Page 97 of A Beautiful Crime

A twitch of my lips happens before I can stop it. Pietro smiles triumphantly.

“Pietro,” Constantine says again but this time with amusement.

“You know what, he’s right. There wouldn’t be a thrill for me if I had one of my own.” He shrugs nonchalantly and I can’t help but feel his infectious golden retriever attitude.

Constantine rolls his eyes but it’s all in good nature. “Let us conduct business. Marquise,” he addresses and Marquise’s ears perk at the command, “as you know The Fiore Famiglia will be united with mine as Carina and I wed. As an act of goodwill and faith I will be appointing Luca to handle business with you from this point on.”

I school my surprise, remaining stoic. One, I didn’t expect Constantine to merge business with my Famiglia without our union. Two, I didn’t expect for the business to be only such a small share.

If what Constantine told me is true, which I do believe it is, Marquise only distributes and manufactures a small fraction of the drugs. His larger operation must come from outside the U.S. As intelligent as Constantine is, he’ll never show that card, least of all to Luca.

This act of business proves one thing and one thing only; Constantine doesn’t trust The Fiore Famiglia .

What an intuitive intelligent man indeed.

Knowing this Luca’s eyes burn with rage. His jaw is tight and through clenched teeth he accuses him as just. “This isn’t what Don Fiore nor I had in mind.”

Constantine raises a cool brow. “And pray tell, what did you two have in mind?”

Luca is holding onto his sanity by a thread. While Elio was the most rebellious, Luca has always been the most hot tempered.

“The ports. Control of the ports.”

He and papa must be living in a fantasy if they believe Constantine will ever give them free control of the ports. Even I know the ports hold the most financial success. Why would Constantine allow someone else to take control of it?

“Are you implying that Marquise runs a small operation?”

Luca’s jaw clenches. He’s nearly at his boiling point. Only this time the aftermath won’t have me as a casualty.

Stiffly and with a tight smile sent over to Marquise he replies, “Of course not, but-“

“But?” Constantine chuckles darkly. “Let me remind you of something, Luca,” he spits his name with malice and I revel in it. The darkness in Constantine I can’t help but be enthralled by. “You may be an Underboss to your papa, but to me you are only a man. You work under me. You take orders by me. You do as I fucking say without a fucking word in edgewise. The very same goes for your papa.”

Luca grinds down on his molars. His nostrils flare. His finger twitches. He takes a step towards Constantine and Pietro intercepts him. Luca glares at Pietro with a thousand suns and he only responds with a cheeky smile. “Move.”

Pietro snickers. “Just like you I only take orders from the boss.”

“I’m not a soldier,” Luca sneers.

Pietro takes a step closer to him. Nose to nose, eye to eye. The only difference is Pietro’s smaller physique. “From where I’m standing, it doesn't look so different to me.”

And while Pietro has a bright light inside him, I see it’s the violence that brings him the greatest thrill.

He wants Luca to react with a strike of his fist so he can return it tenfold.

To Luca’s credit he’s intelligent enough to pick up on it. And so, he doesn’t give him the reaction he wants. He steps back and Pietro tsks disappointedly.

“This isn’t over, Constantine,” Luca dares to threaten him. I’ve never seen a man so bold against him.

“For you it isn’t, for me it is.“

“You’re making a mistake.”

“I’ve never known an Underboss to throw temper tantrums akin to children. Is this how you always conduct business?” Constantine eyes light with mirth. “If so, I’m rethinking giving you control of this operation.”

Luca’s eyes flicker over to me, hardening at the sight. My muscles become rigid as fear paralyzes me. I recognize the look in his eyes. I know all too well what happens.

Pain.

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