Chapter 41 Confusing Family Discussions

Chapter 39 A Lost Princess Brings Frustration on the Bayou
LUCA -

Luca was furious. He'd been late this morning getting back to the estate. He'd expected Eveet to sleep in a little later or to sit with her father for a while before starting her day.

Yet, when he'd arrived, she was gone, and all Therese would tell him was that she had left to go start planning for the wedding. Something about an engraver.

Frustration over all of it pulled a snarl from him and into the open sky above the training grounds.

He'd spent all night tracking down his lead on the Canal Street gang's plans, only to be told that the leader of the Irish clan wanted nothing to do with the Matrangas. Instead, a messenger from the estate had tracked Luca down and informed him that they'd received a letter from the Irish, addressed to Don Sam, warning them about a raid that would be happening the following week.

He hadn't had any sleep by the time he'd finally arrived at Eveet's quarters, only to find her gone. She had no guard at all, just a driver who'd barely had any protection training at all.

Nothing was making any sense, and he was livid at her for leaving without protection. Leaving without him, if he was honest with himself.

Although, to be fair, he didn't truly want to see her planning for her future with Julien. He'd sit through it for her, but that didn't mean he would enjoy it. Yet, she'd not even thought to leave a message for him.

Had he made a mistake in telling her about her family? Would she distance herself even further? Could he blame her?

What would happen when he told her the truth about who killed her mother?

He growled into the man-made dummy's face as he pummelled it with his fists before twisting and slamming his knee into its fake body.

Then he turned and screamed at the sky.

"You're gonna beat your throat up more than the dummy, you keep hollerin' like that."

Surprised, he turned and lifted his fists, prepared to fight, before he saw that it was Vinny speaking. He'd walked in and was leaning against the wall.

His hair was greased and slicked back, and he wore his grey training scarf wrapped around his neck. His blue jacket hung open in the front, but it was enough to cover the faded collar shirt beneath it. Absently, Luca noticed that his brown boots had recently been in thick mud because it was still clinging to the base, peaking out beneath dark grey trousers.

Their training area was on the west side of the estate and outside, away from any prying eyes. They had a small building that stored their training supplies and a set of straw-filled dummies that they used to teach Eveet how to fight.

He ignored Vinny's words and simply turned back to his target, slamming his fist once more into its false face. He'd picture Julien each time, and it eased some of his frustration.

"You should know. We've got word about something going down near the swamp. Normally, I'd send the boys as you're scheduled to shadow Miss Eveet, but as you're here, perhaps you'd rather take it on yourself?"

He turned back to eye Vinny before he walked over to the table just outside the fighting sand and grabbed a folded rag to wipe the sweat from his face.

"What's the issue?"

"Our scouts for the estate have cornered an interesting..." He paused, seemingly looking for the right words. "predicament."

He exhaled loudly and grabbed his glass of iced tea, gulping down its cool liquid, before he eyed Vinny again. "I hate it when you speak in code. What the fuck is wrong, and why would you think I'd want to take it on? I'd rather know where Eveet went so I can protect her."

"Eveet?" Vinny said sarcastically.

Luca berated himself silently before correcting himself. "Signora Eveet."

Vinny nodded but said, "Our hounds tracked down a strange person who was slinking around where Signora Eveet normally likes to relax. I assumed you'd want to take the lead on it, but if you'd rather, I'll give it to the boys to handle-"

"No." He interrupted Vinny. "I'll handle it. Do we have any details?"

"Only that he's a Provenzano. The little fuck keeps screaming about it and demanding to be let go."

A Provenzano? Why would they have anyone stationed here?

Confused, Luca nodded to Vinny and said, "I'll wipe down and head out. The South quarter swamp?"

Vinny nodded.

Luca didn't really need to ask, as the South Quarter was Eveet's favorite area on the estate. It was the least swampiest of all of the bayou creeks that traveled through their land, and it had the oldest trees.

He'd just made his way to the dirt path heading out towards the South Bayou when he heard someone yell, "You'll regret this! I'm a Provenzano Enforcer; you have no right holding me like this!"

Luca moved around the thick of tall Oaks when he saw a group of Matranga Enforcers surrounding a short, blonde-haired teen. On his lapel was the small crest of the Provenzano family. It featured a dark red background with a silver shield outline and a dark black circle at its center. At the very middle of the circle was a black dot. 

Looking him up and down, Luca noticed the boy’s clothes, while muddied by the bayou, were tailored to fit him well.

He wore a white cotton shirt that was partially opened in the front and canvas pants that covered leather boots. A brown sash was linked through his pants' belt loops and tied together in front to help keep his pants on.

When the boy caught sight of Luca, he watched the color drain from his face, and he struggled harder in the grip of the soldiers holding him.

"Let me GO!" He hollered again. "You've no right to keep me!"

Luca's cold voice silenced the boy. "You're on Matranga land, skulking around like you own the place, and you think you've any rights here? Boy, you're lucky we haven't skinned you and sent your papery husk back to your family."

"I ain't done anything."

"That's yet to be seen. Why are you here?"

The boy looked around at the men surrounding him and closed his mouth tight.

"Is that how it's gonna be?" Luca asked.

When he still didn't respond but instead held his defiant stance, Luca sighed and said, "So be it. Bring him to the shed."

Then Luca turned and began walking towards the building where they had done some of their meanest work. He waited for the boy to start screaming in protest as they dragged him down the path. It didn't take long.

Yet, his screams wouldn't matter. Luca would get the answers out of him.