I hug him tightly. He pats my back. I somehow manage to keep the tears inside when I pull away.
“Is that all you wanted? Just to tell us you’re dying?”
He shakes his head. “I’m officially making Raf my heir. I’m telling the pair of you now, before I make the announcement.”
I nod slightly. I knew that was going to happen. Papa’s been grooming Raf for years. Nobody expected otherwise, though there will be some anger.
“Perhaps this should be a private family moment,” Luca murmurs, starting to get up. Part of me is happy he’s leaving. The man is a stranger, and I don’t want to get all emotional in front of him. But another, less rational part of me desperately needs him to stay. He can protect me from this. He can make me forget this pain if I let him.
“This part involves you,” Papa says, waving a hand at him. “We all know someone is trying to hurt my daughter. You guessed correctly when you said they were trying to keep you and Fiorella apart.” Papa glances at me. I sit back, hands folded in mylap nervously, struggling to stay balanced while feeling like I’m dangling over a cliff’s edge.
“You know who it is.” Luca glances at Raf and back again. “You both know.”
“We have a guess,” Raf says quickly.
“There are people within our organization who are unhappy about my succession plans.” Papa’s smile is bitter and tinged with anger. “Your marriage to my daughter is a problem for them.”
“He’s talking about Uncle Corrado,” Raf cuts in, sounding angry. “That fucking lying cock-sucking?—”
“Raf, enough.” Papa speaks sharply. I catch a glimpse of the Don he used to be, full of life and power. But it quickly fades again. “Your union represents a solution to my organization’s problem. But I believe a certain faction wishes to stop it if they can. The chaos is good for them. If our finances get worse, the Famiglia will have no choice but to turn away from me and my chosen successor. There will be a power vacuum.”
“One Uncle Corrado’s fat ass will happily fit,” Raf says, sounding ugly and angry.
Luca’s head tilts sharply. “Are you sure it’s your brother?” he asks.
“I’m not. My son thinks he is.” Papa glares at Raf. “I don’t like to think my own brother would stoop to hurting his niece and sabotaging the Famiglia all to gain power, but he makes the most sense. He has the most to gain. There are already some rumblings that he should’ve been chosen to take over after I pass.”
“Traitors and cowards.” Raf slams a fist down against the desk. “They have no respect?—”
“Another outburst and I will ask you to leave.” Papa stares fire at Raf. My brother’s fists tighten, but he keeps his mouth shut.
“Then your passing will be a difficult moment,” Luca murmurs thoughtfully. He leans back in the chair, head tilted to the side, looking at me like he’s seeing me for the first time. “They won’t stop coming for her. Not until my family wipes out your debts and Raf is firmly in control.”
“That’s what I believe as well. I’m sorry it has to be like this.” Papa glances at me. “I never wanted to put you in danger,bambina mia. I know how hard you’ve worked to stay out of family politics until now.”
“It isn’t your fault.” Although we both know it is. He’s the one that asked this of me and all but blackmailed me into it. Still, it’s hard to be really mad, knowing he’s going to die soon. “What can we do about it?”
“Nothing for now. We keep moving forward. But, Luca, it will be your job to protect my daughter. Nothing can happen to her. Support Raf when I’m gone. Keep the Serrano name alive. Keep the business going.” He leans forward, a dangerous glint in his eye. “And if we catch Corrado’s scheming—” He shakes a fist, tightening it like he’s choking a man. Then he slumps back against the couch. “For now, we wait.”
Luca slowly stands. He looks down at my father, then at me. His eyes stay locked on mine. “I’ll do my best to support your family. It’s my family too. I know Don Marino takes this partnership seriously… and now it’s everything to me.”
“Thank you, Luca,” Papa says.
I shiver under my husband’s stare. Does he seriously mean that? It’severythingto him? I’m just some girl he fucked one time on a desk. A girl that doesn’t even particularly like him. A girl planning to run at the first chance I get.
I can’t imagine he means that.
Not a guy like him.
But there’s something in his gaze. It’s determination, but it’s also something else. A possessive longing… like he can’t help but stare at me.
I’ve never been looked at like that before.
We finish the meeting. I leave with Luca, and he puts an arm across my shoulders as we step into the hallway. Raf remains behind in the office with my father, and Elisa’s probably up in her room. We’re alone for a moment.
“I’m sorry about your father,” he says very gently, tightening his grip.
I have to take a moment before I can answer. I’m flooded with emotions. “It’s fine. We knew it was coming. This is just… faster than I wanted.”
