Winn Kane would attend the auction. Kane owed Luca a debt that could never be repaid properly.
Kane would bid on Valentina. Win her. On paper, it would look like another ugly transaction in a world that fed on them. Off paper, Luca would extract her quietly, move her out of the system, put her somewhere safe and forgettable. New name. New city. New life.
But Bastardi changed the process. No auction. No public bidding. And now Julian was overseeing the entire process.
Luca had run out of options.
Now all he could do was make sure Veronica had closure.
If he couldnāt save Valentina, he could at least give her sister the chance to say goodbye. To see her. To touch her.
There was nothing more he could do.
And that, made his hands curl into fists.
*****
Detective Voss knocked once on the door marked CAPTAIN, squared his shoulders, and stepped inside.
"Captain, you sent for me," Voss said evenly.
Captain Harrington sat behind his desk, broad-shouldered and graying. He finally lifted his eyes.
"Whatās this nonsense I hear about you harassing Luciano Genovese and his associates?"
"I havenāt spoken to him."
Harringtonās mouth tightened. "You dispatched officers to his house. Iām told you visited Scalese pizza parlour asking questions about him."
"Again," Voss said tightly, palms braced against the edge of the captainās desk, "officers were dispatched to his house because a report was made about a disturbance on the premises. We were informed Miss Scalese was being held against her will." He spoke carefully, the way a man did when every word might be used to hang him later.
The captain lifted his eyes slowly. "And was she?"
Voss hesitated just long enough to be honest. "It didnāt look like it."
That answer tasted bitter. He had wanted it to be different. Had wanted bruises, tears, something undeniable. Instead, heād seen a woman too composed.
"So," the captain continued, folding his hands together, "why were you snooping around the pizza parlour?"
Voss exhaled sharply. "Because the younger Scalese daughter is still missing."
The captain leaned back in his chair, leather creaking. "Did the Scalese family report her missing?"
"No, sir."
That earned a long, weary sigh. The captain rubbed his temples. "Detective, I know you hold a grudgeā"
"A grudge?" Voss exploded. He straightened, eyes blazing. "A grudge? Captain, the man killed my father!"
"There is no evidence to support that accusation," the captain said quietly, firmly.
"Witnesses saw his men," Voss shot back. "They saw them drag my father out of our house."
"And have you found these men? Can you link them directly to Genovese?"
"How can I do that when Iām not allowed to investigate?" He spread his hands in a bitter gesture. "Every time I get close, Iām shut down. Files disappear. Witnesses recant. Patrol gets pulled."
"What are you doing here?" she demanded.
"Iām taking you home myself," Luca said calmly.
Her eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"Nothing," he replied.
She scoffed. "I donāt want to go with you."
"Donāt fight me, Veronica, please." He stood there, hands shoved into his coat pockets.
Vee stared at him. "This isnāt a fight, Luca," she said. "This is a beat down. And you are the one winning."
"I like to win."
"Even when I am no match."
Luca stepped closer. He didnāt touch her.
"Vee," he said, lower now, her name dragging out of him. "Why do you think Iām here? Why do you think I keep coming back, fighting with you, dragging you into my world?"
She swallowed. Her eyes flicked to his mouth and back up again, annoyed at herself. "I donāt know. Youāre a psycho?"
A corner of his mouth twitched. "Thatās not incorrect. I rule men with fear," he said plainly. "I rule women with passion. You piss me off when you fight me. When you look at me like Iām just another man you can say no to." His eyes burned. "And yet, its what keeps me coming back to you."
"I canāt get you out of my head," Luca went on, jaw tight. "Because Iām not winning. Iām losing, Bambola. Every day. I want you all to myself."

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