Chapter 74

LUCA

Veda stiffened beside me when she spotted Mario and his men standing side by side on the other side of the back parking lot. She didn't ask me

any questions. Didn't beg. Didn't try to weasel her way out of what was about to happen. What had to happen. I hoped she was still stoned enough that she wouldn’t feel anything. Wouldn’t see what was coming.

For me, seeing my brother for the first time since the drug bust had gone down was strange. I expected to feel more. Sorrow, perhaps. Loss for the brother I knew when we were kids, before he had become this selfish prick. But all I felt was a sense of betrayal. And an anger that threatened to consume me.

Mario immediately spotted Veda standing calmly beside me, and the blood drained from his face. His eyes flicked back to me. “What is this? I’m supposed to meet one of our father’s men.”

“That would be me,” I told him.

His eyes were pulled back to Veda. “This isn’t possible. They told me it was her, but I didn’t fucking believe it.” He took a step toward us. Stopped. “I thought for sure you were just pulling some shit, Luca. Trying to get me to show myself.” Then he shook his head, took a step forward, stopped, and pointed his finger at her. “You’re dead. I fucking shot you myself.” His arm fell to his side, his eyes wide. “This isn’t. Fucking. Possible.”

“Obviously, you missed.” I smiled at the expression on his face, but there was no warmth behind it.

His eyes never left Veda. "What are you fucking doing with him?" I could see the spit spew from his mouth from where we stood. It brought joy to my heart.

Veda just stared at him and didn't respond.

"Answer me, you fucking bitch!"

Anger surged through me at the insult, but I suppressed it. I couldn’t lose focus. “I think you just answered your own question, Mario," I told him. “Women like to feel cared for. Respected.” Though my voice was calm, my gut clenched so tight I was glad I hadn’t been able to bring myself to eat today. I felt Veda staring at me, but I didn’t look at her to see her reaction to my words. Grinding my jaw, I shoved down the feeling that I was somehow betraying her. I'd been planning this day for years. Fucking years. Veda knew what was coming from the moment she became a guest at my home. I wasn't about to let my fondness for her pussy ruin this for me.

Or for Maria.

My brother finally turned his attention to me. "Is this what you wanted? To steal my girl?" He threw his arms out. "Fine, stronzo. You did it. You took something from me. Just like I did to you. Now you can go crawling back to our daddy and tell him what a big man you are."

I laughed. "Don't be stupid, fratello," I told him. "I didn't need to 'steal' anything. She came to me willingly." I tightened my hand around her arm in warning when I saw Veda's mouth open out of the corner of my eye. “And who can blame her? You claimed to love her. Told her you were gonna marry her. Then tried to kill her. And for what? For being excited?”

Mario looked to his men on either side of him. "Fine," he said. "We're even now. I took your woman, and you took mine. Can we stop with all of this now so I can get on with my life?"

“Your life?” I barked out a laugh. “You’re a fucking rat, Mario. You have no life.”

“So, what?” He put his hands out, palms up. “What are you gonna do,

Luca? You gonna kill me? Your own brother?”

I didn’t bother to answer him. He knew if that was my plan, he’d already be dead. "I thought maybe you might want her back," I told him. “So you’d have some company the next time you ran to the feds like the pussy you are.” Veda made a small noise, but I wouldn't look at her. I couldn't. If I did, if I looked into her eyes and saw the hurt and betrayal and fear I was causing her, I'd never be able to go through with what I was about to do.

"Why the fuck would I want back a used cunt like that?" He emphasized the insult by waving his hand toward her like she was nothing more than a pile of stinking trash.

My vision narrowed, the cars and people around us turning into a red blur, blocking out everything else except my brother.

“Luca,” Enzo said quietly, a warning in his voice.

I didn’t acknowledge him. I knew what he was telling me. Mario’s life was in our father’s hands, not mine. As the boss, it was his call. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t fuck with him a little. "So, you don't care if I shoot her in the head right here in front of you? The way you shot my Maria? Or should I wait until you're fucking her to do it? So you can taste her blood. Have her brains splattered all over your face and chest. Watch the life fade from her eyes while your dick is still inside of her..." I cocked my head, waiting for an answer.

"Oh, my god." The words were spoken so softly I barely heard them above the blood pounding in my ears. "Oh, my god," Veda repeated, a little louder.

Mario didn't even spare her a glance. But I heard the horror in her voice, and I wanted to scream, "NOW do you get it? NOW do you see why I have to do this? NOW do you understand why my feelings for you don't matter?" But I said none of those things. And outwardly no one would know the turmoil that raged inside of me. As far as anyone else in this room would see, I was cold. Calculating. Intent on my revenge. It was important that Mario see what I was capable of. How deep the ice in my heart ran.

Slowly, I lifted my Glock and put the muzzle against the side of her head, blocking out Veda's whimper and the way she breathed in and out in bursts, like she couldn't get enough air. But I could smell her fear, and it tugged at something inside of me no matter how hard I tried to ignore it.

With an internal shake, I concentrated on my brother. I remembered what he’d done. What it had felt like. The smell of Maria’s blood. The feel of her body as she grew cold against me. The way he’d made me look like a fool in front of our father. In front of the family. In front of the cartel. I couldn't lose my focus. Not again.

And though Veda trembled uncontrollably against me, she didn't say another word, or try to get away from me. I had drugged her for just this purpose. I had to stay focused. I couldn’t get distracted by her fighting me, trying to run. And, if I were to be honest with myself, to make it easier on her.

Mario, however, took a stunted step forward, raising his hands out in front of him in a pleading gesture as the four guns on either side of him were pointed at me. Enzo and Tristan, who stood just behind and to either side of me, responded in kind.

"Hold on, Luca. Just hold on." Mario's tone was calm, but his expression was tense. Indicating Veda with one hand, he said, "She's got nothing to do with any of this."

I smiled. "But that's where you're wrong," I told him. "She has everything to do with it. Despite what you did, you love her, just like I loved Maria." And he did love her. I could see it written all over his face, no matter how he tried to act otherwise. I knew my brother. He would never propose to someone he didn’t care about. He’d come out of hiding for her. Risked his own life. Killing her had been a necessity that had probably torn him up inside more than he would ever admit.

"Maria was a drug runner, for god's sake. She was in the business!

Nicole...Nicole is innocent." His expression softened when he looked at her. "Let her go, Luca. We'll settle this another way."

"There is no other way," I told him.

My grip tightened on Veda's arm for a moment, an unconscious reaction. Moving my hand to her back, I gave her a hard shove and sent her stumbling across the concrete.

Mario rushed toward her, coming to an abrupt stop when I raised my gun and aimed it at her head. He threw up his hands, his eyes pleading now. "Luca, please. I'm begging you."

The sense of satisfaction I felt wasn't nearly as strong as I'd imagined it would be, but it was there.

Veda lifted her head, then slowly turned around to face me. Her eyes met mine, and there was acceptance in her gaze. Acceptance and sorrow.

And love.