chapter 5

He backs away from me, lifting his hands up. “It wasn’t my decision. It was your cousin’s. Alessandro thought it was better if you didn’t know. He made me swear not to tell you about it. Marya was far enough away, and it didn’t look like she was ever going to come anywhere near us or you. You didn’t need that kind of—”

I laugh. “Ididn’t need? What the fuck does Alessandro know about what I need? I’m not a fucking child anymore!”

Can I not fucking trust anyone around here anymore? Alessandro has done a lot for me, especially when I was just a stupid seventeen-year-old who was on the path of self-destruction.

But that doesn’t give him the right to order Theo to keep things about my birth mother from me. What did he think? That if he told me, I was going to go look for her? Try to take her out? Relapse?

“I’m sorry.” Theo bows his head.

It hurts. It hurts that they don’t fucking trust me.

It’s been years.

It’s been fucking years.

“I don’t give a fuck.” I storm out of the room.

Alessandro better be in his office because I want to talk to him right fucking now. Guards bow their heads as I stride past them. I get in my car and step hard on the gas pedal.

My guards will try to follow me, but right now, I don’t care if they’ll succeed. I can take care of myself, and this is all supposed to be safe territory.

Back when I was seventeen, there were three big territories in our city. One belonged to my father, Riccardo Di Domenico. One belonged to my cousins, the Fornaris. Alessandro’s father, Giacomo, was in charge.

And the third one belonged to the Balakin Bratva. The Fornaris and my family were supposed to be allies, and the Balakins were our enemy. There were other gangs and less important mafia families around us, but no one dangerous or strong enough to make an impact.

Everything was fine until my father decided to get greedy. He had a deal with the Balakins because of me that no one knew about, and he wanted out of it. Apparently, all the favors the Balakins asked for in exchange for me and their silence about the whole thing were too much for him. He wanted the Fornaris’ territory too, so he came up with a plan.

He figured out a way to pit the Fornaris and the Balakins against each other. To force them into a war that would decimate their numbers. Once they were weakened, he intended to attack and kill the survivors. Then he would’ve ended up as the ruler of everything.

But he made a huge mistake. He had me kidnap Alessandro’s pregnant girlfriend, Scarlett. Alessandro somehow figured out the whole thing. I was ordered to kill Scarlett, but I was high on whatever drug I had within my reach. I couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger on an innocent, pregnant woman who had nothing to do with our world, so I helped her escape.

The Fornaris killed my father, but Alessandro wouldn’t let them kill me too. They ended up in control of all three territories. Alessandro became the boss of his family’s territory. His brother took the Balakins’. Their father, Giacomo, ruled over my family’s territory.

Alessandro put me in rehab, and the plan was for me to take back the control over my family’s territory once I was ready and Giacomo retired.

And Alessandro’s plan worked. I got clean and then I did everything I could to convince Alessandro and my men that I was fit to be the boss. Now my family’s territory is mine. Alessandro still holds his family’s territory that’s right next to mine, and his brother has the Balakins’.

When I pull over in the parking lot, I get out of the car. Alessandro’s guards watch me, but they know me, so they don’t try to stop me. I stride into the big building where Alessandro’s office is. The woman at the front desk smiles, but her smile fades as I storm past her.

“Sir?” she calls after me, but I ignore her.

I go straight to Alessandro’s office. The door is cracked open, and he calmly looks up at me as I push it wide.

He’s been expecting me. Theo must’ve called him.

“Luca, what a pleasant surprise,” Alessandro says.

“Cut the crap. You know why I’m here. I want answers.” I glare at him.

He sighs. “Take a seat and we’ll talk.”

I want to punch something, but I sit down. Losing control in front of anyone, especially Alessandro, isn’t an option.

“Why?” It’s all I want to know.

“I didn’t feel like it was something you needed to worry about. I decided to keep an eye on her myself, and then if something came up, we’d tell you.”

“Theo and you.”

“Yes.”

I press my lips into a tight line.

“I know how that makes you feel, but you were doing so well. You were excited about starting a new life. Marya is... Your past. You didn’t need anything to drag you back there.”

“Then why not tell me later? What? Are you still worried I’m going to relapse if something from my past comes up?”

“Did you forget what happened when you found out about Marcello? You almost got yourself killed trying to get to him. I couldn’t have known Marya would get in contact with him.”

I cross my arms. “I was still young and not thinking straight when that happened. There must’ve been clues that Marcello and my mother were going to meet.”

“There weren’t. Marya is very good at hiding. She’s almost as frustrating as Marcello. I know you. You would’ve wanted to track her down and watch her activities yourself too. Between her and Marcello, you would’ve spread yourself too thin. And you wouldn’t have accepted my help. Actually, you always have to be forced into accepting someone’s help.”

“And it hasn’t occurred to you that I could handle it? I’m not seventeen anymore. You keep forgetting that.”

“I’m not. But you’re right. I should’ve told you earlier, and I’m sorry. There’s nothing we can do about that now.” His blue eyes stare back at me with an almost irritating calmness.

“I want all the information you have on Marya. Everything. No more secrets. If you’re hiding something more from me, tell me now. If I find out on my own later, I swear our alliance will be over.” I hold his gaze so he knows I’m serious.

Without him, I’d be dead, and I’ll be forever grateful to him for that. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to let him walk all over me.

Alessandro nods. “All right. You’ll have everything. I’ll send it over as soon as possible.”

“Do that.” I get to my feet. “And, Alessandro, you don’t need to protect me anymore. I can handle it.”

A smile stretches across his lips, but he doesn’t say anything, so I head for the door. Whatever Marya is planning with Marcello, I’m going to figure it out and put a stop to it.