Arranged love

I begin to rock back and forth. “It’ll never work,” I say even though I don’t know his plan. The Dark Kings obviously had a hand in it as well. Rossi will take them all out. He’s too smart. Too protected. They’re going to serve themselves up on a silver platter.

“Haven …”

“Not to mention the fire marshal … They are going to investigate.” I continue blabbering. “He’ll get caught. Arson …”

“Haven!”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

Hands grip my shoulder, and then I’m being shaken.

My heavy eyes land on Luca’s as he kneels before me. “Calm down. You’re drunk and overreacting. Trust me, I have it all handled.”

“And if you don’t?” I can’t help but ask. I’m still mad at him, but that doesn’t mean I want us all to die. All I’ve ever wanted was him. I look down at my ring. I thought I still had time to escape this wedding, this life, but the joke is on me. I’m already in it. Then I wonder if I had a chance to get out, would I? I’m not sure. I’ve always loved Luca. What if I lose him now? It would hurt too much.

“I do,” he says simply.

LUCA

I tuck a very drunk Haven into our bed. She passed out right after I managed to calm her down. She was on the verge of hysterics. I know she’s scared, but she was also unable to think rationally. Alcohol will do that to you.

Exiting our bedroom, I see Cross standing in the living room. He’s staring at the TV. They are still reporting on the church fire, which is good. I needed it to make the headlines.

Another man I know well stands next to him with his hands in the front pockets of his slacks. He too watches the news.

“Jeffrey,” I say, getting their attention. “Glad you were able to meet with me on such short notice.” I look over at the open kitchen to see Grave making some drinks. Titan sits on the couch and Bones leans up against the sliding glass door that leads to the balcony. My eyes go back to Jeffrey. “You know the drill,” I tell him.

He sighs but starts to unbutton his black button-down. Once he gets to the last one, he opens his shirt to showcase a hairy chest and beer belly. Then he allows the shirt to drop off his shoulders, and he spins around, showing me his back.

I nod my approval.

He begins to button it back up. “I’m aware of what you need, Luca. You didn’t need to send your dogs to retrieve me in the middle of the night.”

Cross’s brows pull together at that statement. Grave just laughs as he pours two more glasses of scotch.

“They’re not my dogs,” I say, referring to the Kings. I would have sent Nite, but I’m not removing him from Haven. He is to be with her at all times until Rossi is dead. “And you know I don’t do business over the phone.” Wires can be tapped. You never know who may be listening. And that’s exactly why I made him undo his shirt and show me his chest. That day my father killed my uncle, I learned a lot about betrayal. It can come from anyone at any time. Always check before you open your mouth.

I walk over to the bar and pick up two of the drinks that Grave places on the counter. I walk back into the open living room and hand one to Jeffrey. Taking a sip of mine, I sit on the couch. “I expect you can handle it?” I question.

“Of course.” He sounds offended. “A warning would have been nice, but I can take care of it.”

“We didn’t have much time to work with,” Cross says, taking a full glass from Grave as he enters the living room as well.

Jeffrey throws back his drink. “How much evidence did you leave me?” He looks at Cross.

A slow smiles spreads across his face. “Like I said, I didn’t have much time. Open oxygen tanks in the boiler room …”

He hangs his head, running his hand through his hair. He looks back up at us just as his cell rings in his pocket. He digs it out and places it to his ear. “Hello … Yeah, I’ll be there in twenty.” He hangs up.

I take a sip and call out. “Nite?”

He sits on the couch across from me. Standing, he places a black duffel bag on the glass coffee table. “It’s all there,” I tell Jeffrey. “You’re free to count it.”

He shakes his head. “I know you’re good for it.”

My father has had the fire marshal on our payroll for years now. Along with many other important people in this city. When you want to run a city, you have to own every inch of it. And we do. Whoever I don’t own, the Kings do. We use each other’s resources all the time.

“I hope you have a damn good reason for burning a cathedral to the ground,” he says, eyeing us.

I arch a brow, a smile spreading across my face. “Afraid for our souls, Jeffrey?”

He shakes his head and sighs heavily. “I’m afraid for all of our souls, Bianchi.”

“It’s not like anything we do is forgivable,” Titan adds.

With that, Jeffrey grabs the duffel bag and sees himself out.

Sitting back on the couch, I take a sip of the drink, feeling a little better about our situation. Now all we have to do is come up with a new plan to accommodate our new location.