Chapter 20
Vito’s chest heaved. “It may not look like it right now,” he barked, “but I was doing what I could to help us! That’s why we’re in trouble p>
She stared at him slowly, her eyes glossy but burning.
The front door flew open, slamming into the wall. One of Luca’s men burst into the living room, hand already hovering near his waistband, eyes sharp and alert.
“What’s going on?” he demanded. “I heard a scream p>
“Nothing,” Vito said quickly. “Just an argument with my daughter p>
The man’s gaze slid past him. He took in Veronica’s rigid posture, the way one hand trembled at her side, the red mark blooming on her cheek. He catalogued it all.
His eyes met hers briefly. Then he stepped back.
“Call if you need me,” he said flatly, already retreating. The door closed with a softer click this time.
Vito turned toward Veronica, the bravado gone. His shoulders slumped, apology swimming clumsily in his eyes. “Vee p>
She didn’t wait to hear it. She brushed past him, crossed the room, and snatched Luca’s jacket from where it lay discarded on the floor.
She climbed the narrow stairs to the roof, the city opening up around her.
She wrapped the jacket around herself, and stared at the sky until the tears burned out.
Vito fell asleep with the television still murmuring in the background, the bottle half-empty on the nightstand. His dreams were thick and shapeless, guilt blurring into old memories, until suddenly he couldn’t breathe.
He woke choking, lungs screaming. He thrashed, hands clawing desperately at the pillow smothering him, his heart hammering.
He tried to shout. Nothing came out.
Panic exploded. His body bucked beneath the weight pinning him down. His fingers scraped against knuckles that didn’t budge. Stars burst behind his eyes. His life flashed in jagged pieces.
Just as darkness began to creep in, the pressure vanished.
The pillow was yanked away.
Vito sucked in air greedily, dragging oxygen into his lungs. Tears streamed down his face. He rolled onto his side, wheezing.
When his vision finally cleared, he froze.
Luca stood over him, calm as a man checking the time. He still held the pillow in one hand, fingers relaxed. His blue eyes were cool.
“Good evening,” Luca said mildly. “You snore p>
Vito scrambled back against the headboard, terror crashing through him. “Y-you p>
“I know,” Luca cut in gently. “Rude of me not to knock. Didn’t want to wake you. But I find conversations like this work better when people are fully awake p>
“Luciano!” Vito gasped, eyes stretched wide. His chest still burned from the lack of air. “What are you doing? What have I done p>
“Do you have any idea what ten million dollars is worth, Scalese?” Luca asked quietly. “Its more money than you will ever be worth, more money than you will ever make p>
Vito swallowed hard. His tongue felt thick, useless. “I… I don’t p>
“That’s how much I paid tonight for your daughter,” Luca continued. “Ten million dollars for a girl you couldn’t even protect from your own hands p>
“I never meant p>
“If you lift a finger on her again,” Luca cut in, leaning down until his face was level with Vito’s, blue eyes glacial, “you will lose it. Then hands. Then whatever else you seem to think gives you authority in this house. Are we clear, Scalese p>
“Yes,” Vito whispered hoarsely. “Yes p>
“Say it like you mean it p>
“Yes,” he said again, louder this time, desperation bleeding through. “We’re clear p>
“Good.” Luca straightened, smoothing the front of his jacket. “Now go back to sleep like a good little boy p>
Luca turned and walked out, leaving behind a man shaking in his sheets, staring at the ceiling.
His footsteps carried him down the hallway. He stopped outside Veronica’s room, hesitated for a fraction of a second, then pushed the door open quietly.
Moonlight spilled across the bed. Veronica lay on her side, curled slightly inward, her phone loose in her hand. Luca’s eyes flicked to the screen without meaning to.
Goodnight babe. The last text from Cassidy read.
He frowned faintly.
Carefully, Luca picked up the blanket that had slid halfway off the bed and pulled it up over her, tucking it around her shoulders. His fingers brushed her jaw, just briefly. Barely there.
The contact was enough.
Veronica jolted awake on pure instinct. Her eyes flew open, and before her mind caught up, her body reacted. She twisted sharply and drove her elbow back with everything she had.
The impact landed squarely on his groin.
“Fuck—!” Luca hissed.
He sucked in air, and dropped to one knee beside the bed. His fingers fisted into the sheet, knuckles whitening as he rode out the pain.
Veronica lunged for the lamp on her nightstand and flicked it on, light flooding the room in a harsh, unflattering glare. Luca was there on the floor, broad shoulders hunched, jaw clenched, breathing through his teeth.
“Mar—Luca?” she corrected herself sharply. “What the fuck are you doing in my bedroom p>
He lifted one finger without looking at her, a silent command for patience, then let out a low, strangled groan. “That’s quite the jab,” he muttered. “You should consider professional violence p>
She stared at him, unimpressed. “What. Are. You. Doing. Here p>
“Checking in on my ten million,” he said between breaths. “Although I think that just cost me my most prized possession instead.” His hands instinctively cupped his aching groin, his face twisted in a way she would have found satisfying if she wasn’t still vibrating with anger.
“You gave me three days,” she said flatly. “Are you going to let me breathe during those three, or do you plan on haunting every room I step into like a very annoying ghost p>
He glanced up at her, one eyebrow lifting despite the pain. “No and yes p>
“Get the fuck out p>
He exhaled slowly and shifted, pushing himself up inch by inch, clearly fighting his body. “You’re going to have to kiss it better,” he said dryly. “Because fuck, that hurt p>