Signed To The Mafia King - Chapter 64: Chapter 64

LUCA
I parked outside and waited for Alina.
I was picking her up after her meeting. The door opened but it was Alberto who came outside.
He walked past me toward his car, his eyes burning with so much hatred, it was almost laughable. If looks could kill, I’d be dead a thousand times over and he wouldn't have been my killer either.
I didn’t react. Didn’t even spare him a second look as I pulled open the passenger door just as Alina stepped outside.
She pulled her coat tighter, her hair shifting against her shoulders as the wind picked up. She looked tired and majestic at the same time.
When I stepped into the car, the driver pulled out, my security detail in front and behind us.
After being shot at, I was more careful with security. I watched Alina's face. She looked calm, but I could tell she was worried. “How did the meeting go? Any problems?”
She shrugged. “The meeting went fine enough.” Then, after a second, she added, “Alberto threatened to kill you.”
I laughed quietly. Why was she worried about something as unimportant as that? “Alberto couldn’t kill me in a thousand lifetimes.”
She nodded, not disagreeing, but she bit her lip gently. “Where are we going?” she asked instead.
“Lunch. I need to talk to you.”
She didn’t ask about what. In fact she didn't say another word until we were at the restaurant. I could tell that she was still worried.
But was she worried about me or her uncle? Because if Alberto came for me, all he would receive as reward would be an early death.
When we were seated at the restaurant, Alina didn’t even look at the menu before ordering. When the waiter turned to me, I barely glanced up. “I’ll have the same thing she just ordered.”
She arched a brow, rolling her eyes. Her eyes looked teasing. I felt my cock expand, just from the sexy look in her eyes. “You don’t have a mind of your own?”
I smirked. “Not when it comes to food, moreso when I’m with you.”
She rolled her eyes again, but I saw the way her lips smiled before she looked away.
The food arrived quickly, warm and fresh, and for a while, neither of us spoke. I let her eat, let the silence settle between us until I set my fork down and exhaled.
“Daniel called. He is Riot's elder brother.”
She looked up, chewing slowly, waiting.
“He’s willing to return Valerie’s son.” I watched her closely, and saw the look of disbelief in her eyes. “In exchange for Valerie and Maya.”
She was already shaking her head before I even finished. “No.”
I had been expecting her to refuse. “Alina…”
“That’s not a solution. That’s the same as not getting him back at all. If we release Riot and send Valerie back, they’ll just keep mistreating them. We want Valerie free. Not suffering more because of them.”
She sat forward slightly, her eyes locked on mine. “It doesn’t have to be war,” she said. “If we can get the Alvarados to agree to leave Valerie alone.”
I watched her, and heard the fire in her voice. I had expected her to argue about this but not this angrily.
She was taking it like she owed it to Valerie to set her free. And I knew why. But did Alina even realize it?
Did she remember Valerie?
Did she remember that her father had killed Valerie’s family?
That he’d done it because he stole from them?
Was that why she wanted this so badly?
I supposed I understood the guilt if that was why.
I just didn’t think guilt would be enough to stop what was coming.
“We have to return Valerie,” I said.
Alina shook her head, exhaling sharply. “No, we don’t.” She set her fork down with a little more force than necessary. “If you don’t want to be associated with her, I’ll move her to my family house. Your men will be safe, and she’ll still be free.”
I gritted my jaw. What kind of man did she think I was? “That’s not what this is about.”
She stopped eating completely, angrily glaring at me. “Then what is it about?”
“I want her son safe.” I held her eyes, trying to make her understand. “Once he’s safe, we can figure out how to help her run.”
Alina shook her head. “If she goes back there, we’ll hear she’s dead the next day.”
I didn’t get a chance to argue because her phone rang.
She sighed, pulling it out, and checked the screen before answering.
A moment passed, then her face twisted into an expression between annoyance and exhaustion. Without a word, she handed the phone to me.
I took it, already irritated. Who the hell was it?
“Alina? Stay away from Luca!” I heard Victoria screaming into the phone.
For fucks sake. Of all ridiculous things to deal with at the moment; this?
“Victoria!” I snapped, a warning in my voice.
Victoria just laughed, like the entire thing was funny. “Baby? Is that you? Oh it's so good to hear from you instead of that bitch.”
My hand tightened around the phone. “Stay the hell away from my wife.”
The laughter cut off, replaced by silence as I hung up.
I handed the phone back to Alina. She took it, narrowing her eyes. “Why won’t you deal with that woman?”
I sighed, rubbing my lips. I was tired already. “What do you want me to do?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe actually handle it?” She threw her hands up. “She’s obviously insane, and you're not going to stop her by saying stop.”
“I don’t hurt women.”
Alina scoffed. “That’s nice. Very noble.” She leaned in. “What happens when she kills me first?”
I clenched my jaw. Victoria wasn't that kind of woman. “She won’t.”
“Oh, right. Just because you said so, right?”
I inhaled slowly. “Alina…”
“And why do I even have a bodyguard? Huh?” She was on a roll. “I don’t need a bodyguard, Luca. Pietro is enough.”
Why would she even argue with that? Didn't see the state of things right then? “You need a guard.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes,” I insisted. “Daniel is volatile right now. He could do anything.”
She shook her head, clearly about to argue again.
“You need someone watching your back,” I added, “not because you can’t handle it. Because I’m worried about you.”
That shut her up.
Her lips pressed together, her fingers curling against the table, but she didn’t say anything else.
She didn’t respond. Not even when I asked what she thought about what I’d just said.
I let the silence sit for a moment before pushing my chair back. “We should go.”
Fine.
I tossed some bills onto the table and stood.
She followed, still quiet, still not looking at me, as we made our way toward the door.
Then my phone rang.
I pulled it out, glancing at the screen. Marco.
I answered. “Yeah?”
“Daniel’s at the office.”
I stopped walking, shocked to my core. “What?”
“He’s here. And he has Valerie’s son. He wants you to come with Maya and Valerie.”
I slid the phone into my pocket. It seemed the war was about to start earlier than we had thought.