Page 35 of Luca

Luca stares at me for a moment before nodding his head. “We never had this conversation.”

Just like all the other conversations we’ve never had but I can’t seem to forget about.

Three days have passed, and I haven’t been able to see my father yet. Apparently you can’t just walk in and they let you through. I’ve filled out the paperwork and now I’m just awaiting approval from the warden or whoever signs it, saying I’m allowed to visit.

My brother has been MIA since the conviction. He’s probably out running around with whatever flavor of the week he has or simply drowning his sorrows at some brothel my family owns. Who the hell knows? He’s never bothered to explain his comings and goings to me—or to anyone else, for that matter.

I’m curled up with a book in the family room when I hear a commotion coming from my brother’s office. He’s back and we need to talk.

I walk in and watch as he pulls a few weapons from the safe in the wall behind his desk.

“Carlo, what’s going on?” I ask, my brows rising at seeing him load the magazine into his gun before he starts cramming bullets into a few spare magazines in front of him.

“Nothing. I have some business to take care of. What do you want, Giada?”

He doesn’t look at me or give me any of his attention. Typical.

“I need to talk to you about what happens next.”

“Our father is going to spend the rest of his life in prison. That’s what happens next.”

I take a breath, shoring up the courage to tell him my plan. “I want to leave, Carlo. To go to Italy and live there. There’s no reason for me to stay. Our father’s in prison. I’m not any sort of asset to this family.”

Carlo stops what he’s doing and spears me with his glare. “You aren’t going anywhere. You’re still part of this family, and you’re still required to fulfill your obligations as Francesco Cataldi’s only daughter.”

I let out a disbelieving laugh. “Our father isn’t going to ever see the outside of prison walls again. You know that as well as I do. What further obligations could I possibly have?”

“Just because he’s in prison doesn’t mean I can’t find you a suitable husband.”

“For what? No one is going to want to marry me with a father in prison and a brother who…”

His icy stare stops me midsentence. “Who what, Giada?”

“I’m not stupid, Carlo. I see how hard it’s been since Father was arrested. The other capos don’t want to follow you.”

In two steps, he’s towering over me. “You know nothing.”

“I know what I see. I’m not some little girl you can boss around anymore.” I stare into his erratic gaze with a steely glare of my own, refusing to back down.

The noise of his slap registers moments before the sting of the blow brings tears to my eyes. My hand covers the burning flesh of my cheek as I stare at him with wide eyes as his glower bears down on me.

“Make no mistake, Giada.” He roughly grabs my arm and brings me closer to his face, speaking through gritted teeth. “Whether or not those spineless assholes want to follow me, I’m still in charge of this family, and that means I’m in charge of where you live and who you marry. You think you can walk away? Think again. I own you just like I own everything else that was our father’s. You aren’t going anywhere.”

Luca walks into the room and sees the tear making its way down my face and Carlo’s rough fingers digging into my arm.

“Hey, Pauly and Roberto are waiting for you. They said something about needing to get to the docks.”

Carlo glances at Luca then back to me. “If you try to leave without my permission, I will hunt you down and drag you back here. Anyone you run to will die for helping you. I won’t be undermined by my spoiled bitch of a sister. Do you understand me?”

I jerkily nod, and he tightens his grip on my arm once more before releasing it.

“I’ll be back tonight,” he says to Luca as he passes him on the way out of his office. “Keep an eye on her.”

Luca nods, but his stare stays fixed on me. The front door slams and it takes all of my strength to stay upright and not fall to the floor in utter defeat. It would have made leaving so much easier if Carlo would’ve agreed. But he’s still under some delusion that our lives or that the organization our father has built isn’t crumbling beneath our feet.

Luca is next to me in two long strides. “Are you okay?”

My laugh at his question holds no humor as I wipe the moisture from my cheeks and try not to wince with pain. “I’m anything but okay.” I look him in the eye. “But I’ll be damned if Carlo thinks this fight is over.”

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