“I don’t know what to say,” I replied, shame flooding my entire being.
“I don’t expect you to say anything,” he retorted. “I’m not here to tell you Massimo is dying, Francesca. I’m here to tell you that I will be here when your shift is over and you’re going back to Morgan City with me.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to issue an automatic refusal, but I wisely caught myself in time. There’s no way I’d deny a dying man’s last wish. And, even if I were heartless enough to do something that vile, there’s no way Luca would let me. Luca was here for exactly what he said he was here for. He was taking me back, whether peacefully or by my hair, and I didn’t blame him one bit.
“O…okay,” I agreed. “I…uhm, my shift ends at-”
“At five, I know,” he interrupted, and I hated that he knew that. I also wasn’t surprised that he did.
“Can…can I go home and change first?” I hated asking him for permission, but I was smart enough to realize the boy I knew was not the man sitting before me. Once upon a time, I could have sworn Luca Benetti would never harm me, but now? It’s possible six years has turned the Luca Benetti I once knew into an entirely different person.
“You may,” he allowed. “However, since we don’t have time for bullshit, your bag will already be packed and ready to go.” He eyed me in a way that issued a dare my way, but my mind was primarily on Massimo and hoping I wasn’t too late to say goodbye.
“Bag?”
Luca jerked his head towards the openness of the restaurant. “Today’s Wednesday. It’s been arranged that you will be off the next few days for a family emergency. It’s all been arranged, and you will be back to work on Monday.”
My schedule wasn’t a set schedule, but Leda, the restaurant manager, usually scheduled me on the weekends. I was a good waitress, and she knew I enjoyed working the weekends. “Luca, I need to work. That’s too many days off. Maybe I can go see him today and go back…” I trailed off as Luca leaned closer and narrowed his eyes at me.
“If you need money, I’ll provide that for you, Francesca, but let’s get one thing clear.” I’d swallow if my mouth hadn’t gone complete dry. “If that man wants you sitting by his bedside every hour of the rest of his days, then that’s what you will fucking do. Am I clear?”
His words hit my chest like a sledgehammer. Shame was a hurtful wave throughout my body. Even if I couldn’t afford it, Massimo was dying and here I was complaining about something as trifling as money. I let out a deep breath, hoping to release my shame along with it. “Of course.”
Luca didn’t grace me with any more conversation. He simply stood up, gave me a kiss on the top of my head, and walked out, taking three other random patrons with him.
I stayed in the booth until Robbie came to get me, and the entire time I couldn’t think of anything but Massimo. But as the clock ticked down to the end of my shift, another name crossed my mind.
Phoenix.
Chapter 5
Phoenix~
Back to Luca, Ciro, and I being rarely seen together at the same time, we staggered our visits to see Massimo. Even though Luca’s security was topnotch, we still didn’t like to chance it. We knew what the city called us, and it would be the ultimate show of power to take out The Holy Trinity all at once.
Luca was called The Father for obvious reasons. He was destined to take over the Benetti Family one day and there was no doubt he planned on running it with an iron fist. Even now, Giovanni was more of a figurehead than the actual head of the family. Luca ran the show, and we all knew he’d be in charge of the entire empire before he even hits thirty-five. He was only thirty now.
Ciro was called The Son because he might as well be the Son of God where the Benetti Family was concerned. Luca had trusted Ciro early on; since we were kids, really. But six years of getting dirty and filthy in ways that would made hardened murderers weep, Ciro earned his place next to Luca. Ciro was also referred to as The Son because, out of the three of us, he was the most likely to play with his food and throw a tantrum, but those moniker characteristics were only shared by me and Luca. No one else knew Ciro drove us crazy sometimes with his hotheadedness.
And I was called The Holy Ghost because I was invisible.
I felt it deep in my soul, too.
There was also a fourth member, she just didn’t know it. The streets of Morgan City referred to Frankie as Church. Growing up, we never downplayed how much Frankie Mancini meant to the three of us, and so almost everyone knew there was nothing we wouldn’t do for her. Her leaving Morgan City hadn’t changed that and everyone just got to calling her Church. She was our sacred place, and she was the only female the three of us worshiped.
It’s the reason why we agreed to all be present when Luca brought her back to see Massimo. Ciro wasn’t going to miss out on the chance to see his sister again after all
