Fallon & Luca

by Soraya Naomi

  “Syndicate?”

  “Mafia, Cosa Nostra. We prefer the term Syndicate.”

  Stunned, she tentatively probes, “So you don’t have your own company?”

  “I do have a company. What I’ve told you about my software company is true.” I wait to check her reaction before adding, “But that company is used to launder money too.”

  “But what exactly do you do for this...”

  “Syndicate?” I fill in her words. “We regulate drug routes. I can’t reveal everything, Fallon. It’s for your own safety that you don’t know the details.”

  Her hand covers her mouth as a tear streams down her cheek. Then her gaze snaps to mine. “Are you his son? This James’s son?”

  “No, we’re not related. Contrary to common belief, ranks and affiliations are not hereditary in the mafia. None of us are blood related.”

  Fallon shakes her head slowly while considering what to ask next. “I have so many questions now, but everything is blurred. I’m...too scared of what’s to come. What’s going to happen to me?”

  “First, I need you to fill in some blanks about earlier, Fallon. Do you know what time you were taken? And what were you doing in that alley?” I demand my answers and keep my voice even to not betray my disapproval.

  “How do you know I was kidnapped from the alley behind the venue? What time is it now?”

  “Focus,” I remind her sternly. “I told you my men were the ones who took you. I already spoke to them; that’s how I found out you were the one taken captive.” To address her other question, I glance at my watch. “It’s almost ten p.m.”

  She’s being visibly cautious, and I’m thanking god that she’s always been easy to read. I wait patiently for her response, although I can’t resist touching her anymore. When I lean forward to massage her cuffed wrist, her eyes narrow, but she allows my caress, so I cup her cheek, my thumb stroking the purple-covered skin.

  In this vital moment, we stare at each other, both realizing our entire relationship has changed forever. Never will we go back to simply being Luca and Fallon. Never will she trust me again. Never will I have her full devotion again.

  Fallon breaks from the intensity of our stare and faces the wall. Without looking at me, she speaks, “I wanted to talk to you, so I decided to leave the event around seven, maybe seven thirty. Alex, my boss, was crowding the front entrance, which is why I used the back exit. I opened the door and saw two men shooting another man. They saw me. I ran, fell, and scraped my knees. One of the guys caught me, hit me, and knocked me out with his gun.”

  I crack my knuckles as she summarizes the events of this awful night.

  “I heard the two men talking about how they’d screwed up when they thought I was still unconscious. When I woke up, the guy who hit me came in here and tried to attack me. His phone fell out of his pocket without him noticing, so I snatched it and hid it, and my first instinct was to call you.” At last, she faces me so that I’m able to see her disillusioned look.

  Fucking Frank will feel my wrath!

  Although I’m infuriated with Frank, I’m secretly proud of Fallon. She’s obviously telling the truth, because her story lines up with what I witnessed on the camera. Somewhere she does still trust me.

  But her innocent eyes, which are usually filled with so much love for me, are now haunted by hurt. I’ll kill Frank for ever laying one hand on what’s mine.

  After a tense silence, Fallon asks, “Luca, can you undo the cuff? It cuts into my skin.”

  I clench and unclench my fist to refrain from removing it. I want to so badly, but she wants to be released so that she can fight me. I know this. She’s just learned disturbing news and is trying to manipulate me in order to escape. The human mind will always think of escape in these circumstances. So I stand back, bracing myself for her anger.

  “I can’t. I’m sorry, Fallon. I need to find a way to get you out without endangering you further.”

  Fallon’s amazed by my reluctance. “Are you going to just leave me here?” The incredulous scowl she shoots me powers me backward.

  I have to get out of here before I take off the cuff and create more problems for us.

  “Luca?” Fallon scrambles up on the bed and lunges at me. With her left arm attached to the bed and pulled behind her, she touches my chest with her right hand. “Luca, you can’t leave me alone here. What if he returns? What if someone else comes in? What am I supposed to do? I’m so scared. Please, don’t go.”

  I cover her hand on my chest. “No one will come here. I can promise you that. See that camera?” I point to the camera in the corner. “I’ll watch over you every minute, Fallon.”

  “You’re really going to leave me alone here?” she cries, clutching my hand. “Please don’t do this.”

  I blink back my emotions because my control is slipping, and I cradle her face in my hands. “I promise I’ll come back as soon as possible. Don’t let on that you know me, okay?”

  She rests her forehead against my chest, and I inhale my Fallon to soothe my nerves. Her right arm loops around my waist, tugging me to her. “Please don’t leave me alone.”

  Her anguish is like acid pouring over me, her fear scalding my skin. Still, I stay strong and kiss the top of her head, removing her hand from my middle as I reluctantly vacate the room.

  “Luca, no!”

  After closing the door, I can still hear her yelling my name repeatedly while anger and guilt consume me.

  CHAPTER 27

  Luca

  Minutes later, Adriano and I are back in my office where I switch on the camera feed in Fallon’s room. She seems so small and frightened.

  I’m furious about this entire situation and rub circles over my tired eyes, and then I chuck Frank’s phone onto my desk as I rebuke Adriano, “You sent Damian with Frank? Why weren’t you with them? You, as the Capo of your soldiers, should’ve been there to prevent this. Now my hands are tied, and either way, I’m fucked. I have no idea how James will react when he finds out I’ve been dating Fallon behind his back. And why the hell did Damian agree to bring her to our headquarters? Your men screwed up.”

  “Luca, if this was any other girl, you wouldn’t be this upset,” he replies in an even tone. “Damian didn’t screw up. Would you rather they’d killed her there on the spot? I sent Damian because he’s my first soldier. He’d carefully assessed all of Frank’s other skills, and this was the last test he had to pass in order to become an official member of the Syndicate.”

  “Well, Frank fucked up. Do you think I’ll agree to his membership now? I’ll never allow it. And do you know what else he did?” Adriano sits down as I rest my palms on my desk, constantly checking my screen. “He attacked her.”

  Adriano’s expression hardens. “When?”

  “Right before I ran downstairs. Frank has proven to be a liability. Do you realize how ignorant he is? He’s not capable of being a soldier. I want him out.” I point to Frank’s phone lying on the desk. “He lost it when he struggled with Fallon.”

  “I’ll take care of Frank.”

  “No. I will take of care of him. He touched her. He beat her.” I can’t even express how enraged I am. How badly I want to unleash my fury on Frank.

  “Luca, we don’t torture one of our own. You know the rules. We don’t take any chances. Just finish him quickly, and then we can come up with a plan for Fallon. Frank is the least of our worries.”

  Despite Adriano’s logical advice, I’m torn between the need to hurt Frank and the need to prioritize in order to regain some control of the situation. The memory of Fallon fighting to avoid being beaten, of Frank on top of her, is running on repeat in my brain. But I’m the underboss of this Syndicate, and although I long to torture him, I must abide by the rules, and Frank was almost in. Adriano’s right; we have to end Frank and focus on Fallon. My need to control this situation prevails.

  “I know,” I finally agree, clenching my jaw. “Adriano, check one more time to make sure everyone has left.”<
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  I steadily give my order, even though I know Adriano – as my only friend in this organization – must know I’m all but calm right now. My Capo has always stood behind me. He’s the only man in this ruthless world whom I trust indisputably. Of course, I also trust James but not as much as I do Adriano.

  “I will. But this will probably not bring the outcome you’re hoping for, Luca. Is she worth it?”

  “Without a doubt,” I retort.

  “Why? What is it about her?”

  The memory of seeing her for the first time in the club with her full, soft mouth, her petite frame, and her striking brown hair flowing around her flawless face comes to mind. With her innocence, the quietness that surrounds her character, she’s enticed me like no other woman has ever done so before.

  “I don’t know, but she makes everything worthwhile. Look, I don’t have parents or siblings to center me like you do, Adriano, but Fallon does that for me; she calms me. It’s something indescribable, and I need her at the end of the day when I leave this Syndicate behind. This is nothing like my previous relationships. I can’t even tell you when I became so attached to her. Everything ran so smoothly those first few months that, suddenly, we were happy to spend every weekend together, doing absolutely nothing. Simply being with her was enough for me. She’s probably the only person besides you that makes me smile. She’s become my solace. And after only six months, I can’t imagine a life without her anymore. But I’ve known all along that everything would change if she learned the truth, because I don’t know if she could ever accept all of this. She still has an innocent view of the world.”

  And I’m afraid of losing her love but don’t say it aloud. This isn’t how it’s supposed to be. Damian and Frank really fucked up.

  “Where’s Frank right now?” I ask.

  “Passed out in the living room. Damian’s making sure he doesn’t leave the house.”

  I watch the security feed. Fallon has lain down on the bed and is staring directly into the camera, straight at me. Her eyes, troubled with a mixture of anger, fear, and disappointment, make me question my sanity while mulling over my options to ensure that she can at least sleep tonight.

  “I’m giving her a sedative,” I comment. “Meet me downstairs in ten minutes. We’ll take care of Frank tonight.”

  Opening the desk drawer, I take out a sleeping pill, which I crush and stir into a glass of water in the kitchen.

  With the glass in hand, I return to Fallon’s room. She struggles to sit up, hopeful that I’ve come to end her nightmare, but I’ll destroy her hope within a matter of seconds.

  “Drink this. I don’t want you dehydrated.” The mattress dips as I sit on the edge.

  She simply eyes the glass. “I don’t want to.” Fallon seems to surprise herself with the venom in her tone.

  Because I don’t want her up all night worrying, I persist, “It’s only water, Fallon. You must be thirsty?”

  After moments of nothing, she timidly gulps it down, and then she doesn’t spare me a glance as she lies down with her back to me and her cuffed left arm in an extremely uncomfortable looking position.

  I long to soothe Fallon and want to gather her in my arms, but she’s erected an invisible barrier around herself. At least the pill will allow her to sleep the entire night.

  Without another word, I lock the door with the new code, making certain no one can access Fallon’s room. And I go toward the living room on the first floor in search of Frank.

  Just as Adriano’s placing a black plastic bucket of ice cold water on the coffee table next to Frank, who lies passed out on the black leather couch, I join the scene.

  Adriano drives his fist into Frank’s face, and disoriented, Frank almost tumbles off the couch, touching his bloodied nose. “Fucker! What—” He stops mid-sentence when he observes Adriano’s seething expression.

  Without delay, Damian and Adriano take hold of Frank by his upper arms and jerk him up.

  “Stop it!” Frank protests.

  Damian twists Frank’s arm back as Adriano mirrors the action and clutches Frank’s neck, hovering him above the bucket and plunging his head in. Frank’s body spasms, and his head bangs against the side of the bucket as Adriano keeps him underwater and then brings him back up.

  Frank gasps for air. “Damian...no...”

  “Shut up!” Damian roars. “You fucked up. Now you pay.”

  Water thrashes over the rim when they dip him in again.

  I move to stand in front of Frank and gesture to Adriano to haul him up.

  As Damian and Adriano comply, Frank spits out water and sucks oxygen into his deprived lungs.

  “Look at me, Frank,” I command.

  “I don-t...know what I did wrong,” Frank sputters.

  “For one – you never force yourself on women. Two – you never touch what’s mine. And the woman you kidnapped is mine.” I reach for my gun that’s tucked in the back of my pants. “Let’s play a game.” And I attach the silencer, which I also had on me, screwing it on while I say calmly, “Run.”

  The two men let Frank go, and he flees toward the back exit.

  “Well, at least he’s smart enough not to run straight into the chest of the guard at the front door,” Adriano points out jokingly before we follow Frank’s trail through the state-of-the-art kitchen and out the back.

  The garden perimeter of the house isn’t fenced, but there’s nowhere to go. There are no other houses for miles, and Frank’s sprinting toward the river.

  “This guy runs like a drunk girl,” Adriano continues to insult Frank. “He’s not even that far away yet.”

  I disregard his comments and hold out my firearm, needing retaliation for Frank hurting the woman I love. Then I aim at his knee and pull the trigger.

  Frank falls down with a loud scream of agony, and we approach him, the three of us towering over him as he lies on his side in the dry grass, clasping his ass.

  “Uh-oh, in the butt,” Adriano mocks and slaps me on my back. “You took nip it in the bud too literally. Your aim is off, Luca.”

  I shake my head at Adriano’s lighthearted ways, even in the worst of circumstances, and admit dryly, “I was going for the knee.”

  “Please...Please give me a second chance...argh,” Frank yelps when Damian pins him on his back with the sole of his shoe.

  I look Frank in the eye. Another man lost in this cold-blooded world. Targeting for his heart, I release two more bullets and end him permanently before my rage gets the upper hand.

  “Throw him into the river. You know the drill,” I order Damian and add, “Do you have Fallon’s purse?”

  “Yes, it was this tiny thing with only her phone and keys inside,” he informs.

  “Bring it to me when you’re done here,” I say and retreat to the house.

  I’m not going to my penthouse as long as Fallon’s in the basement, and keeping my promise to watch over her, I bring my laptop with me to my private room on the third floor. There, I toy with the idea of moving Fallon in with me since the house is deserted but decide against it, not knowing her current frame of mind and if she might try to escape.

  My strategy materializes in my head while I lie awake after hours of insomnia. I don’t trust anyone in this business except Adriano and James, but no one in this Syndicate will dare touch Fallon if they know that she’s my girlfriend. Now that I’ve had time to think about everything that’s happened and organized my thoughts, I’m starting to realize that the biggest problem here is probably Fallon. How do I convince her to trust me and stay with me?

  But regardless of what Fallon might do, I need to confide in James, so I decide that my first order of business tomorrow will be to tell James about my relationship with her. It’s only a matter of time before everything comes out anyway, and it’s best to have him in my corner. It was only because I knew the importance of capturing Danny – anything and everything would be risked to silence him – that I didn’t already let James in on my involvement with Fallon.
However, I can now conclude that Fallon will be of no help in leading us to Danny, nor is she essential in our quest for him.

  What also has me worried is New York Syndicate’s boss, Leggia. After openly taunting me for weeks by having Fallon followed only when I’ve been with her, he’s been quiet over the last week, which is unlike him.

  So Fallon’s already an indirect part of this Syndicate because of her affiliation to me. I just need to make sure she doesn’t contact the police. She can go home, and I’ll give her time without letting her out of my sight. If I keep her here, she’ll hate me forever.

  Setting aside all my worries, I trudge down to the room where we’re keeping Fallon and key in the code. I’m the damn underboss of this Syndicate, and I want her in my bed, not in some cold basement.

  Thankfully, Damian handed me the key to the cuff before he left, and after I enter the room to find Fallon fast asleep on the bed, I free her wrist, sitting her up to cradle her in my lap as she struggles to wake up.

  Sifting her hair out of her face, I revel in the feel of my Fallon. Her perfume is different. Her usual sweet smell is faint, a faded remembrance of her before she was brought into my corrupted world. She looks up, and by the devotion in her eyes, I can tell she’s too drowsy to recall where she is. Desperate as I am to give her some sense of security under these shady circumstances, I smile at her.

  “I...”—she wets her dry lips with the tip of her tongue—“don’t feel good.”

  “I’ll take care of you, dolcezza. Sleep.” I swallow back the brick that’s lodged painfully in my throat and kiss her forehead.

  I hug Fallon to me tightly, not knowing if it might be the last time I’ll ever be this close to her again without the animosity emanating from her. Pushing my lips into her hair, I leave several hard kisses while breathing her in as the fear of losing her love grows with every minute of every hour.

  As I sit with Fallon in my arms, I’m confronted with the blemishes on her smooth skin. My dolcezza with an admirable spirit to fight despite her fear. Her bruises will heal. The cuts on her knees will heal. But the scars on her soul and mind have just begun to form, and those scars will become deeper and deeper with time. Those scars are now feeding her hatred for me. Yet I’m desperate to avoid the day when all that’s left is pure hate and contempt for what I allowed to happen to her.