Page 64 of The Secrets We Keep

He wanted nothing more than to pound Nero Gallo into the marble beneath his feet, but he could be patient a little while longer. They had one more massive blow to deal to Gallo Industries, and then they could implement the next and final phase of their plan.

Nero gripped Luca’s arm when he turned for the door, and Luca looked down at where Nero’s hand wrinkled the fabric of his tux and then up into the man’s eyes.

“You better tell your brother to watch himself. He has no idea who he’s dealing with.”

Luca shook his arm free and flashed Nero a wide smile. “We know exactly who we’re dealing with. Merry Christmas, Nero.”

Both SUVs and Maeve’s sedan were already waiting for them when Luca stepped outside, and he accepted his keys from Carina.

“Did he say anything else?” Matteo wanted to know.

“Just that we have no idea who we’re dealing with.”

Dom snorted. “We know perfectly well. But you baited him, and now he’s going to look extra hard at us.” Dom swept a look at Luca. “Make sure your contact is prepared for that.”

Luca nodded. “I’ve got a meeting set up with them tonight.” He checked his watch and rounded the hood of his SUV. “I should probably get going. Can you give Carina and Alexei a ride back?”

“I have space in my car,” Maeve offered.

“I’ll ride with you,” Matteo said to Maeve. “Luca, we’re meeting with the capos early Monday morning. Don’t be late.”

Luca inclined his head before climbing behind the wheel. He hadn’t been late for any of Matteo’s goddamn meetings yet. Why his brother needed to incessantly remind him to be on time, he had no fucking idea.

Looping away from Restivo’s sprawling villa, Luca made his way across Catania and pulled into a public parking lot just down the street from Sienna’s building. Buzzing himself in with the passcode she gave him, he took the elevator to her floor and let himself into the apartment.

She didn’t try to stab him this time, and even though all the lights were on in the kitchen and the living room, they were both empty. Following the short hallway, he peeked into the office. Dark and vacant. Pushing into her bedroom, he found more lights on, but now he heard the faint sound of the shower through the closed door.

Pushing open the bathroom door, he leaned a shoulder against the frame and watched her. He expected her to jolt when she saw him, as she usually did when someone caught her by surprise, but when her eyes met his through the glass door, she only smiled.

“You clean up good, Bianchi,” she said, her voice echoing off the tiles as she slicked back her hair.

“And you look great wet.”

She laughed, and he crossed the bathroom, shedding the pieces of his tux as he went. When he stepped under the spray, she instantly wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss.

“I take it tonight went well?” she asked, tilting her head for his lips.

“I’d say so. We made some good connections, rubbed elbows with the right people. And pissed off your uncle.”

“All in a day’s work. Any update from Matteo on your next move?”

“Later,” he said, lifting her up against the shower wall and guiding her legs around his waist. “Right now I want to see how many times I can make you come for me before the hot water gives out.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

It was pitch black when Luca woke, and he instantly felt the absence of Sienna beside him. He reached for his phone to check the time. Not quite four in the morning. He waited a few minutes to see if she was in the bathroom, then a noise drew his attention to the hall.

Her office light was off, but a pale golden glow painted the other end of the hallway, and he followed it. Her back was to him, the light over the stove the only source of it in the room. An electric tea kettle boiled at her elbow, the bubbles dancing behind the clear glass. She turned it off before it whistled and poured water into a mug.

Turning, she jumped at the sight of him, slapping a hand over her heart and sagging back against the opposite counter. “Luca. You scared me. What are you doing up?” She frowned. “Did I wake you?”

“No.” He took a step closer. She looked tired, more so than usual. A deep crease in her brow, dark circles under her eyes. “Did something happen?”

“I just…couldn’t sleep.” Sienna held up her mug and offered a thin smile. “Tea helps. You should go back to bed.”

“You’ve been saying that a lot more lately.”

She dropped her gaze to her mug, spooning in a bit of sugar and a splash of lemon juice and stirring it slowly. Something had been bothering her for weeks. Ever since she came over to the house. In the times he’d seen her since, she wouldn’t talk about it.

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