Undressed By The Mafia God novel Chapter 314

Chapter 314: That Ship Has Sailed

Marco arrived at Vee and Luca’s home straight from the airport the next morning, still carrying the weariness of travel.

Vee stood by the counter, dressed in a simple robe, her hair loosely tied back. The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the room as she poured a cup and handed it to Marco. "How was your trip?"

"Long flight."

"Luca will be down in a moment." She gave him a reassuring nod before heading upstairs to fetch him.

Marco took a slow sip, stepping out of the kitchen to the living room area. The domestic calm felt surreal compared to the storm he had just left behind in Italy.

Moments later, hurried footsteps echoed from the staircase. Luca appeared, hastily pulling on a shirt, the top buttons still undone.

"Marco..." Luca began, striding forward to envelop him in a firm, brotherly hug. "I’m sorry I pulled you out, but I need you here. I have to be in Italy. Julian needs a reminder of his place."

"That ship has sailed, boss," he said. "Julian is making moves I do not seem to understand."

Luca’s jaw clenched. "Yeah, here too. He sent his men to get Veronica, to bring her to Italy on charges of treason."

Marco exhaled heavily, setting his coffee cup down on the coffee table. "Boss, he has called off the search for Don," he revealed.

Luca’s eyes widened, disbelief quickly morphing into anger. "The hell he has!"

Marco held his ground, meeting Luca’s fiery gaze with steady resolve. "Julian has command of the men remaining from the raid. You have no authority."

Luca’s hands curled into fists at his sides, the muscles in his jaw working as he struggled to process the implications. He drew in a deep breath, attempting to rein in his temper. "So," he said finally, "my brother stages a coup, abandons the search for our father, and dares to accuse the woman under my protection of treason."

Marco nodded grimly. "Italy is not safe for you."

"I’m still going," Luca asserted. He stood tall, shoulders squared, the decision had already been carved into stone.

"I can’t let you go by yourself," he replied. "Italy is a powder keg right now. Julian is consolidating power, and you walking into that mess alone is practically a death sentence and let’s not forget that the Bastiones are only just quieting down because the other Dons got involved."

Luca shook his head slowly. "I need you here. We have family here, Marco. I do not know when and where Renato will clap back, but I know he will."

"Luciano, you are not listening to me!" Marco’s voice rose. "This isn’t just about pride or authority. Julian has the men, the resources, and the narrative. He’s already painted you as a liability, protecting a traitor. If you go there, you’ll be isolated."

"I know," Luca replied. "I know the promise you made to Mother is what drives you to always want to be by my side." He placed a steady hand on Marco’s shoulder. "But I need you to promise me, as your brother, that you will keep my family safe here."

Marco’s jaw tightened, emotion flickering across his features. "Luca, don’t make me do this," Marco murmured. "You’re asking me to stand by while you walk into a warzone. How the hell am I supposed to live with that?"

Vee watched the exchange with a heavy heart, her eyes moving between the two men.

"I once told you," Luca said, "if it ever came down to choosing me or her, you choose her every damn time."

Luca took a slow sip of his coffee, using the moment to gather his thoughts. "The whole thing has been quite a lot for her to handle," he admitted.

"You don’t seem worried," he observed.

Luca allowed a faint smile to form. "She seems to be handling it well," he said.

*****

Valentina stirred slowly, emerging from the soft cocoon of sleep as the early morning light filtered through the curtains. She blinked lazily, stretching her arm across the bed.

Her gaze shifted to the sofa, where he was.

"Ricardo?" she murmured, her voice still thick with sleep.

His posture was rigid, and there was a blank, distant look in his eyes that immediately set her on edge. He hadn’t even noticed that she was awake.

(Brought to you by Jennifer Willard 1/2)

All pending Chapters (this and SSSQ) will be done tomorrow. I have quite the day tomorrow but will get to work as soon as I can. Love ya all.