They stepped fully into the room, and Di Lucas offered Luca his signature twisted smirk. The same smirk his father gave him whenever he succeeded at something hard.
“I knew you’d put it all together eventually,” Di Lucas said calmly.
Roy took a seat across from Di Lucas while Luca leaned against the wall with his arm folded.
“You knew everything,” he whispered quietly.
Di Lucas chuckled, toasted his glass of cognac midair, then took a big gulp before resting it back on his kneecap. He lifted one shoulder and shrugged it carelessly.
“I knew you’d find the truth… I didn’t need to tell you where to look and how to do it. A true Don.” Di Lucas’ saggy eyes shined with pride.
Roy chuckled under his breath dryly at the old man who acted too cool and smooth for his own good.
“Handled everything like a real Bonetti man should,” Di Lucas pointed between both men before adding… “Both of you did, together as a team…that’s something I wanted for Donnie andLennie, may God only rest Donnie’s soul.” He smirked, making it known that he felt nothing for his first-born son being dead.
“Did you know about Roy and I?” Luca asked carefully, secret hoping that his grandfather wouldn’t dare keep something like that from him.
“The thought crossed my mind when you two were younger. There was a point in time when Lucille practically hid herself from my Donnie. I told him she was having an affair since at that time she always picked stupid fights just to disappear for long stints of time.” He pointed out.
“No real mother is leaving her kids unattended for months just because she’s upset about what her husband is doing,” he spat out coldly, eyes darkening.
“When Roy started coming around, I noticed similarities. Donnie came to me when he was about sixteen and had him added to the trust, which is why Roy stayed afloat, even without a position at the table with Donnie. I pressed your father about it; he shut down my questioning. What I didn’t miss was the pain in his eyes, so he probably knew and decided to bury it.” Di Lucas finished with his own pained expression.
“Make no mistakes,” Di Lucas cleared his throat, eyes darkening by the second. “Your father was a real man, nothing like me. Hell, he didn’t want to be anything like me.” Di Lucas exhaled slowly.
“I gave him a world with no choices,” he admitted solemnly. “A life where survival meant becoming something cold and hard but somehow, he still broke that cycle with you.” His fingers trembled slightly around the cup of cognac.
“He raised you and Kentrell different. Gave you boys options that I never gave him. He made sure you two could choose who you wanted to be instead of telling and forcing you into this.” There was pride in each word Di Lucas said.
“I believe power is raising a son in your image. Your father showed me that power is letting your child become better than you. So I say that to say… if you ever wonder what kind of man you’re supposed to be, don’t look at me. I’m the devil in the flesh; I sacrificed my soul to become one with that dark entity to make sure my family wouldn’t suffer or experience a day’s worth of poverty like me. I forced Lennox, and it turned him into the worse version of me. Donnie never folded, he never handed his life over completely…” Di Lucas words trailed off.
Luca and Roy gave him time to get his thoughts together because they knew there was more that he wanted to say.
“Lennox won’t be forgiven for his sins… and neither will I. Our souls won’t rest in peace like Donnie’s. So follow his footsteps.” His eyes lightened as he sat back in his seat.
“You fell in love with the woman that killed my son,” Di Lucas clicked his teeth. “She’s sitting out in the car waiting for you, I’m assuming for moral support.” He squinted.
“I’m in love with her,” Luca confirmed shamelessly.
“I won’t back that,” Di Lucas spat out in disgust. “Make this your last time bringing her so close to me because with a snap of my fucking fingers right now, that nice vehicle of yours can be riddled with bullets.”
Luca’s jaw clenched tight. He instinctively took a step in Di Lucas direction.
“This is why I won’t give you the book.” Di Lucas teetered, anger simmering on low.
It took everything in Di Lucas not to send a signal to his men to kill La’Nova while they had a clean unstoppable shot. He only did things one of two ways and never regretted a single one of his decisions. The wild look in his grandson’s eyes told him that Luca was willing to go to war behind La’Nova. He had no doubt that Luca would kill him with his bare hands if he sent off the signal to end her.
“Fuck that book and everything in it!” Luca’s gruff, deep voice bounced off the walls, shocking Di Lucas and Roy.
“A father for a father.” He added flatly.
“I don’t like it, and I’ll probably never get over it. I can’t kill her just because she avenged her own father. I tried and failed, not because she was quicker than me but because she’s my fucking soul mate.” Luca’s whispered words returned.
“She’s the cause and cure. As long as I’m alive, nobody will step to her. So, take that playbook and let it die with you whenever your time comes.” Luca took a step back ready to leave.
He looked down at his tatted hands then back up at his grandfather who now wore a scowl on his face. Luca nodded at Roy then directed his words back to Di Lucas.
“It’s a new day and time…” Luca smirked sinisterly.
