Chapter 19
Vee shoved herself upright, breath ragged, eyes blazing. “I’m glad,” she said. “I’m so fucking glad I took my sister’s place. Because letting her anywhere near a psychotic person like you?” She laughed once. “That would never happen. Over my dead body. She is safe from you. From your madness p>
“Is she?” he asked calmly.
“See, your little sacrifice was a total waste of resources.” His gaze dragged over her, assessing. “And by resources, I mean yours.” His hands gestured in the direction of her body.
“Your stunt cost me everything tonight,” he continued. “It’s not too late. There will be another auction. And your sister will be on it p>
“No p>
“You merely delayed it and compounded the problem. Your father owes me. His debts didn’t evaporate because you played martyr p>
“And now,” Luca continued softly, “you owe me p>
“You will stay away from my sister!” Vee screamed.
“I want nothing to do with her,” Luca said flatly. “But she will still be auctioned off. And I have her where you will never see her or hear from her. So there’s no chance of you pulling another one of your magical abracadabra shit again p>
“Have you no heart?” she asked quietly, the anger thinning.
“You keep going back and forth,” he said. “You curse me. You call me the devil. And yet you are surprised when I act exactly liked that p>
“But I refuse to believe that’s all you are,” she shot back.
That made him smile.
“God,” he murmured. “You are good.” He walked back to his chair. He lifted his jacket. “What did you major in? Psychology p>
He draped it around her shoulders.
Vee shrugged it off immediately. It slid down her arms and pooled at her feet. “I don’t want any more favors from you p>
His mouth twitched. “I’m beginning to believe you like being punished p>
Luca bent down, picked the jacket up, and put it back on her, his fingers brushing her collarbone. “Before you shrug it off again,” he said calmly, “please note that I will pluck out the eyes of any man who sees you and looks at you like he wishes he could fuck you p>
“And their blood,” Luca added softly, “would be on your hands p>
Vee pulled the jacket tighter around herself despite her pride.
“You will not get away with this,” she spat.
“What?” he asked lightly. “No begging this time? Or is that perk only reserved for Marco and the bitch reserved Luca p>
“I liked Marco,” Vee snapped. “This version of you? Luca? You’re an asshole p>
He lifted a hand and moved her hair aside, tucking it behind her ear.
“I’m going to enjoy breaking you,” he said quietly.
He stepped back then, reclaiming space. “Marco will take you home. You have three days to get your affairs in order p>
“Oh,” he added casually, turning as if the conversation bored him now. “I need you to remember something. Your sister is still with me. For now. You can leave p>
Vee turned. Her hand was on the door when she stopped.
She turned back.
“You didn’t have to bid on me,” she said. “You had no reason to. You could’ve let someone else buy me and still gotten what you wanted. Why make me indebted to you p>
“It is what I do, Bambola,” he said at last. “It is my signature. I enjoy collecting debts p>
Her throat tightened. “And what will you do with me p>
“Everything p>
When Veronica got home escorted by the man she now knew as the real Marco, her father sat in his favorite chair, a half-empty bottle dangling from his fingers. The TV murmured some late-night sports recap, the volume low.
A man who had lost both daughters in one day had apparently decided the appropriate response was alcohol and inertia.
“Marco!” Vito exclaimed, scrambling to his feet. “You brought her back p>
Marco didn’t return the enthusiasm. His eyes were cold, assessing, already halfway out of the room.
He turned to Veronica instead. “You have three days,” he said flatly. “There is someone watching the house. Don’t go anywhere p>
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she replied, rolling her eyes with sarcasm.
Marco nodded once and left.
“A beer?” Veronica said, staring at her father. “Dad? Really p>
“What did Marco mean by you have three days p>
“Oh, didn’t you hear? Luca bought me p>
“What?” he demanded. “He cannot do that. He has Valentina already. What am I supposed to do without you p>
“What are you supposed to do?” she repeated softly.
She shrugged out of Luca’s jacket, letting it slide to the floor. She walked into the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water, and twisted the cap off.
“I don’t know,” she said over her shoulder. “Work p>
“So he gets both of you?” Vito said. “He cannot do that p>
She looked at him then. The man who had taught her how to ride a bike and then forgotten how to be a father somewhere along the way.
“Why don’t you try and stop him? Huh, Dad? Why don’t you offer yourself up instead? In exchange for your daughters. Why is it always us paying for your mistakes p>
Vito stiffened, his shoulders squaring.
“Since I was old enough to reach the counter,” she went on, “I’ve been paying for your mistakes. I worked my ass off in your goddamn pizza parlour. I missed birthdays, parties, life. I put food on the table and beer in your hand while my mates were out there actually living p>
“We’re in this mess because I tried to help out!” Vito shouted. “I did what I could p>
“We?” Vee arched a brow. “We?” She stepped closer. “There is no we. You put me and Tina in this mess. You. Alone. There is no ’us’ in that equation. You are the most selfish father in the world p>
Vito’s face twisted. Before she could step back, his hand came out of nowhere.
The slap cracked through the room.
“Ah!” Vee screamed, her head snapping to the side, pain blooming hot across her cheek.
Her hand flew to her face.