Chapter 65
Their eyes met across the driveway, Luca barely acknowledged her. He walked past, opened the driver’s door of his car, slid in, started the engine, and pulled out without looking back.
Vee stared after him, then rolled her eyes. Such a big baby. Honestly. The great Luciano Genovese, ruler of men and breaker of spines, sulking because he didn’t get what he wanted. She huffed and turned on her heel, stalking back toward her apartment. Did he really think it was going to happen?
That she would just melt, crawl into his bed, and let him fuck her because he snapped his fingers? Absolutely not. He had said it himself. It was her choice. And her choice was no. Plain. Simple. Non-negotiable.
If he wanted to brood and stomp around like a toddler denied candy, that was his problem. She had bigger things to think about. Luca could glare holes through walls for all she cared. She wasn’t responsible for managing his ego or his expectations. Let him sulk.
“You look like shit,” Detective Voss said flatly as he pushed open the door to Cassidy’s apartment without waiting for an invitation.
Cassidy was slumped on the couch, one arm braced awkwardly at his side, a fading bruise blooming along his jaw. He looked up slowly, eyes bloodshot, mouth dry. “Gee…thanks,” he said. “I was in an accident.” The lie slid out smoothly. “What’s your excuse p>
Voss shut the door behind him and took a look at himself. His tie was loosened, shirt wrinkled, eyes shadowed. “What’s wrong with me?” he asked dryly.
“You look like shit,” Cassidy shot back. “So. What are you doing here p>
Voss’s eyes flicked to the overturned chair, the broken lamp. “I know you weren’t in an accident,” he said. “Your neighbors called 911. Said you were taken. Was it Luca p>
Cassidy’s jaw tightened. A muscle jumped in his cheek. “No,” he said quickly. “Just a prank by my friends p>
“He got to you, didn’t he?” Voss pressed. “Did he threaten you p>
“He didn’t have to do anything,” Cassidy said. He leaned back against the arm of the couch. “You were right. Luca always gets away with everything.” He had believed, once, that monsters only survived because good men stayed silent. Turns out monsters survived because they were smarter, richer, and far more powerful.
“Not with your help,” Voss said immediately, stepping closer, urgency tightening his shoulders. His coat still smelled faintly of old coffee, the uniform of a man who hadn’t gone home in days. “I need you, Cassidy p>
“Why?” He spread his hands, palms up, showing the tremor he hadn’t managed to control since the night before. “I have no reason to want him gone anymore.” That wasn’t entirely true.
“How about Veronica p>
Cassidy’s jaw tightened. “Let’s just say,” he replied quietly, “she crossed to the dark side p>
Voss went very still. “Wow,” he said softly. “I’m… I’m really sorry, Cas. Truly.” For a moment, the cop mask slipped, and what showed underneath was a tired man watching another one come undone.
“It is what it is,” Cassidy shrugged, the motion stiff with pain. He pressed his fingers into his thigh.
“I can still get him,” Voss said. “Assault. Kidnapping. If you’ll file a report p>
“He didn’t assault me,” Cassidy shot back. “Neither did he kidnap me. I’m not making a report p>
“Cas p>
“No!” Cassidy snapped, louder now, turning, eyes bright. “It’s over. It’s a lost cause bringing Luca down. I cannot help you anymore.” He pushed himself up, his limp pronounced. He crossed the room slowly and dropped into the chair by the window.
“Fine. If you change your mind, you know where to find me.” Voss turned and left.
Cassidy stared at the paper in his hand. A resignation letter. Typed neatly. Signed shakily. If he wanted to take Luciano Genovese down, his job was a liability. You couldn’t fight a king with chalk dust on your hands.
Luca’s voice echoed in his head, calm, mocking. Get some power. At the time, Cassidy had thought it was just another insult. Now he understood it for what it was. Advice.
His reflection in the window looked older. Harder. Something inside him had calcified. He folded the letter carefully, and placed it back on the desk.
Luca would die.
And Vee would pay for breaking his heart.
Marco stared at Bastardi’s text for a long moment. Meet at the drop point for the delivery. 11pm.
He slipped the phone into his pocket and walked into the living room.
Valentina was perched on the edge of the couch, fingers clasped tightly between her thighs. She’d changed clothes twice already. Practical now. Dark jeans. Sneakers. Hair pulled back. Brave face firmly in place, but Marco had spent his life reading people. Fear hummed off her in waves. She was still.
“You okay?” Marco asked.
“Yes,” she said immediately.
“Liar p>
Her mouth twitched, and then she smiled. “I am trying to be brave p>
Marco nodded once. Respect. He dropped into the armchair across from her, spreading his legs, forearms resting on his thighs. Big man. Built like he’d been carved out of concrete. To most people, he was terrifying. To her, right now, he was the solid thing in a world that kept tilting. “You’ll be fine,” he said. Matter-of-fact. “You remember the plan, right p>
Valentina nodded, but her fingers tightened.
“Walk me through it,” Marco said.
She took a breath. “Get in the car. Put on my seat belt. Wait for the crash. Grab the keys in the glove box. Don’t do anything else. Don’t hitch a ride. Find my way to the station. Locker number two-two-one. Get the phone and call the last dialed number. Follow the instructions p>
Marco watched her closely as she spoke. No skipping steps. Good. “Good girl,” he said, a faint smirk tugging at his mouth. “See? Easy peasy p>
Valentina snorted despite herself. “Easy peasy,” she repeated, rolling her eyes. Then the smile faded. “Won’t you get hurt p>
Marco shrugged. A massive shoulder lift. “It’s not my first crash p>
(15 more to go p>