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“Then…”
My heart hammered, shattering the peace I believed I had across the sea. I’d been so ignorant, thinking I had everything under control. How naive of me.
I gazed down at the picture again.
“If not you, who?”
He didn’t answer.
My father didn’t care enough for a picture, and if he had, all he had to do was speak to Nonno. And if I ruled Lucca out, there was just one man left.
One that would be interested enough to look into my past. One that would have me followed.
“Borrelli,” I whispered in hatred. Disgusted. “Why do you have it?” I questioned. “I swear to you, Lucca. I will find out for myself, and you will not appreciate how I will acquire information if you don’t speak!”
“Are you threatening to look for trouble, Katia?” he mocked. “You are too smart for a foolish damsel.” Lucca leaned against the door, locking his ankles together. “You are past the immature and compulsive feelings that would lead you into real danger.” He chuckled. “Don’t peg me for a fool. You’re a ruthless and deceitful little creature that has mastered the art of survival.”
Creasing the picture back into its folded mold, I tossed it onto the desk and faced him. Lucca stood taller the closer I got to him.
“You are right. I’m too fucking smart.” I shrugged and continued, “I know I’m the leverage that holds not just myfamiglia, but now yours too from drowning. The ones you’ve actually fought to keep alive by trading another life without remorse for it.” His gaze narrowed. “So tell me, Lucca. How is keeping me unaware of the bloodbath of our union a benefit for you?” My fingernails scraped his covered torso and swept up his shoulder. “A stray bullet could take away your leverage.”
Lucca’s hand snapped, capturing my neck and paralyzing me in his strong and desperate grip.
“It won’t be a stray bullet, Katia.”
Huh?
His lips lowered, and the threat kissed my ear. “Youarethe target.”
Death hummed with a smile as she set her sights on me.
Knowledge was ice cold, paralyzing my fingers on his arms. Rigid muscles stiff from comprehension. And my heart trembled with confusion.
Women in La Cosa Nostra weren’t killed by their own. Tragedies happened due to accidents, stray bullets, and outsiders. Women and children weren’t meant to be targets.
I laughed.
I laughed so hard that Lucca pried me away, wary of my reaction.
“Well, I guess since the rules don’t apply to me…”
“This is not funny.”
My face fell.
“No, it is not. All you had to do was treat me as an equal, so at least I had a chance.” A thought came to mind. “Am I in danger tonight?”
“Dire.”
“And you weren’t intending to tell me, were you?”
“No.”
I walked out, numb. His honesty, too much for me to fight. I could’ve lashed out, asked for more details, but the answer would have been the same. So, I headed straight out the front door, leaving him behind.
A full moon glared and radiated its light in the grim night. But its shine never touched me. It only bounced against the two running and blacked out SUVs behind Lucca’s black Maserati. I breathed in deeply, filling my lungs with the peace offered by the salty air, and opened the car door. Inside the car, alone and masked by darkness, I screamed.
I screamed with impotence at the men-ruled world around me.
