelly. “Angelo died in the ocean years ago. I know, mother. I was there, remember?”
She spun to glower at him. “Did you see him die? Well? Did you?”
Luca had learned to hide his emotions from his mother. He was an expert at masking his expressions. “Yes, I did. The nightmares that still wake me even after all these years are proof enough of that.”
Isabella rushed towards him and hugged him. Her cold demeanor vanishing like an ephemeral mist. “I’m sorry, my son. Of course I don’t doubt anything you say.” She glanced over her shoulder at Jared who had finally managed to move and now stood next to Brock. “It’s just that hefeelslike Angelo.”
“If only he was,” Luca said with a sneering grimace. “Then he wouldn’t be here threatening to lock me up for the murder of attorney general Colin Woods and the bombing in Santa Ana.”
“What?” She released Luca and turned to glare at the two men. “You believe Luca is involved in that? How dare you, sir? We are Boneiros with a family history of supporting the community. Luca is the one who has played a key role in providing the poor and needy with food and shelter. He loves his country. We will never be involved with something as heinous as that.” She stamped her foot. “It’s incomprehensible— accusing my son of being a terrorist.” She flashed a brief smile at Luca. “Imagine that. From accusing us of all kinds of crime to now the best of them all… terrorism. They truly are desperate, aren’t they?”
“You said it, mother.” Luca poured two cups of coffee and handed one to Isabella. “As I said, Commanders Bates and Carter, I had nothing to do with either. In fact, my mother can vouch that I wasn’t even in California at the time of both incidents. I was in New York securing a new business contract for the family.”
“That I can definitely confirm,” Isabella said. “If you were worth your salt as a Black Ops Commander, you should’ve done your homework before you came here and accused my son of all kinds of crimes. Now, I believe you have overstayed your welcome in my son’s house.”
“Indeed. I’m afraid I have to ask you to leave. My mother doesn’t visit my home often and I wish to enjoy the pleasure of her company,” Luca said with a duplicitous look at Jared.
Jared knew it would be detrimental for him should Marco realize he was alive. It was time to leave. The fact that Luca hadn’t told Marco yet was the only reason he believed his brother when he said he wanted out of the ties that bound him to the Mafia. The quicker he got away from the woman who gave him life, the better, especially since he struggled to cope with the memory of the soft touch of her palm against his cheek. He headed towards the hallway with Brock at his heels.
