Page 84 of Ruthless God

“It’s…”

“Remember, we agreed not to lie to each other,” I said, reminding her.

She licked her lips and looked off to the side. “It’s not as bad as you’re probably imagining it to be. He mostly ignored me. Lina’s the favorite. She’s his real daughter, after all.”

“And your mom?”

“She mostly went along with whatever Andre wanted.”

Leaving Luna sorely neglected and abused. My grip on her thigh tightened at the thought before I realized what I was doing and relaxed my grip.

She briefly looked down at my hand before moving her gaze back to me. “Lina was supposed to marry you.”

“What was that?” I asked, not sure if I heard her right.

“They were planning on giving Lina to you. But your reputation…”

“So they decided to make you the sacrificial lamb toLo Spietato?”

Only now, Lina was set to marry the Russian bastard in New York. Whatever they heard about me might be true, but at least I was in control of myself. The same couldn’t be said about Lina’s future husband.

“I can make them pay,” I said, not really thinking about anything but skinning Andre alive.

She shook her head, getting me out of my bloodlust. “It’s not worth severing ties with the Lombardis over.”

Meaning she didn’t think she was worth it. Fuck me.

Didn’t she know she was worth it and so much more?

“I’m glad I married you,” she confessed, bringing my attention back to her.

I didn’t say anything for a moment, wondering why the fuck it felt like my heart was about to drop from my chest and down to the fucking dirty locker room floor.

“I’m fucking glad it was you,” I finally said, and wasn’t that the truth. Of everyone in the world, I was glad it was Luna. But that was all I would ever say to Luna.

It should be all there was to say on the subject. And nothing more.

Two days later,I left for New York, taking a handful of men with me and Elio.

My brother sat beside me on the private plane, his head already on the plan we would put in place as soon as we landed in the enemy’s territory.

Which was where my mind should be. Instead, I was thinking about the girl I left sleeping in the king-size bed back at home in Las Vegas. Romeo would be staying with Giulia for a while, and Matteo would be with Luna while Elio and I made our appearance at the wedding. In part, to show the Russian bastards we weren’t fucking scared of whatever the hell they were planning with Andre and Enzo, and in part, to let Andre know whatever treaty he was able to draw with the De Luca was over.

It was over the minute he decided to marry his daughter off to the Russian when he knew we were at war.

Valentino was heading to Chicago to speak with Emilio on our behalf. One way or another, I needed to sort out friend from foe.

“You okay?” Elio asked.

I turned my head to take in my younger brother. It was still unnerving to look at him sometimes and see our father. Of everyone, Elio took after Amadeo De Luca the most, from their cold eyes to their mannerisms. Then Elio would shoot me our mother’s smile, and I was reminded once more that he wasn’t the monster who raised us but the boy I spent most of my life protecting and the man I trusted more than anyone else in the world.

“Yeah, just thinking about all we needed to do in New York.”

The look he gave me told me he didn’t believe me.

“Or your mind is still back in Las Vegas. Where it shouldn’t be.”

“Is that disapproval I hear in your voice, little brother?”