14 - LUCA

The next day, I had a hangover from hell. I couldn't be bothered to do anything, I just wanted to stay in bed all day.

Fizz made his way into my bedroom, opening the curtains, causing bright light to radiate in the room. I grabbed hold of my pillow, covering my eyes agitatedly.

"Fuck off, Fizz!" I yelled.

He laughed, amused.

"Suit yourself. I'm gonna go for a run. Don't wait up for me," he shrugged.

And then he left the room, and I heard the door slam as he made his way out of the apartment.

I'd hardly been able to sleep a wink all night, not being able to forget what happened in the casino.

Wondering if the lady was okay…

Hating myself for letting her leave with that bastard.

All I could do was hope he didn't fuck her that night.

I got up from bed, rubbing my eyes, before booting up my computer, needing to cross-search these fuckers faces, after getting them on camera. My computer had a powerful security system – it was what I used back in Manchester to track down people who got on the wrong side of me, or didn't pay back their debts.

Most of the men at the table were irrelevant – they just worked for The Camorra.

When I cross-searched Marcello and dug up more information about him, I found out that his father was currently having the rights signed to him for an Oud business, with headquarters in London.

London?

I didn't know the Camorra operated in the United Kingdom, too. I thought it was just my mafia – the Sicilian's.

This was new information to me. I dug deeper, because the more information I found, the more questions I had left unanswered.

I looked further into the Oud business, and found out that it was previously owned by a man named Khalid Amelle.

Khalid Amelle…

I dug deeper, to learn more about this man.

He had connections with The Camorra, and was laundering their money through the Oud fragrance business. But then why the hell was Marcello's father taking over, if Khalid was already taking care of it?

And my jaw dropped in shock, as I came to learn that Khalid was found dead in Italy a few days ago.

My heart thumped against my chest, as everything began making a whole lot more sense. The puzzle pieces were finally clicking together in my head.

I looked further into Khalid's file, and learnt that he had a wife who died in childbirth, and two daughters.

One called Miriam…

And one called Zara.

I uploaded the rest of the pictures from my phone on to my computer, this time, needing to cross-search the lady's face.

And as I did…

My heart leapt to my throat in shock, as I came to the realization.

The realization that her name was Zara Amelle.

Khalid's daughter.

I swallowed down a lump in my throat, sweating profusely.

I found myself wanting to learn more about Zara.

And I surprised myself with what I found.

She was twenty-two years old…

Studying Chemical Engineering at University College London, better known as UCL.

In her penultimate year…

With just one year of the degree left.

So she was smart as well as sexy.

Independent…

She had a father who was a multi-millionaire, yet she still wanted to make her own way up in the world.

I didn't know this woman, yet she'd already made such an impact on me. She was phenomenal. Studying such a difficult course, as well as doing her own little side-hustles outside of university, to keep herself going.

Not wanting to be given any hand-outs.

Wasn't one to make friends…

Wasn't one to bother with men.

She had her head screwed on, she had a vision.

She knew what she wanted…

And it was attractive as fuck.

The fact she'd lost both her parents was heartbreaking…

Just like I'd lost both of mine.

And in its own fucked-up way, I guessed that was why I felt a connection with her.

Like I saw a bit of myself when I stared at her back in the casino.

Terrified by the fact that perhaps…

I'd finally met my match, after a life of solitude, a life of shit attitudes towards settling down.

But my thoughts were getting the better of me. I was getting carried away.

I needed to stay focused.

When I learnt all of this information about her, one thing wasn't making sense to me.

How she was supposed to be back in London studying.

So how the hell had she got caught up with Marcello in the first place?

By the record, she was a completely normal woman.

A woman who probably didn't know shit about her father's mafia involvement.

The university semester only ended around a week ago…

Meaning that exactly a week ago, she had still been studying for her course, and hadn't known Marcello until she came to Italy.

Which gave me all the more reason to believe that this arrangement was forced.

The fucker had shot her father dead when she came to Italy with him…

So that he would be out of the picture in order to take over his Oud business, and get all of the rights signed to his own father.

And with her father out of the picture…

He took his daughter while he was at it.

Zara fucking Amelle.

Suddenly, everything was making perfect sense to me.

She was just an innocent woman getting caught in the cross-fire for her father's fucked-up mistakes.

She didn't deserve this…

She didn't fucking deserve it.

I had to put a stop to this wedding.

She had a bright future ahead of her, so much to look forward to.

She didn't have to suffer like this, and pay the price for her father's errors long after he was dead.

She had a chance in life.

A chance to be amazing, achieve what she wanted.

Being caught up with the Mafia was the last thing she fucking needed.

I had to find a way to fix this.

I just had to.

I would save her from Marcello…

But the more I learnt about her, the more I wanted her for myself.

Knowing that she was the only woman who would ever fill the void in me.

Make me feel normal.

Make me feel sane.

Give me a reason to keep on going.

The only woman I felt like I could relate to.

Who was going to save her from me?

I was still a mafia man too, but I couldn't get her off my damn mind.

She was too innocent for my world…

I'd seen so many things I couldn't unsee, caused so much pain I couldn't undo.

And it had all been a choice.

Every choice, every decision…

Led to my own fucking downfall.

I knew that like a drug, now I'd seen her once, I would keep going back for more.

She was the last person I deserved.

But I was selfish.

Just the sheer thought of her being touched by a man that wasn't me…

Drove me over the edge.

Pushed me over the fucking brink.

Her body that was made for sin, her beautiful fucking face.

I wanted it all to myself.

Funny.

She was the beauty, and I was the beast.

But I would let her make her own decisions.

Once she got one taste of me…

Luca fucking Costello.

Once I would have her screaming until she forgot her own damn name…

I would ruin her for any other man.

She wouldn't want to be with anyone else.

Nobody else but me.