Dangerous Heart . The Mafia Boss's Love .

Chapter 24

Luca

"Why were you talking to that girl," Lucia whined, catching up to me. I shot her an irritated glance. She froze for a second, looking at me warily. She knew she was getting on my nerves; if it wasn't clear at the restaurant, it should be now, especially since I told her to get any idea of us out of her head immediately. I had made it clear I wasn't interested in her, not now, not ever.

I was infuriated when Carlos sent me the article claiming I was engaged to Lucia, complete with a picture of us together. I told him to find out who took the picture and leaked the information to the gossip column, because that's all it was: fucking gossip. I suspected that Lucia set it up. For what? It wasn't going to make me feel obligated to make her my fiancée, any more than my father thought it would.

Lucia feigned ignorance and started playing the sympathy card with my dad. He had arranged another meeting with her father about the two of us getting engaged. My father was pushing me into a corner, but he was going to learn that I was not a pushover. He put me in charge for a reason. If he thought he could boss me around and arrange who I married, he had another thing coming.

My thoughts went directly to Sienna. I knew she would have seen the article, and if she didn't, her friend definitely would have. Her friend seemed to know who I was, but I don't think she knew that Sienna knew me. She was the nosy type, the one friend who knew all the gossip. After what happened last night with the three of them and Lucia's friend, I had no doubt she would have shown Sienna.

That's why I called Sienna, but the stubborn brat kept ignoring me. Then she sent a message saying I had the wrong person, telling me to kindly fuck off, and then blocked me. I couldn't help but laugh in frustration.

I was about to head to the elevator to go to her place and shake her some sense into her, make her listen to me. This tough girl act she was putting on didn't fool me. I knew she was hurt by my actions. I wanted nothing more than to go to her last night, hold her in my arms, and tell her she is and will always be my only woman.

But after seeing the video of her and Marco, I knew I would have ended up scaring her. I was so pissed by what I saw that I had Carlos tell Marco to meet me in my office at the club later. He needed to know to stay the fuck away from her, if he knew what was good for him. Carlos's brother or not, he would learn his lesson if he decided to cross me and try to take my woman.

Just as I was about to enter the elevator, my father walked out, informing me that we were meeting Giuseppe and Lucia at another restaurant. I told him to get whatever idea he had about me and Lucia out of his head. I made it clear that I would never marry her, especially someone as conniving and immature as she was. After the scene she caused last night, she wasn't fit to be anyone's wife.

He tried convincing me again, saying I could have as many women as I wanted on the side, that this was just business. I threw back the low blow about him doing that to my mother. He wasn't happy about it, but it was the truth—a truth he regretted because he ended up having a daughter from his deceit, causing my mother to leave him. I knew he never forgave himself for it.

I agreed to go to the restaurant to settle this once and for all, to tell Giuseppe that I wouldn't be marrying his daughter. He wasn't happy at all. My father still tried to sway my decision, making me very angry. I ended up lashing out at him, telling him if he wanted me to step down and he could take over again, he was more than welcome to. He could fucking marry Lucia himself if he wanted her to be part of the family so badly.

Her tears flowed, but I remained unmoved by her display. "Why, Luca? What's the matter with my daughter?" Giuseppe's tone brimmed with anger. "This union would benefit our family, strengthening our power."