Page 62 of Cage the Storm
“Or what?” There’s that smart mouth again.
“You’ve already earned your place; there’s nothing left to prove.” I wait, letting that sink in. Then, my last warning. “If you forget, I’ll be the first and last to remind you.”
I tip her chin up with two fingers, and my mouth brushes hers, just long enough for her to realize this isn’t up for debate. I watch her for a moment longer. Then, without another word, I leave her standing there to mull it over before heading to my office. I have work to do.
Mateo is standing in front of my desk with his arms folded when I step inside. Which seems to be the norm in this house.
“What now?” I ask, slamming the door behind me.
“It’s Luna’s father.” His words land like a sucker punch.
“Say that again.” Mateo lets out a breath, fists sinking into his pockets.
“Carlo was just the middleman. The setup came from above, straight from the old man himself.”
Luna’s father. The same man who married her off to Gio without a second thought. The same man who demands respect and traditions, but never without wielding the knife behind it.
Mateo watches me, waiting for my reaction. I give him none.
“You’re sure?” I thought Thomas was the only one involved with the old man. but this takes it up a notch.
“I’m certain.”
“That thought just crossed your mind, too, didn’t it?” I ask.
“Yeah. And I don’t like where it’s leading.” Fuck. How long has Carlo been working for the old man, and why does D’Angelo want me dead?
“Then we address it. Stay here, I need to get Luna.” Mateo never touches me, but I’m concerned when he grabs my arm to stop me.
“Boss, are you sure you want to involve Luna?”
“She’s my wife, Mateo. If she knows something, I need to hear it from her.” And God help her if she’s been lying to me from the start.
Now that I’ve been blindsided, the estate feels different. Like I’ve been a pawn in my own game. The routines, the familiarity, they all feel like a backdrop to something darker. And the thought of Luna betraying me cuts deeper than I want to admit.
Luna had too much on her mind to sit idle in the library. When that happens, she either cooks or vanishes into the garden.
When I walk into the kitchen, she doesn’t even notice. So, I stand there, watching her work for a few minutes before I close the distance between us. “Come with me.”
“I’m busy.” I calmly slide the knife away from her fingertips, setting it down on the countertop.
“Now.” An agitated sigh leaves her lips, but she wipes her hands on a towel before following me out of the kitchen.
She follows me without a word, but I can feel the heat rolling off her. Every step behind me is deliberate, pissed. I don’t look back. I don’t need to; her silence says enough. I stop outside my office and open the door, waiting for her to step in first. Then, I shut the door behind us, locking it.
“You’re being dramatic,” Luna snaps, but there’s unease beneath it.
“Hardly. I know who set me up.” Silence. Then her eyes darken with suspicion.
“Who?” I let the words settle before I answer.
“Your father.” She sucks in a breath, her fists curling before she forces them open.
But Mateo doesn’t give her time to process. He pulls out his phone, tapping the screen before holding it up for her to see.
Carlo. The picture’s grainy, but it doesn’t matter. Luna stares at it, her expression is blank at first. Then, a sudden spark.
“I know him,” she murmurs. “Not well, but I remember him from when I was younger.”
