Chapter 612: I Don’t Like It

"I don’t like it." Massimo added.

"I know," Luca admitted.

"Our name should not be associated with that of pirates."

"Renato is a means to an end. You know I wouldn’t."

Massimo gave him a long look. "Who knows what you can do these days? You let a traitor live under your nose for months. I feel like I don’t know my own son anymore."

Massimo had absolutely no idea how much effort it had taken to keep Valentina alive for as long as he had.

She was not some random soldier who had sold information for money. She was Veronica’s sister and Marco’s wife, which had made her Luca’s sister-in-law from both directions. Every decision involving Valentina had consequences attached to someone Luca loved.

And if he did not have a maniac for a father who followed famiglia rules to the letter, perhaps Luca could have dealt with the entire mess without having to build elaborate plans just to keep Marco from getting executed for something he had not done.

But Luca was not about to explain any of that now.

"I have to go." Luca leaned over Matteo’s high chair and ruffled the boy’s hair. He straightened and headed out.

By the time Luca arrived at his mother’s hotel room, he was beginning to seriously worry that Carol might die before anyone ever managed to aim the gun at Marco.

She looked terrible and haggard, ragged even.

Like she had spent the entire night crying.

Luca stopped just inside the room. "Mum... come on!"

Carol looked up at him. "Is he dead?"

"No. Will you stop this?" he demanded. "I told you I’d fix it."

"You cannot guarantee what your father will do."

That, at least, they could agree on.

Carol wiped quickly at her face and tried to arrange something resembling calm for her son. Her eyes were swollen. Her skin looked dull.

This version of her frightened Luca.

"Did you sleep? Did you even eat?"

"I will."

Luca paced away from her, then turned back. "Mum, this is not helping him." He threw his hands in the air in frustration. "Is your plan to kill yourself?"

"Maybe then your father will get some sense," Carol snapped.

"I’m guessing he’s not getting his happily ever after with you, then?"

"How can I live happily with that man? Just tell me how."

Luca chuckled. "He once held a gun to your head, seconds away from shooting you, and years later you were back fucking him."

"That is completely different." Carol snapped. "This concerns my sons."

It was the line Carol could never cross.

She might forgive Massimo for hurting her. She could even forgive attempted murder if enough years, sexual tension and unresolved emotional damage passed between them.

But her children? That was different.

"Look," Luca said, "I love you both, and I want you both to be happy, whether that means together or apart. So you two need to figure out what you actually want. In the meantime, I need your help." he took a breath. "I need you to talk to the police for me. Specifically, a man named Voss."

"Are you crazy?!"

"Probably, but that’s irrelevant."

"You want me to speak to the police? About what?"

"We’ll get to that. You are not in the famiglia. Or did Dad swear you back in without my knowledge?"

"I’m not betraying your father, Luca."

"That’s not what I’m asking. I’m trying to save my wife from a lifetime of guilt. She is not fine with what has to happen. She can even convince herself she’s strong enough to do it. But I know Veronica."

Carol sighed. "Trust me, your wife will carry no guilt. She has become almost as hardened as you."

"Everyone keeps forgetting my wife raised her sister with her own hands. She can order people killed if she has to. But this is her sister. What would you have done if Marco was asked to kill his own wife?"

"I still would not betray your father."

"I’m not asking you to betray him. I just don’t want my wife to pull the trigger herself."

"You know I would do anything for you," Carol said. "But not at the expense of your father."

Luca stepped closer. "You do this for me, and I save Marco."

"How?" Carol asked.

"Just trust me. I can save Marco."

"If it were in your power to save Marco, you would do it anyway."

"You’re right." Luca gave a small nod. "So consider this a favour for your own actual son." He had her there.

Carol narrowed her eyes at him, trying to read whatever plan he was keeping behind that irritatingly calm face. "What do you need?"

"I’ll talk to Don tonight, figure things out first, and then I’ll give you the details of what to do."

Carol did not like that answer. "What’s your plan, Luca? Tell me. You are my son first before anything else."

"I will take over as Don."

And there it was. The road Massimo had been leading him towards all along.

Carol felt the words hit an ache in her chest. She could only stare at him.

This was exactly what she had spent years trying to prevent.

She had begged to leave the famiglia for him. She had been willing to die for the chance to take him away from it, only for Luca to step forward as a child and offer his own life in exchange for hers.

Now he was doing it again.

Giving himself.

Trading whatever freedom he had left to save Marco.

Her son had always been like that.

Far too willing to bleed for everyone he loved.

Carol slid off the bed and got to her feet.

That was when Luca truly noticed how much weight she had lost. It was not dramatic enough that anyone else might have caught it immediately, but he knew his mother. He knew the shape of her face, the way her clothes usually sat on her body.