He had won. There was no denying it. Drago had taken what had mattered most to the Luciano men, their sister. The price they paid was far greater than those five bullets and three months he’d spent in purgatory.
For him, it turned out revenge wasn’t that sweet. And now, every time he looked at his wife since saying “I do,” he was only reminded of how he had used her and ruined the rest of her life. It only hurt worse the more time he spent with her, to find that the cost the Luciano brothers had to pay was priceless. That was why he didn’t have it in himself to be mean or hurtful to her any longer, because he had to wake up every fucking day and look at himself in the mirror.
Lucifer might have killed him, but it was Drago who’d created the monster.
Thirty-Four
Face-to-Face
The remaining night after what they had shared was calm yet empty, but waking up the next day to realize Drago had left in the early morning made her feel emptier.
She had dressed and come down the steps to find the dreaded Amo sitting on the couch, but it wasn’t long after her feet left the stairs and stepped onto the floor that her heart sank to meet them.
THUD.
The door being kicked quick and hard into the apartment had Katarina jolting around. When her eyes fell on the dangerous man at the door, she shouldn’t have been shocked to find Amo hadn’t moved an inch.
The demonic man stalked into the room, carefully creeping up to her like she was his prey.
Sure of death to come, she stood there strong and ready to face her killer.
“Katarina….”
Her skin turned as cold as his voice. Swallowing hard, she knew well enough that her time had come.
“Why don’t you ask Amo what happens when you jeopardize my relationship with Chloe?” His voice cut colder this time.
Now, Amo had finally moved, standing up from the couch where he’d lazily sat, his uncaring demeanor quickly changing into confusion over what was happening.
She was just as confused, looking to Amo before her eyes turned back to the boogieman.
“Amo is not allowed to see her, speak to her, or be in her presence ever again because he thought his love for her and hatred of me could come between us.” It was Lucca who glanced at him, this time with disdain in his eyes. “And now here he stands, only alive because I wouldn’t be able to look at her beautiful face if I killed him.”
Those cold bones in her body started to lightly shake.
“Leave us,” he demanded of Amo.
However, Amo didn’t move. A protective expression finally covered his face.
She knew the boogieman would only give one final warning. “Leave. Now.”
“I-It’s okay,” Kat managed to say, assuring him in hopes that she would be all right.
Amo walked slowly and what seemed to be regretfully as he left the apartment, closing the door behind him and leaving Kat to face her demon.
“I think you have mistaken my kindness as weakness, Katarina.” Lucca reached out, grabbing her chin with a light force like he had the first time they’d met. “Or been mistaken that I had any kindness at all.”
“You’re the one mistaken…,” she whispered on a shudder, already knowing there was no kindness in him. And finally, the truth would come out as it took everything she had to say these next words, “You remind me of my father. I see him in you, and that is why I believe you are the killer.”
His eyebrows slightly drew together. “You think I’m One-Shot?”
“Yes,” she proclaimed after hearing what she assumed was the killer’s nickname.
The cold rage seemed to dissipate into curiosity as he lessened his hold on her chin. “Why?”
“Because Todd disobeyed you, and Chloe wasn’t at the wedding. It doesn’t seem like coincidence to me.”
His grip tightened once more. “When I kill one of my incapable soldiers, it isn’t with a bullet, Katarina.”
She could see the wickedness in his eyes that showed her exactly why he reminded her of her father and why she thought they were one and the same. However, she could also see the truth in them, having no need to lie to her alone in this room. “And Chloe?” She couldn’t help but ask.
“If Chloe went, then Amo couldn’t, and I wanted him to go to the wedding and be forced to watch his uncle marry a Luciano.” Seeing the now confused look on her face, he continued, “As punishment for nearly breaking every bone in Angel’s body.”
She licked her dry lips. “Oh.”
“You don’t seem surprised,” Lucca stated, lifting up her chin higher to read her face.
“Angel… already told me.”
Smiling, Lucca let her chin go. “Amo doesn’t know you know, does he?”
“No.”
There was a sort of wonderment as he continued to look down at her. “And Drago?”