Dreadnought (Nemesis #1)(67)

Lucca debated challenging Vinny’s choice. Instead, he decided to keep quiet. He wasn’t fooled by the attempts of the Lucianos to save their lives. They reminded him of a rabid dog that was just waiting for the right time to attack, ripping off the hand that fed them.

Dominic shook his head. “Matthias would be the better choice. I wouldn’t do anything that would jeopardize either of my brothers’ lives.”

That Lucca believed.

Vinny raised his hand, stopping Dominic. “Angel is the younger one. The Lucianos have taken a protective attitude toward him.”

Lucca lit his cigarette to keep from laughing.

Angel was lazy. He let everyone do his dirty work for him. Matthias would break bones if the gang bangers and drug dealers didn’t pay for their protection. If breaking bones didn’t work, that was when Angel would be sent in. When he was finished, the protection was paid for with interest.

Lucca had a better chance of controlling Angel than his own family did. He didn’t want Angel to do anything to break the fragile peace that was being given to them.

Lucca remained silent, feeling a flash of respect for Dominic. The new boss of the Lucianos wanted a true peace for the first time in decades.

Lucca met Dominic’s gaze. “I supervise the men. I’ll find the perfect place for him.”

Everyone in the room could see them size each other up as Lucca silently told him he wasn’t fooled by Angel.

It was a strange thing but, for once, Lucca actually wanted peace between the two families. After his mother had been killed, he hadn’t given two shits if they were in a war. He had begged for it to exact revenge. Chloe had changed that, however. He wanted peace to keep her safe.

It had taken years to fully understand the enormous responsibility his father held.

Dominic turned back to Vinny. “So, we good?”

“Dante?”

His father’s expression was torn.

Lucca looked down at the glowing tip of his cigarette. He wanted peace for Chloe’s sake, but it was Dante’s wife they had killed.

“Dante,” Vinny repeated sadly. “Whatever you do will not bring Melissa back. If the Lucianos redeem themselves, then what have you lost? You already lost what was most important to you. A child born with Caruso and Luciano blood could accomplish what generations have tried to do—bring true peace.”

Dante held out his hand to Dominic then, and the younger man took his hand in his firmly, agreeing to the terms.

A threat came to Dante’s eyes and voice when he warned, “Don’t you fucking disappoint me.”

Lucca inhaled deeply, letting the end of his cigarette burn bright red. He remembered an old Italian proverb Dante had drilled into his head when he was younger. Come semini, cosi raccogli.

As ye sow, so shall ye reap.





Forty-Five





Not Even in Death





Chloe had stayed at the house with Lucca for a week, not leaving, giving herself time to heal and for Lucca to make sure all threats were gone.

It was weird to think of the future, something she had pushed out of her mind for the past week, unsure of where exactly she belonged anymore.

Ever since her scars, she had no longer felt she belonged in this city because it had betrayed her, but she no longer felt she could belong anywhere without Lucca, and Lucca did belong in Kansas City.

She once thought she always belonged beside her best friend Elle, but it had been unrealistic for her to think it would last past college. Now, Elle had found her place in the city beside Nero.

The future was a scary, dark thing, especially when she felt the bond between her and Lucca so strongly and so soon. It scared the shit out of her, to be honest.

On one hand, she loved being protected by him. And the power he held made her feel as if she could never be hurt and always be saved. And yet, the little girl in her still believed it was too good to be true, that Lucca might get sick of her and toss her aside, just like her parents had.

So, when Lucca had asked her to pack her bags, a creeping fear had snuck in that it was already that time. Then he had brought her to the casino hotel, carrying her bags up to the top floor and heading down toward Nero and Elle’s place.

Even though she was excited to see her best friend for the first time in a long time, she was also scared that Lucca was leaving her, dropping her off to become Elle’s problem until she could go to Stanford, for real this time.

Getting to almost the end of the hall, Nero’s door flew open and Elle ran out. Then she froze in place the second she saw Chloe, who was just as frozen.

A furious Nero came out of the door a moment later.

“Lucca, I tried t—” He stopped when Lucca raised his hand behind Chloe, stopping him. That was when Nero finally noticed the girls hadn’t yet moved.

Not until Chloe saw Elle’s face had she realized just exactly how much she had missed her. Then Chloe was the one to take the first step toward her, opening her arms when Elle closed the distance between them. They held each other tightly for a few minutes, their eyes becoming teary.

“I’ve missed you so much,” Elle cried. “I haven’t even been able to watch a movie without crying, wishing you were here.”

Chloe giggled through her own cries. “I’ve missed you so much, too.” She had been sure Elle would probably hate her guts for lying to her for over a month. “I-I’m sorry I didn’t tell—”