Page 122 of Sin & Sapphire

ANA

The receptionistat the port walked us to Luca’s office. I trailed behind Angelo, my back straight, looking every inch the ice-cold princess I’d been raised to be, despite my exhaustion. We’d barely slept, waiting for Valentin’s doctor to remove a bullet from his thigh. This morning he’d insisted on working from the apartment while we navigated whatever the fuck this meeting was supposed to be.

My heels clacked over the floor of the building where Luca ran his father’s import/export operations, all glass and chrome and open workspaces.

“Angelo and Ana Costa,” the receptionist announced us to Luca’s executive assistant, who took one look at Angelo’s bruised face and sneered. Did she not know who she worked for?

“They don’t have an appointment,” the executive assistant said. My attention wandered to Luca, visible through the glass walls of his office, his dark brown curls bent as he worked behind a monitor.

“He’s expecting us,” I answered, stepping out from behind Angelo. She looked me up and down, taking in my silk shirtdress and heels. Her jaw clenched, and I looked closer at the way she was dressed—sky-high heels, her skirt a little too tight to be professional, and a low-cut shirt that showed the lace of her bra through the material.

I wasn’t judging—okay, I totally was—but I didn’t have the patience for this bullshit. I rapped on Luca’s window.

“Hey, you can’t do that!” she snapped.

I ignored her.

Luca looked up, and his whole face lit up when he saw me. The man quickly schooled his expression into impassiveness, but my heart lightened.

He didn’t hate me for leaving him.

He didn’t hate me for fucking Angelo and Valentin.

He didn’t hate me for everything my family had done to his.

And none of that mattered now because I was owned by Angelo Costa and Valentin Rochefort, and they would never let me leave them for a fucking Russo. No matter how much my heart might ache for him.

Luca opened his door and leaned against the frame, his biceps bulging out of his shirtsleeves, mouthwateringly handsome. Angelo gave me a hard look, then followed him into the office.

With a touch, Luca darkened the windows, clouding them so no one could see in or out before motioning for us to sit on a leather couch. I took my place, wiping my hands nervously on the skirt of my dress.

He smiled, and my heart melted. “How are you? Both of you?”

“We’re fine,” Angelo spat—practically snarled. Was he jealous?

Oh shit.

My traitorous heart softened some more. Angelo and Valentin’s defense of me last night had melted my resistance to their ownership. It wasn’t my first shootout and certainly not the first time I’d been subject to violence, but they’d protected me, made sure I stayed safe, and then come home again. They’d come home tome.

“You don’t have enough men to protect the Costa territory,” Luca continued.

“You’ve been rooting out the Tchérnovs though, haven’t you,boy?”

Luca smiled and leaned back in his chair, crossing one ankle over his knee, ignoring the slight. “With the help of the Yorkfield bratva, yes.”

“Why is that?” Angelo asked.

“My father likes the idea of annexing Costa territory into the Russos, after everything they’ve done to us.”

I closed my eyes with the pain of the realization that I’d been right to leave Luca. If he married me, he could have all of that without a single shot. His father would never allow it, though, and I could never ask him to stand up to his father for me. He’d lose everything.

“Those territories aren’t yours to keep,” Angelo answered.

Luca raised an eyebrow. “You can’t seem to hold onto them. Why shouldn’t I take them?”

Angelo sneered. “Do you think that if you offer them to Ana, she’ll come running back to you?”

My eyes flew to Luca. Was that what he was doing? Finding a way to bring me back to him? My heart shattered on the floor at his feet.

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