Undressed By The Mafia God-Chapter 188: That’s A Load Of Crap
Even now, even now, she was thinking about him, about Ricardo, protecting him.
"That’s a load of crap," Marco said flatly. "And now, Luca will definitely learn about this."
"Don’t tell him. Don’t tell him, please."
"You want to hide a pregnancy?" he asked. "For how long? Three months at least? Besides... have you confirmed you actually are pregnant?"
"No..." she admitted.
"Then why are we even having this conversation?" he asked, the frustration slipping through now.
Valentina’s eyes dropped, her fingers twisting together. "I wanted you to be here."
He swallowed. "Alright," he said finally. "Do you have the tests?"
Val nodded.
"Fine," he added. "Go do your thing."
Valentina got to her feet and turned toward the hallway. "Thank you for being here for me."
"Anytime you need me, I will be here," he said.
*****
Luca sat behind his desk. Still, silent, deadly.
The office itself carried that same energy—dark wood, low lighting.
His gaze moved slowly between the two men standing before him.
"I heard what happened in my club last night," Luca said finally. "I am guessing this has something to do with Valentina."
Marco didn’t move, didn’t speak.
Ricardo, on the other hand, shifted slightly where he stood, discomfort etched into his bruised face. His eye had darkened overnight, swelling just enough to distort his face. The bandage across his nose stood out starkly against his skin—a visible reminder of what happened when Marco lost control.
"I guessed as much too, Luciano," Ricardo said carefully, choosing his words.
Luca’s gaze slid toward him. "You are guessing." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮
Ricardo swallowed. "I have no idea what it is about," he added quickly.
His gaze moved again, back to Marco. "Is it?" Luca asked.
Marco met his eyes. "Yes."
"Care to enlighten me?" Luca asked.
"I cannot."
"Excuse me?" Luca said slowly.
Danger bloomed in the room.
"Did I just hear you right?" Luca continued. "She is my wife... my girlfriend’s—" he paused, correcting himself with visible irritation, "my girlfriend’s sister."
"I know, Luca," Marco said. "But please... I cannot."
Luca’s gaze shifted to Ricardo. "Get out."
Ricardo nodded once and turned, walking out of the office.
Luca turned back to Marco. He got to his feet, slid a drawer open and pulled out a knife. "On your knees."
Marco dropped to his knees instantly.
Luca stepped closer, the knife glinting faintly in the low light. "Care to repeat how you plan on defying me," Luca said, "or you want me to cut out your tongue?"
Marco lifted his gaze slightly. He could feel Luca’s unspoken demand for loyalty.
And the truth?
Luca had every right to it. Luca had given him everything. A home. A purpose. A life.
And Marco had repaid that loyalty with absolute devotion.
Until Valentina.
"I am not defying you," Marco said finally. "I am protecting her."
"From me?" Luca asked.
Marco shook his head slightly. "If Veronica begged for your trust, would you break it?" he asked.
"It’s different! I’m in love with Veronica," he snapped.
Marco held his gaze. An insistence in his gaze. A mirror being held up.
Look at it. Say it.Understand it.
And Luca did, slowly.
"Oh..."
Understanding crept in.
"Are you crazy?!" Luca demanded. "Are you fucking crazy?!!! I asked you countless times," Luca continued, "if you were in love with her. You looked me in the eye and said no!"
"Because I choose not to be," Marco replied. "I choose not to act on it. What?" Marco went on, a sharp edge creeping into his tone now, frustration bleeding through the cracks of his control. "I’m way older than she is!"
Luca scoffed, dismissive, offended by the excuse. "Oh, don’t give me that crap about age," he snapped, waving a hand like Marco had just insulted his intelligence. "You’re what—ten years older?!"
"No," he said. "I’m thirty. She’s fucking eighteen."
"So what?!" Luca shot back.
"How about the fact that I’m your right-hand man?" Marco pressed. "I could drop dead at any time! And then what?"
Marco wasn’t exaggerating.
Men like him didn’t get old. They got buried.
Luca looked at him with a wounded expression. "You think so little of me, Marco..." Luca said, quieter now, the fire in his voice cooling. "You... of all people."
Marco stilled. Because that— that wasn’t what he meant. Not even close.
"You really think I would leave you alone in the eye of a storm," Luca continued, "and not be in the forefront with you behind me?" Luca dropped the knife back on the desk. "You think I would let you fall?" Luca asked, his gaze locking onto Marco’s.
"That’s not what I’m saying," he said.
"Then what are you saying?" Luca demanded.
"I don’t think little of you, I know this because I swore my life to you. I swore to your mother, that my only mission in my life is keeping you safe. I don’t intend to break that promise." Marco’s gaze didn’t waver. "So no... I would never be behind you in a storm. I’d be your shield even when it kills me."
Luca exhaled slowly, dragging a hand across his mouth as he turned away. "So I am your excuse," he said finally. "To loving from a distance. You are an idiot," Luca added. "If you really think your life is going to be brief... then shouldn’t you seize every ounce of happiness you can before it ends?"
"At first..." he began. "I didn’t see it that way. At first, she was just an irritation," he admitted. "A bug. And then..." Marco continued, his brow furrowing slightly. "I thought... maybe she just represents the sister I never had."
That had been easier.
A lie, perhaps—but one he could live with, for a while.
"And then gradually...I realised I’d do anything for her."
Luca went still again because he understood too well. He was living it.
That slow, inevitable shift from irritation to obsession.
"This is a mess," Luca muttered. "You can’t go punching Ricardo because you are jealous," he added, glancing back at him sharply now.
(Brought to you by Mrs B)
*Today’s actual Chapter will be posted by my morning. All of the Chapters from today were from gifts. Thank you for putting me to work. Made the holiday bearable. And to all my Muslim readers, happy Eid Mubarak*
