Lucas
What the fuck is going on right now?
My eyes stay glued to Mark, my whole body tight with rage. The bastard just sits there, smirking like he owns the damn place.
I turn sharply to my father. “Why is he here?”
“Lucas, calm down, please.” My father’s voice is gentle. “How have you been, son? Come on…” He motions for me to sit, but I shake my head.
“Not until you tell me what he’s doing here.”
I refuse to believe this. Refuse to even consider the thought forming in my head. It can’t be true. There’s no fucking way.
Then my father sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. “Lucas, you haven’t met him before. His name is Mark. He’s your brother.”
I stiffen. My fists clench so hard my knuckles turn white.
“This is a joke, right?” My voice comes out low. “You… you knew all along that you had another son? And you never fucking told me?”
The room feels like it’s closing in on me. My chest tightens with something hot and suffocating.
I snap.
Without another word, I storm out of the living room, my feet pounding against the marble floors as I head straight for the library. The second I slam the door shut behind me, I grab a flower vase and hurl it against the wall.
It shatters into pieces, the sound doing nothing to cool the fire raging inside me.
“FUCK!”
I press my hands against the desk, my breathing ragged. I can’t fucking believe this. Mark? My so-called brother?
That bastard. I knew it. He wasn’t genuine. He calculated everything. That’s why he went after Aria. That’s why he’s here. He wants to fucking take everything from me.
The door creaks open, and I whip around, ready to rip into whoever the fuck dared to come after me.
But my shoulders sag when I see Aria standing there, her eyes filled with concern.
“Lucas… are you alright?” she asks, closing the door behind her.
“Did you fucking see that? That bastard… he’s my brother. The one Sarita was talking about. I can’t fucking believe this.” I run a hand through my hair, gripping it tightly. “I told you, didn’t I? I fucking told you he was a liar. Aria, he planned all of this!”
“I know, I know… just calm down, please,” she begs, stepping closer.
“He’s trying to take everything from me,” I spit out, my chest heaving. “You… my position… fuck.”
Aria doesn’t hesitate…she moves in, her arms wrapping around my waist. “Calm down, baby, please. This isn’t you. You have to be smart about this. Don’t let him get to you. That’s what he wants.” She tilts her head up, her eyes locking onto mine. “You’re Lucas Russo. The best man I’ve ever seen and known. So get a hold of yourself.”
I exhale sharply, my hands sliding around her back as I pull her into me. My sweet, sweet Aria. I don’t know what the fuck I’d do without her. She’s the only thing keeping me sane right now.
“Come on,” I mutter, pulling back just enough to grab her hand. “Let’s go.”
“Are you sure?”
I nod once. “Yeah. Let’s go.”
And with that, we walk out together. When we step into the living room, the tension is so fucking thick.
Sarita is pacing like a damn lunatic, clearly stressed out, while that woman and her son, Mark, are just sitting there, way too fucking calm for my liking. Like they belong here or something.
Then my father speaks up. “Lucas, son… you’re here.”
I take a second to really look at him. Damn. He’s aged badly. He looks frail, thinner than before. The illness has clearly been eating him alive.
And honestly? I should feel bad. But I don’t. Not with them sitting here, pretending like everything’s normal.
“Please, sit down,” he says, his tired eyes moving to Aria. “It’s nice to see you too, Aria. Please, have a seat.”
I don’t say a damn word. I just walk over to the couch and drop down, my body tense. Aria settles beside me, her warmth the only thing keeping me from snapping right now. Sarita sits next to her mate, while Beta John is leaning against the wall, watching everything unfold.
My father leans forward, hands clasped together like he’s about to say something real important. “First things first. Lucas… Aria… I want to apologize. For the way I treated you both. I’m sorry. Truly sorry.”
Oh, wow. I stare at him for a moment, then let out a sharp laugh. “And you think that’s gonna erase everything? All the shit you put us through? What about Aria’s parents, huh? Is ‘sorry’ gonna bring them back?”
“Lucas…” Aria murmurs beside me, her fingers brushing against my arm, but I shake my head.
“No, Aria. He deserves to hear everything. ‘Sorry’ isn’t gonna cut it.”
Beta John pushes off the wall suddenly. “Lucas, take it easy. Your father’s… not at a hundred percent.”
I snap my head toward him, glaring. “Oh, and what? That means I should just shut up and take it?” I throw a glare at my father. “And this?” I gesture toward Mark with pure disgust. “You already found a replacement for me, huh?”
“Lucas, it’s not like that,” my father says quickly. “And besides, Mark says he’s not at all interested in any of that. He just wants to get to know you, that’s all.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “And I’m supposed to be thrilled about that? You really think I wanna play nice with the son of the woman who, along with you, ruined my mother’s life?” My gaze locks onto the woman, and I scan her, my lip curling in disgust. “This? This is who you threw my mother away for? You loathed her for this… basic-ass woman?”*
“Lucas,” my father warns sharply.
I glance at Mark, and I see it…the flash of anger, the way his jaw tenses, but he swallows it down. Probably trying to keep up his fake-ass nice guy act.
Then my father sighs. “Lucas, I’m sorry. I know I wronged your mother. I know I hurt you. But that’s why I’m trying to make amends. I just want to do what’s right.”
A slow, dark smile spreads across my face. “You really wanna make amends? Fine. Then do this one thing for me.” I lean forward. “Get this bastard out of here. Kick him out. Don’t give him a damn thing. Take him and his mother and send them far the fuck away. Don’t let them get so much as a single inch of your inheritance.”
“Lucas…”
“That’s all I want, Dad. No two ways about it.”
I sit back, enjoying the uncomfortable silence.
I dare him to say no.