Page 109 of By Fate I Conquer (Sins of the Fathers 4)

“They’ve always been against the changes you implemented. They are stuck in the past.”

“Fuck. I can’t believe he did this. He’s going to take his words back and apologize to Cressida. I don’t care if he has to get drunk to go through with it.”

“He won’t, Luca. If he really met Greta all these months despite the war and if he went to Cressida and asked for a divorce, then he’s made up his mind, and I doubt anything can change it.”

“He’ll change his mind, believe me. I’ll make him. He went too far. I’m still Capo and if he doesn’t get a grip on his rampant hormones, he won’t follow in my footsteps.”

“I’ll go practice my best Capo looks then,” Valerio said with a smirk.

“This isn’t the moment for your fucking jokes!” Luca snarled.

Valerio shrugged and walked out of the living room, leaving me alone with Luca. Valerio had a canny talent to brush off Luca’s outbursts.

I touched Luca’s chest, tilting my head back to look him in the eyes. The rage in them didn’t scare me. It had in the beginning but I knew Luca’s love for me and our children trumped any darkness he harbored. “If you try to force him, we’ll lose him, Luca.”

“Damn right, because I’ll kill him if he doesn’t obey my orders.”

“Don’t say something like that, Luca. Not even in rage. Please.”

Luca cupped my cheeks. “Aria, this could divide the Famiglia for good. We’re at war at three fronts. We’ll be torn apart.”

“Maybe not. If Amo really loves Greta, that could lead to peace with the Camorra.”

“It led to war in the first place.”

“Because you chose war.”

Luca stepped back, his jaw tensing. I could see the conflict in his eyes. “Amo can’t have Greta. He couldn’t have her back then and he can’t have her now. The Falcones won’t ever allow it. I did it for Amo, so he wouldn’t let a crush ruin his life.”

“He was never happy with Cressida.”

“You sound as if their marriage is already over.”

“It is, no matter what you say.”

Amo’s and Valerio’s voices drifted over to us from the lobby.

“We’ll see about that,” Luca growled.

“Luca, please. Just stop and consider Amo’s feelings for a moment. What if he feels for Greta what you feel for me?”

Luca walked past me without another word and I rushed after him into the lobby where Amo and Valerio were still chatting. The difference between the brothers always amazed me. Amo was like Luca, in character and appearance, which made them butt heads so often, but it also gave me hope for this confrontation. Valerio was a potent mix of Fabiano and Matteo.

Luca didn’t slow as he stalked toward Amo who didn’t back down, not even when Luca grabbed his throat and shoved him against the wall. I tensed, my heart jerking hard in my chest.

“Luca!”

Valerio touched Luca’s arm. “Dad—”

“You stay out of this!”

Amo gave his brother a tight smile. “It’s okay.”

His voice was raspy from lack of air.

“Luca,” I said more firmly.

“You’ll go back to Cressida right this moment and apologize.”

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