Before dawn | Dark romance

Chapter 60 - The definition of rage and love

Luca's pov

I glance at the clock on the wall in the entrance hall of my penthouse. It's 3:56 AM. The cold darkness and the myriad stars of city lights below seep through the floor-to-ceiling windows. I sigh deeply as I step out of the elevator. It's been a brutal night, and I'm only just getting in. I hope Maddie is asleep—if I can manage a few more hours, I might buy myself some time to come up with a plausible excuse for my absence.

As I step further into the penthouse, the familiar scent of home envelops me. Yet tonight, it feels like a wall I can't break through, separating my current turmoil from my peace that is laying upstairs, and who I so desperately crave. I strip off my jacket and open the door of the laundry room, and throw it on the ground, noting the faint smudges of blood and dirt that cling to its surface. Maria will find it in the morning and make sure all the traces are gone.

The events of the past few hours replay vividly in my mind. After the game ended, I found myself cornered by Enzo. His rage was palpable—his eyes, usually so confident and smooth, were blazing with fury. He didn't care that Maddie was watching, her concern evident even though she tried to mask it with a brave face.

I had to pull Enzo away from the crowd, away from prying eyes and Maddie's worried gaze. I told her I would join her shortly, but as soon as we were out of earshot, Enzo let loose.

He told me about their run-in with Matteo and that fucking deputy from Luke Clark's team. What's that loser's name again? Right, Marvin. Marvin Prescott. I despise Officer Clark with a passion. He's leading some sort of investigation against organized crime here in New York, and naturally, that's how he crossed paths with us. Since Giuseppe is too big of a fish for him to catch, he's decided to target me, the next in line. Not that I'm overly concerned about his little investigation. He's been trying and digging for two years now and still doesn't have any evidence of my involvement in the organization. Giuseppe has Clark's superiors on the payroll, so we'd know if anything changed. So far, it's been almost pathetic to watch his futile efforts.

But when Enzo told me about the situation, and how Matteo's filthy hands touched Maddie, I was running on pure rage. After I dropped Maddie off at the penthouse, I called Dante, Enzo, and Vinny to track that motherfucker down. Although I did not see the interaction between Matteo and Maddie, the images going through my head were enough to set me off. He only touched her wrist, and I was already seething with anger. Her body is mine. I watch that body squirm in pleasure beneath me, and he had the nerve to even look at Maddie. Needless to say, I was livid.

I left Maddie at the penthouse and drove through the streets to Matteo's favorite bar on the outskirts of the city, where scum like him hides, but who was he fooling? I would find him anywhere on this planet. Dante, Enzo, and Vinny were already there waiting when I arrived, trying their best to control me because I was working on animal instincts at this point.

I had never had the urge to claim and overprotect a woman in my life, so all of these new feelings were foreign to me, but I am willing to kill for Maddie. No doubt. Matteo had crossed the line before, but I couldn't 100% prove it came from his corner, and his old man would always cover up for him, so I had no solid ground to act on before. It would create chaos within the five families, but now, since he openly and publicly approached my girl, he is mine. All bets are off. He had no right even speaking her name, so I was going to make sure he knew to cross the street if he ever saw her coming his way again. He was never going to forget who she belongs to.

With Dante, Enzo, and Vinny hot on my heels, I walked straight to the back of the bar and grabbed Matteo from his group of friends before any of them even noticed what was going on. They were just there to make sure I did not kill the bastard, but I would have done so easily if they weren't present. I do not have control when it comes to people messing with what is mine.