Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Third Person

POV

Amelio Amato’s arrived at his house like he had every day for the last ten years he’d bought the place. He had a wife and two daughters. He was going to have his eldest marry Luca Bianco if it was the last thing he did.

When he found out about Bianco’s wife falling ill after giving birth, a wife they didn’t even know he had. He’d been by Bianco’s side for years and he never knew he was married or that he’s wife was pregnant.

He’d brought up marriage to his daughter for years and Bianco ignored him. He didn’t care how much he loved his wife, once she was dead it wouldn’t matter. His daughter could take care of the baby and give birth to a son.

So, he had one of his men sneak into the compound and kill the wife.

When he got to the living room, the light was out, so he switched them on wondering where his family was…

He didn’t expect Luca Bianco, his right-hand man and his adviser to be sitting in his living room. On his sofa.

Amelio’s back stiffens, chills down his spine. He knew something was wrong. With his wife not greeting him at the door should have been the first sign of trouble.

He clenches his fists.

He slowly walks over to the opposite side sofa and sits.

“You really thought I wouldn’t find out you tried to kill my wife?” Luca’s deep voice sends shivers down Amelio’s spine.

“Luca…” Nash Campbell says in a low controlled voice.

Amelio feared Nash Campbell more than he did Luca. Luca rarely ever did business with Nash in the public eye. Being his legal adviser was a front.

Nash was more ruthless than Luca ever could be. Nash had an easy smile that hid his darkness from the world. He would stab you in the face with a friendly smile on his face.

Amelio swallowed. He knew better than to plead his case.

“My family…” Amelio stammers.

Luca lets out a dark chuckle. “You’re not begging for your life Mello? You disappoint me. Your family is safe. They’re staying with your wife’s family from now on. You can thank the fact that you didn’t rope them into your ridiculous plan.”

Amelio’s whole body trembles with fear. He’d thought he’d won. He thought he had the upper hand. He never expected Luca to find out. He’d covered his tracks. He used Luca’s mistress as a distraction.

Allesio gets up and walks over to Amelio and stands behind him. “You should know Luca was never going to marry your daughter even if you succeeded. Bianca is too young for Luca to entertain...” Allesio says placing a hand on Amelio’s shoulder.

When Amelio’s daughter was only sixteen years old. She had her own life ahead of her. The thought alone had the three men shivering in their boots.

Amelio didn’t care about Bianca’s age, it was an obstacle for more power. It was why Luca wanted to nip this in the bud before he hurt Elena next.

Amelia doesn’t say anything.

“I should remind you your daughter is a minor; you could get arrested for selling your own daughter to a man that’s ten years older than her…” Nash reminds him. Nash’s stern no nonsense tone he always had.

“I know growing up in our world blurs lines that aren’t meant to be blurred.” Luca says softly. He continues. “Growing up I was taught to act on instinct and as a hunter. Always hunt your prey and never be the hunter. I was always taught an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But when I took over from my father, I realized it wasn’t right. It wasn’t how I wanted to do things. I was never going to use my daughter as a tool for more power. Not the way you intend to do with your children. I wasn’t going to use my children the way my father used me and my sister to grow his. I wasn’t going to confine my wife to the four walls of our house the way my father did my mother…” Luca pauses.

He didn’t like the emotion surging in him. But he needed to finish this. He needed to get these words out. “My mother killed herself because she was trapped in the cage my father built for her. The way she always had to be perfect was why she cracked. When I met with your wife, I could see those cracks. Your daughters are no different. Nothing but walking shells…”

Amelio’s eyes widen. He didn’t understand why he was telling him all of this…

“Ah it seems he doesn’t understand the point you’re trying to make. I told you the older generation wouldn’t understand Luca… I think it’s time you give him a permanent retirement…” Nash comments.

Allesio’s hand tightened on Amelio’s shoulder causing him to hiss in pain.

Nash took out a gun from his boot and shot Amelio in the foot while he was distracted.

Amelio screamed out in pain. His eyes found Nash. He gave him a pleading look.

He hopes this was all they had planned for him tonight. He would give up his position and walk away from that’s what Luca wanted.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Nash asks in anger he shoots Amelio in the knee causing him to fall forward.

Luca eyed Nash. He could feel Nash’s anger and frustration. His adviser rarely ever lost his cool. He’d been by his side since they’ve been in diapers. His father was Luca’s father’s adviser they spent almost waking moment together.

He supported Nash when he moved to LA to open his own law firm. He was like brother to him. He wasn’t used to him being a loose cannon.

That was normally Allesio.

Yet now Allesio stood calmy behind the sofa Amelio just fell from.

“Nash…” he murmurs, holding his hand over the gun in Nash’s hand.

“Luca I…” Nash swallows and nods.

Luca nods and Allesio.

Allesio nods back and rounds the sofa. He pulls Amelio to his feet and places him back on the sofa.

Luca takes the gun from Nash and shoots Amelio in the other knee. Another gut-wrenching scream slipped from Amelio’s lips.

When he returned from his trip. Allesio informed him Amelio was playing dirty to get his daughter to be the next Mrs. Bianco.

He didn’t like how he felt when Allesio told him, they caught the guard mid attack.

He had no idea what he was doing, but he promised her he’d keep her safe and that’s exactly what he was doing. Even if it killed him. Using Amelio was a lesion for everyone else. If they touched someone under his protection. They wouldn’t live to tell the tail.

Keeping Alexandria and Elena around was dangerous. He had no idea if he was making the right decision. He only brought her to his compound because of Elena, the way that little girl stole his heart from the moment he held her in his arms. Marrying Alexandria was risking everything he built over the years. He now had a weakness people could use against him.

“You’re a lesson to the next old asshole who things he’d give him any fucking power over me. Anyone touches my wife, and I will fucking rip their goddamn balls off and feed them to their wives.” Luca says before shooting Amelio in the heart.

He got up and walked out of the house. Luca didn’t want to watch him cough up blood.

But as he stepped off the front pouch her heard another gunshot ring out.

A few minutes later Nash and Alessio walks out.

“It’s done.” Allesio says softly.

Luca nods. “Burn the house to the ground. Make sure everyone one of those old senile bastards know about this…” Luca says before walking off to the car. He hasn’t seen Elena all week.

With his trip and coming straight here he craved time with Elena. He wondered how much she’s grown over the last week.

Allesio and Nash watch Luca getting into his car and drive off.

“Want to tell me what happened in there?” Allesio asks Nash.

Nash shrugs his shoulders. “I guess I’ve been feeling a little frustrated recently. I didn’t mean to take it out on him…” Nash confesses.

He doesn’t bring up Harlowe.

She was his deepest darkest secret. She kept him at arm’s length until he couldn’t take it anymore.

He wanted more. He craved more than just sex with her. But its all she wanted. She wanted nothing to do with him.