Page 100 of Dare To Love Me

LUCA

Iscrubbed a hand down my face and through my hair.

The meeting had been grueling. We’d spent hours at the conference table in my office discussing, arguing, and compromising. Although, the compromising part had been bare minimal. Who’d have thought?

Each organization wanted maximum control, money, and assurances that there was no way they could be hung out to dry. Lawyers for each party were present as well; giving legal advise on risks and suggesting precautions that should be taken to stay one step ahead of the authorities in case of arrests. We had the least to worry about in that department, with more political connections and police on payroll. However, we didn’t become successful by leaving anything to chance.

Having started at four in the afternoon it was now nearing eleven o’clock. My brain was fried. Dealing with the Irish had been one thing, but the MC president proved to be a pain in the ass. His patronizing attitude and talking to us like children that had no fucking clue what we were doing had my blood boiling until steam rolled out my ears. Not to mention his entitled son with the arrogant smile that never left his face. I could see Matteo becoming heated and less patient with every passing minute, but as usual, kept his cool.

In the end, everyone walked away satisfied. Everyone had rolls to play to ensure profitability, and responsibilities to handle. Check and balances were put in place to ensure two groups could not overturn the one. With everyone full well knowing that there was zero trust between any of us.

When everyone stood from the table and shook hands the drinking started. No one had indulged during the meeting, every man wanted to keep a clear head.

Finally, we could all loosen our ties so to speak and enjoy the night.

Removing my coat in hopes of shedding some of the anxiety, I sighed deeply. My head pounded with residual energy. I needed a drink to banish the lingering irritation from the meeting before I saw Becka. At the moment I was strung tight, primed for another argument after having done nothing but that for the last seven hours.

Green, stunning eyes skipped across my vision. Becka.

I ached to see her. Over the past days I realized that being in her presence was the only time I felt at peace, even when the tension was high. Tired, angry, frustrated, it didn’t matter; Becka instantly calmed me. She would blind me with that breathtaking smile and my heart would smack against my ribs like a jack hammer. Holding her in my arms was what made me want to wake up in the morning.

A lump caught in my throat when I tried to swallow the last bit of whiskey the Irish brought. A four letter word sprung into my vision making me stagger backwards. An adrenaline spike froze me in place, tingling my fingertips.

Fuck. Fear engulfed me. Shot, stabbed, threatened with horrendous torture; nothing I’d experienced in the past compared to this. Accepting it would dig at the ground where I buried the idea of a life without the mafia. If I gave Becka my heart, she would have the ability to work me like no other person on earth. I could sense her feelings for me growing stronger. But behind every kiss, smile, and great sex, I could see she was warring within herself. With her new life.

But for me, she was all I yearned for. My bright light in the darkness that surrounded me. I didn’t just want her now; I needed her.

“You did good son.” Lorenzo clasped Matteo’s shoulder, jolting me back to the moment. Everyone else had filed out so now only Lorenzo, Matteo and I remained.

“Thank you, Father.” I knew Matteo wasn’t surprised to hear his dad say it, he had accomplished the impossible, but pats on the back from Lorenzo were rare.

“I’m going to get another drink.” Lorenzo headed for the liquor on the table between the couches.

“Hey, we did it.” I clinked Matteo’s glass in congratulations, trying to look calm instead of just having experienced a panic attack.

“Yeah. Now the real work begins.”

“Would you just enjoy the moment you uptight bastard.”

He laughed. “Oh I will. Thanks, Luca.”

“No need to thank me, brother.”

He nodded, staring down at the swirling amber liquid in his glass. The heavy emotion laid in his deep breathing and pinched lips. We never said emotional things to each other, we let our ability to read one another do the talking for us.

I looked away giving him a minute to collect himself, when I noticed Lorenzo staring out the mirrored glass overlooking the club. Something had caught his interest at the bar just below. I approached with leisurely steps. “What’s got your interest peaked?”

His smile was sinister as he pointed down to the bar.

My gaze turned down to find Becka, throwing her head back in laughter as she engaged in conversation with a man.

“Looks like your little wife is looking for satisfaction elsewhere,” he drawled casually.

Becka’s best smile was on display. My gorgeous wife looked to be flirting with another man. The blond dipshit turned out to be one of the Irish’s lawyers. I had met him once before and again at the meeting, recalling his information from the background check I ran on him. We dug into anyone and everyone that became involved in our business.

Shaun Booker: handsome and charming, single, excellent with the ladies. And as far as I knew, clean of criminal activity— he just defended the criminals. Shaun personified a cookie cutter American boy with a good family that comes from money.

The exact opposite of me.

---