I'm at the Ciresa house for a meeting about a shipment coming in from Sicily—routine business. I should be focused, but all I can think about is the fact that Giulia is somewhere in this house and that Alessandro was here earlier. That in a few weeks, this might be his house too.
The meeting ends, and I'm heading down the hallway toward the exit when I hear a man’s voice.
"—tits on her. Did you see the way that dress fit?"
I stop walking.
"Dante's daughter?" Another voice, younger. "Fuck yeah. I'd love to get my hands on those."
"Alessandro Ferrucci's a lucky bastard. You know he's going to?—"
I don't remember moving. One second, I'm standing in the hallway, and the next, I have the first guard slammed against the wall with my forearm across his throat.
"What the fuck did you just say?" My voice doesn't sound like my own. It's low and vicious, more animal than human.
The man’s eyes go wide. He tries to speak, but I'm pressing too hard on his windpipe.
"Luca, man, we were just—" The younger one starts.
I don't let him finish. I pull the one I have pinned away from the wall just enough to slam him back into it, harder this time. His head cracks against the plaster. "You were just what? Talking about Giulia Ciresa like she's a piece of meat? Like you have any right to even think her name?"
"We didn't mean?—"
"Shut the fuck up." I press harder, watching the man’s face start to turn red. "You don't talk about her. You don't look at her. You don't even fucking think about her. Do you understand?"
He tries to nod, but he can't move. His hands come up to claw at my arm, but I don't budge.
"Luca." Romeo's voice cuts through the red haze. "Let him go."
I don't want to. I want to keep pressing until something breaks. Until this piece of shit understands that there are consequences for disrespecting Giulia, and he never makes that mistake again.
"Luca." Romeo's hand touches my shoulder. "Let. Him. Go."
Teeth gritted, I release the man, and he drops to his knees, gasping and coughing. The younger guard has backed away, his face pale. But I'm not done.
I grab the man by his collar and haul him to his feet. "Apologize."
"I'm sorry, I'm?—"
"Not to me, you piece of shit." I shake him. "To her. You're going to find Giulia Ciresa and apologize for disrespecting her."
"Luca, that's enough." Romeo's voice has an edge now.
But the red haze is still there, pulsing behind my eyes. The man’s nose is right there, and I can imagine how easy it would be to break it. One quick jab. The crunch of cartilage. Blood pouring down his face.
I do it before I can think better of it.
My fist connects with his nose, and there's that satisfying crunch I've been craving. He screams, blood immediately gushing down his face, and I let him drop.
"Jesus Christ, Luca!" Romeo grabs my arm, yanking me backward. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
The younger guard is helping the other one up, both of them scrambling away from me like I'm rabid.
"Get him to a doctor," Romeo snaps at them. "And keep your fucking mouths shut about this. Both of you."
They disappear down the hallway, and Romeo rounds on me. "My office. Now."
Romeo's office is on the second floor, overlooking the garden. Through the window, I can see Giulia sitting on a bench, reading. She has no idea what just happened, that I nearly killed a man for talking about her body.
