Bound By Blood Anthology

“And what does my Capo want?” I provoked him further. I was on a roll.

His hold tightened. “Right now, I want you to pull your head out of your fucking ass and act like a man, not a fucking pussy. If you want to be a father for that kid, then tell Gianna that’s what you want and maybe the both of you finally grow up and act like fucking adults and not like horny teenagers.”

I jerked out of his hold and swung my fist at him, punching him square in the jaw. Luca stumbled a step back, looking fucking stunned for a second and then he lunged at me. We shoved and hit each other. The chairs tumbled to the ground and something broke.

“What the fuck?” Romero shouted as he stormed out, gun drawn, He tried to get between us but Luca shoved him back, sending him flying into the table. Then Luca was on me again.

Cold water hit us square in the faces. We jerked away from each other but the stream didn’t stop. “Fuck!” Luca snarled. I blinked, trying to see through the fog the liquid had cast over my eyes.

The water was turned off and my eyes landed on Aria in a nightgown, looking furious while holding a water hose in our direction. I turned to Luca once more, who was breathing harshly and glaring at me. He seemed as reluctant to stop this fight as I was.

“One move and I’ll turn the water on again,” Aria warned.

“Holy shit,” Amo exclaimed from inside the house as he stumbled toward us in pj’s. Marcella stood behind him with wide but curious eyes. Lily gave us a reproachful look before she tugged her little girl away from the scene. Sara was definitely too young for this shitshow.

Romero straightened with a glare, shoving his gun into the pocket of his sweatpants. “What the fuck was that? You woke the kids.” With a shake of his head he went inside to help Lily.

Aria put down the hose, then turned to her children. “Go upstairs.”

Marcella did without protest but Amo came outside. “Wow, that was cool. I thought you’d pull knives on each other.”

“Amo,” Aria said firmly. “Upstairs now.”

One look at her expression and he turned on his heel, grumbling. She stepped between Luca and me. “What’s gotten into you?”

Luca rubbed his chin where a bruise was forming. My cheek was throbbing fiercely where he’d punched me. “Nothing,” we said at the same time.

“Nothing?” Aria repeated. “Oh, okay, so you just beat each other for fun?”

“We had a difference of opinion.”

Aria shook her head, then her eyes moved back to the living room where Gianna had appeared. She joined us on the terrace, taking in the mess we’d made. We’d broken two flowerpots and thrown over all of the chairs, not to mention that we were dripping wet thanks to Aria.

Gianna’s red brows puckered. “What the hell went on here?”

“They had a discussion with their fists,” Aria muttered.

“Aren’t you too old to brawl like boys?”

“If you ask Luca, I’m like a fucking teenager.”

Luca took a step in my direction but Aria stepped in his way and hit his chest in warning. “Stop it, good Lord.”

He lowered his gaze to her. “Someone needs to beat the shit out of his head.”

“And someone needs to kick the arrogance out of your arrogant Capo ass,” I said.

Luca smiled coldly. “At least, I own up to my responsibilities and don’t run from them.”

“Luca!” Aria shouted.

Gianna’s eyes widened, her face flashing with guilt.

Fuck him. I staggered toward him. “Shut the fuck up.” I shoved him over Aria’s shoulder.

She gave me an indignant look. “Stop it.”

I stared into my brother’s eyes. “Don’t act all high and mighty, Luca. You’ve had your fair share of fuck-ups. I, at least, never cheated on my wife.”

Fury flashed in Luca’s eyes. Oh, I had him. He pushed Aria to the side, out of the way, and grabbed me by the throat, but I had expected the move and rammed my elbow into his throat. He coughed but didn’t release me. I rammed my elbow upward once more hitting him under the chin and jerked out of his grip, spluttering.

And then we were at each other’s throats again. Hands clasped at me, and then a high-pitched cry sounded. Luca and I both froze. Luca jerked back, his eyes scanning the floor, and he fell to his knees beside Aria who sat on her backside, cradling her wrist, grimacing.

“Love, I’m fucking sorry. Are you hurt?”

My own eyes sought Gianna who held her hand protectively over her belly, standing a few steps back. “You almost hit my belly,” she said angrily.

“Fuck. I’m sorry,” I rasped as I moved toward her and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, and her eyes moved to her sister. Luca was moving Aria’s hand up and down gently, looking guilty as hell, and I felt like the biggest asshole in the world for letting it get that far, for wanting to let it get that far. I’d wanted to fight someone, had wanted to punch and hurt, and Luca could pack a punch like no one else. Fuck. He only wanted to help me and Gianna.