An Echo in the Mafia (Echo Reid, Reid Family Book #1)

Part 61

He thought about confronting her but he was scared. Scared that he would say something and she wouldn't deny it. He felt something tightening in his chest as he thought of it. He thought of their wedding, the dancing, the kissing, they way they snuck away to the terrace for a moment alone. Then it occurred to him- that moment when he'd walked out to find her in his arms. It hadn't dawned on him then, the way Marco had hastily pushed her away was so telling. He'd foolishly trusted in them both and now, Marco had the audacity to be standing in his foyer. 

"I'm going tomorrow afternoon, as ordered." Marco said. 

"So shouldn't you be packing?" Luke asked. 

"It's not that complicated to pack." Marco said. "I came to check if you were feeling better but I can see you're still in a mood."

"What mood did you expect me to be in?" Luke muttered, his grip tightening on the glass. He turned to look at Marco, who stood smugly as if judging him. 

"How much have you had to drink?" Marco said, taking the glass from his hand. "Luke what the hell are you doing?"

Luke stood and walked back to his bar cart, pouring himself another drink and completely ignoring Marco. 

"Hey!" Marco said, losing his patience and grabbing Luke's arm but Luke snapped, throwing the glass he'd been holding and smashing it on the ground. Marco slowly backed away. 

"What the hell is going on?" Marco asked. "First you change our plan from one moment to the next, then you act like an idiot."

"What's going on?" Luke asked. "Are you fucking kidding me? Why don't you tell me?"

"What?" Marco responded. 

"25 years." Luke sneered. "25 years we've known each other, I've trusted you, trusted every word you told me. You... you were like my brother."

"Luke, what are you talking about?" Marco asked. 

"I'm talking about you and Echo." Luke finally spat, making Marco grow pale. Luke immediately recognized the guilt. "Right. There."

Marco gulped. 

"I don't know what to tell you." Marco replied. 

"Don't fucking say a word." Luke said, "Consider yourself lucky that I'm being generous for now."

"Luke... I..." Marco began to say but Luke angrily cut him off. 

"That's my fucking wife." Luke said, "You fucking piece of shit."

Luke snapped, swinging his arm as hard as he could, his fist hitting Marco's jaw with a solid blow. Marco took a few steps back, his hand coming up to soothe the sore spot. His fingers came to his lips... blood.  Luke had never hit him before but before he could fully recover from the blow, a second knocked him back and hit the floor. 

He stood quickly, jumping to his feet and immediately rushing at Luke and knocking him to the ground. He hadn't meant to do it but after all these years, it was his instinct to fight back when attacked. Luke grunted as he hit the ground, but he pushed back. 

The two men scrambled around, grabbing each other by their collars and trying to get the best of each other. While Marco was a larger man and of stronger build, Luke was faster and angrier, and so the blows were coming in harder. 

"Oh my god... what are you doing?!" Adelia shrieked loudly as she jumped onto Luke's back, trying to pull him off of Marco. "STOP!!!"

Luke stood, trying to get Adelia off his back but she clung to him tightly, screaming as he stood to his full height.