Lucian (Filthy Marcellos #1)(32)

"It isn't about the money," Jordyn tried to say.

"Oh, I figured that out. Don't worry."

"No, you don't understand at all, Lucian."

A hurt expression marred his handsome features, drawing his mouth that kissed and loved her body so well into a frown. It pained Jordyn to know she was the cause, but he still wasn't listening.

"Take your time, sweetheart. Figure out what you need. Isn't that what I told you from the start?"

It was. That's what was the most difficult.

"I can't be someone different for you, Lucian. I can't just leave me behind. Playing dress up and having sleepovers doesn't make a new woman. I need you to hear me right now."

Again, the phone in his pocket vibrated.

"I have to go," Lucian said quietly. "When I get back, if you need something different, we can work that out, too."

Could they really?

Jordyn said nothing as he stepped into the waiting elevator and the doors closed behind him. She didn't think it over very well when she grabbed enough money from his desk for a taxi and left ten minutes later, either.



• • •



Lucian's distraction was not going unnoticed.

Once a month, Lucian had to act like nothing more than the capo he was for a few hours and say to hell with the rest of the world, but he wasn't able to do that today. Tribute was usually his favorite time in any given month. All nineteen of the Marcello family capos gathered to make their payments to his father at a club they always used for this purpose.

Usually business was talked, issues noted, drinks were had, and so forth. It was, essentially, the mafia at its oldest form. For decades upon decades, this one event and the tradition it held in the Cosa Nostra never changed. Giving proper due to the boss.

Lucian was somewhere else entirely.

"Where in the fuck is Gio?" Antony asked from the other end of the booth.

Lucian shrugged, not caring. "Busy, maybe."

"He doesn't get to be busy today, Lucian."

Dante shot his brother a pointed look mixed with concern. Maybe it was his blatant disregard for the men around him, or the conversations some tried to strike with him, but Lucian couldn't do it.

"Have you made anymore decisions towards The Sons of Hell?" someone asked.

That perked Lucian up, briefly.

Antony said nothing right away, letting the question hang while everyone waited. "Their captains aren't working with my capos, or paying for their place, at the very least. I've been told by a few people it's a hostile environment trying to deal with them. Police and media attention is finally starting to wane from their direction after the mess with my casino."

"That's what you've been waiting for," Lucian said, feeling ridiculous that he hadn't realized it before.

His father repeatedly brushed off Lucian's attempts to discuss what needed to be done about Will Vetta and his men. Mostly, he just wanted his retribution for what they had done to Jordyn. Plus, with Will gone, or at the very least, disabled to the point he didn't have enough power to come back on Jordyn again, she would be safe.

Lucian scowled and tipped up his drink for a long, burning swig at the thought of her name alone. Clearly he still wasn't over their earlier fight.

"Yes," Antony confirmed. "I couldn't very well send in any of my guys to make a point while attention was still hot and heavy on them."

"Not anyone," Lucian said, glancing over at his father. "It needs to be me."



       
         
       
        

"It wouldn't have looked good. Attention might have turned to us. That's an issue we don't need."

"And now?" Lucian asked.

"Where is Gio?" Antony asked again, deflecting the question. "Mio Dio, Lucian. I swear I will shove my foot so far up his ass he'll taste my boots for the next month if he shuns me today. I am not in the mood to deal with him acting like a fucking cafone."

"I don't know where he is," Lucian snapped. "I'm not his babysitter."

"But he is your younger brother."

Lucian glared at his father. "And so is Dante, but no one needs to keep tabs on him."

Frankly, Lucian had been far too busy with life, his work, and Jordyn to be running after Gio. At some point, it had to be a sink or swim situation. Gio would clean his act up and do what needed to be done, or he wouldn't and he'd drown.

"That's my job," Antony replied. "Dante's my underboss. I expect you to keep an eye out for Gio, just like you always have. Vaffanculo and go find out where your brother is."

Lucian was aware all of the eyes in the room had turned to him. There was a line between respect and disrespect when it came to Antony being the boss and his father. He'd missed it completely and jumped right over it with a bang and a mighty fuck you.

"Sorry, Boss," Lucian said quietly. "I'll figure it out."

"Do that. And quickly before what little patience I have for you runs out as well."

Lucian climbed out of the booth and weaved around the men until he was at the back end of the club where there was privacy. Pulling out his phone from his pocket, Lucian quickly realized he hadn't turned the ringer or vibrating back on the cell when he silenced it earlier. Just his home screen alone told him he'd missed several calls and texts from Gio, some that very morning when Lucian was arguing with Jordyn.

He cussed low, dialing Gio's number. Gio picked up in two rings.

"Yeah, I know, I'm on my way. Tell him not to have a fit about it," Gio ranted the moment he answered. "Today is not my day, man."

Lucian sighed. "What the hell happened?"

"I left you a bunch of messages!"

"I haven't checked them. I'm an idiot. I get it. You're one more person who doesn't need to tell me that this morning, Gio."

The younger man went quiet before he asked, "What? Hey, did something happen I don't know about?"

"Nothing. It's nothing. Anyway, what happened with you?"

Gio barked a laugh. "I grabbed some chicken wings last night from the place down the street. I gave Cain the leftovers this morning, and what'd he do? Choked on a bone because he eats like he's never been fed! Inhale and swallow, he doesn't even chew. It got stuck in his throat. Scared the shit out of me. I love that dog like nobody knows. Nearly killed someone trying to get him to the vet. I've been here all morning. I'm just leaving." 

Relief washed through Lucian, though he felt bad about Gio's beloved Rottweiler. "He okay, now?"

"They're going to keep him for a day or so, just to make sure there was no damage to his esophagus, but it seems like he's fine. Whiney fucking mutt didn't want me to go. Do you know what it feels like to have something you adore look at you like you're just killing it by leaving? Can't find a woman to keep me interested, but that dog owns me. It's ridiculous."

Lucian laughed at his brother's sickeningly unconditional love for his dog. Even so, he was still pissed off. Gio might not have been able to contact Dante or Antony that morning because their phones were always turned off during this time, but he had other ways of getting a hold of Lucian.

"Why didn't you call my condo?"

"I did," Gio said, sounding confused. "A dozen times after I tried your cells. I thought you were being an asshole and ignoring me."

After?

"Jordyn should have picked up," Lucian muttered, more to himself.

"No one answered. It went to voicemail. You didn't bring her today, did you?"

God, no.

Lucian didn't answer his brother, though, because he was suddenly really panicked.

"You're sure you called my condo?" Lucian asked, the words coming out strained.

"Sì, Lucian. Rang off the hook. What is wrong with you?"

"Cain's vet is in Brooklyn, right?"

"Yeah."

"You're closer than me. I need you to go to Jordyn's old apartment and see if she's there."

Gio huffed quietly. "Dad's gonna kick my ass."

"No, he'll kick mine," Lucian replied. "I'll handle it."

"Was she supposed to go there?" Gio asked. "That's fucking stupid of you to be letting her wander around the city alone."

"No, but we had a fight about it this morning. I didn't want her anywhere near it. She wouldn't listen, or maybe I wasn't hearing what she was trying to say."

"That sounds like you."



• • •



"What do you mean you can't give me the spare keys to my apartment?" Jordyn asked angrily. "It's my apartment. My things are inside. The rent is paid until next week. Give me the spare keys."

The landlord of the building shook his balding head. "Listen, cutie. Mr. Suit might have paid for the damages to the door the first time, but he didn't pay for the second round, okay? That's coming out of my pocket, because even your damage deposit won't cover it. Not even close. That's worthy of an eviction, got it? Feel lucky I'm not going after you for the costs."

"Mr. Suit?"

"Tall, Italian, hazel eyes, dressed up like he could pull out the cash from his pocket to buy this shithole if he wanted. Mr. Suit."

Lucian paid for the damages to replace her door and didn't tell her? Why?

Jordyn brushed off the questions. "What do you mean, the second round?"