Page 61 of Flawed

"You can't stick your head in the sand anymore. This baby is coming, so it's time to fess up to your family. I don't want to be accused of hiding things from your father," he asserts.

My gut drops, but I know he's right. I slowly nod my head, agreeing. "Okay. I'll get my shit together."

He assesses me, and in a low voice, questions, "Do you have any second thoughts about me paying your baby's daddy a visit?"

My heart sinks. This is it. I'll never see Luca again. There's no reason for me to ever return to my apartment.

It's for the best.

I lift my chin higher. "No. He won't be a problem."

11

Luca

Several Days Later

For the last few days,I've done everything possible to stay away from Chanel. As much as I've wanted to drive by her place and wait for her to appear or go up to her door and beg her to run away with me, I haven't.

I know it's for the best. I've never been a quitter. It's in my blood to take down the Abruzzos, and I can't let my personal desires cloud my truth.

She was right to ask me not to ever see her again. If I don't cut it off, neither of us will ever be free. It'll be a constant wound we keep opening, and she deserves better.

To try and get my mind off her, I've tortured myself in the Abruzzo gym. I've worked out harder than ever. I've been in the boxing ring too many times to count. Every punch that lands on me, I barely feel. Every hit I bestow upon my enemy only feels like a sliver of what they deserve.

None of it makes me feel better. Every day, all day long, I have to deal with more of Jacopo's shit. It all adds to my determination to put him in a body bag.

Waiting to get Eddie's word that Danny is ready to take Brody to the docks adds to the torture. I'm ready to get this over with, and every second that ticks by messes with my nerves.

Jacopo's not helping. He's more impatient than I am. He's constantly reminding me he gave me a job to handle. Each time, I restate that Eddie needs to do his part. It shuts him up. Then he pins his evil expression on me again, and I don't know what's going through his crazy head.

Whenever he does it, part of me thinks he knows I'm a fraud. I imagine him taking his knife out and slitting my throat. He'd probably set my head on a platter on his dining room table then eat his meal with my lifeless, bloody eyes staring at him.

It's not out of his character. I watched him do it once. He made me and several of his men continue dinner as if nothing was wrong. And he kept checking our plates, ensuring we were eating. It was all to test us. God forbid we shouldn't be able to stomach food with blood surrounding us. In Jacopo's eyes, that would make us too weak to work for him or a flat-out traitor.

All the mixed-up emotions I've felt for Chanel make me hate Jacopo more. I not only resent him for killing my father, but I hate him for destroying any chance I had of a normal life. It never bothered me before Chanel. I lived off the adrenaline rush of navigating the underworld. Now, I can't shake the feeling I'm missing out on my life.

All the questions I've always pushed to the back of my mind won't hide anymore. And I'm not getting any younger. I assumed I'd get into the Abruzzo circle and find the opportune time to kill Jacopo, but years have passed. Angelo warned me it wouldn't be simple. He claimed Jacopo would always be surrounded, and the ability to kill him and live wouldn't be easy.

I thought he was exaggerating.

I was young and cocky. My hotheadedness made me underestimate Jacopo and not listen to my uncle. Now, this sense of regret keeps popping up. And I wish I could go back to the time when I didn't feel it.

I step out of my third shower of the day and dry off. I open my locker and pick up my phone.

BOSS:It's set. 11:00 tonight.

Me:Got it.

I erase the message. Boss in all capitals is Angelo. Boss with a capital B and the rest in lowercase is Jacopo. I toss on my clothes and leave the gym. I get in my Viper and turn on the engine.

As expected, Jacopo calls.

I answer, "Boss. You have good news for me?"

"Eleven tonight."

"Consider it done," I state.

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