Maksim won't stop. The Bratva wants Luca's head, and they'll burn everything to get it, including my son.
As I hold my son, I realize that I could still end this.
One call. One betrayal.
The thought makes me physically ill. I carefully extract myself from Enzo and rush to the bathroom.
My stomach heaves, but nothing comes up since I haven’t eaten.
I turn on the sink faucet, splashing cold water on my face, avoiding my reflection.
I can't bear to see the woman who's even contemplating such treachery.
But isn't a mother supposed to do anything to protect her child? Even if it means sacrificing the man she loves?
Still… there has to be another way. A path where I don't have to choose between them, where I don't have to play God with the lives of the people I love most.
I return to bed, watching Enzo's peaceful face.
I press my hand over my mouth to keep a cry from escaping as I realize there’s only one choice I can make.
27
LUCA
I pace inside my brother’s office, trying to deal with the imprint of my son's terrified face burned into my brain.
It’s another failure to add to the growing list. I should have been prepared, should have anticipated this level of escalation.
“Bratva has bigger balls than I gave them credit for,” Adriano admits. “Mother fuckers.”
I stop. “Let me go. I’ll kill them all.”
Alessandro sighs in that way parents do when tired of their child’s hijinks. “I have no doubt you’ll kill many, but not all, and it will only escalate the situation.”
Adriano frowns. “You are planning to retaliate, though, right? They can’t get away with walking into our property and?—”
“Like Luca walked into theirs and killed Pyotr?”
I glance at Adriano, also worried my brother has gone soft.
“This tit for tat won’t get us anywhere. We’ll spend the rest of our lives retaliating. We have to put an end to it.”
“By killing them all, right? They nearly killed my son. They nearly killed one of their own in Katerina.”
Alessandro’s eyes narrow on me and my gut clenches as I’m pretty sure I’m not going to like what comes out of his mouth next.
“My security isn’t shit. How did they get in? We know they’ve approached Katerina, maybe?—”
“Stop there.” My voice is low but deadly. “She’d never put Enzo in danger. Never.” Still, there is a kernel of something about Katerina.
Not doubt, per se, but a feeling like she’s hiding something.
Not that I’m going to tell them that.
“I tend to agree.” Adriano again surprises me by siding with me. “She could be working with them, but she wouldn’t hurt Enzo.”
This conversation is getting us nowhere.
