Finding Forgiveness

“Everything is worse alone,” he said.

I tilted my head back and screwed up my eyes as another wave of tears came my way. Without hesitation, Chico slipped next to me and put a gentle hand on my knee.

I looked at him for a moment, taken aback by his action before I couldn’t keep the tears away any longer and rested my head on his shoulder.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and simply did what he does best and sat quietly with me. It provided comfort. Comfort in a primitive form but comfort all the same and I was grateful for at least any attempt.

It was more than what anyone else was doing.

Hours later, Luciano and Andrea finally left the office and Andrea showed him to the spare room. Chico slipped away knowing Andrea would be in soon and not wanting to lose his head. Andrea didn’t disappoint and five minutes later appeared in the bedroom. After glancing down at me for a split second he walked in like I wasn’t even there and ignored my tear-stained cheeks and misery.

I watched as he loosened his tie and stepped out onto the balcony.

“I hope you’ve learnt something from today,” he said leaning over the railings. “Don’t fucking mess with me or bad things happen…”

“You can’t trust Luciano,” I said.

“Oh yeah?” he asked turning to me. “Why?”

“No one can. You heard him say it himself, he has no loyalty. What if Leo offers him a better deal? That man is bad news. Take it from me. I’ve known him for seven years.”

“Loren can’t beat my offer,” he said confidently.

“What makes you so sure?” I asked.

“He doesn’t want money or acceptance in the Stella pack or whatever else your mate could give him. He just wants you to suffer in the maximum way,” he replied. “And as a good judge of character, I’d say he’s fairly fed up of living underneath Alpha Loren anyway. Just like me, he thinks it’s about time the Loren reign ended.”

“They’ve known each other a long time. Don’t count on Luciano wanting him dead,” I said.

Andrea only laughed and leant back in his chair.

“You’re a smart woman, Blanca. Why are you warning me if you think that’s true? Surely you would be perfectly happy to let Luciano go running back to your mate and switch sides? I’d be killed, you’d go back to your family, all would be well? So the very fact that you are telling me shows that you don’t even believe what you are saying. You know as well as I do that Luciano could kill his oldest friend in the blink of an eye and without a second thought. He’s a total psychopath and you’re just trying to protect your mate from him”

I opened my mouth to speak but there were no words to say.

“Are we done here, Blanca?” he asked raising an eyebrow. “Only I want you to go and make dinner.”

I sighed, “What would you like?”

“Something Italian. Let’s make our guest feel at home.”

Leo’s POV

Max looked around the empty cafe and then out the wide window onto the street, “This doesn’t feel right,” he said.

Last night, we had received a call from the one and only Luciano who claimed to be able to help us find Ella. After Max had dealt with the initial shock of finding out that I didn’t kill him four years ago, we agreed to meet in this rather mundane Caracas coffee shop.

There was one girl working behind the counter and pretty much no customers leaving the only sound being the quiet buzz of an old speaker playing 1970s elevator music and the occasional beep of a car horn on the street outside.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

“We can’t trust him, Alpha,” Max continued.

“If he can take me to my Luna, I don’t care if I can trust him,” I replied. “Gustavo isn’t getting us anywhere. This could be our next best hope.”

Moments later, the bell above the door chimed, indicating someone had entered and a few moments after, the seat in front of us was drawn back and sat in by a tall, slender man with jet black hair.

He looked from me to Max as a smirk grew on his lips and his dark eyes glistened.

“Leonardo,” he said. “Long time no see, my friend.”

“I am not your friend,” I replied.

He stifled a laugh before turning to Max, “And my second favourite cousin, how wonderful it is to see you again.”

He gave a smile so contrived it could have been painted by a three-year-old.

“We are only here for Ella’s sake. So get on with it, what do you know?” Max said.

“You’re not even going to order me a coffee first?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

I clenched my jaw and his eyes snapped to mine, “Cut the shit, Luciano. How can you help me get my Luna?”

“Well,” he said beckoning the waitress over with his finger. “Andrea Martinez has been in touch with me.”

“Why?” I asked.

His lips curled up at the edges a little as he shrugged, “He asked me to kill you.”

At that point, the waitress appeared. The waitress nodded and then turned to me and Max taking one look at us before backing away back behind the counter.

“He asked you?” Max growled. I folded my arms across my chest before glaring him down. Max, who probably hadn’t scanned him for any kind of weapon on his way in, was far less relaxed which seemed to amuse Luciano and he sadistically smiled to himself.

“But what he doesn’t know is where my loyalty lies,” he said when he was done enjoying my Max’s panic.

I scoffed.

“You’ve never been loyal to me,” I replied.

“No, but I’m loyal to my family,” Luciano said. “My cousins.”

This time it was Max’s turn to scoff, “You’ve always enjoyed inflicting pain on us. What’s caused the sudden change of heart?”

“I saw Ella yesterday,” he said. “And I know we never got on but seeing my cousin in that way-”

“What way?” I asked sitting forward.

“All beaten and bruised and miserable and having to live and sleep with a man like Martinez,” he said, remaining eye contact with me.

I sat completely still, feeling the fury inside me rise. It was as if one single movement or word and I’d lose control of it so I just fixated my eyes on Luciano. He glanced over at me and then to Max who had leant back and ran his fingers through his hair as his right leg jittered. Underneath the false pretence, he seemed to be trying to hide his amusement but it was hard to decipher. Could he, for once in his life, be genuine?

“She needs rescuing as soon as possible,” he stated. “And since I have already gained Martinez’s trust, I’d say I could be a pretty good help if you will let me.”