25. Luca

I'm not usually taken off guard, but in this case, I am. I stumble back and am ready to kill the intruder.

"Niko!" Aria yells as she comes to my side.

Niko's eyes take in me and Aria, both in robes. There's no doubt that he knows what I've been doing with Aria. He might have pretended before that she was untouched since I put her in a guestroom when he visited. Now there is no such pretense, and I can see that he's unhappy. Well, too fucking bad.

I pull myself together, remembering my father's words of wisdom about control and respect being the key to power. I have to consider that he knew I"d be here, in which case his men are following me or Aria and reporting back. Men who are likely close by.

"Niko," I say, keeping my tone even. "This is a surprise."

"We need to talk."

"Alright." I make a gesture to let him in.

"No. My office." He glances at my robe again. "Thirty minutes."

"No." Aria steps into his space. "I don't know why you're here, but you have no right to butt into my life. What Luca and I do is none of your business."

"You're my responsibility," he snaps at her.

I put my arm around her. "Not anymore. She's mine."

In a surprise move, Aria knocks my arm off her shoulder and steps away, looking at both me and Niko as if she'd like to slap us.

"I'm not your property. I make my own decisions."

Niko's jaw tightens. "That's not the world you live in, Aria. You know this."

Her hands fist at her sides. I think she might actually take a swing at us. "You gave Elena a choice." She turns to me. "You gave Lucia a choice. You even gave me a choice. I made it, Luca, but that doesn't mean I'm your property."

"It doesn't have anything to do with property, Aria." Niko's tone is patronizing. Like he's talking to a child. "As my sister, your life could be in danger. Same with Luca. Fucking hell, you know that. You've seen it. You experienced it. I know you think you're in love, but I don't approve, and like or not, I'm the head of the Family."

What he's saying is true. I hate that I'm in agreement with him.

She looks at both of us as if she doesn't recognize us. She turns back to Niko. "I really don't like you."

Niko's eyes flash with something I can't quite define. Regret? But it quickly leaves as he looks at me. "Thirty minutes. My office. The basement one."

I nod, knowing it"s his office below a pizzeria. I've been there before when Niko and I were allies.

With that, Niko turns on his heel and storms out, the door slamming shut behind him. Aria lets out a shaky breath, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

I want to hold her, but I'm not sure if she'll accept my comfort. I choose my words carefully. "I don't want to make your decisions for you, but Niko is right in that our worlds are full of danger. It's our job to keep you safe."

"There's a difference between keeping me safe and locking me away."

I take a chance, pulling her into my arms. "I understand."

She looks up at me. "Luca, you can"t go."

"I must. It's only respectful. I'm in his territory. If I hope to garner his blessing, I need to comply."

Her fingers grip the lapel of my robe. "What if he kills you?"

I've always felt I knew and understood Niko. Maybe not his aversion to me, but the man he is otherwise. I don"t feel he"ll kill me, but I can't be sure. He is Il Soldato della Morte, after all.

I pull away and head to the shower.

"I'm serious, Luca. I'm worried he'll try to kill you."

"Not if I kill him first." The words are out before I can think better of them.

"Do you hear yourself? This whole thing is ridiculous. You're both going to try and kill each other because you love me. I could have two men who love me, but you're both so stupid that you'll kill each other instead."

She's right, of course. This is stupid. But it's Niko's making. I turn on the shower and drop the robe.

"Why does anyone need to kill at all? Why can't what I want matter?"

My heart aches at her words. "Aria, what you want matters more to me than anything." I go to her, abandoning the shower for the moment. "Do you want me? Do you want to return to Italy with me?"

She lets out an exasperated breath. "Yes. Of course. I just can't bear the thought of you getting hurt, or worse." Her voice cracks with emotion.

I cup her face in my hands. "I must do this, Aria. This is the only way to make things right with your brother, if that's even possible."

"What if he doesn't? What if he has some nefarious plot?"

"I"m not a coward, and I won"t back down from this. But I promise you, I will do everything in my power to resolve this peacefully."

She bites her lip, her eyes searching mine. "Do you really want me, Luca? Or is this all just about power and control?"

I pull her closer, pressing my forehead to hers. "Aria, you are the only thing I want." I kiss her then, pouring all of my love and devotion into it, hoping she can feel what I can't seem to convey.

When we part, I can see the conflict in her eyes.

"I promise you, everything will be alright. I"ll make sure of it." I press another kiss to her lips, then pull back. "When I'm done, we'll do something fun. Your choice."

She gives me a wan smile. I'd rather her feel reassured, but I have to deal with Niko. I step into the shower. Later when I'm dressed, I kiss her, even though she's clearly upset with me, and leave to meet Niko.

In hindsight, perhaps I should have had Bruno stay. Then again, what are two men against Niko's army?

I arrive at the pizzeria, and after checking in with one of his men, head down to his basement office. I'm not afraid to die, but I'm not ready for death. I know that I"m treading on dangerous ground. But for Aria, I"m willing to take that risk. I just hope that I can resolve this peacefully, for her sake.

I take a deep, steadying breath as I stand in front of Niko"s office door. I knock firmly, squaring my shoulders.

"Come in."

I open the door, expecting a wall of Niko's men. Instead, I see Niko sitting behind his desk. I don't miss the gun resting on the desktop.

Niko leans back in his chair, his expression casual, but his eyes are like steel. "Luca. Thank you for coming."

"I wonder where your men are. Do they not support this ridiculous plot against me?"

"You flatter yourself. This isn't about you. It's about Aria and what's best for her."

We're starting off on the wrong foot. I meet his gaze as a sign of respect, not challenge. "I'm hoping to forge a peace between us."

Niko"s lips curl into a humorless smile. "I'm sure you are. You nearly had my sister killed."

"I believe you are the one who told her to go to the airport without protection that left her vulnerable." I don't know this for sure except for the fact that Niko called me when Aria was missing telling me he'd expected her to be on a plane bound for the United States.

His jaw tightens.

"I also am aware that one of your own men tried to kill her, along with your pregnant wife. I believe it was Lucia who saved them. How fortunate for them that I'd allowed Lucia to make the choice to stay here."

"I can show my appreciation without handing my sister over."

I laugh. "I believe Aria handed herself over. I know she wouldn't like hearing you talk like that."

"I mean no disrespect, Luca, but my sister is to stay here."

"All you've shown me is disrespect, Niko. I'd like to know why. Give me a good reason I shouldn't marry your sister."

"I don't owe you any explanation about my decisions regarding my sister."

I hold my ground, refusing to back down. "Aria is not yours to keep. She is a grown woman, and she has made her choice. Although we don't need it, it would be nice to have your blessing."

Niko barks out a harsh laugh. "Blessing? After all this you think I'm going to bless your relationship."

"I don't care whether you do or not. But I know it would mean a lot to Aria."

"She doesn't know what she wants except maybe to drive me crazy." He shakes his head like he's said too much. "Aria is to stay in New York."

"Perhaps you should talk to Aria about this." I'm getting tired of this conversation going around and around. "Unless she changes her mind, I'm taking her home with me. Nothing is going to stop me from doing so."

Niko sneers as he picks up the gun, weighing it in his hand.