Twisted Bonds (The Camorra Chronicles 4)

“Tell Matteo and Romero to meet us in the Sugar Trap, and they better hurry. Fabiano is eager to deal with his father.”

Luca laughed darkly. “I bet he is. I can only imagine how pissed you and Remo are that you never got the chance to rip your own goddamn father to shreds.”

My hold on the phone tightened. “Rumor has it your father didn’t get the end he deserved either. I’m sure if it had been up to you and Matteo, his demise would have been less abrupt and more creative.”

“That’s the past,” Luca said in a clipped voice.

“True and now you have a beautiful wife and children to take care of, which makes our cooperation even more important.”

“My family stays out of this. And if that was a veiled threat, Falcone, you better choose your words more wisely next time. I’m not the only one with people to protect.”

“It wasn’t a threat, just a reminder, Luca. We have no intention of attacking your family, and I’m sure you won’t attack our family either. After all, my wife is your cousin and Fabiano is your brother-in-law.”

“That might be true, but I’d gladly wade through their blood and that of every fucker in Vegas to protect my family, and you’d better remember it.”

“Duly noted,” I said. “But the same can be said for Remo and me. We protect our family. Now enough of the unnecessary threats. Today is a day of celebration.”

I ended the call then and kept listening to Kiara’s playing. When she was done, she twisted around to face me. “You’re going to torture Fabiano’s father to death?”

Her voice was carefully controlled, devoid of emotion, which was unusual for Kiara and showed me how difficult a topic it was for her. “Not me, no. Fabiano will, and Matteo and Romero will join him.”

Kiara kneaded her hands in her lap. “But you’ll be present?”

I stood from the sofa and headed over to her. “Get up.”

Kiara did so without hesitation, looking at me curiously. I sank down on the bench and pulled her down on my lap, pressing a kiss to the nape of her neck before I touched my fingers to the piano keys. “I need to make sure Scuderi doesn’t die too quickly. My expertise is required.”

Kiara shuddered and I scanned her beautiful face, those expressive dark eyes, always so kind and gentle. I buried my nose in her soft curls. “I’m a monster, Kiara. Emotions or not, I’ll always be that way. I like hurting. I like breaking others, slow or fast. If you hope for that to change, it’ll only hurt you.”

Kiara rested her fingers on the piano keys next to mine and began to play the song she’d written for me. After a moment, I joined in.

When the last chord floated away, she turned her head to me and kissed my cheek then the corner of my mouth. “I love you exactly as you are. And maybe you are a monster, but you are my monster.”

I wrapped my arms around her.

“I still can’t believe he’s sending her back. I didn’t think he’d go through with it,” Kiara said the next morning as we were getting ready in our bathroom. She brushed her hair and regarded me in the mirror as I trimmed my beard.

“It was bound to happen. We have Dante where we wanted him. We get Scuderi and he gets Serafina.”

“Nino, you can’t really believe it’ll be as easy as that.”

Remo’s connection to Serafina was definitely unsettling and intense. “Remo’s determined to set her free.”

Kiara set the brush down, turned around and leaned against the marble counter. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

I shook my head. Remo’s mind worked very differently from mine.

Kiara sighed, looking concerned. “Promise to be careful. Don’t get hurt. I don’t like the idea of you meeting with the Outfit, especially not when Remo isn’t himself, and Fabiano will be unfocused because he gets to see his father.”

Setting down my electric razor, I touched Kiara’s face. “We’ve got it under control, trust me. We’ll be back soon and then things will return to how they were before the kidnapping.”

Kiara smiled strangely and kissed me. “Okay.”

“Savio and Adamo will make sure you are safe.”

I kissed her again then we headed downstairs to where Remo, Fabiano and Serafina were getting into the car. Kiara stiffened upon seeing them all. I wasn’t sure what had her react that way. Serafina was dressed in her torn wedding dress and looked pale, maybe it was that. I squeezed Kiara’s hand but she didn’t react, only watched as Serafina got into the back of our SUV. Serafina gave Kiara a small smile, who lifted her hand in farewell. I didn’t understand what went on between them. They didn’t know each other well enough to be sad about parting ways.