Page 152 of Rise To Power

The large office felt too full, I had too many questions, and the bite of betrayal pierced my heart. Fuck. Tears built in my eyes. I wanted to rip the reasons from his mouth, but I was so fucking relieved he wasn’t dead.

“Alex didn’t lie to hide Mia. He lied to protect me.”

Alex stood. “No one dies in my club. You want to take your vendetta out on each other, do it somewhere else.” He nodded toward Ronan, suggesting they should leave the room. “Are you safe?” he asked Luca.

“If I want him dead, you couldn’t stop me from killing him,” I said.

Luca’s penetrating glare drilled into me. “Do you want me dead, Marco?”

Alex and Ronan left the room and waited in the outer office with the bouncer. Carmine stared through the glass at Luca.

“I want to know why my brother would let me grieve him.” I stood and faced Luca. “Why you’d leave Savio to mourn his father?”

Luca took a step back as I prowled closer.

“Why you’d allow your father to bury his son? Fuck you, Luca! He died believing you were murdered. Instead, I find that you’ve changed your name, and you’ve aligned yourself with our enemy. Was her pussy so sweet you’d betray your family?”

“Mia isn’t my enemy, but she is mine. I don’t question her loyalty, but I have concerns about yours.”

“You arrogant fuck.” I surged toward him. Carlo stepped next to Luca, but Ant lifted his gun.

“Step back, Carlo. This is between brothers.”

Luca’s spine stiffened. “Carlo and I would’ve died without her.”

“Mia fucking Thomas. Her brother vowed to retaliate. When his attempt failed, he took his own life. Apparently, Mia found a way to break the Bruno family. Does her body still wear your bruises, brother? Or is she the Dom in your relationship now?”

Luca rubbed a hand over his forehead. “If you wish to know how I pleasure my submissive, we can arrange a demonstration in the club.”

“I wish to know many things, Luca. Our father is dead, Andre is dead, Adami is dead, Greco is dead. Now, my wife’s sister is missing. How are you involved?”

“I’m not involved. Luca Bruno is dead, too.”

“I buried an empty coffin. Convince me I shouldn’t put you in it.”

“Marco, we need to talk. Can we please just sit down?”

I returned to the chair, and Luca took the seat next to me, our knees nearly touching.

“I know you’re confused,” Luca said. “Maybe we’ve all been betrayed. I don’t know. You’re here so somehow you discovered I’m alive.”

“Emilio found you.”

“God, to see you, and for you to mention names I only hear in my dreams.” He took a deep breath. “Does Giada know you’ve found me?”

I snapped my gaze at Stefano.

“Possibly by now,” Stefano said. “She hasn’t been around much since Francesca left. I figured she’s forming a new plan to fuck over Marco. She’s a pain in my ass.”

“After we buried papà I relegated her to a soldier under Stefano.”

Luca smiled. “At least I know she suffers.”

“Not as much as she makes the rest of us suffer.” Stefano grinned. “She’s still a cunt.”

Luca leaned forward and rested his forearms on his knees. “The day of the diamond delivery, something was off. Timing was off, the location was shit, but I admit, I was distracted. Mia had disappeared. She’d given me a fake name. I had no way to contact her, and I had already decided she was mine. I had to find her.”

I could relate. Allegra was mine. If she tried to run from me, I’d chain her to the bed.

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