LUCA Page 9

  He looked at me trying to hide that he was impressed, “What price?”

  “He’ll pay whatever we ask. He’s blinded by revenge. I think the gambling halls and their Russian connection. The Russians like cars and pay better than what we get now.”

  He whistled at me. “Cold blooded. You get that from your mother. Okay, we’ll help him. But I have a price too, an expensive one. There is no more personal between you two, only business. Whatever goes on between you two our family won’t like it. That’s my price. We help him, you two stop seeing each other. You don’t have to settle down. We’ll see how you run the family with my help. But you and him would ruin us. Our people won’t stand for it. I won’t stand for it. Can you pay that price?”

  He watched me as I thought, but I didn’t give him the chance to doubt me, or have to ask the question again, “Yes. I’ll go tell him”

  Luca was waiting outside the doors, sitting and rubbing his hands together nervously. “We’ve agreed to help you but there is a cost.”

  “Name it.” He said immediately and stood up in front of me his eyes bright at the thought of taking what was his.

  “If you’re going to head your family, you should get better at negotiating.”

  He kissed me, wrapping his arms around me, holding me tight against him. “How’s that?” he said as he released me.

  “That won’t work on most people.”

  “How does it work on you?”

  “Good. There is a cost to our helping you. First, your gambling rooms. They belong to us now. The gamblers don’t care about black or white, only green. And your Russian connections. We have none, we want some.”

  “Done,” he said quickly.. “Since you said ‘first’, I assume the ‘Second’ will be more expensive?”

  “Yes. No more me and you. That’s the price. But one we had to figure on paying sooner or later.”

  “That was Ezrah’s price wasn’t it?”

  “Yes, but it makes sense for the family. For both of them.”

  “Like you said, we knew it was coming. Done. But I have a condition too. First I agree to that price, expensive but worth it. Worth it on the condition Elio is still alive and leading my family. I wouldn’t put it past Ezrah or you to make this deal while he’s dead or brain dead The last I saw him he was under water and I was choking him to death. Then I saw you and let him go. If I hadn’t let go, you might not be here.”

  “Maybe neither of us would be here. Done. He’ll respect that you think he would be so devious. I know I do. Second?”

  He didn’t say a word, just grabbed me and kissed me.

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  CHAPTER 25 - LUCA

  Ezrah stared silently at me, making me uncomfortable. I stifled a laugh but couldn’t hold back the smile when I realized Nina did the exact same thing.

  “Elio wasn’t happy about where you chose to meet him and neither am I. It’ll be tough to get my men in position to make sure no one interferes, no one has a sniper take a shot at one of you. And since I’m guaranteeing safety that’s a major pain in my ass. Why?”

  “It needs to be done there.”

  “A rock quarry is a terrible place. People around, kids, campers, Park Rangers. It’s federal to bring guns inside a park.”

  “That solves your sniper problem. No guns allowed. I’m sure Elio will follow the rules.” He didn’t laugh. He looked at me like I was a man who kidnapped his daughter and did unspeakable things to her while she begged for more. “I’m paying handsomely for your services. For what I paid I could have asked for a meeting on the moon and expected you to make it happen.”

  “I didn’t ask for enough. We could go into his home easy enough. Especially if his men are loyal to you like you say. Like you promise. If they’re not then this whole thing is a waste for me.”

  “The family is loyal to me. But his men are mercenaries. Loyal to his money. I’m sure their prices have gone up too. This puts less people in danger.”

  “It’s your world. Be ready tonight. And good luck.”

  I left to let him finalize the arrangements and walked around his estate. Nina was reading by the pool, refusing to take part in this because it ruined her plans.

  The other reason I decided against storming Elio’s house, my house, was because Nina insisted on going. I couldn’t worry about her while I worried about what I wanted to do to Elio and whether I could do that to Elio. He was still my brother and the man I swore to protect. He was still the person I did protect all these years. But he went too far. He was dangerous to the family.

  Nina stubbornly wanted to lead the assault to prove something. Prove something to her father. Prove something to her men. She didn’t need to prove it to herself. She knew. She didn’t have to prove anything to me. I knew what she was capable of.

  But I had spoiled her plans so she avoided me in her anger. I watched her bake in the sun and it made me question all of my loyalties, to my family, to getting revenge on Elio. My loyalty to my balls, because Ezrah surely would take them if he knew what I was thinking at that moment.

  I stood in her light as she read until she had no choice but to stop ignoring me. “I wanted to tell you why I ruined your plans. I’d rather you hate me than risk anything happening to you. And this is the only way you wouldn’t insist on being there. Being a part of it. I’d rather have your hate than think of you in any more danger because of me.”

  “You could stay too,” she said quietly. “I need good men around me.”

  “Be your cabana boy? Fetch towels for you? I couldn’t do that.” I took a long walk with my eyes over her body from her legs on up, “Well, not for very long. Ten, twenty years tops.”

  She fought back a smile, but it won and softened her face. I sat down next to her, “You would get bored of me like that too.”

  “Maybe but I prefer you alive. I prefer you boring me to dead. I prefer you by my side instead of running a rival family and keeping your promise to never see me again.”

  “I promised your father. We both promised. We’ll see each other again for business.” I placed my hand on her thigh, she immediately threw it off.

  “Business associates don’t touch.” She said icily.

  The moonlight cast the rocks and the water below in silver light. Shadows hid the cracks and gully’s in the rock and camouflaged lichens and moss made the rest of the rock’s surface slippery.

  Maybe Ezrah was right. This was a stupid place to meet.

  I made my way into the center of the rock, watching for hidden cracks. Elio would have the same disadvantage, I told myself. I closed my eyes and pictured it in the sunlight. I could almost feel the coolness of the rock and the warmth of the sun and past mistakes about to be corrected.

  “Returning to the scene of the crime?” Elio asked as he met me in the center. His men, my men ,stood at the edges along with the men the Brown family brought. Spectators.

  “Your crime.”

  “That’s true, but yours too. You covered it up. And the rumors all point to you.”

  “My crime was saving your life. I should have left you to die that day.”

  “You probably should have, but you didn’t.”

  “Why did you do it? You looked right in my eyes and pushed her off while I watched.”

  “Because I knew you would choose me. Protect me. Lie for me. I didn’t care about the girl. I knew you two were seeing each other. That made it even better. I planned for it the whole day, waiting for my chance. I knew what you would do. Be my slave. Be my lap dog. That’s why. Because I could and because you would help me. Even now, you think you can kill me. But I know you can’t. You won’t. You let me go on the boat. You’ll do the same here.”

  I didn’t want to hear another word from him. I lunged at him, my hands searching for his throat, but he was too quick. His hand flew up, tossed my arms aside. He was strong and quick.

  My arms still searched for his neck, wanted to twist it, choke the life from him as he tried to wre
stle me to the ground. He was a small ball of muscle, like the bobcat, impossible to subdue if he got me to the ground.

  I kept us upright with all my strength, and finally my hands found what they were searching for. His hands flew to my neck, his fingers like clamps as he tried to pull me to the ground.

  We struggled and inched closer to the edge and the water below. My fingers were slipping from him. I could see the reflection of the silver water below us and feel the wind rushing and falling towards the edge, pulling us.

  My fingers were slipping because I tried to pull us away from the edge. He felt my fear and pulled us closer to it.

  I couldn’t over power him. He was too strong. If we went to the ground he would win, just like the bobcat.

  My eyes darted down the cliff beside us, his eyes followed mine. He looked at me and smiled, pulling me towards the edge and the rocks below.

  My fingers slipped further. I had no choice. I pushed with all my might, my hands gripped tightly, satisfyingly around his neck as we fell over together. My hands squeezing the life from him all the way down.

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  EPILOGUE - NINA

  I finally got the upholstery changed from purple to black on Ezrah’s boat.

  My boat.

  I no longer used a driver. I knew my way around well enough to do everything by myself now. Being out on the water was the only time I could be alone now that Ezrah was close to retirement. He still advised but didn’t get very involved in the business anymore. I was in charge.

  I cut the engine and let the anchor down and settled myself on the bow to bake in the sun.

  I didn’t hear anything as another boat pulled up on the side.

  I smelled it long before I heard anything.

  “Going out fishing tonight?” I asked Jackie, his white hair and beard shining silver in the sun.

  “For a few hours, just enough to drop the line in. I’ll pull it later or tomorrow.” He tied his boat to the side of mine and had white bumpers in between so when the waves knocked them together they wouldn’t damage each other. “What’s this trouble with Rodya and the Checkov’s?” He asked as he came aboard.

  “I can’t understand what the hell they’re saying. Something about the cars we gave them.”

  “They only want Mercedes and you gave them something else so I heard.”

  “What is it with them and German cars? I thought they hated the Germans?”

  “They hate everybody. But they love flashy cars. Can I tell them you’ll make it right on the next one?” He asked.

  “We will. Anything else?” I added, hoping for some news of Luca.

  “That’s all the business we had I think.”

  “Going out alone tonight?”

  “My helper doesn’t want to come.”

  “Helper?”

  “He means ‘Captain’, ” Luca called out as he limped up the stairs from below deck. His arm was in a sling, and his leg in a cast. “I’ve had a tough week Jackie. One night off isn’t asking too much.”

  I held in my surprise. I hoped he would come, but I thought he would still be resting. He survived the fall, Elio did not. Elio and the water broke his fall enough to save his life but not walk away unharmed.

  He flashed his smile and those green eyes at me but spoke to Jackie, “Nina and I have a few things to discuss. Business between the heads of the families. You can be Captain for the night and pick me up in the morning.”

  “Morning?” I asked, not thinking past the moment I could jump on him like a dog.

  “Family comes first.” He said as he stepped over and I jumped in his arms to kiss him.

  THE END

  ******But you don’t have to stop reading here! An excerpt from my Next Book, Rodya: A Mafia Bad Boy Romance is next.

  RODYA: A Mafia Bad Boy Romance

  PROLOGUE – RODYA

  I couldn’t just take a woman because I wanted her, could I? That was something Vanya would do, to take her and sell her. I wasn’t a sick fuck like Vanya. I was never involved in that part of the family business, that was his and he could have it. Besides, I didn’t want to sell her. I wanted to keep her for myself.

  The idea that she could be mine was almost overwhelming. I closed my eyes trying to fight back the thoughts, the indecent thoughts of what I would do with her. She arose in the dark under my eyelids.

  There was no escape from her.

  I opened my eyes again and there she was. She had still not seen us. My heart was beating in my chest, my blood ran hot through my body.

  What was she doing here?

  She wasn’t supposed to be out there. Certainly not supposed to be out there screwing around, dancing to whatever music played in her head. My family was at war with the family in the house behind her. My men and I were supposed to hit the house and take what we could from it. The rat said today was the day they collect from their bookies. Enough cash to fill this van up. And except for one or two armed men, the rest would be counters and couriers, nothing to worry about.

  But what the hell was she doing here?

  I didn’t recognize her as part of the Caprio family, but she was familiar. I had seen her somewhere before.

  I opened the door and slid out of the van and walked around the back to open it for the men but my eyes lingered on her. She still had not noticed us but that was about to change. I stood there and hesitated, watched her move to the music only she could hear, watched the curls of her hair bounce, watched the jiggle of her body under her clothes. The beat changed and I swear I could hear it from the way she moved. Her body froze waiting, anticipating it.

  Her eyes flew open and she saw me staring at her There was fear in her eyes and surprise. I had caught her. A smile of embarrassment broke her lips. She blushed and wanted to laugh and turn away in shame, but it was too late.

  Her eyes darted to the van and back to me. Her eyes grew wider, her face turned white. Now she realized what this was. She turned on her heel and ran into the house.

  She should have ran away, far away from that house. Now I have to take her.

  The spell was broken. I opened the back of the van and four men in ski masks holding machine guns piled out into the street and followed me to the house.

  I hope she enjoyed that dance.

  I hope she dances for me soon.

  CHAPTER 1 – OLLIE

  Holy shit! Fuck Fuck Fuck.

  I almost tripped up the stairs. I slammed into the door and banged on it with my fists until Paulie opened it for me with a dumb grin on his face.

  I didn’t wait for him to say something stupid, “Men are coming, the Russians I think.” I said as I ran past him. They couldn’t have been more than five seconds behind me. Christ I should have ran the other way in the street. I didn’t give a shit about the money or the Caprio family, but I did care about Bella, the Caprio kid I was looking after. Why did Cap leave me here with these guys? ‘A quick stop’ he said. Off to see his mistress around the corner while I watched Bella. At least he had a mistress and didn’t expect me to do that job too. Not yet anyways. Since my older brother died for him and his family, he looked after me, protected me.

  I ran and scooped up Bella from her play pen and hid in a closet. It was all I could think to do. She started crying and I held her and rocked her while I whispered a lullaby, hoping she would stay quiet and the Russians would take the money and go.

  In the dark of the closet that man’s eyes appeared in front of me. He had caught me lost in my own little world, a break while Bella napped and I had a few moments to myself.

  I didn’t want to spend them in a room with Paulie and those idiots so I took a walk with my headphones on. When I opened my eyes to make sure I wasn’t walking into a tree or a car, I caught him staring at me. But it felt like he caught me.

  He had a strong jaw, silvery hair and deep blue eyes that seemed to flutter between gray and blue, like they couldn’t decide. Then I recognized him. Rodya Checkov.

  I heard
the front door splinter open but no shots fired. Yet. There was a physical fight it sounded like and the backdoor had burst open, the counters and couriers trying to flee with the money. I rocked Bella in my arms, she was quiet now. Thank god there were no gunshots. No lullaby would have soothed her after gunshots. Cap’s daughter Bella was worth more than all the money out there.

  I heard the money counters come back in through the back door, and everyone seemed to be outside this closet door.

  “Why don’t you take the girl and leave the money?” Paulie offered. I didn’t know if he was talking about me or Bella, but either way he would be a dead man if Cap found out. I was so mad I wanted to burst through the doors to slap him or kick him where I knew it would really hurt, if my foot could get past his gut.

  “Why don’t I take both?” was the answer, a threat, a boast, a promise. Rodya. I had never heard his voice but it matched his face so perfectly it must have been him. I was sure it somehow. I knew it was only a matter of seconds before Paulie pointed to the closet with me and Bella there, so I put her down in a pile of clothes and hoped the noise wouldn’t spook her too much and she could stay quiet. I stood and turned the knob slowly and burst through the door. I almost ran straight into Rodya, but I veered left when I saw the gun in his hand.

  Bravery is not for me.

  I ran past him and the four guys in masks carrying machine guns pointed at the counters and the couriers. Everybody watched, surprised as I ran past them and out the back door. When I decided to run, I figured there was no getting away but maybe I could distract them from Bella. When nobody stopped me and I got outside the house, I had hope again. I ran as fast and far as I could, through the back yard and across the empty lots until my lungs were on fire.

  I stopped in an alleyway, my hands on my knees as I sucked in air.

  Shit.

  I was trapped with no escape except over an eight foot wall. Maybe if I wasn’t out of breath I could have tried to scale it. My only option was to turn back.

  I turned around and there he was, Rodya, just a few feet behind me. He looked almost perfect in his suit, nothing out of place, his eyes shined pale blue, they had made up their mind.