Chapter 49

49

Luca

"Fuck no." Michael glares between me and Massimo. "It's too dangerous. I'm not letting you do this."

"I'm not asking you for permission. I merely came to inform you, something I didn't have to do, by the way," I remind him.

His gaze narrows. Anger vibrates off of my older brother. He's in full Don mode. The fucker may be methodical in his approach, and he may be looking to break away from the business of our forefathers by looking to legalize the Cosa Nostra, but he still holds onto his power and authority, I'll give him that much.

"What about you, Massimo?" Michael turns to him. "What do you think about Luca's proposal?"

After our little heart to heart at my place, Massimo agreed to accompany me to Michael's place. Not that I need the extra support—okay fuck it, I totally do need the additional boost that Massimo offers by being here. If nothing else, he'll distract Michael enough that I'll be able to get him to agree to my plan… Or so I thought.

"Speaking of Massimo..." I lean forward on the balls of my feet. "Has he told you about his decision yet?"

Massimo tenses behind me.

"Decision?" Michael scowls.

"Regarding your earlier proposal to him?"

Michael straightens. "About the Camorra princess?" He tilts his head. "This is about the Camorra princess, I assume?"

Massimo lowers his eyebrows. "The fuck you up to, stronzo ?" he growls.

"Asshole, here, is vacillating a little. You know how it is when it comes to your own wedding, it can be a little difficult to speak your mind? He wants me to inform you?—"

"Luca." Massimo takes a step forward.

"—that he's ready to marry the Camorra princess."

" Bastardo !" Massimo closes the distance to us. He plants his heavy hand on my shoulder, then raises his other fist and pulls it back.

I hold his gaze. Massimo's taller than me, and slightly broader. While I'm strong, Massimo has a good few pounds on me. Whenever we've sparred in the past, it's always been a standoff. Of course, all those times I defended myself. This time, though, I refuse to raise a hand. With his fist almost in my face, he stops. Anger vibrates off of him. The pulse drums at his temple, and the tendons on his throat pop.

He glares at me for a second, then another.

"Is he right? Are you ready to marry the Camorra princess, Massimo?" Michael's voice cuts through the space between us.

Massimo glowers at me a second longer. Then, he lowers his arm and steps away. He straightens the cuffs of his shirt, rolls his shoulders, and widens his stance. "Yes," he says in a toneless voice, "I am ready."

Michael surveys his features, then nods. "Now that you're done distracting me..." He turns his gaze on me. "Are you sure you intend to go through with this plan?"

I nod.

"You realize, you could forfeit your life if something goes wrong."

If it means I'm able to guard hers, it'll be worth it.

"If you and your men stick to the plan, nothing will go wrong."

Michael's jaw tics. "Are you doubting my capability?"

"I never said that."

"And yet, you referred to them as my men. They are your men as much as mine, Capo . You've always wanted to take over the Cosa Nostra , but you've never seen the clan as yours. You've always carried a chip on your shoulder for not being first born. You've focused on trying to catch up with me, even helping my bride to escape, knowing it would make me lose face. I still forgave you. I took you back."

"You didn't take me back. I proved myself as being invaluable enough that you knew I would strengthen your stance if I were on your side. You didn't want me splitting the loyalties of the men. That's the only reason you accepted me back into the Cosa Nostra . You still didn't give me the title of Capo when you took over as Don. Despite the fact that I was on your side when you killed our father."

"Good riddance," Massimo sneers.

"The one thing we can all agree on." I crack my neck. "Still doesn't negate the fact that I only became Capo when Seb decided he wanted to move away from the Cosa Nostra and start his media company."

"And you did it on your own steam." Michael widens his stance. "It wasn't me deciding that you would become Capo simply because you're second born. You proved yourself to the clan. It was clear you were best placed to succeed Seb."

"And now you're looking to legalize the Cosa Nostra itself. The same Cosa Nostra which has been around since the early nineteenth century," I snap.

"Which you knew when you became Capo . Plus, we'll still be around; only instead of running guns and planning routes for illegal activities, we'll be planning corporate mergers and takeovers," Michael retorts.

"You mean, driven by the stock market and shareholders?—"

"Instead of being driven by gun fights and clashes with our rivals," Michael cuts in.

"We'll be slaves to a nine-to-five routine." I roll my shoulders.

"And come back to our wives alive."

Michael and I glare at each other. My brother has all of the arguments down pat. I hate to admit it, but he also makes sense. I'd definitely like to start a day without having to worry about whether I'll be able to see my Angel again. I shake my head. Cazzo !

This is exactly what I was afraid of: You get married, have fantastic sex, know for a fact your woman is warming your bed, and just like that, you've lost your balls. You've already misplaced the edge that keeps you alive when you're out there facing down your enemies. That keenness that helps you survive when all else fails. That alertness, when all of your senses are firing and you feel completely in your body and one-hundred-percent alive… How I feel when I'm with her.

An electric shock runs up my spine. I straighten. Fuck, fuck, fuck. It can't be. I can't have fallen for her, can I? I've always known it was a possibility, but I thought I guarded myself against it. Apparently not. She was meant to be a means to fulfilling my Nonna's last wish, but I feel more for her than I've ever felt for anyone else in my life, Nonna included.

"Luca?" Michael's voice cuts through the noise in my head. "You okay, fratello ?"

I shake my head.

"Luca?" Massimo touches my shoulder. "You seem like you've seen a ghost."

"Nonna's ghost having the last laugh, apparently," I say bitterly.

Michael and Massimo look at each other, then Michael turns to me. "You've been through a lot this past week. Getting ambushed?—"

"—A moment of losing focus, that's all," I grouse.

"Getting married."

"A moment of what I thought was clarity, but which was, in reality, me walking into that old bat's trap," I grumble as I rub the back of my neck.

Michael's lips twitch.

"You laughing at me?" I scowl.

Massimo chuckles, then turns it into a cough when I turn my glare on him.

"What's so funny?"

"I think it best come from you, Don." Massimo raises his hands. Coward.

"Afraid you've walked into the same trap the rest of us did. The one that Massimo has avoided... So far," he adds under his breath.

It's Massimo's turn to knit his eyebrows. Good. He's so smug, watching each of us fall and acting as if he's above such things. He deserves to experience what I'm going through—the confusion, the turmoil, this bottomed-out feeling in my stomach that tells me something has shifted, even as the rest of me tries to ignore it. Maledizione !

I dig my fingers in my hair and tug. How could I have been such a fool? Why had I thought I'd be smarter than my brothers? Which, to be clear, I am. Except when it came to dodging the bullet of marriage, and feelings, and all of the emo shit that goes with it. Worst of all, it's not half as bad as I thought it'd be. I'm trapped, no doubt about it, but it's not something I don't want. I'm no longer as cut off from my emotions and guess what? It's not terrible. It's painful, it's eye-opening, gut-clenching, hair-raising, as adrenaline rushing as being in the crosshairs of my enemy's target... Only this time, I'm a willing victim. This time, at the end of the gunshot fire, there's only one inevitable conclusion. Life. Living. Loving. Fucking like my heart depends on it. Caring like my own future is not the only one at stake. Protecting—the one thing I was born to do. Cherishing, ensuring she comes to no harm. What this plan is about.

I square my shoulders, lower my chin, and narrow my gaze on Michael. "So, you with me on this?"

His jaw tightens. "I can't talk you out of this, can I?"

I shake my head.

"I understand why you're doing it. I'd do the same if I were in your place and it was my wife's life at stake. Doesn't mean I can't warn you to be careful."

"Oh, I will be. I have no desire to die. I have too much to live for," I say in a hard voice.

The tension in Michael's stance fades somewhat. He closes the distance between us and grips my shoulder. "We've had our differences, but when it comes down to the wire, I know I can count on you."