Point of no return

Chapter 6

'Never utter those words again. Do you hear me? Anything happens to Elizabeth-'

'Luca.'

His father interrupted his words and pulled at his hand.

Luca backed off, both of his hands going to his face.

'Sorry.'

'You are not yourself son.'

He dragged his hands in his hair.

'I know.'

'What is it with this girl?'

Luca didn't even know how to answer.

'I don't know. I saw her, and it was like I had been waiting for her, forever. I can't explain it. I just knew I had to have her. To be with her.'

'You have a very unusual approach to courtship.'

That almost made Luca smile, almost.

'Son, you have many willing women -'

'I don't want anyone else.'

His father took a small pause; he seemed to be weighing his words carefully.

'Just speak. Say what you want to say.'

His father looked him straight in the eye and did just that.

'She doesn't want you.'

'I know.'

'So what do we do?'

'First off, you're going to call up that editor that had bought up the pictures of Elizabeth and I. Do you remember?'

'I do. I told him to hold on to them, and to burn the slapping ones. Jesus this started way back then. Has she ever been genuinely inclined to be with you?'

'No.'

He poured a drink for himself while continuing.

'Have him release the pictures in two sets. The first starting tomorrow, do the kissing ones, and then the next day the handholding ones.'

'Ok. And day three?'

'Well be married by then.'

'Are you going to keep her a captive in this house forever? Because if you can't convince her to keep her mouth closed when it comes to this kidnapping business, I don't see how we are ever going to be able to let her out in public. Let alone the house. And if you can't do that, if you can't make her feel like she has some sort of life here, you'll never make this marriage a success.'

'I haven't thought everything through yet. But I have an ace up my sleeve to get her in line.'

'What's that?'

'Her cousin lives here and is together with this guy Mateo that caused some issues for me six months back. You remember the piece of shit that mentioned my name in connection to the drug business. He was also the reason Elizabeth ended up in the hands of those animals six months back.'

'I remember.'

'Samantha, that's her name, is now pregnant with their child. And the only reason Mateo is still walking around with breath in his lungs is due to me.'

'You've been protecting him?'

'I've made sure that people know, I don't want him or her touched.'

'And you're going to leverage that with Elizabeth?'

'Only if I have too.'

'I don't feel right about this business. Women and children are off limits. Always have been, she's an innocent.'