Luca's pov
Make a sound in the east, then strike in the west.
While I'd wrongly predicted what west Alexei Mikhalov was referring to, the bastard had done exactly what he'd so subtly hinted at. Faking a bomb in my bar and keeping me occupied with stressing about Cara while he killed off my business partner and blew off his factory containing billions worth of drugs.
A factory that'd just been newly repaired after the fire attack it suffered in the same hands of Alexei fucking Mikhalov.
"This is one fucking mess." Dominic commented near me. He was probably still glowering at the TV like it was the pakhan himself.
He was right though, it was indeed a fucking mess. I'd just lost a valued dealer and part of my cargo had been torched up, again.
But a huge part of me was relieved that it was Fernando Cruz and not Cara. I felt sorry for his innocent family but not sorry enough to be sad that it had been them instead.
I remembered how I'd felt when I was been certain the Russian bastard had gone after Cara. Even thinking about it now I know I was wrong, my chest still tightened viciously.
I genuinely didn't know what I'd do with myself if something ever happened to her. And I will do everything in my power not to find out.
Rather a few millions than her. Rather a couple of other dead people than her. It was a terrible thing to think but I never claimed to be a good person. All my goodness started and ended with Cara and my little sister.
"What do we do now?" Dominic asked, bringing me out of my head.
I already knew the answer to that question. It was time to use one of the ultimate cards Grigori had provided me.
But that was for later, right now I wanted to be with only Cara, think about only her and nothing else.
"It was a good thing we took over Alesky's drug chain when we did. We just have to double our supply to cut down our losses. Contact Alesky's and Fernando's trusted clients, persuade them, threaten them, blackmail them. Whatever it is, just get them to agree to buy from us." I rose to my feet. "I'd contact his Columbian manufacturers in the meantime and give them an offer they can't refuse."
Dominic nodded, taking it all in. "What about Mikhalov?"
My smirk was devoid of feeling. "We'd let him celebrate his victory for now. He deserved it after the show he pulled today anyway."
I ignored the genuinely befuddled stares my men were giving me. Dominic chuckled lightly, the only one who understood my dark jokes.
"As for the rest of you," I said to the soldiers. "Learn a lesson from Fernando's men. You have seen with your own eyes what happens to men that let their guard down. That bomb didn't plant itself, someone did. You should pay better attention to everything and anything. Never miss a single thing or person that could be a threat. Do you understand?"
"Yes, boss." They said in unison.
"Good, now take your asses out."
They began to file out, bowing as they walked past me. Dominic waited behind, as usual.
"Your father called. For the first time since I've known him, he sounded uncontrolled."
My expression remained impassive even as I knew why the old man had done a 360 pivot from his usually cool demeanor. Something that was heavily tied to my mother. She spent almost half of her life in perpetual anxiety, fearing for Gina's life and ultimately mine.
It all started when she overheard what had happened with the old pakhan's daughter and his terrifying vow had stuck with her.
She changed after that, obsessing over it, letting it destroy her slowly. Her obsession had greatly affected Gina as a child, made the little girl go into a shell.
One second my mother was fine and sane then out of it the next, crying and warning us about bad men only she could see.
When she was finally about to give in to her years and years of wearying anxiety, she made my father vow to protect us after her. And to never hurt a female in any way again. One that he still upheld with great intensity. He never lost his cool until I or Gina was endangered or hurt. He never lost his cool until news reached him that a soldier had harmed a woman.
My father never forgave himself for what had happened to my mother and the pakhan's daughter. His great sense of responsibility made him believe that all of it was his fault.
I wanted him to heal. Gina has, thankfully. She seemed to be doing better ever since she became friends with Cara. She was freer, lighter. I wished my father would allow that for himself.
"I'd give him a call." I decided, just to keep the old man from worrying.
Dominic nodded. "I'd head back to Rico's to check if there's anything we missed." He squeezed my shoulder and left.
I wasted no second hurdling up the stairs to the bedroom. I hesitated at the door, my hand hovering around the handle, unable to pull it even though I'd basically sprinted all the way here.
I was uncertain on how Cara would receive me. If I was being honest with myself, I was a bit terrified as well. She'd heard something she wasn't supposed to. Something brutal enough to affect her, enough to make her question our relationship, me.
Throat tight, hands shaky and chest rattling, I opened the door and walked in. There was no sign of her in the room and it made heart hammer.
"Cara?" I called out in a strangled voice.
Has she gone to another room? To distance herself from me? I hoped not because I didn't really think I could take it if she pushed me away.
"Cara." I called again. This time with my voice sounding more forceful.
I heard a little scrambling coming from the bathroom and my chest expanded when she stepped out, staring at me with a strange expression.
Her hair was a mess, her eyes were bloodshot from crying and her cheeks was tearstained.
It broke me.
I wanted nothing more than to reach for her and crush her into my arms but I was unsure if she wanted me to touch her at the moment. Right now was very volatile, I didn't want to do anything that would make her snap.
"Why are you crying, baby?" I asked softly, scanning the planes of her beautiful face.
She was still giving that strange expression I had no idea what it meant. I hated it.
She was silent for a while, the both of us just staring at each other and when she finally broke the uncomfortable silence, it was with something that tore at my chest but in a good way.
"Tell me that I'd never be hearing about you on the news like that."
"Bambina," I opened my arms, wide. "Come here."
Brief hesitation came first, then she was rushing into my arms. I held her tight, kissed her hair, her jaw, a wet tear on her cheek and finally her mouth.
She opened up to me, desperate to assure herself that I was here. I was, and I was going nowhere. I would be with her and nothing, even her herself, will never keep me from her.
Not her, not Alexei, not even death.
"You'd never be hearing about me in such a way, bambina. That, I vow to you." I rasped after breaking the kiss.
I lifted her and took us to the bed then made love to her, slow and soothing and comforting, wanting to relieve her of her worries.
I know I'd once promised her never that I'd make her worry but I was filled with a bigger proclivity to keep the promise. I would do everything in my power not to make her cry over me.