LUCA Today Aria and I celebrated our first anniversary, but instead of spending it on our yacht in the Mediterranean, I was stuck in a meeting in New York, trying to be Chief and Counselor in one, which wasn’t working. I had almost no time for her. If she had told me where Gianna was, we could have shortened this ordeal and Matthew would have finally returned, but Aria remained silent.
“This is ridiculous,” said Uncle Gottardo. “Matteo should be here to help you and not chasing his whore around Europe.”
“I can handle the business myself, don’t worry,” I said abruptly.
My eyes shifted to Cassius, who was representing his father while the man was in the hospital. “How are you doing with the Bratva? Did they give you trouble again?”
There had been a major Bratva attack on our drug depot in Philadelphia a month ago. “Not since I killed Sergei and his brother Jegor, but we have an MC who is trying to sell weapons in our territory.”
Cassius ran things in Philadelphia with a brutal hand as I did in New York. It was time for him to officially assume the role of Sub-Chief, but I wanted to wait until Matthew returned before announcing the change. Of course, I had no way of knowing when Matteo would ever return. Gianna had managed to avoid him up to that point.
I nodded. We had also had problems with a new MC in New Jersey , but so far they were too minor to warrant an attack.
“The Bratva is not going to risk an attack in New York anytime soon . I have killed too many of their soldiers, but I think they might concentrate on Atlanta or Charleston.”
My Subchiefs nodded. I gestured toward Uncle Ermano, who ruled Atlanta, and he began his report. I settled into my chair, knowing it was going to be a long evening.
I managed to get home around eight o’clock, and only because I had interrupted another one of Uncle Gottardo’s speeches.
Romero greeted me with a nod, then disappeared as I left where Aria was lying on the couch.
The moment I saw her, my annoyance disappeared. I could not stay angry with her, even though she was the source of my problems.
She got up immediately and came toward me, guilt filling her face. “I got some sushi for us. It’s in the refrigerator. I thought we could soak in the Jacuzzi for a while. You need to relax.”
I nodded and kissed her, feeling fucking exhausted. Aria rushed back inside and I began to undress, then slipped into the warm water, groaning as my tense muscles melted away.
Aria’s soft footsteps made me open my eyes. She was carrying a tray with a bottle of champagne, two glasses and a selection of sushi, which she placed on the edge of the Jacuzzi. I watched as she removed her dress, and despite my exhaustion, my cock reacted to the sight of her naked body as it always did. She slid into the water, then clung to me and I wrapped an arm around her. She kissed my throat before raising her eyes to meet mine, looking unsure.
“We’re fine,” I said and ran my thumb over her arm.
She nodded toward the champagne. I reached for the bottle and opened it, even though I didn’t feel like celebrating. I was fucking happy about my marriage to Aria, but that had been a long, shitty day and I wanted it to end, anniversary or not.
Aria and I drank champagne, then she grabbed her chopsticks, took my favorite eel roll, and handed it to me. I took it, savoring the taste, and felt some more tension melt away. When we finished eating, Aria sat astride my legs and began massaging my shoulders. I leaned back against the backrest, closing my eyes.
Aria came up to my ear. “Why don’t we go up to the bedroom so I can give you a nice back massage?”
“That sounds like a perfect plan,” I said quietly.
Aria straightened up, water dripping on that perfect body, and I stood up and walked out before helping Aria out of the Jacuzzi as well.
After we dried off, we went to the bedroom and Aria motioned for me to lie on my stomach. I didn’t let her tell me twice. She climbed on top of me and settled on my bottom, her soft pussy pressed against my skin. Her fingertips traced the tattoo on my shoulder. “Do you ever regret doing that?” she asked quietly.
“No,” I said without hesitation.
Aria shifted and pressed a kiss to the tattoo before her hands began their work, massaging the tension from my shoulders and neck. “It’s so fucking beautiful,” I croaked.
I didn’t even realize how tense I was.
Aria applied just the right amount of pressure on my back and I felt myself relax further, my limbs becoming heavy.
I woke up with Aria’s soft body snuggled against me and the sunlight tickling my face. I opened my eyes wide and groaned.
“Fuck.”
Aria’s eyelids fluttered, then she looked at me with those wonderful blue eyes. “What’s wrong?” Her voice was still hoarse from sleep.
“I fell asleep,” I mumbled. “Not only did you have to spend most of our anniversary with Romero, but I didn’t even fuck you like I wanted to.”
His lips twitched. “I think,” he began, leaning back against my chest, “that was a fitting conclusion to our first year of marriage. After all, you didn’t have a moment of action on your wedding night, so it’s fitting that I didn’t have any on our first anniversary.”
I giggled. Trust Aria to make me feel better. Light in the darkness , indeed. My fingers slid down her spine, over her butt and then between her legs, finding her wet. “Maybe we could start the second year with some mind-blowing sex to set the ‘mood for the future.”
Aria smiled and then moaned when my fingers grazed her clit. “That sounds perfect.”
ARIA Things between Luke and me were back to the way they were before . Sometimes when Matteo sent him an update on his hunt, Luca would get nervous with me, but it only lasted a couple of hours. I wasn’t sure if he knew that I could follow Gianna’s progress through the travel blog he had created.
Maybe he suspected I knew something, but he had stopped pushing for information.
I inhaled deeply, loving the crisp morning air. Central Park was quiet this early on Sundays, except for the joggers making their rounds despite the December chill. In summer Luca and I were among them, but in winter I preferred to do my treadmill run, although we still got up early to enjoy a morning walk.
Luca shook my gloved hand and my eyes met his.
“A dollar for your thoughts,” he murmured.
I smiled and paused. “I’m just thinking how much I like the fact that we’re both early risers and can have Central Park almost to ourselves.” Luca was working most days. Without Matteo by his side, he had to do things on his own. I only had him in the early morning hours and late at night, but only in the morning did we really find time to talk. The night was reserved for sex, because Luke was too stressed by the day’s events to give me more than physical closeness. It was my fault, of course. Matteo was still away because I had not told them where Gianna was.
Luca chuckled, the low sound making me wish I could find a place where we could be alone. “To think I used to party until the wee hours of the morning and now I wake up so early.”
My smile faltered. “Do you mind? You were the most coveted bachelor in town, and now …” I stopped .
Luca pulled me close to him and leaned down so that his warm breath brushed my face. “I was out all night, always on the hunt, always on the move because there was nothing at home to call me. Now there’s you and no matter where I am or what I’m doing, the thought of you waiting for me is the best.”
My body filled with warmth at her words, but a slight worry gnawed at me. “What about the other women?” I whispered . “You had a new girl in your bed every weekend, and now it’s just me.” I had seen how some of the jogging women had looked at Luca. I noticed how many younger and even older women at social events looked at him, how they undressed him with their eyes. His predatory charm attracted them. He was all muscle, all man, all power.
Luca shook his head. “Why would I want anyone else, Aria? There is no one else I want.”
I tightened my fingers on his neck and pulled him to me, my lips brushing against his. “I love you, Luca.” His gray eyes softened, and that sight always struck me. That look, that side of him, no one could see it but me. Perhaps Luca had been the first and only man to claim my body, but I was the first and only person who had that part of himself, his soft side, his gentle side. He was all mine.
A humming sound drove us apart.
Luca let out a sigh. “Who is it now?”
Luca reached for the cell phone in his coat, then looked at the screen, and from the expression on his face I knew immediately that it was important.
I froze. “Luca?”
He looked up. “Matteo sent a message.”
My heart clenched. I swallowed. “E?”
“He took it.”
My breath came out of my mouth in a cloud of mist. “Gianna?” As if there could be anyone else.
Luca nodded. I could tell he was relieved, but he didn’t openly show it because of me. Relieved because Matteo would finally return to New York after six months of chasing my sister. Six months. Gianna had lived her dream for so long . I had risked a lot for Gianna: Luca’s trust, my marriage. But it had been in vain. Matthew had captured her. I should have been unhappy, but I was not. I was relieved, as was Luca, because Gianna was coming to New York. I was finally going to see her. It was a selfish thought because I knew she did not want to . She wanted to live a life away from the Mafia. She and I had always been very different when it came to dealing with the darkness of life in the Mafia. She wanted to leave and I wanted to find a place within that life where I felt safe and comfortable. I had found it and hoped Gianna would find her place, too. Then worry took over my thoughts.
“What happens to her now? Where am I? Is she all right ?”
Luca laid a hand on my cold cheek. His palm was warm, even in the freezing temperatures. “Aria, your sister will be fine. Let me call Matteo.”
I nodded. I would have liked to snatch Luca’s cell phone and call Matteo myself, but since the last time we had seen each other I wasn’t sure it would be right to do so. I was glad that he had been gone for months, although at the same time I wished that Luca did not have to handle everything by himself . I wasn’t sure I could ever behave normally with Matteo again, but I had to try or Luca would get suspicious.
Luca dialed Matteo’s number, then waited, but nothing happened, and a new wave of worry overcame me. “Why doesn’t he answer? He won’t hurt Gianna, right? She didn’t do anything wrong. She just wanted to be free. He’s going to take her to New York, right? He can’t take her to my father.
Luca, please…”
Luca wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me against him, one of his hands cradling my neck. “For some inexplicable reason, Matteo wants your sister. He will take her to New York, trust me.”
I trusted Luca. It was Matteo I did not trust. Even more so since he had attacked me, but Luca didn’t know that, of course, and never would. “But will he hurt her?”
Luca said nothing, and my heart plummeted.
“Come on, let’s go home. I have a feeling we’ll have to fly to Chicago soon to appease that fucking father.”
He took my hand and led me toward the park exit.
He had not answered my question because he couldn’t.
I couldn’t stop worrying about what was going on with Gianna, and Luca sensed it. He tried to call Matteo several times on the return trip, but he did not answer. When Luca’s phone rang, I could have cried with relief, but it turned out to be my father.
Luca’s face darkened as he listened. “We will come to Chicago to discuss with you. This is not just a matter of Outfit. Gianna is Matteo’s girlfriend.” Pause. “Yes, still, until he decides he doesn’t want her anymore.”
The moment Luca hung up, I asked, “What did he say?”
“Apparently, Matteo found your sister with another guy.
I don’t have to tell you how fucking bad it is.”
I turned toward the car window, trying not to let go . Matteo would have seen it as a betrayal and, worse, as an attack on his honor. I knew how men in our world dealt with that kind of thing. Trembling, I turned to Luca and touched his hand. “Please, Luca, you have to make sure Matteo doesn’t hurt Gianna.”
We entered the parking lot and Luca shook his head. “She’s his girlfriend. I can’t tell Matteo what to do with his woman.”
I squinted my eyes. He knew I hated that, but his expression spoke volumes: I had to accept it. These were the rules of mafia life.
I followed Luca out of the car, and his strong arm around my waist supported me. “Don’t worry so much.”
How could I not worry?
Then finally, when we arrived at our apartment, Matteo answered the phone.
“A message with ‘I got her,’ is all I get from you?” Luca gasped. I clutched at him, wanting to hear what Matteo had to say, but Luca was too tall and Matteo didn’t speak loud enough for me to hear anything.
“What is he saying?” I asked, panic swinging in my voice.
Luca rolled his eyes at something Matteo had said, then muttered, “With what?” He paused. “No, don’t tell me.
I don’t want to fucking know.”
“Did it hurt?” I practically screamed, hoping Matteo would hear me. My throat was tight and my eyes were watery. I was about to lose my mind soon. Luca noticed when his gray eyes locked on mine.
Luca lowered his voice. “Is she alive?”
I shook myself against him, my eyes widening. I hadn’t considered that option. Matteo wouldn’t have done that, right?
He was a murderer and had found Gianna with another man.
Oh God.
Luca shook my hand. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“How is Gianna? Please, is she okay? I need to know.”
Luca nodded. “Gianna is fine,” he said, then to Matteo, “When are you coming back?”
“Will you take Gianna to New York?” I asked. Luca gently removed his hand from my arm and signaled for me to stay where I was. Then he went out onto the rooftop terrace. I followed him but stayed inside, watching him through the windows. I knew I was driving him crazy with my anxiety, but he had never liked Gianna much. He tolerated her because of me, but he wouldn’t shed a tear if she left.
He walked back and forth on the rooftop terrace, his dark eyebrows furrowed in disapproval. He shook his head, then lowered his cell phone and saw me watching him. He returned.
“Your sister is fine, Aria. Matthew is going to Chicago with her to take care of your father.”
“We’re going too, aren’t we?” I whispered.
He let out a small sigh, then took my face in his hands. “We will.
Of course we will. We’ll take our plane. Go pack a suitcase in case we have to spend a couple of days in Chicago.” I nodded and was about to pull back, but he held me steady and leaned down until his lips almost touched mine. “You have to stop protecting your sister. She is an adult and will have to face the consequences of her decisions. I don’t want to have to worry about you as well as Matthew, love.” My heart leapt at that vexation. Luke was not one for nicknames, but whenever he called me “love” or “princess,” it felt even more special.
“You don’t have to worry about me,” I promised. “As long as you are by my side, I will take care of it.”
“I will always be by your side, Aria, I promise.”
He kissed me slowly and softly before letting me climb the stairs.
Luca’s hand around mine was clasped as we waited at the airport for Matteo and Gianna to disembark from the plane . The moment they did, I pulled on Luca’s hand and he let go of me. I ran toward Gianna. She was forced to walk beside Matteo, who held her at his side, but then she was finally allowed to burst toward me and we collided painfully. I held her tightly in my arms, happy to have her whole again.
“Oh Gianna, I was so scared for you. I’m so glad you’re here.” I couldn’t hold back the tears.
I pulled back to take a look at her. It took a second look to recognize her with her dyed hair. Brown. I didn’t like them . “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
Gianna stroked my hair. A rare gesture for her, and it kindled my concern again. “Gianna? Did Matteo do something?”
“Matteo did nothing,” Matteo said in a harsh voice.
I gasped, my eyes darting to him. When his dark eyes met mine, I fought the urge to look away as fear bubbled up inside me. I thought we had settled things between us, but my body seemed to disagree. Matteo’s eyebrows came together as he looked at me, and I looked away. I didn’t need Luca to notice the tense atmosphere between his brother and me.
“I didn’t ask,” I said softly. When Luca came to my side and patted Matteo’s shoulder, I relaxed. “It’s good to see you again, ” he said, and I could tell he meant it. He had missed Matteo, his only confidant besides me.
“I’m fine,” Gianna assured me when I turned my worried gaze to her.
“The Chief is waiting for you,” barked Stan, an Outfit soldier.
“Let’s go. It’s not like the hooker deserves a big welcome.”
I gasped. I couldn’t believe that he had actually dared to insult Gianna like that. Matthew pulled out a knife and threw it at Stan, who screamed when the blade cut his ear. He pressed one hand to the wound, the other to the gun he had on his waist.
“Next time my blade will split your fucking skull if you don’t keep your mouth shut,” Matteo hissed.
“We don’t want this to end badly, do we?” asked Luca in a very low voice, both of his guns pointed at the two Outfit soldiers . “Your boss wouldn’t appreciate that.” Romero was also aiming at them. They nodded reluctantly .
Luca put his pistols back in their holsters. “Let’s go.”
The other soldier picked up the knife Matthew had thrown and returned it to him, who did not take his eyes off Stan.
“He will ride in the car with us,” Stan said.
Matteo’s lips twitched into a cold smile. “This is the last warning you get. Stop pissing me off or I’ll rip a smile down your throat.”
The second soldier grabbed Stan by the arm and dragged him toward a black Outfit car while the rest of us headed toward two BMWs.
I held Gianna’s hand tightly, glad to have her back. I missed her voice, even her colorful language. Gianna slid into the back seat and I was about to follow her when Luca grabbed my arm. “No. I want Matteo to keep an eye on your sister.”
Gianna rolled her eyes. I squeezed her hand once, then let go and climbed into the passenger seat next to Luca, who would be driving. I hoped things would be okay now, but I knew we all had a long road ahead of us.