Luca's pov
"I never thought a day like this would come," the young boss said, smiling into his glass of scotch.
My expression was blank and unresponsive but he pretended not to have noticed it.
I never thought I'd be sitting in the Irish boss' terrace, sipping scotch and discussing plans like extended family members either. I hated every second I was spending in his presence. In his bastard of his brother's presence too.
My custom made suit felt too tight on my body, the material of my shirt itchy on my skin. And that was maybe because I itched to reach across to punch Cadain in his very punchable face every time he mentioned Cara in that dreamy way of his.
My eyes coasted to my father and they met the warning frown he was giving me. He was still yet to discover why I was so against the idea of Cadain marrying Cara but I knew it was only a matter of time before he found out. However, his discovery would be irrelevant by then because I'd have long sent the scemo on his ass back to Ireland.
Completely removed from the picture as he should be.
I held the Irish boss' gaze before replying. "Neither did I." I said, my smile dry and cold.
Cadain grinned, ever true to his image of being the most obtuse of his family. It made me wonder how he got this far without getting maimed or killed.
His brother obviously caught on my sarcasm and didn't hold back his disapproving frown this time.
I couldn't find it in me to give a fuck.
My father cleared his throat, quickly changing the subject before we delved dangerously into the path of inevitable gun fight.
"It's a pity McKell is unable to be here with us. He is the most enthusiastic about this union after all."
Of course he was, everyone knew that the former Irish boss had been pining for a union with the Costra Nostra for many years.
Aidan McKell put his glass down on the thick terrace table. His dark blue eyes suddenly bright with amusement. "Ah yes," he started in an Irish accent that was thicker than his brother's. "My father might be one of the greatest men in all of the United Kingdom, but he's still susceptible to a high blood pressure like any man his age."
I sipped my own scotch to hide a smirk. Aidan McKell was known for his subtle jibes almost as well as he was known for plucking out the right eye of his enemies.
My father nodded but I knew he didn't miss the jab at the former Irish boss. I wondered briefly if the older Salvatore ever suffered something like a high blood pressure, if I didn't know any better, I'd be convinced he was immortal.
"My mother wants the wedding to take place come fall. Not that I care when it happens but I want to be certain we wouldn't have to be dealing with the bratva when the time comes."
The gears in my spine tightened, that was in less than five months.
"Why so early?" I asked in a low voice.
My father faced me, "they have offered to join us in our fight against the bratva. With both our strength conjoined, we should be able to send Ronan back to Russia by then."
I raised an eyebrow at him. "Father," I started, "it's the bratva. Ronan Mikhalov, the most terrifying man in all Europe."
Aidan McKell cocked his head at me but I gave him an unremorseful shrug. He might be terrifying to most, but he was nowhere on the same level as the pakhan. This union was only in Cara's interest only, I could definitely fight my battles without Aidan McKell.
Ronan Mikhalov couldn't get to Cara in Ireland if he tried to and that's only because he was the biggest enemy of the MI6 who were ever ready to apprehend him for his multiple crimes. The MI6 sat in the United Kingdom and so did Aidan's biggest territory– Ireland.
Cadain leaned in and I just knew he was about to piss me off even more than I already was with this meeting. "We are willing to help regardless. We're basically family at this point, and I'm ready to do everything to ensure Cara is safe in any part of the world."
Her name on his lips rubbed my ear like a harsh sponge. What did the little loverboy know about war for fuck sake? I was going to tell him to shut his mouth before I helped him with the task when my father cut in.
"Luca is right. The bratva is a formidable denomination. It'll take just more than one alliance to face them head-on."
Satisfaction filled my chest at his agreement. I didn't want the Irish messing up my plans by getting involved, lord knows we were about to go from allies to enemies by the time I did what I planned on doing.
Cara wasn't going to marry Cadain as long as I lived. Pride will be hurt, trust will be broken but it is what it is. This is a decision I'd come to make after many sleepless nights.
My very first irrational decision.
"You're right." Aidan said, crossing a leg over the other. "However, that wouldn't be the case if we had a stronger ally on our side."
I didn't like the smug, knowing look on his face. It was annoying and unsettling.
"Who is this ally you speak of?" My father asked.
Aidan paused for dramatic effect before saying, "the MI6."
I raised my eyebrow in dark amusement. "You want the Costra Nostra to work with the government?"
"The only thing we're going to be doing is handing Ronan to them."
My finger traced the brim of my glass, my eyes never leaving the him. "And you somehow think the pakhan would be stupid enough to get caught by the intelligence agency?"
A smile curled up Aidan's lips. "With the plan I have, yes."
"And what is this plan of yours McKell?" I asked, hating the sudden turn of things.
If he involved the MI6 like he proposed, it would make cutting off the wedding even more difficult. I would be expected to further deepen our allyship by obliging to the wedding as a form of gratitude. I'd be expected to have them around much longer than I wanted.
I'd be expected to give up on Cara completely.
My father waited on me expectantly, obviously sold with the offer.
I rose to my feet. "Well McKell, I'll admit your offer is rather… tempting but I'll need to consider all factors and what the Costra Nostra stands to gain and lose before I will give you an answer."
I glanced at my father, conveying my decision to take my leave then my gaze returned to the Irish boss. "I apologize but I'll have to leave first, there are a lot of things I have to take care of."
I gave him a stiff nod, completely ignored Cadain and strode out of there before I shot one of the blue-eyed fuckers.
Cara's pov
"I'm sorry we're not taking any new hires." The pizza shop manager said to me, not looking sorry at all.
My smile was stiff when I expressed my understanding but I was mentally screaming in frustration.
How hard can it be to get a job for goodness sake? I wasn't even asking for a position at NASA or the CIA. Just a basic pink collar job.
I pushed out of the pizza shop and I was so lost in my thoughts I nearly tripped over a pothole.
I would have fallen face flat on the floor if not for the strong hands that grabbed me.
"You should watch where you're going." A voice I've been waiting to hear all day spoke behind me as I was pulled into a sturdy chest.
I whipped around to face Luca and couldn't barely contain the heat that threatened to explode my cheeks into bits. I cleared my throat to regain my composure, embarrassed that he had found me in such an ungainly situation.
I tried to say something that didn't show how fluttered or awkward I felt but failed. "Why are you here?"
His brow raised, "why? You want me to leave?"
"No I don't-" the smirk on his face made me realize what I almost said so I blurted something else instead. "Stalking must really be a hobby of yours considering how well you're good at it."
Luca's mouth twitched when he said, "well you're not that hard to find or follow."
He grabbed my hand and pulled me to where his car was parked, my bodyguards slash my other stalkers parked behind him.
I was gently pushed into the passenger seat and I acted like I was being taken against my will even though I wanted nothing but to be with him at the moment. I was so pathetic.
Luca got into the car a few minutes after, his large body instantly making the space feel smaller.
"Where are we going?" I asked after we hit the road.
"To your house."
My eyes shot to him and I was momentarily hit with how hot he looked driving. He was a one-hand-on-the-steering-wheel kind of driver.
"But I'm currently job hunting."
"Stop being a stubborn mule and go back to Rico's Cara."
"I rather be unemployed than have you as my boss." I said with a huff.
Luca didn't seem offended by my response, in fact he looked pensive and rather absent. I wondered what was going on in that head of his, probably innovative torture techniques for his poor victims.
I, on the other hand, was feeling pretty light and it was because he was beside me. However I wasn't going to let him know that.
"I hope you got home safely, the other night. Sergio said you looked rather tired" He said suddenly.
I blinked at him, feeling fluttered again. "You had your men following me?"
"They're always following you bambina."
I loved when he called me that.
I forced myself to focus on the conversation. "So, you were awake when I sn-" I was going to say sneaked but that sounded wrong. "You were awake when I left?"
"I'm a light sleeper," he shrugged like that was supposed to help quell my obvious embarrassment.
I must have looked like a fool when I tiptoed and sneaked around the room with him awake the whole time.
My indignance kicked in. "But I sneaked out of the mansion unnoticed." I told him, feeling proud and smug.
Luca side-eyed me and I instantly knew.
"You told your men to let me through!"
"Well you wouldn't have been able to get out at that hour if I didn't order them to."
I blinked, unsure if I was imagining the mocking light in his eyes. But I peeped the amused smile on his face. Damn him.
"Whatever," I muttered, turning away from him.
We fell silent and unlike Luca who seemed comfortable with the silence, I was ticklish and restless with the question lodged in my throat.
When I was tired of pretending to be interested in the buildings we zoomed past, when I couldn't bear it anymore, I faced him again and blurted out, "So are we going to talk about it?"
"It was just sex Cara." He said and a pang of hurt stabbed at my chest.
"Well that might mean nothing to you but it's not the same for me. Things could have been really bad if I wasn't on the pill." I whipped my hair back aggressively. "Anyways if that's how you feel we can just continue our lives like nothing happened. Move on to the next lay."
The look he shot me warmed my insides with heat and satisfaction.
"The hell we will." He said, his tone low. "I just didn't want you to see it as a big issue because we're going to keep fucking Cara."
I must be broken because that made my cheeks flush.
"You're not going to be fucking any other man."
"That's not your decision to make." I whispered, shaking off the fog in my head.
"We'll see about that," was his cocky response.
The real question laid on the tip of my tongue and I bit on it in the uncertainty of if I should let it out or not.
"What is it Cara?" Luca's firm voice broke through my thoughts, causing me to jump a little.
I exhaled a shaky breath. "Well I don't know if you just want to play around with me until you hand me over to Cadain."
Luca swerved into another street before giving me another side eye. "I'm not handing you over to Cadain, I told you that night."
His voice was so sure and firm but I wouldn't have made it this far if I easily believed the words that came out of men. "But you haven't called it off either."
Luca sighed tiredly. "Cara, I give you my word. You're not going to marry him. Just trust me."
Just trust me. Words like that never bode well but I nodded and stayed quiet for the rest of the ride, deciding not to push it.