Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 49562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
It was a kind sentiment from the man who had once been the head of this family.
Lucca came to two realizations as he looked at his predecessor …
That not only was Dante one of their greatest Dons in history, but he was his father’s son after all.
TWENTY-FIVE
LOOSE ENDS
Freshly washed and bathed, Lucifer sat down at the table that had been set up for him in his cell. When he reached to the other side of the table for the plate, his fingertips stopped just a millimeter away from the thing he desired as it sat barely out of reach.
“Patience,” Lucca heeded, picking up the knife and fork to begin cutting the warm steak.
The devilish eyes darted between the delicious-looking meal and the man sitting across from him with anticipation. Licking his lips, he finally asked, “What’s the occasion?”
Raising his fork, Lucca took a bite of a smaller piece, making sure it still tasted like perfection before he placed the utensils back down in front of him to where only he could reach. “My wedding’s coming up.”
“Congratulations.”
The hostility and jealousy over Chloe in his tone no longer affected Lucca. It was the same tone Vinny had used toward his father, and in the end, Dante and he … had won.
Finally, Lucca slid the plate in front of him, and for the first time, Lucifer didn’t inhale the food like a starved dog. He picked up a single piece at a time with his clean fingers to place them in his mouth. He would savor it, chewing it slowly before it slid down his throat.
He was halfway through the large steak when he realized just how good it actually tasted. “Where did you get this from? Carbone?”
“No.” While Lucca appreciated the sentiment, even the most expensive Italian steakhouse in Kansas City couldn’t compare. “I prepared it.”
Lucifer chewed even slower then swallowed with relief showing in his eyes.
“It’s not poisoned,” Lucca promised, dashing away any of his hopes.
His captive, while agitated, could at least appreciate what he was given as he picked up another piece. “Man of many talents, I see.”
A compliment was not what Lucca had come here to seek.
“So,” Lucifer began, knowing he wasn’t getting the royal treatment just because Lucca was getting married, “what has really happened for me to deserve this pleasure?”
Lucca stayed silent, knowing the guessing games were what kept Lucifer sane these days.
“Ah!” Lucifer’s face lit up with a wicked smile. “You found out it was Vinny Vitale all along.”
There were two questions Lucca had for him, and he was pretty sure they both led to the same answer.
“How did you know it was him?”
“No one hated your father more than me.” In fact, Lucifer hated him so much he couldn’t even bring himself to say Dante’s name at the moment. “Except … for Vinny.”
Watching him swallow down another piece of steak, Lucca knew he wasn’t finished blabbing.
“Emilia was pretty, but come on; she was no comparison to Melissa.” Lucifer looked up from the remaining pieces of steak and at him appreciatively. “I, for one, could understand his envy.”
Lucca was beginning to see the pattern. Thrones weren’t the only thing every one thirsted for, but for a wife strong enough to stand beside them, and for the son who could possess it. If there was one thing Lucca understood, it was that … every throne comes with a price.
He carefully scrutinized the devil’s face to see his reaction to his next question. “Why did you tell us that you killed her?”
Mid-swallow, Lucifer appeared to be caught off guard before he answered. “Because he was too pussy to take the credit.”
When Lucca only continued to stare back, Lucifer’s face fell for a brief moment, revealing the truth of it all. “I had no real great achievement I could claim, anyway, so I claimed the one you were convinced I committed.”
“But you did.” Lucca felt anger rising in him again for Lucifer saying he had no great achievement to claim. “Pity you’ll never get to see it.”
“What?” Lucifer asked with hope in his dead eyes.
Lucca, however, didn’t want him to go to his grave proud and knowing that Dominic had restored the Luciano name to the greatness it had once been.
“You’ll never know,” Lucca promised. At least, not from me.
Ignoring the last two bites, Lucifer suddenly picked up the plate and tried to smash it but found it to be plastic when it didn’t break.
Proud he had thought of that, Lucca smiled and carefully took everything back out of the room. It wasn’t that he thought Lucifer would have used it as a weapon against him; he’d feared Lucifer would have used it on himself.
Returning to the concrete cell, Lucca truly looked at Lucifer this time. Now that the man before him was clean, he was able to see the amount of damage he had inflicted on him. The dirt and grime had covered his scars and the pounds of flesh he had taken from him for his crimes. With every scar he had given Chloe, he had repaid in kind and then some, making Lucifer Luciano unrecognizable. And his time in this cell had not been kind. With him about to marry Chloe, it was time he finally moved on …