Chapter 486
“I don’t know anything.” Bianca spat.
“Tony will tell me everything when I get my hands on him p>
Bianca’s eyes snapped to his. “He knows nothing p>
There it was.
Luca’s smile deepened. “Interesting p>
Bianca froze, realising too late what she had given him. “I meant p>
“I know what you meant. I will not be taking your word for it,” he smiled and put his gun back behind his jacket.
Bianca breathed out a relieved sigh. It was stupid of her. Relief, in Luca Genovese’s presence, was always premature.
Still, she smiled. Her pulse was still racing, her back still too close to the open window, but she lifted her chin like she had won something.
“I knew you didn’t have the guts,” she said.
Luca said nothing.
“You have become a pussy,” Bianca continued, voice sharpening now that she thought the gun was gone and the danger had passed. “Pulled around from side to side by a cunt—” She never finished. She did not even realise how close she was to the open window.
Luca moved once with just one hand. Just a clean, brutal shove that turned Bianca’s smug smile into terror.
Her scream ripped through the penthouse as she went over. First, it filled the room then Paris swallowed it.
Luca did not bother to look. There was nothing down there he needed to see. Bianca had made a big mistake of underestimating him from the very beginning. She believed she had protection. She believed a famous surname could stand between her and consequence. She believed love had weakened him.
It had not. It had simply given his violence better direction.
He adjusted his jacket, smoothing the lapel. He knew he had just sparked the beginning of a war but Luca was willing to go all out. He picked up Bianca’s phone from the side table and walked out of the apartment without looking back.
Veronica arrived back at the Genovese mansion and felt suddenly alone. The house was too big when Luca was not in it.
None of it felt like life. There was no Nonnina. No Luca. No familiar warmth in the kitchen. No husband appearing behind her just to kiss her neck and ruin her concentration and the only person she had left in her life, she had had enough of.
Val.
Her sister.
Her blood.
Her open wound.
Veronica had contemplated calling her a couple of times. Each time, she had unlocked her phone, stared at Val’s name until her chest hurt, and then thrown the damn thing farther away from her. She looked at her ring, twisting it slowly around her finger.
Mrs Genovese.
Veronica inhaled, steadying herself. She knew very soon she would get the call. She was just about to head upstairs when the front door opened. Vee stopped then Valentina stepped inside.
Matteo was strapped to her chest, bundled against her, his little face tucked into sleep. She had walked all the way there, she needed the time to think about what the entire situation was doing to her and her sister.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Vee snapped. Her sister stood just inside the doorway, shaking. Her hands trembled. Her shoulders trembled. Even her lips struggled to hold shape around words.
Tears streaked down her face, ruining whatever effort she had made to look composed before coming here.
Vee crossed her arms. It was either that or reach for her and she was not ready to be that weak yet.
“I’m sorry,” Val said, voice breaking. “I’m so sorry. I was being stupid and I… I need you, Vee. I cannot do this without you p>
Even now, even after everything Val had said, some soft, stupid part of her still wanted to move forward, take Matteo carefully from her chest, and drag her sister into a hug.
“Gee… you need me. Shocking. News flash, I don’t need you p>
“I really am sorry,” Val said quickly. “I was afraid. I… I am still afraid. I know that I hurt you, I know. I shouldn’t have said those things p>
“You shouldn’t have said them because they were false or because they were hurtful p>
Val’s face crumpled. Matteo stirred against her chest, making a tiny sound, and both women looked down at him at the same time. Their instincts still moved together even when their hearts were at war. Val pressed a trembling hand to his back, soothing him automatically then she looked back at Vee.
“None of those things were true,” she said. “You are amazing,” Val continued, tears spilling faster now. “You have always been my one and only solid rock p>
“You insulted my husband, Val,” Vee said. “You disrespected him in his house,” Vee continued. “He deserves a lot more respect than he is getting from you and fuck! A thank you! Have you ever told him thank you? Have you? For saving you? For taking care of you? Ricardo was supposed to leave New York. He let him stay and work in Commissioned because of you! He held back on so many things Ricardo did because of you p>
Luca made many sacrifices to keep everyone else breathing, alive, safe and Val had looked at Luca as the monster not the man who had kept saving them anyway.
“And you turn around at every opportunity and throw accusations at him. You know what? Fuck you p>
“I’m sorry, Vee,” Val whispered. Then louder, desperate. “I am. Please. Don’t be mad at me, please p>
Vee looked away.
Damn it.
She wanted to stay furious. But Val was crying. She had never been able to stand that.
“Matteo wants his aunt,” Val said, voice breaking. “I want my sister p>
Vee closed her eyes. She sighed and moved closer. “How is he?” she asked.
Val looked down at her son and tried to wipe her cheeks with the back of her hand. “He’s fine. Been crying a lot p>
“Yeah,” she murmured, bending slightly toward the baby. “Little dude is exercising his lungs, aren’t you, my pretty boy p>
Matteo stirred at the sound of her voice, his tiny face scrunching.
(Brought to you by Janelle Fox 1/2)