Chapter 44 Professional Bedwarmer
Cedric's POV
Cedric didn't like Luca. Not even a little bit. He hated the brute with everything in him.
But he still had enough self-preservation instinct left to immediately lower the phone when Luca's face appeared in the lens with a lethal look in his eyes.
"I asked you a question," Luca growled. "What are you doing with that phone?"
"Are you blind? I’m taking pictures," Cedric said, forcing his voice to stay steady. "Is that a crime now?"
"Of what, exactly?" Luca's eyes flicked to the convoy in the distance, then back to Cedric's face. "Nothing that happens here is any of your business, do you understand?”
"Actually, I think everything here is my business now, apparently." Cedric shoved the phone in his pocket with his good hand, trying to look casual. "Gianni gave me this phone himself, and he told me I could use it however I wanted. So if you have a problem with that, take it up with him."
Luca's jaw clenched, a muscle jumping under his skin. "You lying piece of shit. The Boss wouldn't give you unrestricted access to…"
"But he did." Cedric lifted his chin, channelling every ounce of confidence he had. "So maybe you should mind your own business, fuck off, and let me enjoy my walk in peace."
The air between them crackled with tension. Cedric could see Matteo shifting uncomfortably from the corner of his eye, clearly sensing trouble but unsure how to intervene without overstepping his authority.
"You don't know what you're playing with," Luca said, taking a step closer. "The Boss may have a temporary interest in you, but that doesn’t make you untouchable. And it doesn’t give you the right to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong either!”
"I think," Cedric said, his voice hardening, "that Gianni made it pretty clear what happens to people who fuck with me. Or did you forget about Maria so soon?"
It was a low blow, and Cedric knew it. But the flash of rage that crossed Luca's face told him he'd hit his mark and that made it fucking worth it.
Luca hissed. "What happened to her was…”
Cedric interrupted. "Save it. I don’t give a shit about your opinion on that, or about anything. Just go away and leave me the hell alone."
Luca's hand moved to his waistband, where Cedric knew he kept his gun. He didn’t draw it, instead he just kept his hand resting there as a threat.
Matteo finally found his voice. "Signore," he said, addressing Luca with careful respect, "perhaps we should…"
"Shut up. I wasn't talking to you," Luca snapped, not taking his eyes off Cedric. "I was talking to this little puttana who thinks a phone and some nice clothes make him one of us."
Cedric's hands clenched into fists. "Call me that again and see what happens."
"What are you going to do?" Luca spat.“ You're nothing. Just another one of the Boss’s bed warmers who will not last the week, what the fuck does a faggot like you have to threaten me with?”
"Signore, please, enough," Matteo tried again, his voice rising with desperation. "The Boss specifically said…"
"The Boss isn't here," Luca said flatly. "And when he gets back, both of us are going to discuss security protocols, and how giving sensitive access to a random... thing off the street with no loyalty, no background, and no family is a liability we can't afford."
"Then have that conversation," Cedric shot back. "I'm sure Gianni will be really interested to hear how you harassed his guest and questioned his judgment, since that worked out so well for you last time. My only wish is that I'm there when he hits you again, so I can laugh in your fucking fugly face!”
Luca's face went purple. "You arrogant little…."
"That's enough," Matteo said, finally stepping between them with more courage than Cedric would have given him credit for. "Both of you. This is getting out of hand."
He turned to Cedric, his expression pleading. "Signore, please. Let's continue the walk somewhere else. The gardens, perhaps. Or back inside where you can be given something to eat."
"Fine," Cedric said, still glaring at Luca. "I've seen enough out here anyway."
But that wasn't true at all. He had no interest in going back inside, because he’d barely gotten any useful photos before Luca had interrupted him.
Besides, the convoy was right there. still visible in the distance with men unloading crates from the truck, and Cedric's fingers itched to get just one more shot, one more piece of evidence that Marcus could actually use.
"Smart choice," Luca said, his voice dripping with condescension. "Run along now. Get back to your cage and wait for your master."
Cedric choked down his response then slowly turned away, following Matteo back toward the house, his jaw clenched so tight that his teeth ached.
He'd blown it. Got into a pissing match with Luca instead of playing it cool, and now he had maybe three usable photos and a reputation as a troublemaker.
Fuck.
He was maybe five steps away when he heard fast, heavy footsteps behind him.
Cedric started to turn, but Luca was already there, his hand diving into Cedric's pocket before he could react.
"Hey!" Cedric tried to twist away, but Luca's grip was strong as iron, his fingers closing around the phone and yanking it free. "What the fuck are you…"
"Not so fast. First I want to see what you've been photographing," Luca said, holding the phone up out of Cedric's reach.
"Give that back!" Cedric lunged for it with his good hand, but Luca sidestepped easily.
He was a trained fighter, and that was clearly obvious from the efficient, lightning-fast way he moved. Cedric was no match for him physically.
"Signore, please," Matteo was saying, his voice tight with panic. "The Boss will…"
But Luca wasn't listening. His thumb was already swiping across the screen, pulling up the camera roll, his eyes narrowing as he saw the images Cedric had taken. The house. The grounds. The security cameras. The convoy.
"I fucking knew it," Luca breathed. "You're a spy! Somebody planted you here to get information on us! Who do you work for?! The feds or a rival family or…"
"I'm not working for anyone!" Cedric shouted, making another grab for the phone. "Fuck! It's just pictures! Gianni said I could…"
"The Boss would never authorise this." Luca's face had gone cold now, all the anger crystallising into something more dangerous. Professional. "No Mafia leader would ever give potential evidence to someone they've only known for three days unless they're compromised or..."
He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening slightly. "Unless he doesn't know. You must be playing him, using his interest in you against him to get access you shouldn't have."
"Hey! That's not…” Cedric started, but it was too late.
Luca dropped the phone onto the concrete patio, the expensive device hitting with a sickening crack that made Cedric's stomach turn.
"No!" Cedric dove for it, but Matteo grabbed his good arm, holding him back.
"Signore, don't," Matteo hissed. "You'll only make it worse."
Luca lifted his boot, positioning it directly over the phone, Cedric's only connection to the outside world and his family and everything that kept him connected to reality in this nightmare.
"This is a security risk," Luca said calmly, his boot hovering inches above the glass. "And it is my job as the Falcone's second in command to make sure security risks get eliminated."
"Don't you fucking dare," Cedric snarled, still struggling against Matteo's grip. "Gianni gave me that phone. If you break it, he'll—"
But Luca wasn’t listening. As if in slow motion, Cedric watched helplessly as his boot started to come down on the phone to smash it into a million pieces.
“No!!!”