I gritted my teeth at his disrespect, but I kept my tone even and controlled. "Because she grew up in this world. And she's not stupid." I didn't have to say the rest, that she knew if she talked she'd be the next one taking a long nap in the dirt. "Besides…" I allowed my gaze to roam over the room, meeting the eyes of everyone there. "Luca said he'll handle her. So consider her handled." Even with my sunglasses on, most of the men fidgeted nervously when my attention was on them.
"Shall we move on?" Luca suggested. With a nod at Marco, he handed the floor over to him.
"All right," he said. "You all know how this works…"
The vote didn't take long, and Luca was officially put into the position of Boss. It was a close call, however, between him and Gino, and the latter wasn't taking the loss well, although he tried to put on a nonchalant face.
We talked about some other matters and agreed to meet there again after the holiday. Then the Capos were shown out to go spend time with their families-after all, it was Christmas day-while we waited to hear from the police that Luigi's body had been released.
When everyone was gone, I rubbed my eyes with my uninjured hand, trying to ease the ache behind them. But it was no use. "Whatever you feel you need to do to me, do it," I told Luca. "I deserve it. If you want to take me outside right now and put a bullet through the middle of the head, I won't try to run. All I ask is that you take care of Sera."
"I'm not going to kill you," he said after a pause. "Even though honor dictates that I should." He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his dark blond hair. "I hated my father. You know that."
"He was still your father."
But Luca only shook his head. "If you hadn't killed him, I would've done it myself eventually."
My eyes snapped up to his.
"You fucked up last night. Really fucked up. Not because you killed him, but because you were careless. Also, I don't have enough of the family on my side yet. At least not where I'm sure of their loyalty to me, and now we have to contain the damage." He paced away a few steps and back again, thinking.
"What about Sera?" I asked him. "She'll be killed on sight if anyone sees her before we can prove she won't rat on us. Even if they're loyal to you." "Yes," he said. "But I'll do everything I can to help you keep her safe until things calm down."
My eyes met his, and I hoped my sincerity showed as I said, "Thank you, Luca."
"You don't have to thank me. You helped me with Veda when she first came here. You still do. And I know you would give your life for her. I will do the same for your Sera."
Though guilt still ate away at me for I'd done, I was humbled by the love and forgiveness of this man who was not only my friend, but my brother. Sometimes, it wasn't the blood in your veins that bound you and made you family, but the blood you were willing to spill for each other.
He suddenly smiled. "Take the rest of the night off and go see to your girl. Hell, maybe if you get her a nice enough present, you can convince her to like you again." With a smirk, he grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair where he'd laid it earlier and shrugged it on as we walked toward the elevator.
Sera was angry with me, and I didn't blame her. I'd be angry too if someone had done the same to me. And I wouldn't easily forgive them.
But now that I had her back, what was I going to do with her? It was quite obvious to me now that, much as I told myself I would forget her, there was no fucking way in hell I would be able to sit back and watch her marry someone else. The very idea of witnessing her walk down the aisle toward another man-again-gnawed away at my insides until I felt sick.
When I gave her up, I'd just kept telling myself that no matter what happened with her, it was better than ending up dead. Which is what would've happened if she'd stayed with me, and, like my previous wife, got on Luigi's radar somehow. Which honestly wouldn't be hard. Her pink hair alone would make her stand out. And if he'd noticed that she was special to me, he would've used her to get to me anytime he felt he needed to. Because that was the kind of bastard he was.
And when she became a thorn in his side, he would remove her permanently. But he wouldn't dirty his own hands. Oh, no. Doing it himself would put a target on his back, so he would make me do it. A test of my loyalty.
I wanted to think that I was better than that now. Stronger. But the god's honest truth was I didn't know what I would do if I was ever again put in the position of choosing between my only family and the woman I cared about.
So I did what I had to do to keep her safe, knowing she would hate me for it.
But now, Luigi was gone. Luca, my friend and brother, was the new boss. And I had faith in him. It was what he'd been groomed for. But he was also a man who understood what it was like to have a woman become the very air you breathe, and who would never order another man to do something so sick as to put a bullet into his own wife.
A sense of relief so strong it made me lightheaded rushed through me. No, I would never have to make that choice again. Sera could be mine forever.
I just had to talk her into forgiving me. And then keep her alive long enough to prove she wasn't a rat.