Undressed By The Mafia God

Paolo nodded. "Yes, Donna."

It took hours. But finally, Luca walked out of the courthouse on bail. It was nice to have friends in high places, or rather ones who had debts to settle.

His wife was still there, waiting. Luca spotted her the moment he stepped through the courthouse doors. "Bambola," he called as he approached her. "Will you ever listen?"

"No," she said simply.

"Why not?"

Vee looked up at him as though the answer should have been obvious to any man with functioning intelligence. "Did you really expect me to sit back and enjoy hospital meals while you were here?"

He reached her then and crouched in front of her, his eyes moving over her face, the tension around her mouth. His fingers lifted, then touched her knee gently. "You should be in bed. Why are you so obsessed with me?" he asked, trying to tease her.

It didn’t work.

"They have a witness, Luca," she said.

"Yes," Luca said. "But I would not worry, love. Paolo is great. Besides... their witness is a piece of shit."

"How would you know that? They did not declare who it is."

"I just know," he said and kissed her forehead. "Come on. Let us get home." He offered her his hand. "This right now is not healthy. I will call the famiglia doctor on our way."

She let it go.

For now.

It was obvious Luca knew more and was not telling her. But she had her husband and that was all that mattered.

For now.

*****

Marco landed in New York the next day and headed straight to Luca and Vee’s house. He had not slept properly on the flight. Luca’s arrest had pulled him out of Italy with urgency. Paolo had given him only enough over the phone to understand the situation was bad.

By the time Marco reached the house, he was already braced for war. What he did not expect was to hear screaming before he even stepped inside.

The commotion grew louder as he entered the house.

"You lying son of a bitch!"

Marco stepped into the living room. All the throw pillows were on the floor. Vee stood near the centre of the room, bandaged hand held protectively against her body, the other hand gripping yet another pillow with murderous intent.

Luca stood several feet away, hands raised and braced for another attack from his one-handed wife.

Vee looked visibly pissed. Her face was flushed, her eyes bright with fury. Marco paused just inside the living room and took in the battlefield.

"Is it safe?" Marco asked carefully.

Vee turned her glare on him. Marco immediately regretted speaking. "I don’t know...I don’t know, Marco. He either tells me what the police have, or I am going to shoot him."

A pillow flew. Luca ducked. Marco shut his eyes for one brief second. He loved this family. He truly did. But there were days he wanted to smother them.

"Who is this witness?" Vee’s eyes narrowed. "And if you say one more time that you cannot tell me, I swear to God."

"How do I know?" Luca demanded. "I wasn’t even there when it happened."

Vee’s eyes turned to Marco instantly. Marco took one step back instinctively.

"Maybe I should come back," he said.

"Don’t you dare!"

Marco stopped.

Vee took a breath, though it did nothing to calm her. If anything, breathing seemed to feed the fire. "If both of you think I am going to raise this child while my husband is in jail, then you have no idea what you have signed up for...Start talking."

Marco lifted his hands carefully. "Honestly, there are no witnesses that I know about, boss."

Vee swung back to Luca. "Luca knows who it is."

"Vee—"

"Luca knows." Her voice rose. "You son of a bitch!" She rounded the sofa. Luca moved away. As he retreated, he used one foot to shove the sofa properly into place so she would not trip.

Only Luca Genovese could be chased by his furious wife and still take the time to ensure her safety. Heaven forbid his wife stubbed her toe.

Marco stepped further into the room. "Boss?"

Luca came to stand behind him using him as a shield. Marco slowly turned his head.

"Boss. Why aren’t you saying anything?" Marco demanded.

Luca’s face changed. That was all.

No words.

Just a look and Marco knew. A cold line moved down his spine. Marco whipped around just as Vee snatched another pillow from the ground and hurled it.

He reacted on instinct, punching it out of the way. The pillow burst sideways and dropped to the floor. "It’s your father!"

Luca landed a slap to the back of Marco’s head.

Marco jolted forward, more offended than injured. "What the hell?"

"She was already getting tired, you idiot," Luca snapped.

"Boss," Marco said, slowly turning to him, "this is not a joke."

"Isn’t it?" Luca shot back.

Neither of them noticed Vee did not move. Then she spoke.

"My father?"

Both men turned to her.

"What does he have to do with anything?"

Marco looked at Luca. "You never told her?"

Luca’s jaw tightened. "There was no point."

Marco turned back to her already feeling a whiplash coming on. "Paul Marino was your father’s debt. That was what he owed Luca."

"What? What? Wh..." She looked from Marco to Luca. "I don’t... what?" She remembered the old story she had never fully asked about because too many things had happened after. Her life had become so loud.

Then she answered her own question.

"For the pizza parlour."

Vito had wanted Paul Marino out of the way, and Luca had made it happen. That was the beginning.

Her father’s debt.

Luca hated the shock going through his wife’s face. He hated Vito Scalese with a purity that deserved its own church. The man had been a coward. Yes, Vito was a son of a bitch, and if Luca had trusted his own temper, the man would have long ago become a rumour beneath wet cement.

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