The Marriage Debt (De Vos Mafia #2)(94)

“EVERYBODY SIT THE FUCK DOWN.” My loud voice immediately throws all ire onto me, but I’m prepared for their rage. I’ve faced worse. “I’m not fucking finished yet.”

“I don’t fucking care what else you’re going to say,” my father barks, attempting to leave.

“Liam is alive.”

Everyone holds their breath. Even my father.

In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him flinch, but he did just that.

“Alive?” My mother’s face turns to shreds as tears freely roll down her cheeks.

“Do not mess with your mother’s heart, Luca.” My father grabs my shoulders. “Or I swear to God—”

“I saw him with my own goddamn eyes,” I respond. “He survived the crash. He’s alive.”

“Where?” he asks, shaking me. “How long have you known?”

“Couple of weeks,” I reply.

“And you didn’t tell us?!” my parents say in sync.

“Because I knew you’d abuse the situation,” I reply.

This really gets them riled up. I can tell from the way they’re throwing daggers with their eyes alone. If we weren’t at someone else’s house, real daggers might have flown across the room at this point.

“He’s my son,” my mother growls at me, trembling vigorously.

“I am too. Now take a sip,” I tell her, pointing at the coffee. “And you? Sit,” I tell my father.

Even after throwing me a damning look, he still sits because everyone here knows I hold all the cards now.

“Liam’s gone now,” I say.

“What? Why? Where?” my mother asks while wailing. “Why wouldn’t he come to see us?”

“Because he doesn’t want to,” I reply, staring both of my parents down dead in the eyes. “Because he hates you both. And you will never, ever see him.”

My mother almost chokes on her coffee while my father doesn’t even touch his.

“I don’t believe you,” he says.

“It’s true,” Jasmine suddenly says. All eyes are on her now. “I saw it in his eyes. He hates everyone and doesn’t want to see any of you.” There’s a certain sadness on Jasmine’s face when she looks at her mother. “I’m sorry for not telling you guys. I didn’t want to start another war.”

“War?” Vera says. “Oh, honey …” They hug tight.

“How? How is this even possible?” my mother asks, staring at her coffee like it’ll tell her the truth.

“He survived the crash and decided to disappear,” Jill replies, swallowing because we both know she’s leaving some crucial details out.

“But why won’t he even tell his own parents?”

“Because he’s forgotten almost everything about us. He doesn’t want to remember, and I won’t force him,” I reply.

My father shakes his head. “We didn’t do anything to make him hate—”

“We’re a goddamn mafia family,” I interject.

“How about you wanted to force him to marry the only girl he never wanted?” Jill says, her nails digging into her knees. “Me.”

I pet her back to relieve some tension, and it works.

Everyone’s eyes are on her now. It’s about time they listened to her demands.

“When he drowned, the guy you all knew vanished and was replaced with a monster,” Jill says.

“How do you even know? Did you see him too?” my mother asks. “Did you talk to him? What did he say?”

Jill’s face darkens as I grab her hand and squeeze tight. “Tell them,” I whisper into her ear.

“He tried to kill me.”





Chapter 38





Luca



* * *



Vera and Hugo gasp in shock.

My mother shakes her head. “What? No, this has got to be a lie—”

“Why do you think we were at that same cliff again, Mother?” I say through gritted teeth.

“It’s true, I was there,” Jasmine says, looking down. “I was the one who called for help that night. Luca used me as bait to lure Liam out because he was intent on killing—”

“BAIT?” Vera shrieks.

“You used my daughter!?” Hugo yells at me. “Wasn’t taking one of them enough for you? Goddammit!”

“She’s alive, isn’t she?” I quip, raising a brow. “I did what I had to do to stop my murderous brother from killing your other daughter.”

This shuts them up pretty quickly.

My mother’s lips part. “But why—?”

“Because she’s my fucking wife,” I say, looking at each one of them. “And I’d kill any motherfucker on the planet if it means keeping her safe. Even my own goddamn brother.”

Even Hugo is taken aback by my sudden admittance of adoration for his daughter.

“But Liam didn’t die. He’s on the run, and I’d like to keep it that way,” I continue. “I don’t want him to return and risk losing Jill, nor do I want to take his only chance at a normal life far away from this mess.”

“So what now?” my father growls. “You just expect us to move on?”