Page 9 of Love Without Control

I absolutely hated my father, Luca Cappitani. The man was disgusting, but he was also very powerful, the underboss of one of the most powerful crime families in the city. So when he said to come to his house, I dutifully—though reluctantly—complied.

“Identification, please,” the guard demanded when I wheeled up to the gate outside my father’s estate.

“For fuck’s sake, Cesare. This is my father’s house,” I complained, though I reached into my back pocket for my wallet anyway, flopping it open to reveal my driver’s license. “And you just saw me here a few weeks ago.”

“I do as I’m told,” he said, inspecting my license like I was a goddamn criminal here to rob the place, his eyes darting from the card to me several times before nodding his approval. “Have a nice day, Mr. Cappitani.”

“Fuck off,” I muttered, squealing my tires as I peeled out up the curved, concrete driveway. At the top of the hill sat my father’s home, or the Pervert Palace, as I liked to call it. But never to his face, of course. I enjoyed having my head attached to my body.

Wheeling up in front of the mansion, I parked and slid smoothly out of the sleek vehicle before climbing the stairs to the porch. At my knock, the door swung open, and Sebastian, my father’s butler, gave me a tight smile.

“Master Damiano. Your father is waiting for you in his study,” he intoned formally.

“Thanks, Sebby,” I said, knowing the nickname annoyed him but not giving a ripe shit. Crossing the fancy gold marble floor of the foyer, I hung a right to take the dim hallway that ended in a set of wooden double doors. As soon as I lifted my fist to knock, my father yelled at me to come in, and I glanced up to see a camera above the door.

Well, that’s new. The fucker got more and more paranoid by the day, especially since he would be taking over as Don of the family once my great-uncle Leo retired or died. I wouldn’t put it past my father to have his uncle taken out. He was a power-seeking, ruthless bastard.

I actually liked Uncle Leo. Yeah, he was a criminal, involved in all kinds of shady shit, but we all were in this business. Leo was tough but fair, and he’d always been good to me.

Entering the massive room covered in velvet-patterned green wallpaper, I strolled unhurriedly across the dark, wide-planked floor before taking the seat beside my brother. My father leaned back in his chair and looked at us over his massive desk. Seriously, you could park a fucking Buick on that thing.

“Damiano, aren’t you going to say hello to your brother?” he cajoled.

I didn’t even spare my sibling a glance. “No. Fuck him.”

Our father attempted a scowl but not before we caught his furtive smirk. He loved this shit. After all, he’s the one who pitted us against each other all those years ago.

“Now, now. Play nice. Fiero is your brother,” he said in a false tone of placation.

“Can we get this meeting started, please?” I asked, flicking my eyes toward Fiero. “The stench in here is ungodly.”

Luca chuckled and shook his head. “Okay. I need help with some business and, ah, personal matters this week. I’m flying to Las Vegas for a meeting I can’t miss. Fiero, you will go with me on the jet.”

“Okay,” my brother replied simply.

Our father turned to me. “Your task is a personal favor to me. Since I can’t miss this meeting, I need you to go to New Orleans and pick up an… item I have acquired. You’ll take the helicopter.”

I nodded slowly, trying not to let him see my excitement. New Orleans was a fun city, and I hadn’t been in a couple years. Lots of amusing trouble I could get into there. “Fine,” I told him, maintaining my surly attitude. “What will I be picking up?”

Hell, it could be anything. Guns. Money. Or…

“It’s not drugs is it?” I asked, my stomach coiling like a rope.

My father’s face reddened, as if he were about to explode with rage. “No, for fuck’s sake. I’m aware of your issues, which I’m getting sick of, by the way. You need to stop being such a goddamn pussy about that.” I easily could have killed him without a second of remorse. He sat back and smiled smugly, lowering his voice. “I’m acquiring a new… friend.”

A woman.

“What happened to Maryanne?” I asked, hiding my disgust by pulling out my knife and flicking it open to casually clean beneath my fingernails with the tip.

“I gifted her to one of the capos.”God, he’s such a fucking pig.“Then there was Pepper after Maryanne. I don’t think you ever met her since you never come to visit me.”

“Pepper?” I asked, and my father shrugged.

“Not sure of her real name. That’s what I called her because she had a spicy pussy.” My fingers tightened around the handle of the knife, and Fiero’s knee pressed subtly against mine. A warning. “My pretty Pepper met with an unfortunate accident yesterday, and I need a replacement.”

One flick of my wrist, and I could have my blade embedded in his throat. Watch him bleed out like the pig he was. Beside me, Fiero spread his legs, bumping my knee with his once again. Another warning.

But our father didn’t notice because he had risen and was twisting the dial on his standing safe in the corner. With some effort, he pulled out three black duffel bags that looked heavy.

---