Chapter 14
“Marco?” Vee called again.
Luca’s eyes snapped to hers. “I heard what happened. Told you not to get caught,” he said.
“Well, luck wasn’t on our side,” Vee admitted, her hands twisting slightly in front of her. “I was going to come see you…well, with another box of pizza p>
“Need another favor?” Luca raised a brow, stepping closer.
Vee hesitated, then plunged forward. “I want to see my sister. I would like to speak with Luca again,” she said, the desperation bleeding into her words.
“You know that’s not going to happen,” Luca said.
“Please,” She stepped closer. “I just want to ask him to let her come home. We never got to say our goodbyes properly. I promise I won’t do anything anymore p>
Luca was quiet. He simply watched her, the rise and fall of her chest, the slight tremor in her fingers, the way her lips parted as she held back a sob.
Vee held his gaze, determined, vulnerable, pleading.
“The auction is happening tomorrow night. There is nothing to be done p>
Vee exhaled a choked sob that she tried to swallow, but it came out anyway. She had planned every step meticulously, calculated every angle, and yet here she was, caught. She should have stuck to the plan, she thought bitterly. She should have trusted her instincts instead of letting hope sneak its way in. Now there were no do-overs.
Luca stepped closer. He raised a handkerchief to her face, brushing it over her trembling lips. Almost as if he was wiping off the taste of Cassidy on her.
Then he reached for her sunglasses, and a flicker of panic shot through her. “No—” she started, but her protest was cut off as his hand landed over hers. With one hand, he pinned her wrists, and with the other, he lifted the sunglasses from her face. The bright purple of her bruise, the swelling around her eye, made her wince.
Luca’s jaw tightened. His eyes darkened, and Vee could have sworn she saw a storm raging behind them. Then, he spoke: “Give me a box of pizza to go. No one else touches it, just you p>
Luca’s hands twitched slightly.
“Oh okay. Do you want me to come with you?” Vee asked. She was going out of her mind standing still while Valentina’s fate ticked closer.
“No. I’ll talk to Luca myself. See what he can do p>
“Thank you,” Vee said quickly. “Thank you so much.” She reached for the sunglasses and slid them back onto her face, grateful for the shield they offered.
She turned away and busied herself with packing his pizza.
Luca stood by the counter, silent. Waiting. Watching.
He followed every motion of her hands as she worked. The way she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, then forgot and did it again thirty seconds later. The way her fingers trembled only when she thought no one was looking.
If he did not know better, Luca might have believed he was a better man than Scalese.
But Luca knew better than to lie to himself.
Vee slid the pizza into the box and closed it. She added napkins, extra sauce.
When he took the box from her, their fingers brushed. Luca stilled, then stepped back as if he had touched fire.
“On the house,” she said quietly.
Luca nodded once and left without another word.
“Boss, you called for me?” Marco said as he entered into Luca’s office.
“The girl,” Luca said. “What’s her name again p>
“Valentina p>
“Yes. Her. Send her home. Immediately. Keep her under armed guard. I want eyes on her every second. She doesn’t make a single move without me knowing about it. Inform Bastardi to pick her up tomorrow at nine p.m p>
Marco frowned, concern knitting his brows. “Home, boss? That’s risky. They already tried to run once. Sending her back gives them the same opportunity to pull the same stunt p>
“If she escapes,” he said evenly, “it will be your head. And again,” he added, “the pizza girl still doesn’t know you are not me. I want it to stay that way p>
Marco straightened at once. “Of course, boss p>
“One last thing,” Luca said, turning back to the desk. “The men you sent to retrieve them last night p>
“Yes p>
“I want them in the interrogation room p>
Marco stiffened. “Did something go wrong p>
Luca reached for the pizza box, flipping the lid open. He pulled out a slice, the cheese stretching in long, defiant strands.
“You will find out,” Luca said simply.
He took a bite.
Marco raised a brow before he could stop himself.
This was the second time Luca had eaten Scalese pizza. He only ever ate Nonnina’s cooking.
Marco said nothing. But worry crept in anyway.
Luca chewed slowly, barely tasting it. His thoughts were elsewhere.
A few moments later, Marco returned, his knock brisk. “They’re ready for you p>
Luca reached into the drawer instead, his fingers closing around cold steel. He checked the chamber without looking, muscle memory doing the work for him.
He rose and walked out, Marco trailing behind him at a respectful distance. The corridors of Commissioned swallowed them whole.
They stopped at a section of wall that looked no different from the rest. Luca pressed his palm against a hidden panel. The wall shifted silently, parting.
The interrogation room breathed cold.
Four men stood inside, lined up, shoulders stiff, hands clasped in front of them. Sweat darkened the collars of their shirts. These men had been witnesses to what happened here. They had held others down. They had cleaned blood off the drains.
“I gave you a simple mission,” Luca said calmly, as the wall slid shut behind him. “Get the girl. Get out.” His eyes moved across their faces, cataloguing flinches, shallow breaths, darting glances. “And then,” he continued, “you improvised p>
“What gives you the fucking right?” Luca roared suddenly. His eyes were wild now. “What gives you the fucking right p>
The men exchanged looks, confusion rippling through them. One of them cleared his throat. “We got the girl, Luca p>