Even with his shirt buttoned to the top and tie securely in place, the dark bruising in the form of my fingertips was visible against the pale skin of his throat. The pride swelled in my chest. Let them all see just how unfit Gabriel was to take charge. Things were falling apart under his eye, and I had already heard the rumblings of unhappiness among the men.
“Dante,” I said. He looked at me from the doorway. “I’ll call you if you’re needed.” It wasn’t a good idea to keep them both in the same room. Not with the way I wanted this to play out. I was about to take a page from Mia’s book and feign innocence.
“You sure?”
“Gabe’s not here to cause any unnecessary problems.” My eyes slid back to Gabe who looked like he was teetering on the edge. “We both have enough to deal with at the moment.” Dante gave me a curt nod before he pulled the door closed, leaving us alone. “You were saying—"
“I want them, Luc,” Gabe said.
“You’ll have to clarify what it is you think I have,” I replied, dropping the pen onto the desk and leaning back in my chair. I gestured to the one opposite me. “Take a seat, Gabe.”
“All of the security footage.” His hands clasped the back of the chair, but he made no move to pull it out. His knuckles slowly turned white at the force of his grip.
“What footage would that be?”
“This isn’t a game!” he roared. Gabe pushed the chair from in front of him and it landed on the floor with a loud clatter. Loose sheets of paper were swept from my desk and drifted down towards my feet as I stood up.
The door to the office opened again and Dante stood in the space, surveying the room. I should have known he wouldn’t have gone far. I waved him off and he looked uneasy but stepped out and closed the door again.
“Here’s the thing,” I said, turning my attention back to Gabe. Planting my palms on the desk, I leaned towards him. “It is a game. And it’s not my fault if Daddy dearest didn’t teach you to play properly.”
A lock of blonde hair hung across his forehead and he swept it back into place quickly. There was something fascinating about watching a Moretti unravel. Something so satisfying about seeing the calm and controlled façade slip away to reveal the monster beneath. For twenty-six years, I’d been drawn in, like everyone else, to the eerily perfect family. Never a wrong step. Never a hair out of place. Just because people didn’t see it, didn’t mean it wasn’t possible and at some point, those mistakes started to catch up with you. And where most of us would throw our hands up, something about the Moretti blood made them scramble to prove that you were wrong. Not them.
“You think you’re going to be able to take on Dad?” Gabe asked me through clenched teeth. “And don’t try and deny it anymore. We could all see what you and Mia have been playing at. Perfect little family playing nice with everyone.”
“I wouldn’t say we’re perfect, but I’ll pass the compliment on to Mia. I’m sure she’ll appreciate that someone thinks so.”
“You think you’re untouchable, Lucas—”
“IknowI am,” I shot at him, viciously smug. I couldn’t quite replicate Mia’s demure nature, but I’d like to think I’d given it my best shot.
“No, you’re not,” he spat. “Whatever mess you’ve gotten into with Dad will be your end, you ungrateful fuck.”
“Ungrateful?”
“My family did everything for you and for Charlie.” Gabe pointed his finger at me, shaking with rage.
“Including putting my old man in the ground!”
The moment someone mentioned Charlie, I instantly felt my blood boil. Biological or not, Charlie was that father who had raised me, and I wouldn’t let anyone say a word against him. We’d had difficult patches, but I was who I was today because of that man.
“He chose to do that! He chose to save his friend! Dad did everything he could to make sure you were okay after that and this is how you repay him.”
“If you believe that, you’re stupider than you look. Everything he could? A few phone calls before radio silence? Emilio and Carmen did more for me than your pathetic dad did!”
Carmen who had barely been in our world for a year had attended Charlie’s funeral at Emilio’s side and sent a ridiculous amount of food along with a daily phone call. It had been near-on suffocating, but looking back, I appreciated the level of care when I was at my lowest.
“You know what? I don’t care.” Gabe ran a hand down his face. “I really couldn’t care less. What I care about is getting what I need from you.”
“Security footage,” I said, taking in a deep breath and composing myself. “Yeah. I don’t have it,” I told him nonchalantly.
“Lucas,” he hissed through clenched teeth.
“You have proof that I have it?”
“It’s not there.”
“And you’ve asked the family? I have someone working on it right now?” I asked him. His lips became a thin line. Gabe would have asked around to see if I’d palmed it off on anyone to do the work, but he would’ve come up empty. Angelo was our dirty little secret.
