SWNOVELS Devoted: Chapter 38
I open the door to Frankie’s mansion. The place isn’t anything I’d expect from him. It’s filled with whites and creams, floor to ceiling windows. And absolutely spotless. Whereas I prefer to live in the darkness, surrounded by blacks and grays. I mean, he even has fucking plants.
“Luca, we’re in the kitchen,” Frankie’s deep voice bellows through the foyer.
We?
I make my way through the living room and around the corner to the dining room. Frankie and another guy–some Neanderthal looking motherfucker with a scar that runs along the left side of his cheek. His amber eyes greet me, but he doesn’t say a word.
Frowning, I turn my attention to Frankie. Who, as usual, is leaning back in his chair grinning like he doesn’t have a care in the world. But I can tell he doesn’t trust this guy, despite his laid back demeanor. His eyes stay narrowed on his guest.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
Frankie sits up and laughs.
“Oh, yes. Don’t mind grumpy here,” he nods to his angry looking guest. “He’s an old friend of Marco’s.”
The mention of his name makes my spine straighten.
“We’re just discussing some family issues. He was just leaving.” Frankie gives his guest a pointed stare.
Scarface stands, pushing aside his chair.
“Well, I guess I will be seeing you around, Frankie,” he says in a thick Italian accent.
Oh, he does speak.
“Hmm, let’s see how long you stick around for this time.” Frankie pins him with a glare.
“See ya,” I say. I don’t have the patience to deal with anyone else’s shit today.
Once the other guy is gone, I step closer to the table. “We need to speed this up. I don’t know how much more I can deal with her,” I say, sitting myself down on the chair opposite Frankie.
“Why? She’s no good in bed?” he smirks, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Who the fuck knows? I won’t be sticking my dick anywhere near her,” I scoff, which only makes him laugh.
He leans back, threading his hands behind his head. “A happy marriage in the making. Good job. We’re making progress on our plans, then.”
My jaw aches, I’m clenching it so hard. “The sooner the better.”
If I have any chance of getting Rosa back, I have to deal with this. That kiss, I may have called it our last one. There is no way in hell it will be. There has to be a path back to her. That’s why I caved and texted her. Maddie gave me her number slyly, and now I can’t stop.
“Right, coffee, then work.” He slaps his palms on his navy Armani suit trousers and heads off to the coffee machine.
Digging out my phone from my suit jacket, I sigh as there are no new messages. I’ve never checked my damn phone so much, obsessing over when Rosa’s next reply might pop up. I’ll do anything just to talk to her.
I miss her.
Frankie sets a steaming cup of coffee down in front of me and sits back down. “Okay, we have a call in ten minutes with Romano. He’s arranging another two shipments with us for next week. Oh, and let’s not forget his upcoming visit.”
I roll my eyes.
Maria wanted her parents to fly from Sicily to New York for the weekend so she could go wedding dress shopping and look for a venue in a couple of weeks. Our wedding isn’t for another three months at least.
“You can’t keep pushing back on the date of the wedding, Luca. We need your name on that marriage certificate. We earn back his trust, then we take him out. You signing on that dotted line shows your commitment to them. They’re strange like that over there,” he says, leaning back in his chair and downing the contents of his cup.
He’s right.
I just need to bite the bullet and get this over with.
But something is stopping me–no–make that someone.
“I’m thinking of offering Dante a job with us. Something low grade to start until he can earn our trust. I remember him being one of Marco’s best at one point, before it all went to shit. He can help with security on the shipments.”
The mention of Marco’s name has me clenching my fists. I can’t deny Frankie is right–we need the best. If we are going up against the Capris, we need solid numbers and fighters.
“Fine. He’s on trial. One fuck up and he’s dead.”
“Agreed.”