Page 73 of Luca

“We made a trip to the warehouse. Brought a few extras just in case,” Cillian says, setting the bags on the floor next to the bar. “I looked into the property records for the address you sent me,” he tells Finn. “It’s had the same owner since the sixties. Antonio Russo. Giada’s grandfather.”

I release a heavy breath. “It’s Carlo then. You’re sure it was never sold?”

Cillian looks at me like I asked the stupidest question he’s heard all day. “Of course. The taxes on the property have been paid every year from a shell account that ended in the Caymans. If I recall, the Cataldis are particularly fond of using shell companies to hide their money.”

“We go tonight. Before dawn breaks, I want that fucker six feet under,” Finn says. We all nod in agreement as Ozzy, Linc and Jude walk over to greet Cillian and Eoghan.

“We have a plan?” Ozzy asks.

“To go in and kill Carlo and anyone else we find,” I reply.

“Sounds solid,” Jude says, his lip turning up in a little smirk. He looks down at the bags Eoghan and Cillian brought in. “And look. You brought more toys.”

After going over the schematics for the home Cillian was able to bring up on his computer and getting a feel for the house we’ll be heading to later, we have dinner with the club. Giada and Alessia sit with the other ladies, and Lucy regales them with stories about God knows what, but they’re laughing and having a good time, which I’m grateful for. It’s keeping Giada distracted, at least from what I can tell, and that’s what she needs right now.

My family sits with Ozzy, Jude and Linc, who are going with us tonight, while Knox, the club’s VP and Cash cover the only road leading to the highway just in case Carlo manages to slip out of our grasp.

“I think we’re set, gentlemen,” Ozzy says, getting up from his chair. “I’m going to spend some time with my fiancée before we head out.” He walks over to Freya and whispers something in her ear before she gets up and follows him down the hallway.

“I’m going to take that as my cue to take my wife to our room,” my cousin says and heads toward Alessia.

“Thank you for going with us,” I tell Linc and Jude. “Taking care of Carlo is our responsibility, so I appreciate your willingness to put yourselves in the line of fire to help us.”

“The Italians have been a problem for both of our families for far too long. I have a personal stake in this, too,” Linc says.

“Yeah, and there’s no way in hell I’m letting my prez or my best friend walk in there without me,” Jude says, standing from his seat. “Now, if you two will excuse me, I’m going to go piss off my old lady.”

After he turns, I shoot Linc a questioning look.

“It’s their foreplay. It’s fucking weird, but it works for them.”

I chuckle and rise from my chair. “See you in a few hours.”

When I reach Giada, she looks up at me with a sleepy smile.

“Come on, sweetheart. Let me take you to bed.” That earns me a different kind of smile from my wife.

When I shut the door, Giada is standing at the foot of the bed, looking at me anxiously. “You haven’t touched me since the shooting,” she blurts out. “This is probably the worst time to bring it up, and there’re so many other things to be worried about right now, but there it is.”

I walk up to her and take her soft cheeks in the palm of my hand as she looks up at me, biting her lip. I pull it from her teeth and kiss her mouth. “I’m sorry. Seeing you hurt, almost losing you.” I shake my head. “It made me go into overprotective mode. I didn’t want you to overdo it and hurt yourself, or worse, have me be responsible for hurting you.” I kiss her again. “But it was never because I didn’t want you, sweetheart”

She leans up on her toes and kisses me back, wrapping her arms around my waist. “Then show me,” she whispers, her hands grabbing the bottom of my T-shirt and lifting it up and over my head.

I don't waste a second, taking the soft material of her sweater in my hand and gently sliding it up her body. She no longer has to wear a bandage, but the wound from the bullet is still pink around the scar that’s going to be with her for the rest of her life.

“The doctor said I could take the bandage off. The stitches have probably dissolved by now anyways. Now, I’m just left with this ugly scar.”

I look into her eyes and bring my lips to the scar. “Nothing about you is ugly, wife. Least of all proof that you survived.”

Giada grabs my face and crashes her mouth to mine. “We still have to take it easy. At least for a few more weeks.”

“Were you planning on performing acrobatics?” I ask, quirking a brow.

She laughs lightly, the sound warming all the cold parts of my heart. “Not today.”

I bend and leisurely taste her lips as though we have all the time in the world before guiding her onto the bed and bringing my body over hers but keeping my weight balanced on my arms.

My lips trail down the smooth column of her neck, over her breasts still encased in a sexy as fuck lace bra, licking my way over her stomach to the top of the pants she has on.

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