Bound By Love (Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles 6)

“Do you know him?” I asked in a low voice, reaching for my Beretta.

Matteo shook his head, also reaching beneath his jacket.

The guy smiled a fucking twisted smile and rose. Scars littered his arms and one crossed his eyebrow. With a last challenging glance, he left my club. Matteo and I followed and the moment we stepped out I pulled my gun, my eyes searching the dark street for a sign of him.

“Luca Vitiello,” came a voice out of the dark.

I aimed my gun in that direction. “Step forward,” I ordered.

And he did, holding up his hands with that same twisted smile on his face. He didn’t show fear. I nodded at Matteo, who lunged and grabbed the guy’s arm and pressed his knife against his throat. The guy didn’t try to defend himself, didn’t even flinch, only stared into my eyes, and I took my own knife out. We’d see how long he’d hold up that twisted smile. Matteo dragged him deeper into the dark and I moved very close to the crazy fucker.

“Tape?” I asked Matteo.

He shook his head.

“I won’t scream,” the crazy fucker said.

“We will see,” I said quietly. “Who are you?”

His smile widened, and I lost my shit. I grabbed his arm and brought my knife down. Matteo clamped his hand over the guy’s mouth, but he didn’t need to. The guy shuddered but made no sound, and I wasn’t entirely sure if he didn’t enjoy the pain. A challenge.

Matteo gave me a look as he dropped his hand from the guy’s mouth.

“Who are you?” I growled.

“Remo Falcone.”

Fuck. “And what, pray tell, are you doing in my territory?”

“Looking for alliance. I’m going to kill my father and all his men and take over Vegas, and you can either be my ally or my enemy—it’s up to you.”

Matteo snorted. “To think there’s someone who’s more crazy than you and I.”

I gave Remo my coldest smile. “How about I kill you now?”

“Then my brother will have to hurt your wife.”

I gripped his throat. “What did you just say?”

“Your penthouse is well guarded,” he pressed out. “There isn’t a good shooting position even for the best shooter from any of the surrounding buildings, except for one. There is one window in a nearby skyscraper that allows a clear shot if someone’s leaning on the banister of your rooftop. It’s a difficult shot. Few men could hit a target from that distance. Few men could have figured out that one spot. Luckily one of those men is my brother Nino, a true genius. And your beautiful wife is leaning against that banister right as we speak.”

I dropped my hand from his throat, my stomach clenching tightly. Matteo met my gaze, lowering his knife.

“What do you want?” I said with barely controlled rage. I focused on it because the other emotions would weaken me, and I had a feeling Remo knew how to use weaknesses.

“Only your attention,” he said. “I have no intention of hurting your wife.” He brought the cut on his arm to his lips and sucked the blood away. “I want you to stay out of my fight, and I don’t want you to help my father no matter what he offers you. I will be Capo soon, and then I want you to remember this day,” he said, lips and teeth covered with his own blood.

Crazy and dangerous.

He took a step back.

“I thought you wanted to know if I was ally or enemy?”

He tilted his head. “I think you might need more time to think it through. Perhaps one day we can do what should have been done a long time ago: destroy the Outfit and split their territory between us. When my father contacts you, remember that I could have killed your beautiful wife and didn’t, Luca. I don’t care for your territory, but I want what’s mine, and I will do anything to get it.” He walked backwards slowly and disappeared in the shadows, and then the engine of a bike roared up.

I ripped my mobile out of my back pocket and called Aria.

The moment she picked up, I hissed, “Get inside now!”

She sucked in a breath but I heard movement. “Luca, what’s going on?”

“Where are you?” I asked, already running toward my car. Matteo was close behind, talking to Demetrio and ordering him to send out every available soldier to look for Nino and Remo Falcone.

“In the living room. Demetrio is letting down the shutters. What’s going on?”

“Stay inside.”

I hung up, my pulse racing with fury and fear alike.

“What the fuck was that?” Matteo muttered.

“A warning,” I growled. The Camorra had never been in my focus. That would change now.

The moment I stepped into the penthouse, Aria came running and I clutched her to my body. Orfeo had joined Demetrio. She looked confused and scared. “What’s going on? Nobody’s telling me anything.”