"Stay the fuck away from her! You hear me?" Ricardo continued. "If I see you around her, I’m gonna kill you! I’m gonna kill you!"
The men holding him tightened their grip as he thrashed, trying to lunge forward again. It took three of them now to keep him down, forcing him toward the ground as his anger burned hot and uncontrolled.
The sharp crack of a gunshot silenced the arena. Ricardo stopped struggling. The men holding him froze.
Every head turned. Luca stood a few feet away, his arm still raised, the gun in his hand pointed toward the sky.
"What is this fucking madness?!" Luca demanded. His gaze moved from Ricardo—still restrained on the ground—to Marco. "What?" he pressed. "What is this?"
No one answered immediately. Marco stepped forward slightly.
"It’s nothing," Marco said.
Luca’s eyes narrowed. "It better be something," he said slowly, lowering the gun but not relaxing his grip on it. "Or I am going to fuck both of you up." His gaze hardened as it moved between them again, already piecing together more than either of them had said.
"In the office," Luca ordered. "Right now."
Ricardo ripped himself free from the grip of the men restraining him, shrugging them off with raw force. He staggered forward a step, eyes still locked on Marco like he was barely resisting the urge to launch himself again.
Luca stepped into his office. "Are you boys crazy?" Luca asked slowly, his gaze moving between them. "What do you think this place is? A wrestling ring?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "Somebody start talking."
"I just learned that Marco kissed my girl."
Luca didn’t react right away. He simply turned his head, slowly shifting his attention to Marco. "Is that true?" Luca asked. "You kissed his fiancée?"
"Yes."
Luca looked away briefly, rubbing his temple as if trying to keep his temper in check. "Do you have any idea what you have done?" Luca asked finally.
Marco met his gaze steadily. "Yes, boss."
"I am fed up of this childish love triangle," Luca said flatly.
Neither man responded.
"This is not some street drama," Luca continued. "This is not some emotional mess you get to act out because your feelings are hurt." He turned to Marco. "you should know better than anyone what lines cannot be crossed. Ricardo may not be working for the famiglia," he said firmly, "but he became part of the famiglia before he moved here. You do not touch your brothers’ women!!!"
"I know," Marco said again.
"What the fuck?" Luca muttered. "What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to discipline my own capo for this?"
"I’ll accept my punishment."
"Fucking hell," Luca sighed finally. He turned to Ricardo. "I’ll handle it. You may go."
Ricardo stepped out without another word, his jaw still tight, his eyes still burning. He didn’t look at Marco as he passed, and Marco didn’t look at him either.
Luca stayed still for a moment longer, staring at the closed door. "You are an idiot," he said flatly.
Marco gave a small nod. "I know."
"You kissed her?"
"It’s worth it."
"You’re an idiot," Luca said again. "What... do you realise how embarrassing this is for me? Do you even begin—" He stopped mid-sentence, pressing his fingers to his temple again as if physically holding himself back from exploding. "You have ignited a problem I now have to contain."
"I understand."
"No," he said slowly. "I don’t think you do."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Undressed By The Mafia God