Luca
a result or effect of an action or condition.
"Okay, i'm on the way." I hang up the phone. Aubrei called and told me to meet her at Romans house.
I wonder what has happened now.
Getting out the car I am greeted by Dina who tells me where Aubrei is.
I step in the room and see four of my guys hanging by their hands. While Amber is tied to a chair. All of them beaten and bloody.
What the fuck?
"Brei, what is this?" I ask and she looks at Amber.
"Do you want to tell him or do you want me to, Am?" She tilts her head at the beaten woman.
"Tell me what?" I look between both of them.
"Luca i'm sorry. I love you." Amber cries.
"Tell me what, Amber?" She doesn't say anything she only hangs her head low. "What the fuck is going on?"
Aubrei groans. "I guess I will, Amber and these four were the ones who jumped Raven. She also killed Dash and Bruna."
I snort and shake my head. "Don't joke about shit like that." I look to Amber. "Cause that's what this is right? A joke?" Aubrei shakes her head sorrowfully.
"I'm sorry, love." I back away from Aubrei and to Amber.
"Luca, listen to me! She's Riley!" She screams in terror. "She told me she was!"
"I didn't tell you anything." Aubrei calmly says, leaning against a table filled with weapons.
"You killed Bruna?" I shake my head. "Why?" She doesn't say anything she only sobs harder. I grip her chin, yanking it up, making her look at me. "Tell me now, Amber."
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She cries.
"I bet if you weren't caught, you wouldn't be sorry." Aubrei says standing behind me.
"Luca, I love you." Amber says and Aubrei snorts.
I grip her chin tighter and she cries even harder. "I won't ask you again."
She nods. "She overheard me on the phone with someone. I'm sorry, Luca please don't-"
"With who and what about?" I ask and she winces.
"I already tried to get it out of her, hence the fingernails." Aubrei folds her arms. "She says if we kill her, everything will only get worse from here on out."
"Then I guess it's about to get a helluva lot worse." I release her chin and step back. "I don't care what you do with her just make sure she's dead." Not even a millisecond later Aubrei shoots the guys behind Amber directly in the forehead. I watch as their bodies seize their last moments. Aubrei then turns her attention to me. "I have some things to take care of before I come home. So i'll be there late tonight." I tell her and she nods.
Out the corner of my eye, I see Aubrei watch my every move as I walk to the door. Her hand tightens around the pistol she's holding and she shakes her head, turning her attention back to Amber.
~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~
Reign
"I actually feel sorry for you." I place my gun on the table filled with weapons.
"No I actually feel sorry for you." She sniffs. "Having his hands on you, the same hands that killed your mentors."
"You'll shut up soon enough." I say sharpening my blades.
"Tell me. Is that the reason you're targeting the Mancinis?"
"No. But it is now." She looks at me and waits for the reason. "Santiago's wife sold her daughter. Which happens to be Roman's daughter, Raven. Roman wants revenge and here I am."
"What did Roman offer you? How much money?"
"Silly me. Leaving out a major detail like that." I chuckle. "I'm Roman's eldest daughter."
She stills. "What?" Her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yeah. Crazy right?" I check the blade's sharpness again my finger.
"How did Luca not notice?"
"You're being extremely nosy." I say walking over to her. "He noticed though. Multiple times. But I told him otherwise." I shrug and go to stand behind her.
"And he believed you? Even though the signs were clear as day?" She watches me.
"If they were clear as day, why didn't you notice?" I question and she doesn't respond. "Exactly. To answer your first question, I don't think he believed me. Luca is a smart man, he did the safest option and just went along with it."
I reach around and place the sharp utensil against her neck. "If you kill me, they'll come after you." She voices shakily.
I shrug again. "Who isn't after me?" And in one strike her neck is slit open.
I watch as she chokes on the last bit of her blood. Her eyes stained with tears as she leaves this world.
Why do I feel bad?
~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~~~•~•~
Luca
"If you don't trust her, kill her."
"You're already suspicious of her."
Things that my father has said about Aubrei replay in my head.
Everything about her points to Riley. Her physique. Her laugh. The way she fights. All of it narrows down to Riley.
But I won't believe it. I can't. Not until she tells me herself.
Getting out the shower, I find Aubrei sitting crisscrossed in the middle of the bed. She does this when she's in deep thought.
"Aubrei?" No answer. I stand in her line of vision and snaps out of her thoughts.
"What?" She asks. Her tone is different. As if nothing's there.
"So?" She raises her eyebrow. "Where is she?"
"Dead. Roman said he'll take care of the bodies."
I nod. "How did yo-"
"How's your father?" She cuts me off, staring directly at me.
"Still comatose." She nods slowly. "Why?"
"I can't be concerned for my boyfriend's father?"
I snort. "Cut it out. You hate him."
"At least you know." She mumbles and pats my side of the bed. "Here. Let's go to sleep."
"No."
She huffs. "Why not, Luca?"
"Cause we need to talk, Aubrei."
"Talk about what?" She sighs agitated.
"The big ass elephant in the room."
"What big ass elephant?" She looks around the room.
I huff. "Come on, Aubrei. Let's not do this." I say also getting aggravated. "You know exactly what i'm talking about."
She looks down. "You said you trust me. You said you wouldn't accuse me anymore."
"Put yourself in my shoes. How am I supposed to feel, huh?" I slide on my night pants, and sit next to her on the bed.
She waves me off. "Baby, please not tonight. I'm not in the mood."
"Then when, Aubrei?"
"I don't know, Luca." She mockingly says. "What do you want me to say, huh?" Her voice slightly cracks. I look and see tears threatening to fall.
I swipe my thumbs under her eyes. "Just talk to me, amore."
"I can't." She shakes her head. "It's all too much."
"What is, baby? Tell me." I grab both of hands, kissing them.
"Tomorrow."
I sigh and nod. "Tomorrow."