23: Look What You Made Me Do

Luca's POV

She walked in like she hadn’t disappeared for hours. Like I hadn’t been pacing the floor, calling my men repeatedly and shouting over the phone, imagining her body dumped in some gutter with a message carved into her skin.

Maria.

She looked tired, eyes swollen like she’d been crying—but still standing. Still breathing.

I stood up the second she stepped inside. “Where the hell have you been?”

Her lips parted, but nothing came out at first. She hesitated.

Then, “I went to see Alejandro.”

Everything inside me stopped.

“What?” My voice dropped low.

“I went to him,” she repeated, “to ask what he wanted from you.”

I laughed. Dry. Cold.

“You went to him?” I stepped closer. “And how exactly did you walk out of there with your throat still attached to your neck?”

“He let me go.”

“He let you go?” I spat.

“He let you go?” I repeated.

 “Please don't tell me you think I’m that stupid, Maria?”

I didn’t wait for her to answer. I grabbed her. She gasped.

“Luca, stop…”

But I didn’t stop. My hands were on her, tearing through her dress like she was just some thief from the street.

I didn’t care how many times she screamed my name or tried to shove me off. I had to see if Alejandro has sent her here with something—anything.

A weapon. A wire. A lie.

“What did he give you?” I asked, my fingers bruising her skin as I searched her like a madman. “What did he send with you?” I shouted.

“Nothing… Luca, please!”

“He sent you to come find a way to do away with me, didn’t he?” My fingers closed around her throat, squeezing. “What did he tell you to do, huh? Answer, you bitch! You're here to betray me to him, isn’t it? Or you went there to beg for your life, seeing what he did to Alexa?”

Her voice was barely a whisper. “I only went there to ask him what he wanted from you…”

“Is that so?” I asked bitterly, sarcastic. “And what did he say?”

She coughed, struggling to breathe as she said, “He said he doesn’t want to harm you. Only wanted you to see what he’d do to Alexa… since it was her who caused everything.”

“And I’m supposed to believe that?” My grip tightened once more before I finally let go.

She collapsed onto the floor, coughing hard, clutching her neck. Tears were pouring down her face now, but I felt nothing. Not yet.

The door burst open. Two of my men ran in.

I didn’t even look at them.

“Take her,” I said coldly. “Search her. Every damn inch. I don’t care if she screams. I want to know if that bastard sent her here with anything. Use an x-ray scan if you must.”

Maria wailed. “Luca, please… please don’t let them… Luca!”

I didn’t move. Didn’t blink.

They dragged her out, her cries echoing down the hall like a funeral bell.

I turned to the third man in the room.

“Get me Alejandro’s number,” I said through my anger. “From Alex. Now.”

Minutes later, the phone was in my hand. The number dialed.

It rang once.

Twice.

Then Alejandro picked up.

“Luca,” Alejandro’s smug voice came. “First, you won’t even utter a single word to me, and now here you are, calling me. I’m sensing you got my gift.”

“If you really think you’re going to use Maria to get to me, then you’ve got another thing coming.”

There was a pause. Then, a lazy laugh.

“Oh… Is that what this is?”

“Yes, it is what that is. First, you murdered Alexa, and now you expect me to believe you won’t do anything to me?”

“Now this… this is exactly what I wanted,” he said slowly. “Your fear, Luca, your fear. Your paranoia. Because that’s exactly how I knew you’d react. But now that I have it this easy, I don’t think I want it anymore, Luca.”

Then in Italian, he added, “Non hai idea di quanto potere e influenza io abbia guadagnato, specialmente qui a Londra, Luca. Se ti volessi qui, tra le mie braccia, ti avrei. E tutti i tuoi soldatini non basterebbero a salvarti.”

“You have no idea how much power and influence I’ve gained over the years, especially here in London, Luca. If I wanted you here in my arms, I’d have you, and all of your petty soldiers wouldn’t be enough to save you. Yet… I have chosen to show you mercy, because you and I both serve a merciful God.”

His tone shifted—darker, more bitter.

“God has blessed me with more than you will ever have, Luca. Even after everything you took from me.”

“And for that reason… that reason alone, I will show you mercy. But…” he growled now “if you try once more to attack me, I swear to you, by the good God and Mother… and on the grave of the boss who trained us both… I will execute you, Luca De Rossi.”

Silence.

“Go back to your territory… and never step foot again in mine.”

I clenched the phone tighter.

“If you really wanted to show me mercy,” I said, “you wouldn’t have attacked my shipment.”

“You’ll have your shipment, Luca,” he replied. “That, I can assure you.”

“Oh, so now you want to return them while I'm here so Interpol can arrest me on my way back to New York, huh? You’re so…”

“I’d rather kill you myself than let those self-righteous dogs have you, Luca,” he interrupted. “Because that’s not the way the boss taught us. Rest his soul.”

Then he laughed, low and cruel.

“Your shipment never left your city, Luca. It was right under your nose. But you were too busy suffering from the guilt of your sins to even see it. But I’ll let you find it.”

Then he paused again, one last time.

“Enjoy your life, Luca De Rossi… with your bitch doll. But know this—I’m done with you.”

Then the call ended.

I stood there, staring at the dead phone in my hand, breathing hard.

Done with me?

No.

This wasn’t over, Alejandro.

Not yet.

I decide when it's done.