Luca's pov
(GOT YOUR GIFT :)
I stared, heart racing, at the three word text and the picture that came along, my skin growing hot.
I wasn't supposed to be disturbed for a while, at least until the meeting happening now was over so no looking at texts until later. But none of that matters because the text came from Cara– in the form of a very sexy, craze-inducing thirst selfie.
She was posed in a cat-like stretch, wearing nothing but a see-through lingerie and the fuck me shoes I'd just gotten her.
Dio.
My phone almost clattered to the floor and I let out a low curse.
Every man in the dimly lit room glanced my direction, the one currently speaking had a look of apprehension on his gaunt face. I smiled tightly for him to carry on and it took a few seconds for the atmosphere to return to how it was before.
Stiff, boring, annoying.
Three things I wouldn't be dealing with if I was home with Cara, fucking her in those heels.
Fuck.
I glanced at the picture again, my c0ck growing fuller in my pants the longer I looked at it. I hadn't understood men who could jerk off to photos of women, I even thought it to be lame and pathetic.
Until now.
Staring at Cara's hot body fitting into my low lighted phone screen, I realized that I was no different from those men. We were all the same in this one category. My c0ck had gone from inert to rock hard in a second for fuck sake.
I covertly adjusted my pants, groaning internally on how much longer I have to sit in this meeting listening to all these men from different syndicates of the world yap about world economics and argue like teenage brats.
I was still staring at the sexy picture when her next text came in.
THEY FIT SO WELL. THANK YOUUUU!
A pleased smile worked up my lips as something fulfilling filled my chest. Making her happy was enough achievement for me. The rest of the day's schedule be damned.
My fingers tapped away on my keyboard.
GOD WOMAN, YOU'RE THE EMBODIMENT OF SEXY.
She sent me triple blushing emojis.
My next reply was interrupted halfway when one of the men suddenly decided he wanted me to contribute to whatever the fuck he'd just said.
"So what do you think, Don Salvatore?"
I looked up to meet the soulless eyes of the Capo of the Camorra, Fabiano Ruso.
I obviously didn't hear what he'd asked, but I didn't ask him to repeat the question. I stared squarely at him, waiting for him to provide it all on his own.
"Obviously you'd want to assure us that we're not digging our own graves here. The lead mining project can only work if all of us are onboard and I'm sorry to say but your scuffle with Mikhalov stands as detrimental."
Yes. Lead mining. These greedy fuckers are talking about manipulating the business for their own gain. Apparently, selling guns wasn't enough. Now, they want the material that makes the guns.
I put away my phone. "It's indeed detrimental. So tell me Ruso, why then would you want to embark on the plan now and not when everything's settled?"
The bastard smirked. "Who knows when that will happen? It could take the rest of the year for all we know."
I returned his mocking smile. "And yet, the lead mining project would still be nowhere near accomplished if it does take that long."
"But we would have definitely made significant progress."
"With my connection to the MSHA, yes."
Ruso's smile slowly thinned. "We can do just fine without your connections."
I gave him an impassive raise of my eyebrow.
"I'm sorry to say but we do need Don Salvatore's help." Aidan McKell interjected, looking like it gave him constipation to have said what he said.
"Yes." Some other men took turns saying.
Ruso's face looked like he was the one with the constipation now. "Fine."
"Good, now that we've established that, it's safe to say that this meeting has become rather pointless. I'd see you gentlemen after I've ended my inconvenient business with the Bratva."
The meeting was dismissed after that and with every time a man came up to me to talk about business, I got one step closer to losing it.
"Hey, Don Salvatore. I hear there's trouble brewing in the Mikhalov household. You don't happen to know why, do you?" Ozan Barak, the head of the Turkish syndicate drawled with a knowing glint in his dark blue eyes.
"Trouble can only brew if it was already there, Barak." I said blandly, impatient to get rid of him.
"True to that." McKell appeared out of nowhere. "The foundation has to be already shaky for you to topple the tower over."
I stopped myself from grating out something really offensive. Oh for fuck sake, what was with the metaphor?
"Agreed." I said tightly before attempting to swerve around them.
"The young Mikhalov would not take it too kindly when he realized you're responsible. I hear he's quite the unstable fucker with matters concerning his family."
I pinned McKell a hard stare. "I don't care for shit, McKell. He should have thought of that before ordering an attack at my sister's wedding. He's not the only one sensitive about family."
McKell and Barak shared a look before the Irish boss shrugged. "Very well. Just trying to warn you."
I scoffed. Indeed.
"I take it that you have things under control. Currently, it's only one of you dealing with a crisis."
If my smile was any tighter, it'd rip my cheeks.
Aidan McKell smiled, obviously satisfied with his little jab and with a slight tip of his head, he and Barak took their leave.
I didn't move a muscle, transfixed to the spot I was. What they'd oh so tried to imply wasn't lost on me. Mikhalov was a sick fuck, all his family members were and since I'd struck where it hurt most, I should be ready to deflect whatever twisted retaliation I was sure to get.
I reached for my phone where I'd left it and quickly shot a text to Dominic, asking him to set up a meeting with someone. I was a step ahead in this sick game I and the young pakhan were playing but it wasn't enough. I needed to be a couple more ahead.
The way I see it, Gina's plans for my father's birthday party might have to stop. A gathering in a time like this was too risky, we had barely survived the last one. I could not look back on that day without feeling a strong well of anger. I could have lost my family, Cara on a day that was supposed to be full of nothing but celebration.
I sent another text to Santino, ordering him to secretly guard Cara from now on. Her safety could use his quick fingers and eagle vision. She was supposed to check out the new apartment I'd chosen for her tomorrow and although she had Sergio and the others to look after her, I still wanted to make sure. It was Alexei Mikhalov we were dealing with after all.
I have no regrets with what I'd done with his family-he should be grateful I hadn't killed them like he tried to do with mine-but I'd be damned if I make it easy for him to get to Cara again.