Luca Verri

LUCA 

Tell me why I came to see my cousin, my blood, and found Sofia standing on the other side of his door.

The same woman I'd told Enzo to stay away from.

And now she was in his house.

I clenched my jaw.

Her face was drained of every colour. When she saw me, at least she knew she was indeed in trouble. My eyes trailed from her face to the bags in her hands.

“Step aside,” I ordered. She did so immediately. Good girl.

“Enzo!!!!” I shouted as I walked further into the living room.

There was no reply.

I turned towards Sofia, who remained standing by the door.

“You’re in serious trouble,” I told her. “Go sit your ass down there.”

I pointed towards one of the sofas.

“I…I can ex—”

“Shut the fuck up, Sofia, and go sit the fuck down!” I yelled.

She yelped and hurried towards the sofa.

Just then, Enzo walked down the stairs.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw me.

Then he glanced towards Sofia.

“From where you stand, start explaining,” I commanded.

“Luca.”

“I didn't ask you to say my name. I asked you to explain why my fiancée is in your house.”

“She’s not your fiancée anymore,” he replied.

This boy was forgetting who he was talking to.

I slowly smiled.

“Say that again,” I told him.

“I don’t want to fight you, Luca,” he said.

“And why is that?” I asked him.

“You’re the Mafia’s heir.”

“That right there. Then tell me, why did you disobey my orders when I told you to stay away from her?” I said, pointing towards Sofia.

“I won’t get involved again,” he murmured.

“You're making it sound like this was some harmless mistake.”

“I said I won't get involved again,” he snapped.

He’s so lucky he’s practically like a brother to me.

“I’m sorry,” he spoke again. “Her father threw her out, and I helped her.”

I stared at him.

“You helped her.”

“Yes.”

“After I specifically told you to stay away from her.”

He clenched his jaw.

“She had nowhere to go,” he replied.

I chuckled.

“And apparently, out of every fucking person in New York, you were the one who had to save her.”

Enzo's expression hardened.

“I wasn't going to leave her outside.”

“No,” I said, my eyes moving toward Sofia. “You were going to bring her into your house.”

He said nothing.

“Do you know what that looks like, Enzo?”

He didn't answer.

“It looks like you forgot who she belonged to.”

“She doesn't belong to anyone. You cut off the engagement.”

That answer made my smile disappear.

“Be careful,” I warned him.

I turned towards Sofia.

She looked drained, almost like she had already accepted what was coming.

For a second, I almost felt sorry for her.

Almost.

I looked back at Enzo.

Then I reached beneath my jacket and pulled out my gun.

His eyes immediately dropped to it.

“What are you doing?”

I tossed it towards him.

Enzo caught it in midair.

Sofia gasped.

“Kill her.”

Enzo stared at me.

“What the fuck?”

“Don't make me repeat myself.”

His fingers tightened around the gun.

“You're serious?”

I chuckled.

“When I want someone dead, you don't question me.”

I took a step closer.

“So what changed?”

Enzo's expression hardened.

He looked down at the gun in his hand, then back at me.

“You want me to kill her?”

“That's what I said.”

His jaw clenched.

I glanced at Sofia.

She looked terrified.

Good.

“Please…” she whispered.

I ignored her.

“Prove to me that I'm wrong.”

“Wrong about what?” Enzo asked.

“That this isn't about her,” I replied with a smile. “My cousin, suddenly disobeying my orders.”

I stepped closer.

“And now you're questioning me over her.”

Enzo's grip tightened around the gun.

“She’s done nothing to you.”

“That's not your decision to make.”

“She doesn't deserve this.”

I laughed.

“Deserve?”

I shook my head.

“You're forgetting yourself, Enzo.”

I pointed towards Sofia.

“And right now, Sofia is a problem.”

Enzo didn't move.

I stared at him.

“Kill her.”

He slowly removed the safety from the gun.

Sofia's eyes widened.

“Please,” she whispered. “Enzo, please don't.”

He looked at her.

Then back at me.

“You really want me to do this?”

“I don't give orders twice.”

Sofia shook her head as tears gathered in her eyes.

“Please. I don't want to die.”

Enzo raised the gun and aimed at her.

My eyes remained on him, watching him for any more weaknesses.

His finger settled on the trigger, and he pulled it, but nothing happened.

Sofia gasped.

Enzo stared at the gun. Then he looked at me.

I smiled.

“Good.”

His nostrils flared.

“You tested me.”

“Of course I did.”

I walked towards him and took the gun.

“And you passed.”

“You’re so unbelievable,” he yelled.

“I needed to know whether you would still pull the trigger if I ordered you to.”

I glanced at Sofia. She stood unmoving and very pale.

“The fuck, Sofia, are you okay?” I asked.

“Of course she isn't,” Enzo said from beside me.

“I…I don't feel…”

Her knees gave out before she could finish. Enzo moved so fast, he caught her before she hit the floor.

I was irritated.

“Get your hands off her, Enzo,” I grunted.

“The fuck do you mean, get my hands off her?” “Fucking call the doctor,” he said.

I watched as Sofia’s eyes fluttered closed.

Damn, it’s serious.

I called the doctor, and he was on his way. Enzo laid her on the sofa.

Then my eyes trailed towards Sofia’s bags.

“What was she doing with those?” I asked Enzo.

He looked towards my line of vision.

“You met her with those?” he asked, and I nodded.

“I think she was leaving,” he said with a shrug.

“Her father didn’t let her in, you said,” I replied.

“She was running away,” I spat angrily.

Enzo looked at me.

“In case you forgot, you two are no longer together.”

“And in case you were too slow to observe, I haven’t released a statement for the public yet. So she’s still mine,” I shot back.

Enzo gave me a look. 

“And if she was really planning to run away…”

I looked down at the gun in my hand.

“Then she'll learn exactly why I never let people walk away from me.”