Chapter 46: The Three Traitors

LUCA

Luca was finding it hard to sleep. His mind was too messed up, too full of the events of the past few days.

Hayley was still in his arms, and as he played with her hair, he wished for an easier way to love her. She didn’t deserve this, but he couldn’t let her go—not yet.

He slipped out of bed and headed to the bathroom. It was still really early—the sun had yet to rise in the sky—but he had too much to do. Too much rested on his shoulders.

As the hot waterfall shower drenched his body, he let it wash away the anger from last night.

He’d learned how to deal with his bitterness and self-loathing at a young age. He’d hated himself since the first time he killed someone, but he learned to control it.

His father had reminded him that the things he hated about himself were the reason others feared him and why people would follow him.

Last night, he’d allied himself with his enemies—people he wanted dead and who, in return, wouldn’t think twice about killing him. He sighed. He needed to end this as soon as possible.

And in order to do that, he needed to find his rats and kill them. Rats couldn’t be allowed to live.

He shaved and got dressed as he always did, in a nice suit and tie. He prided himself on his appearance and liked to dress well.

He took a moment to look at the sleeping beauty in his bed before heading downstairs.

“Morning, Boss,” Nic said as Luca walked into the kitchen where Nic, Frankie, Dom, and Tony were sitting at the breakfast bar.

“Morning.” Luca headed to the coffee maker and poured himself a cup. “I need a second with Nic and Frankie.”

Dom and Tony said nothing, just loyally left the room.

Luca carried his mug to the breakfast bar and looked at his two right hands. “Updates?”

“I’ve started organizing everything for the casino night,” Nic said. “And I’m personally going to deliver the invitations this morning.” He pointed to the stack of fancy envelopes that were between him and Luca.

“Vitali has given me everything on their rat,” Frankie added.

Luca sighed loudly before taking a sip from the cup. He’d promised to take out their rat and hand him to the cop, dead.

“Genovese thinks we should wait until after the casino night to take him out,” Nic interjected.

“What difference does it make?” Frankie growled as he stood up and went to pour himself another cup of coffee.

Luca studied his friend thoughtfully. He looked like he hadn’t seen his bed at all last night.

“He wants us to personally deliver the rat to the cop,” Nic replied. “But we would need to find out his name first.”

Luca pursed his lips. “This sounds a little too dramatic for Genovese. I bet Lorenzo had a hand in it.”

“But he has a point.” Nic shrugged and finished off his coffee.

Luca sighed. Delivering the rat directly to the cop that thought he was one up on the Borroni family ~would~ send a better message.

“Fine. Let’s keep him alive until after the party.”

When Nic excused himself to carry on with the preparations, Frankie stayed in the kitchen with Luca.

“Everything okay with Hayley last night?” he asked, and Luca nodded.

The door opened, and Max walked in.

“Morning, Boss, Frankie. I’m just letting you know the ammo drop went fine last night. No cops and no casualties.”

Frankie huffed. “There wouldn’t be—our enemies are our friends~. For now~.”

Luca knew Frankie didn’t want this alliance. He had buried too many friends, family members, and street runners because of these particular enemies.

“I dropped the cash with Nic,” Max added.

“Good.” Luca swallowed the last of his coffee and set his cup down. “I’m taking Hayley out this morning for breakfast, and then I’m taking her shopping for a dress for the casino party. Max, go and get us a car ready.”

Max nodded and left the room.

“You sure you want her there?” Frankie asked.

“She’ll enjoy it.” Luca shrugged. “I want you, Ric, and Dom on security. No guns are to be brought into the event.”

“What? That’s crazy!”

“Trust me. No guns, no weapons, and no drugs. Understand?”

Frankie nodded, but Luca could tell that he didn’t.

HAYLEY

Hayley felt a gentle hand on her head and the lightest of kisses on her cheek.

“Morning, baby.” When she heard Luca’s voice, she opened her eyes and smiled up at him.

She sat up in bed, and he handed her a mug of coffee, which she gratefully took. She took a sip and noticed Luca was already dressed for the day.

“You off?”

“~We~ are,” he replied, then stood up from the bed and adjusted his suit jacket. “I’m taking you for breakfast before work. Plus, you need to go dress shopping.”

“Why?” Hayley placed the mug on the bedside table.

“Because I’m taking you to a casino party tomorrow night.”

“Oh, okay.” She got up and headed to the bathroom to wash and brush her teeth.

When she came out, she took off the shirt she’d slept in, enjoying his eyes on her bare skin. She placed the shirt on the chair and picked out a French-label powder-blue lace underwear set and put it on.

She smiled at him as she passed him on her way to his huge walk-in wardrobe, but his hand caught her elbow.

“Baby, I have to tell you something.”

Her heart raced as she looked at his grave face.

“This casino night is for business. It’s…for the alliance.”

Hayley pressed her lips together as he told her how Borroni would be there and so would Genovese.

“I promise he won’t come close to you. I’m going to have Frankie with you all night. My men will make sure you’re safe.”

She took a huge shaky breath, then held on to his suit jacket. He placed his hands on her bare back.

“As long as you’re there,” she said. “I know I’ll be okay.” She smiled up at him, and he pulled her closer and kissed her.

***

Hayley enjoyed her breakfast with Luca, and then he helped her pick out the perfect dress for the next night before dropping her off at work.

The band she’d hired for the night was busy practicing, and some bar workers were beginning the setup, so Hayley headed to the lockup. Stocktaking was a chore she hated, but it had to be done.

“Hayley.” A guy from the security team entered the lockup while she was counting the high-value bottles. “The cameras have had some sort of malfunction. They’re all off.”

“I’ll deal with it, thanks.” She smiled at him, and he nodded before leaving the lockup.

Hayley knew better than to leave the cameras down—her body shuddered at the thought of Lorenzo coming into the club again—so she pulled out her phone.

Luca answered on the first ring. “Hayley? Is everything okay?”

“Hey. Everything is fine, but the security cameras are down.”

“I’ll have my IT guy come down. His name is Benny Conti.”

“Thanks, Luca. I have to get back to work now. Bye.” He said goodbye, and she hung up, putting the phone back in her pocket.

Hayley finished up in the lockup by mid-afternoon and began to brief the staff, giving them the rundown of the night—the VIPs that were coming in, the fraudulent cash that was going around.

“Hayley.”

She turned to see Tony walking over with Max and a young guy, probably only a few years older than her, that she assumed was Benny Conti.

“Boss sent Max with Benny.”

“Thanks, Tony,” she replied, and he left to go back to his post outside. She turned to the other two. “I’ll show you to the camera room.”

She felt uneasy as she led the way. She didn’t trust Max—he was in league with the detective. But then again, so was she.

“Here we are.” She opened the door, and the guys walked in before her. Max stayed beside the door and closed it after she entered. Benny was facing her.

“Hayley,” Max said from behind her. “This is Benny Conti. He’s like us—an informant.”

~An informant.~ She felt sick when she heard those words.

Benny smiled weakly.

“The detective knows about the casino party,” Max said firmly, “and he wants to know where it is.”

She worked it out as she turned to face him. “You turned the cameras off.”

He smiled devilishly and nodded, making her skin crawl. “Look, the detective knows you’re going to the party tomorrow night, and you’re going to show him where it is.”

She swallowed nervously. “How?”

“Benny will explain everything. We know Luca won’t leave you alone at the party, so you’ll be the best person for the detective’s plan.”

“If I refuse?” she blurted out, but Max just scoffed.

“Then the detective will arrest you, deport you, or let Luca know you’re a dirty little rat.” Max chuckled as her anger boiled up. “I’ll be outside. Benny, explain the plan.”

Hayley waited for Max to leave before turning to face Benny, who rummaged through his bag and pulled out a bracelet—a thick silver bangle.

“This is a tracker,” Benny said softly, his dark eyes looking from Hayley to the bracelet. He took a hesitant step forward. “Wear this, and the detective can locate you.”

“Why are you doing this?” she whispered as she took the bracelet from his hands. “Are you a Marcello member?”

He nodded. “I am, yes.”

“Then why betray Luca?”

“Why are ~you~ betraying him?” he shot back. “~I’m~ not the one sharing his bed.”

“I have no choice, arsehole!”

“Me neither,” Benny replied, then sighed. “My wife is pregnant, I have a load of debts, a house I need to pay for, cars. Being a dad isn’t easy. We already have two, with two more on the way.”

“I’m sure Luca would help. He looks out for his men.”

He shook his head. “I’m not like the others. I don’t hurt people, I don’t kill. I’m an IT guy. If I want more money, I need to do jobs—jobs my conscience won’t allow me to do.”

Hayley suddenly felt sorry for the guy. Somehow he’d gotten into the family, probably because of his IT skills, and the money wasn’t enough. Could she kill someone for more money? Probably not.

“Detective Blake has offered me money, relocation in a new home, and safety for my family.” He shrugged. “If I turn down his offer, sooner or later this life will catch up with me. I’ll end up in prison—like most Marcello men.”

“But if you haven’t killed or hurt anyone—”

Benny laughed. “I make illegal documents, I hack government records, and I have access to top-secret information. My crimes are just as severe.

“That’s how the cop found me. He offered me money and I couldn’t refuse. Now I’m in too deep.”

“Why does Max do this?”

Benny began to fiddle with the monitors. “He has an axe to grind.”

He huffed as he picked up a wire that wasn’t attached to the computers and plugged it back in. “Don’t ask me what. I don’t know and, frankly, I don’t care. He has his reasons and I have mine.”

Hayley remained silent as she watched Benny get the monitors back up and running. She could see the entirety of the club, even outside where Max was having a cigarette with the bouncers and Tony.

“Are there any more informants in the family?” Hayley finally asked, and Benny shook his head.

“No, we’re the only ones.” Benny stood up and faced her. “Just wear the bracelet tomorrow night. Leave the rest to the cop and Max.”

Hayley nodded reluctantly, playing with the bangle in her hand as Benny walked past her and out of the camera room.

She didn’t want this, but neither could she bear the alternative.

***

The club had been packed all night, but Hayley and the bouncers had finally managed to clear the last of the customers out the doors. Hayley was cashing up, and the bouncers and Tony sat in a booth drinking coffee.

“Hey, baby.”

She turned, and there he was, with Nic, beaming at her.

“Hey! I’m nearly finished,” she replied, and he nodded before going over to the bouncers and Tony.

Hayley quickly locked up the receipts in the safe before grabbing her bag and her coat. Luca took her hand gently when she reached him.

“Come on, let’s get out of here,” he murmured into her ear as they followed Nic out of the club to the SUV. “I’ve planned a surprise.” He held the door open for her, and she slipped into the car.

He laced his fingers through hers as Nic pulled away, and it soon became clear they weren’t headed back to his place.

“Where are we going?” she asked, but he just tapped his nose with a mischievous grin.

God, she hated how wonderful he could be. Because she was a traitor—a rat he was trying to destroy.

Yet she also loved these moments with him, with the man who wasn’t ~just~ the mob boss.

She was trapped in a web of lies and treachery, one Detective Blake had created, and she despised him for it.

They pulled up to a huge glass skyscraper, and Luca led Hayley through the marble and gilt lobby. She couldn’t tell if it was a hotel or an apartment building.

Luca let her step into the glass elevator first, then hit the button for the rooftop.

He placed his hands on her waist and kissed her.

“I want to show you ~my~ city,” he murmured before he kissed her again, and the lift dinged, signaling their arrival at the top.

“Oh my God.” Her eyes went wide as she looked at the rooftop. It was a helipad, complete with a modern-looking helicopter.

Luca smiled at her reaction, then took her hand and walked her out onto the breezy rooftop.

Six guys in suits were hanging around, and one who seemed in charge walked up to Luca. The pair shook hands.

“Boss, she’s ready to go. All checks are done.”

Luca thanked him, walked Hayley over, buckled her into the helicopter, and placed the headphones and mic on her.

She was excited as she watched Luca do the pre-flight checks. She couldn’t believe he was actually going to pilot this thing!

He then looked at her. “Ready, baby?” he asked into his microphone. She could hear him clearly in her headphones.

“Absolutely.” She beamed at him, and with that, he lifted off.

She couldn’t describe the feeling of being up in the night sky with the city below them. Luca flew effortlessly, and this made her forget about the detective and all her problems—for the moment at least, everything was okay.

They flew above the twinkling lights of the skyscrapers and the movements of the cabs below, then out over the water. It made her feel on top of the world, and like being with Luca, it was a feeling she would never forget.