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I don’t regret how that night ended—me buried deep inside the woman I love. I regret the next morning, and I regret that Rebecca saw Bri. I had been trying so hard to keep my distance since she had gotten injured, which resulted in her miscarriage. That happened because of me.
I know it doesn’t fully lay on my shoulders, since, after all, someone set Bri up to begin with. That’s the only reason she had Gabriel as long as she did, and why he was never placed in protective custody or with CPS.
I’ve had other things taking priority over that little detail to figure out who the son of a bitch was.
I lift my eyebrow high on my forehead, my dark gaze penetrating hers. I have to give her props, she doesn’t cower or back down, but then she was raised to be the vapid bitch she is today. She thinks she eludes strength and power—she doesn’t. She thinks the De Luca name means something, that it holds clout—it doesn’t.
Alessandro De Luca was nothing more than a “yes man” before my father brought him to America, and he’s still a “yes man” to this day. He does what he is told and never steps out of bounds. He’s too afraid. He’s seen and taken part in more things than I have at the side of my father. He won’t risk his own throat, he knows what will happen if he did.
I could have long ago told the authorities what I witnessed, what was forced upon me at my father's hands, but it would have been my word against his. And seeing how it didn’t happen on U.S. soil, I didn’t have a leg to stand on.
It’s why I agreed to become what I am—an undercover, special agent for the DEA. I never wanted that, but it was the only way I saw to bring him down without committing a crime myself. I just thought it’d be over by now.
“Careful, Rebecca. Words have consequences,” I warn her, seeing my father along with her father, walking toward us from down one of the aisles where we store things that aren’t scheduled to ship out the same day they arrive.
Sixty percent of all imported wines to the west coast and Midwest region of the country come through Acerbi imports.
“It’s me that signs your paycheck, not him.” I nod my head in my father’s direction as they stop behind her.
I look to Ron.
“Don’t touch those cases until the truck is here, ready to load them tomorrow morning.” When he nods, I say, “You can get back to what you were doing now. I’m sorry, Ron.”
He nods again before taking a step back and then turning, leaving.
“If we have a shipment due to arrive and don’t have a cooling container to store it, then perhaps you should be spending your time locating one and getting it here.”
“But your fa—”
“You don’t take direction from anyone but me. Is that clear?” Her jaw locks so tight that her teeth crack. Her heated blue eyes flame as her mouth stays closed.
“My son asked you a question. A smart person would have answered him by now.”
“Of course, Rebecca knows Drago is the second in command,” Alessandro chimes in, placing his hand on my father’s shoulder. “I think she was simply trying to ensure nothing goes awry with your new venture.”
What new venture is that?
“I’m the first in command when it comes to anything associated with Acerbi Imports,” I correct, standing my ground.
There’s a pleased look in my father's eyes that I knew he’d show.
“Right, Drago,” Alessandro starts to correct after noticing my father’s appraising look. “My daughter understands that.”
“Or maybe she doesn’t, and you haven’t taught her like I’d assumed.” He gives Alessandro a murderous glare, then cuts his eyes to Rebecca. She visibly swallows, showing the first sign of weakness. My father smiles, satisfied with the reaction he pulled out of her.
To do the things Vincent Acerbi has done, you have to be evil.
I believe some people are born evil and some learn it. My father learned it from his father who learned it from his and so on. It’s my responsibility to stop the vicious cycle. It’s one of the reasons I chose this path. The other, revenge—for my mother and for myself.
With a flip of his wrist, my father dismisses both Alessandro and Rebecca, taking a step toward me.
“Drago, let’s go to your office. We have much to discuss and catch up on.”
* * *
His new ventureis vineyard owner.
Interesting.
