Page 79 of Luciano (Belles & Mobsters 1)

“At the gala, we kill my grandmother,” I whispered low, ignoring the dull ache in my heart that would soon be the only thing left to feel. “Then we go to Luciano’s fundraiser and corner my uncle. Once they are dead, Matteo is safe from my family. And the two of us will run.” I took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled. “Luciano wants me to go with him to his fundraiser. I’ll tell him we’ll meet him there. It will be our only chance to get close to him.”

She swallowed hard, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I know it’s the best we can do but I wish we could kill Benito and Marco King too.”

I wished it too. “It would be a suicide,” I whispered. “We are way out of our element.”

And that was an understatement. Yes, we learned how to hack. Yes, we laundered dirty money. We learned to shoot a gun, but we were at least smart enough to realize when we were outmuscled.

“What are my favorite ladies doing up in the middle of the night?” Nonno’s voice startled us and both of us jumped out of fright. My hand on my chest tried to calm my racing heart.

Giving Ella a side glance, I nodded. We’d be ready to run tomorrow night, after we killed my grandmother and uncle. She lifted herself onto her feet, and I followed her suit. Nonno was too old to try and sit down at the edge of the pool.

“Goodnight, Nonno,” she muttered and leaned over to place a kiss onto his wrinkled cheek. It was her goodbye. She left both of us behind as she went into the house.

“We both have jet lag,” I answered his earlier question. “We couldn’t sleep.” My lies were bitter. “Matteo had a good time at the beach.”

It was my attempt to change the course of our discussion.

“He is a good boy,” he murmured, smiling. Talking about him always made him smile.

At least Nonno loved him. Even not knowing Matteo was Vitale, both Luciano and Nonno were good to him. Once they got their confirmation, I knew without a doubt Matteo would be loved and protected. Nonno loved him already.

“Nonno, can you promise me something?”

“What’s that, daughter?”

My throat was squeezing, making it hard to speak. “If something happens to me, keep Matteo safe.” His sharp inhale lingered in the air. “You and Luciano keep him safe… please.”

“What is it, Grace?” His hand took mine, and I looked at the old man. It was ironic that my life was connected to his even before my parents died and I never knew it. Until that night when Luciano dragged me out of his nightclub and right down the aisle, I never even knew of this man that was supposed to be my guardian.

My life would have been so different if he had been.

“Promise me, please,” I begged in a whisper.

“I promise.”

“Thank you.” I leaned over and kissed his other cheek. This man has always been good to me. No matter what happened, he would keep his word. I strode towards the house, leaving him behind. I headed back into my husband’s bed. It would be our last night together.

Before going to Luciano’s bedroom, I stopped by Matteo’s room. He was fast asleep, his feet dangling off the bed. Leaning over him, I placed a kiss onto his forehead. He had my heart from the first time I felt him move inside me, and once he was born, I was completely in love.

Luciano’s and my son. A product of a bitter revenge but the best outcome, regardless of the heartache that would follow when I walked away, leaving my heart behind.

Different scenarios played in my mind, trying to find any safe alternative that would make it safe to bring him along. I couldn’t see any. Luciano would keep him safe. My husband was a lot of things but one thing he excelled at was protecting his family. And Matteo was his family, his flesh and blood.

I felt that familiar tingling down my spine, and I knew Luciano was right behind me. My eyes lingered on my son’s face, trying to memorize each line. He was a part of me, and the thought of living on without him was tearing my soul to shreds. I was literally falling apart on the inside, and I marveled that on the outside I seemed put together.

I stood up, Luciano’s chest right behind me. I leaned back into my husband’s hard chest, and his arms wrapped around me. I allowed myself this weakness, for the last time. These memories might be the only thing that would make the lonely future bearable.

Maybe another life, another time we could have had a chance.

“He’s a sound sleeper.” Luciano’s hot breath burned my skin, sending shivers and regret through my body. “Like his mother.”

That was pretty much one of the very few things he got from me. In every other way, he was like his father. I relished in Luciano’s body heat, knowing that the rest of my life, however long it would be, would be spent cold and alone. Ella had fallen for Massimo. She would have her own wounds to lick.

I took my husband’s hand and pulled him out of Matteo’s room. I kept walking towards my husband’s bedroom, Luciano’s footsteps right behind me. Neither one of us said a word. Tonight would be for us… for me.

The bedroom door shut behind us with a soft click. I turned to face this man. He was so much taller than me, I lifted my face to study his features. Matteo would grow up to look like him. I had no doubt about that.And I’m going to miss it all;the thought sent sobs up my throat, but I choked them down.

I fought my attraction and my love for this man for so long. Even after he pulled that trigger against my temple, I still loved him. And I hated myself because I loved him. But now, it was different. He was different. I was definitely different.

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