Page 83 of Sexting His Son's Ex
“He better be lying,” Omar stands in front of his half-brother.
Tears fill Luca’s eyes. “I—I?—”
“You are no brother of mine,” Omar sneers, shoving Luca on his way out. “Don’t worry, Dad. You always have me. I’m ready to rise to the occasion since this traitor is no longer part of the family.” Omar slams the front door so hard, it shakes the entire house.
My youngest son is wrong. No matter the circumstances, Luca is and will always be my son. I raised him. Bianchi didn’t. I tucked him in at night and I wiped his tears away when his mother died. I’m the one who taught him how to tie a tie, not Bianchi. I did everything a father should and while I haven’t been the best, I have been there.
“Fuck you and this family. And Fuck Jovie too. Right,” he slaps his forehead. “You did that already.” He shoves Lorenzo, gun still in hand, and walks away.
I’m left alone with Lorenzo and Terrance. I take a seat, needing a minute to wrap my mind around what just happened. The rug has been pulled out from under me. Was my marriage to Andrea a scam? Did she have a plan with Bianchi to take me down so they could run the North together? There are too many questions. Questions I honestly don’t want to know the answer to. She’s dead now. And I don’t trust Bianchi to give me the answers.
It’s time for him to be dealt with. It’s time to wage war. After a few minutes of silence, I finally speak up.
“Lorenzo. I want you to kill Bianchi’s second in command. I want him dead by Bianchi’s feet. I want it done by the end of the day.”
“Yes, Sir,” he says without question.
“We’re going to take his territory.”
“Yes, Sir,” Lorenzo says again. “I have my sniper rifle. It will be taken care of by the end of the day.”
“Good. Keep me updated. And… wound Bianchi too. I don’t care where just don’t kill him. Let it be a warning shot. Etch the bullets with Salvati. I want there to be no question of where it came from.”
Lorenzo dips his chin, his lips twitching in excitement. “Yes, Sir. Happily, Mr. Salvati.”
“Terrance, you’ll go with him to make sure no evidence is left behind.”
He dips his head in agreement. “Happily, Sir.”
I rub my temples, my entire life shifting in a matter of minutes. The news about Camilla and Luca changes nothing and everything all at once. My entire world has crumbled yet has stayed the same. All I can do is move forward even if knowing Luca was only here to be the middleman for Bianchi.
“No, he wouldn’t do that.” I want to convince myself he wouldn’t do that to me, but I’m wondering if I truly know Luca.
“Sir, may I say something?”
Lorenzo’s voice snaps me out of my stupor. I continue to rub my temples, the ache growing with every pound in my head.
“Sure. Why not. Everyone else has said what they wanted to say.”
“I do not think Luca is bad. I think he is lost and feels torn.”
“I have killed men for less, Lorenzo. He betrayed us. He flipped his loyalty to Bianchi. What would you have me do?”
“Maybe try to see him as the boy you’ve raised. See him as your son who is clearly struggling with his own identity. He probably has no idea where he belongs.”
I shake my head in disagreement. “I don’t know, Lorenzo. I don’t know.”
He pats my shoulder on his way out. “I think there’s something more going on here with him.” He taps his head. “He has amazing days and then days where he is a stranger. Perhaps, there’s something else going on.”
“Maybe that’s not on me. Maybe that’s on Bianchi.”
“You don’t mean that,” Lorenzo says. “You’re hurt and that is understandable. I’m going to go. I will text you when the mission is complete.”
“Thanks, Lorenzo.”
He gives my shoulder a reassuring squeeze before he leaves. Their footsteps retreat towards the weapons room, and now, I’m alone.
Blood drips onto the counter and raise my hand to my lip, having no clue it was split open. I dab it with a paper towel and wipe the blood from the counter.
