AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s okay for that knowledge to make a difference,” Luca said softly. “And it’s okay to hold onto the good things from your childhood. It doesn’t make you weak. I know you, Roman. I know that’s what you think. It’s also not a betrayal.”
Luca was right, he knew Roman very well. But to Roman it was a betrayal of his mother’s memories. As well as the love he had for Luca, and even Angela. Anything with a connection to their trauma, no matter how fragile that connection was, couldn’t be forgiven.
“It’s okay to want your uncle to be good, Roman,” was Luca’s next statement.
Roman shook his head. “That’s just it, I don’t care either way. At least, I never did before. I didn’t spare him because of loyalty or sentimentality or anything like that. It was because he was truly ignorant of my father’s actions regarding you. Overhearing him that day led me to you. I also wanted nothing to do with the Romano dynasty. Short of killing every single member, allowing Armando to be in charge was the only solution. But now, since I’ve been with Angel, thoughts like this pop up.”
“Isn’t love wonderful?” Luca asked wistfully.
Roman merely grunted because he wasn’t sure how to respond. Yes, love with Angel was amazing. But it was also complicated. Being weak was a very real fear, and it was something he couldn’t afford. He told Luca as much.
“That’s faulty thinking. Love makes you stronger, Roman. And smarter,” Luca said with certainty. “Not the opposite. You’re the person you were always supposed to be, thanks to Angel.”
“I’m pretty sure you have a lot to do with that, too,” Roman mumbled, pulling Luca into a hug. “There would be no family dinner nights and no cute cats without you. Just blood and tears.”
“Then consider yourself doubly blessed,” Luca teased.
Beeping from the computer had them quickly breaking apart. They both scanned the screen with keen interest, but Roman didn’t know what he was looking at. Luca was silent as his eyes ran over the information.
“Well?” Roman demanded impatiently.
“I know where he is.” Luca’s voice was grim as he brought up a familiar map and pointed to a red dot.
“The fucker is in the city? My city?!” Roman roared.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
“I can’t believe it,” Angela said, clinging to Roman’s hand as she read over the data on Godfrey. “We have him.”
“Not yet,” Roman corrected, looking fierce. “But soon.”
She nodded, understanding that it wasn’t as simple as knowing Godfrey’s real identity, or even his location. Luca had discovered the man had no less than six aliases. Of which, Godfrey and the Foreman were but two. And each alias was detailed and expertly created. Which meant extremely deep pockets and lots of corruption, most likely at the highest level in the government.
“Honestly, if I didn’t know these IDs were fake, I probably wouldn’t have looked deeper. They’re that good,” Luca commented, looking at the copies of the six passports spread across the conference room table.
“This is bigger than just us,” Angela mumbled.
“What’s that?” Roman inquired.
She met his eyes. “Taking Godfrey down isn’t going to be enough. Yes, he’ll get what he deserves. But what about all the other people working with him? What about all his clients? And the victims, what about them?”
“This isn’t a rescue mission, Angel,” Abel said from across the room. “And it isn’t a crusade to punish every scumbag on the planet. This is about killing Godfrey for what he did to you and Luca.”
She hadn’t been as surprised as the others to learn Godfrey was involved with Luca’s disappearance all those years ago. It made a horrible sort of sense, and it was probably something they should have thought of before now. A known sex trafficker working with Roman’s father for years and then Luca was secretly sold? That was a giant red flag, right there. Hindsight was like that, though, and she wasn’t cruel enough to mention it now. It would serve no purpose other than more guilt and self-recrimination.
Refocusing, she responded to Abel’s words. “That’s how this started. But it doesn’t have to be how it ends.”
Roman frowned, shaking his head. “What exactly are you proposing, Angel?”
“That we tell the cops.”
Sal and Abel started talking over each other, and Angela was positive Morrigan would have had a thing or two to say had she been there. But she was otherwise engaged. Angela ignored Sal and Abel, keeping her eyes on Roman. His stoic mask was in place, and she had a hard time determining what he was thinking. “Say something,” she prompted.
“You tried going to the authorities before. It did no good. What makes you think anything has changed?” He went on before she could answer. “It would do more harm than good, Angel. It would alert the people working with him and give him a chance to escape. Or, more likely, give his clients a chance to assassinate him to ensure their secrets are kept. And nobody but me will have that privilege.”
“And me,” Sal added, his tone brooking no argument. He was fuming from the revelations about Luca.
Roman nodded to Sal in acknowledgment. “And you.”
