Page 3 of Sworn to Revenge
“Ah…” I sigh, my hundredth of the morning, and it’s barely 8 a.m.
Stepping into Luca’s office, I find Mariano standing behind him, both focused on his laptop.
“We have a snitch,” I announce, and they both turn their attention tome.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Luca snaps, slamming his hands on the desk as he stands.
“Aren’t we here for the warehouse breach?” I ask, thrown off.
“No,” he growls. “But start with the ‘snitch’ theory because I’m this close to taking your head off.”
I take a second, trying to figure out what else he’s talking about. “Here’s what Graham sent me,” I say, and describe what is shown in the footage while playing it for them.
“This is what Mariano and I were just watching, but why do you think there’s a snitch?” Luca presses.
“The only footage we got was from a camera I installed,last week,” I explain, and let him connect the dots. It takes just a second before a string of curses fills the air. He strides to the whiteboard next to the oval meeting table at the center of the room and flips it to a map of our territory, each warehouse marked by its storage type, man count, and camera coverage.
He marks the hit warehouse with a red X. “That makes three in five days,” he mutters. “They’re going after our closest warehouses first, working their way through our line.”
“They’re moving fast after the last take down. How the hell do they have enough manpower for this?” Mariano says, sinking into Luca’s desk chair.
I replay the footage, catching something. “Wait—look here.” I freeze the screen, zooming in on the last person leaving the scene with a full kit bag.
“That’s definitely not a man’s build,” I say, pointing. Luca snatches the phone, inspecting it.
“Too short, too slight. Look at the way they move. That’s a woman,” I say, surprised. The Russians never use women in the field like this.
“Pedro, I need you on this. Find out who we’re dealing with,” Luca orders, tossing my phone back to me. I’ve got a hunch Mateo, one of my men, could be useful here, so I send him everything and shove my phone away. He’ll get the job done.
“I’ll meet with Mateo later today. Anything else?” I ask, ready to head out.
“Yes. Sit down,” Luca says, his voice steely.
I take a seat, heart hammering.What’s this about?
“Why the hell is Bay staying in your guest room?” Luca asks, his voice sharp. “I found out from Mariano, by the way.”
I exhale, trying to stay calm. “Yes, she’s in the guest room. She couldn’t take the sound of…you and Alin.”
“So youdidn’tsleep with her?” he presses, his tone lethal.
“Do you think she’d still be in the guest room if I had?” I retort. “What’s the problem?”
“Good. And it’s staying that way.” He exhales sharply, trying to regain his composure.
“What?!” The implications hit me all at once.
“You heard me. Alin overheard you two flirting on my proposal day, and now she’s hung up on your history with women. We’ve been fighting about it ever since, and she doesn’t like the sound of you two together,” he explains, no remorse in his voice. “Bay’s family. You’re not going to mess with that.”
He’s silent a second before adding, “Capo’s orders. Bay stays in your guest room—only.If you so much as try for a relationship, a fuck or anything other than what it is now, I’ll send her home and you? I’ll ship you right to Italy, where Dad’s got plenty to keep you busy.”
Did I just hear that right?I can feel rage bubbling up, barely held back.
“So, you’re forbidding me to be with her because ofyourwife’s insecurities?” My voice comes out louder than I intended, echoing through the office. Mariano shoots me a warning glare, his stance shifting subtly—a silent reminder not to overstep.
“It’s the capo’s order,” he cuts me off, clearly ready to step in if I cross a line.
“The capo’s concerned aboutmypersonal life?” I snap. I’ve been clear about my intentions before, and now he’s threatening me over them?
