For Fallon (20 page)

Luca

I hear Fallon running to the door as soon as I close and lock it behind me. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I compose myself after dealing with her cold behavior. She needs time to process everything.

After my discussion with James, I hope to tell her that I’m taking her home. I need to convince James that she won’t contact the police. A soldier or I will guard her at all times until I’ve gained her trust again. And she
will
trust me again. I’ll make sure of that. I still feel her love for me through the animosity and mistrust. Our love hasn’t been overpowered by her current hate for me - yet.

On the second floor, I knock on James’ office
door.

“Come in.”

“James.”

“Good morning, son.” James pours me a cup of coffee and places it on his desk as he leans against it. “Let’s cut right to business; we have a busy day.”

We do?

I take the leather chair and sit down.

“Luca, I need to commend you for being on top of everything these last few months while I’ve been arranging our new ventures in the east. I’m, as always, content with your smooth and swift execution of all businesses and liabilities.”

I rest my ankle over my knee and lean back. “You’re welcome. I’m pleased you’re still content.” I decide to cut to the chase. “I have to talk about a private matter.”

“Sure.”

“I met a woman.”

James smiles.

“You know of her too.”

James brows knit together.

“It’s Fallon Michaels.”

“Danny’s girl?”

My lips thin in irritation. “She’s
my
girl. But yes, Danny’s ex-girlfriend.”

“And you’ve been dating her?”

“Yes. At first it was only to find out if Danny had contacted her - he hasn’t. There hasn’t been any communication between Danny and Fallon except for that one time he called her, which she never returned. She’s of no importance in regards to catching Danny.” I look him in the eye and instead of disgruntlement, I recognize fatherly pride. “There’s an additional complication. She witnessed a kill last night - by accident. Frank screwed up and kidnapped her. Adriano and I took care of Frank after he tried to rape her in this house. She’s up in my room now. She didn’t know about the Syndicate until yesterday. She loves me and I love her. After her initial shock wears off, I know I’ll persuade her to avoid contacting the police.”

James slides into his chair.
“Hmm. I’m not happy you didn’t tell me about her from the start.” He pauses and cracks one knuckle. “But I do get it. I never told you how I met Alessa, did I? She was a friend of one of my girls.” He scratches his chin. “When I saw her, I was a goner. I was in a similar situation. I didn’t tell anyone about her because I thought it was the only way to keep her. To this day, she doesn’t know all I do, but over the years she has found out things that made her question her love for me. Luca, not every woman is cut out for this world. Is she trustworthy? Can you vouch for her? I protect Alessa by keeping her in the dark. Fallon has now been exposed to our Syndicate.”

Leaning forward with my elbows on my knees, I vouch. “She’s trustworthy. She’s smart. It will take time for her to trust me again. She won’t go to the police if I ask her not to.” I relay all this as if it’s a done deal, but it’s not. Many of Chicago’s police officers are on my payroll anyway. I can make her statement disappear if that’s needed.

James taps his pen on the desk. “I trust you. If you believe she’s worth it, then you have my blessing. She’s your responsibility,” he stresses. “From now on, she’ll be under the protection of the Syndicate. Our Syndicate needs to be informed that she’s your partner. So I presume she’s coping well with all that happened last night?”

“She is,” I lie. “Like I said, she’s a calm and intelligent woman.”

“Good, good.” James pauses and adds, “I call you ‘son’ because you
are
a son to me, Luca. I’ve always wanted you to find someone. A good woman will make this life bearable. We can be ruthless men. That doesn’t mean we don’t deserve the love of a good woman.”

“I just don’t want all of this to change her.”

“It
will
change her. This life changes everyone, Luca. You can still be happy with her, though. I’ve had a suspicion you met someone. There was a distinct change in you, and it hasn’t been a negative change. I
am
disappointed you didn’t entrust me with this earlier. I would’ve backed you. I’ve chosen you as my underboss for a reason.”

“There was so much going on, James. I wanted us to focus purely on the east. “

James nods. “Ensure it doesn’t happen again. You only get one second chance with me. You settle things with Fallon.”

“I’m taking her home tonight.”

“Good. It’s better that she’s not here. I wouldn’t want Alessa here. Since the drug traffic is set up in the east, Danny is now our number one priority,” James reminds me.

“Someone must be helping him hide. It’s like he vanished from the face of the earth.”

“Did we contact all associates?” James asks.

“All of them. There isn’t any trace of Danny Mancuso.”

“Feds?”

I shake my head in denial. We have men everywhere, even in the FBI. “No.”

James stands up and gets his jacket from the coat rack. “We have a meet with Leggia in an hour.”

“Why?”

“I have no idea. You know how it goes - if a meet is requested, I must go. If it’s not important, we’ll leave immediately. I don’t trust Leggia. He’s frustrated by Crystal Lake.”

I think he’s wrathful. “He knows about Fallon. He had someone following her when she was spotted with me.”

James turns to me and his hands clench in anger. “He also had Alessa followed this week. Leggia’s a jealous, power-hungry idiot. At least his underboss is smarter than him. It’s only a matter of time until that Syndicate implodes. Nobody looks after each other. Let’s go. We have to be at The Carlton in the city.”

I rise from my seat. “I need someone to look after Fallon. As a precaution, let’s take Adriano with us to
Leggia. Is
Consigliere
coming here or meeting us there?”

“Salvatore is meeting us there. Meet me downstairs in ten.” James walks out of the room first.

Damian can stand guard outside, but I don’t want him to enter my room. It will scare her to see him again, so my only other option is Camilla, who’s ascending the stairs when James heads down.

I wait for her at the top. “I need your help. Fallon’s in my room. To keep her safe, she’s locked in. Long story, I or Adriano will tell you tonight.”

Camilla looks appalled.

“Calm down. She’s fine, but she needs food today. I need to leave now, and I don’t want to send one of the men to her, understand?”

Camilla glances at me uncertainly, obviously hesitant to get involved. “Yes.”

“Get savory food, one thing with no carbs, and some chocolate pastries. Take it to my room. Can you do that? I’m entrusting you with her. I don’t want to see a scratch on Fallon.
Capito?
” Understood? “Just leave the food in my room. Here’s the key.”

“
Ricevuto
.” Got it. She takes the key.

“Camilla, I’ll explain tonight.” I step down the stairs, and Adriano appears from the kitchen eating a sandwich. “Let’s go. You’re coming with us to meet
Leggia,” I instruct him.

“Right now?” he asks with his sandwich hanging out of his mouth.

“Yes. Move,” I order and head outside. “You have to fill Camilla in on Fallon tonight. Tell her what’s needed to calm her down. I just asked Camilla to bring Fallon food today. She’ll ask for her help, so talk to Camilla.”

“I will. Don’t worry about Camilla.” Adriano eases my apprehension.

***

Giacomo
Leggia ordered an executive hotel room for a meet - which is highly unusual. Meets are short and quick, most of the time in cafés or restaurants of our associates.

We meet Salvatore in the lobby of the Carlton Hotel and go straight to the room.
Leggia’s underboss, Biagio, welcomes us into the living room seating area, and we’re not searched for weapons because none of us will take the risk of using his gun in this hotel - we’re on camera and the reception saw us walking in. I’m positive every one of Leggia’s men is packing a piece, as are we. Leggia’s with two men, flanking on either side of him. Luckily we’re with one more person in case of any trouble.

“James, Luca, Salvatore, Adriano,”
Leggia welcomes in a fake hospitable tone while he stands up.

“Giacomo.”
James shakes his hand. James and I sit across from him. Adriano and Salvatore stand behind us.

“So, gentlemen, I have an interesting offer for you,”
Leggia starts.

James and I wait for him to continue.

“You’re not curious?” he asks.

“I’m not in the mood to play games,” James says calmly. “What do you want, Giacomo?”

Leggia motions for his underboss. “Get the boy.”

Biagio
disappears into the bedroom.

“Drinks, gentlemen?”
Giacomo offers.

“No,” all of us declin
e. Never take drinks at meets. You never know what poison might be added to it.

His underboss comes out holding a blond, surfer-type hacker: Danny Mancuso. James and I avoid eye contact; we never give anything away at these meets. Danny’s hands are tied behind him and his mouth is sealed shut with a piece of grey duct tape. His eyes round in horror as he takes notice of us.

“I seem to have found your hacker. Word on the street is that you’re quite determined to get him back.” Leggia’s looking from me to James.

“How long have you had him?” I query in a bland tone.

Giacomo’s eyes cut to me. “A few days. As an offer of my friendship, I’d like to propose a deal.”

I’m afraid I foresee where this is going, and I’m trying extremely hard to remain calm.

“I have something you want, and you have something I want.” Leggia displays a snide smile while he adds, “I know Ms. Fallon Michaels is in your hands. I’ll trade you Danny for Fallon.” He keeps his eyes on me to check my reaction before moving back to James.

I keep a straight fa
ce, masking the pure fury that’s scorching through my veins. He’s finally using her as leverage.

James asks, “What do you want with the girl?”

Leggia retorts, “What
I
want with the girl is of no importance. I have the guy
you
want.”

“What you want with the girl
is
important to me. I’m not into human trafficking, Giacomo. However, I do want Danny, so I’ll think about it and will get back to you tomorrow night.” James rises and heads out.

Leggia’s
speechless by James’ dismissal of his proposal.

Adriano, Salvatore, and I steadily follow. I look at back at Giacomo before closing the door, and he holds up his drink to me with a derisive sneer.

It was only a matter of time before he would use her against me.

We’re quiet as we enter the car. Adriano steps on the gas while I’m silently fuming and having difficulty containing my reaction. I’m losing control over this fucking situation. Fallon’s being pulled into my world, yet pulled away from me instead of toward me. 

“Do you have Fallon Michaels?” Salvatore starts asking questions first.

“We do,” James answers from the back seat. “What is he playing at, Luca?”

“He’s trying to create a wedge between us. Leggia thinks I haven’t told you about Fallon. He’s still one step behind, thinking he can use her as leverage to hurt me - to indirectly hurt you and create a wedge in our Syndicate. He can’t take us on as a team. He needs us to fall apart first,” I answer tersely without turning my head to face the backseat.

“Yes,” James agrees. “How did he know we had her?”

“He must’ve had her followed last night.”

“Somebody
fill me in,” Salvatore interrupts.

“Fallon is Luca’s woman. She’s Syndicate protected now,” James explains.

“What does Leggia want with Fallon?” Salvatore asks.

“He doesn’t want anything with her. He’s only using her to create a problem between James and me. He knows I would never allow the trade.
Leggia thought James would agree immediately," I retort.

“Adriano, we need to make two stops to pick up money.” James shows Adriano the addresses on his phone.

Fallon

All I can do is lie in this bed and go over last night and the last few months with Luca. If I hadn’t gone through that alley. If I had just stayed at the venue. If I had listened to my instincts from the start, I wouldn’t be in this situation. If I had just called the police with the phone. If, if, if…

Deep down, not even deep down, I knew something was wrong from the start. His vague business trips, the different phones, the priest, his hot and cold demeanor at times. I fr
eaking knew this was not good, but I let my physical attraction to him win over my common sense. Why have I been so reckless? I curl into myself. I couldn’t have ever imagined he would be a part of the Mafia. Does he kill people?

I want to believe he won’t hurt me, but this is a world I don’t know. How does he function as the underboss? What does it mean to work in the underworld?
Drugs, human trafficking, murder? Have I been blinded by love for this entire time? He deceived me, but I allowed him to feed me lie after lie and ate it up. His intensity shone through the first time I met him. The darkness shining behind his façade is of a corrupted man, but this corrupted man has a gentle side that I fell in love with. I didn’t fall for the man I thought I knew. I fell in love with a façade.

I need to focus and get out of here. I keep repeating those words when my mind wanders to ‘what if’s.’ Denying my tears for now, I angrily wipe my eyes with the back of my hand, grimacing when I rub the bruise under my eye too roughly. I sit up, alarmed, when I hear a key turning in the door.

A tall, young woman with an auburn bob walks in holding a tray of food.  She smiles at me shyly as she sets down the tray on the nightstand, and she flinches slightly when she sees the bruise on my face. “Are you okay?” She makes an effort to close the distance between us before she stops her movement.

Another woman is here? Do I take the risk of asking for her help? The risk being she could tell Luca or someone else in this house and create bigger problems for me. Of course I take the risk. “Who are you?” I get up and stand before her so she can clearly see I’ve been beaten. “You have to help me get out of here.”

Shock is all I’m getting in return. “Did one of them hurt you?”

Who are them?
Luca and James? The other men who brought me here? “Yes. A blond guy and one with brown hair kidnapped me yesterday.”

Her perfectly-shaped brows wrinkle in thought while she eyes me. “What’s your name?”

“Fallon.”

“Luca’s girlfriend?”

Who the hell is this? I thought Luca said nobody could find out I’m with him. More lies from Luca, perhaps? “Yes. Who are you?”

“Camilla. You’re here for your own safety.” She waves to the tray. “I brought you drinks, a chicken salad, and a croissant.”

I don’t want any food! “Look at me.” I point to my bruise and battered knees. “I’m not here of my own free will. They took me last night and the blond man tried to rape me.”

Camilla gasps and shoots me a disbelieving look.

What did Luca say this place was? Headquarters? Is she staff or something? She can’t be part of the Syndicate with that reaction. “Are you part of the Syndicate?”

Legitimate confusion marks her reaction.
“Syndicate?”

She’s apparently not part of the Syndicate. “Listen to me. What do you do here?
They kidnapped me; if you don’t help me, you’ll be an accomplice. I was assaulted last night.”

“Adriano would never allow that,” she refutes.

Adriano? Why would she mention Adriano? “Are you Adriano’s girlfriend?”

A sadness glimmers behind her eyes. There’s evidently some history there. “No,” she resolutely answers. “I work here. I’m told you’re here for your own safety—”

“That’s not true! They took me.”

“But you are Luca’s girlfriend?”

I sigh heavily. “Yes. But look at me. Look at my appearance. You must know something shady is going on here.”

Camilla snorts. Maybe she does know more about this Syndicate. “I see that.” She turns away from me and palms her head. After a stretch of
silence that feels like forever to me because Luca can come through that door at any moment and ruin my chances of persuading Camilla to help me, she edges back to me and whispers, “These are dangerous men. Don’t talk too loud; someone’s manning the front the door.”

I nod my head.

“I work here. There’s a small bar downstairs. I’ve never discovered anyone being held captive here and was only asked to give you your food. This…I don’t know what to do. Do Adriano and Luca know what happened last night?”

“Yes, they know,” I retort hurriedly.

She steps back and just stares me down. Suddenly, she spins around and is out the door.

When I try to open the door, it’s already locked. I slam my hand against it in frustration because I don’t think I’ve gotten through to her. Marching to the night stand, I grab the food tray and fling it against the door in defeat.

All I want is to go back to the safety of my own home. Too many confusing thoughts are crowding my mind. Do I trust Luca? I can’t take that risk again, but - for now - he might be my only option for getting out.