Page 63 of Cage the Storm
Mateo and I exchange a glance. “How well, Luna? Did you ever see him with your father?”
“Maybe,” she admits. “He was around sometimes, never for long. Always in the background. My father never introduced me to his associates unless it served a purpose.”
If Carlo had been working for D’Angelo for years, then this was more than a business arrangement; it was deliberate.
“He was quiet,” she says softly. “The kind of man who never drew attention. I never thought much about him. But if he’s involved in this,” She lifts her eyes to mine. “Then my father’s reach is deeper than I imagined.”
Mateo bites out. “Carlo’s been after Nico before.”
“What are you talking about?” I exhale the memory vivid despite the years that have passed.
“Seventeen. A job for my father. A deal gone south, and Carlo was the one who tried to make sure I didn’t walk away.” Luna looks at Mateo, waiting.
“That’s why this isn’t just about D’Angelo,” Mateo says. “Carlo already failed once. This time, he was hoping to succeed, but he failed once again.”
Luna’s quiet, but there’s fire in her eyes. When she lifts her gaze to mine, something in it has changed.
She isn’t just angry. She’s ready to end this.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
LUNA
For years,my father dictated my future. He sold me off like a trade, bound me to Gio, ensured that I would be a pawn instead of a player. But he made a mistake; he underestimated me. He’d forgotten I learned from the best.
And now? Now he’s vulnerable.
“If we play this right, we don’t just destroy him. We take everything. His empire. His people. His influence. We don’t just win this war; we become the strongest Italian mafia in the city.” Nico doesn’t react immediately, just watches me, considering.
Then, slowly, he smirks. “You think you understand this world, but you don’t.”
Heat flares in my chest, tightening my throat. How dare he insult me like that, since it’s all I’ve ever known? “I know enough.”
“Do you?” His voice is low, but it cuts deep. “How could you possibly know?”
“I know more than most.”
“That’s not the same as knowing how it works.” The words land like a slap, but I refuse to react.
My father manipulated everything: my life, my choices, my future. I’ll be damned if I allow Nico to do the same. He has no right to challenge me like this.
“I survived Gio, and I built this plan myself. I made myself untouchable.”
He shakes his head. “Survival isn’t the same as power, Luna.”
That ignites something inside me, not just anger, but a challenge. I step closer, refusing to let his dominance swallow me whole. “Then teach me.”
He leans in, “Then listen carefully. Once we start, there’s no turning back.”
Nico lays out the plan precisely, but I immediately see the flaw. He’s playing it too safe. I step closer, my pulse hammering under my skin. “Use me.”
“Fuck no.”
“You want loyalty? You want control? Then let me be the bargaining chip. Let them see me step forward and not hide behind you.”
“You’re pregnant.” His words cut deep, but I hate that he’s using them against me.
“So?” I ask. “You think that makes me weak?” He steps forward, closing the space between us.
