Chapter 56 ~ Marry her

Chapter 56 ~ Marry her
ADRIAN 

As this pretty woman lay on my chest for a few more minutes before I returned to work, I couldn’t help but wonder how I was going to keep her safe from everything that was going on. It seemed I needed to speak to my consigliere about this.

“Are you leaving?” Ella looked up at me with those doll eyes.

“Yes, baby. I need to work on a few things. Plus, you need to speak to your friend,” I replied as I walked to the shower.

Shortly after, I returned and was buttoning up my shirt when she spoke again.

“Why do you call me baby? When you promised that I was only here for your pleasure?”

That was a question I had no answer to. So I chose to sound like a dick instead of showing weakness.

“I just do. Be careful with what you talk about. One wrong word and I’ll have to put a bullet in her head,” I warned as I headed out.

Her eyes looked hurt and I almost caved.

Almost. 

I walked to the car without looking back for fear of pulling her into my arms if I turned around.

As Toren drove, I pulled out my phone to call Luca, who picked up on the first ring.

“Yes, boss. Missing me already?” he laughed, and I shook my head as I blew out smoke.

“Fuck you. Now tell uncle I need to meet with him. At our secret location.”

“Is it serious?” he asked, concern laced in his voice.

“It’s always serious, Luca. But I can handle it, as soon as your dad meets me.”

My heart shattered all over again at the thought of these two not being my real family. 

Luca’s dad was a man of few words, but when he spoke, his voice carried fucking weight. And I could use some direction right now.

We never said good things to each other, but the love was there. Tougher than a brother’s love. Our bond was unbreakable. I just hoped that once this came to light, he would still be my fucked-up ride or die.

As my Audi came to a stop and Toren opened the door, my security detail formed a protective line around me.

In our world, you always moved with a target on your back. Everyone around me was always in danger. That was why I had always been against marriage. I couldn’t afford any kind of weakness.

The man I had always known as my father had been cheated on by my mother and she had me.

If he had known, this would have been a different situation. He would have killed her and me on the spot. And that was exactly what I would’ve done too.

In our culture, it was normal, even expected for the Capo to cheat. But a woman?

Unforgivable.

I couldn't even begin to imagine.

“Double the force,” I instructed Toren.

“Yes, sir,” he responded.

“Welcome back, sir,” my head of security greeted.

I nodded and made my way into the building, heading straight to my office.

My Ella was a breath of fresh air. She calmed me when my mind was in turmoil. I didn’t need her to say much. All I needed was for her to show up and my cold, fucked-up heart would start to melt for her.

Uncle John walked in, his face as serious as always. The air in the room shifted, heavy with the weight of what was about to unfold.

As our eyes met, we both understood what I was about to say would test everything. Our bond. Our loyalty. Our commitment to this family.

“Welcome, Uncle,” I greeted.

“I heard you and Luca have been busy,” he said, taking a seat across from me.

I knew he’d heard about Sofia. I was just surprised he didn’t call me about it.

Then again, I was certain Luca handled it. Still, I’d need to check what Marco was up to. You never underestimate your enemy. Not in this game.

“Very busy. There’s a war coming and it’s far bigger than Sofia. The Bianchi messed with the wrong family and paid the price.”

“What do you mean, another war?”

“You didn’t think I called you here to catch up, did you?”

“You’d be shocked at the things I thought of,” he shot back.

I chuckled lightly. Then my face turned serious as I began the narration. As I recounted everything Viktor had discovered, Uncle John listened intently, his sharp mind working through every detail. 

The documents, the pictures, the dates it all pointed toward a family with power and reach even we hadn’t truly grasped.

When silence fell, it was heavy and tense, I finally spoke the truth that had been eating away at me.

“There’s something else I’ve discovered in this tangled web of secrets.”

“Well, spit it out. I’m not sure there’s anything that can top this Costa family.”

“I’m not Carlos Moretti’s real son. I’m not even related to you.”

I said it with as much strength as I could. Being Capo meant never showing weakness not even to your family.

But I'd be lying if I said this didn't hit me in a low blow.

His voice was calm but firm as he replied, 

“Adrian, blood may tie us in some ways, but it’s not the only thing that makes us family. We’ve shared a lifetime of experience challenges, triumphs. We’ve stood together through every war. That’s what truly matters. No matter what revelations come to light, we’re family. And that bond is unbreakable. Besides…” he added, “I’ve known since you were born.”

“You did?” I asked, shock plain in my voice.

“Yes. The timelines never made sense. But Carlos was too obsessed with something else to notice. He was a bad man but he loved you, in his own way.”

I agreed. 

That was why I’d spent half my life plotting revenge, digging into every shadow to uncover who was involved with his death only to discover I was the fucking mess I was trying to clean up.

“I’m guessing his obsession wasn’t just the ledger?” I asked, finally connecting the dots in my mind.

“Exactly. Now that we know what my brother was after, we need to take it.”

I nodded, just before he knocked the air out of me with his next sentence.

“It seems the answers and the ledger you’ve been hunting… can only be taken one way.”

I stared at him, trying to process whether I’d heard him right.

I didn’t need him to clarify. I already knew what he meant. His expression told me everything.

“This is what it means to be a fucking King, Moretti. Your life is not yours to live and you know it. So own it,” he said, his voice serious.

“No way in fucking hell.”

I couldn’t do it. Not to her.

It would break her.

But if I made it known why I refused, if I showed just how much she meant to me she would become my weakness.

And in our world?

That would make her a fucking target.