Strength. Resilience. Power.
“Mm,” Luca moaned into Alex’s mouth, his body tense as the heat inside him reached its peak.
“Fill me up, Luca…” Alex whimpered, his voice breathless and needy.
Luca didn’t need to be told twice. His release came in waves, filling Alex with a thick, heavy warmth. Alex groaned, savoring the sensation. “Oh god, Luca…”
“Fuck…” Luca whispered, his breath hot against Alex’s chest as he collapsed against him, his head resting on his boyfriend’s shoulder. He let the intensity of the moment fade, the rawness of his body a satisfying ache.
Alex lowered his legs, shifting slightly to keep the mess from dripping onto the already stained sheets. He smirked to himself, his body still humming. “God, that felt amazing.”
“Yeah,” Luca murmured, staring at the ceiling. He’d spent the whole week at Alex’s place, and somehow, amidst all the chaos of his life, it felt like the one thing grounding him.
It was Monday morning now—time to face the world again. They had big plans for after work today. Plans neither of them seemed ready for.
“You’ve got work, and I need to handle some things at the club,” Luca said, stretching before moving to the drawer Alex had cleared out for him. A small but meaningful gesture, one that Luca didn’t take lightly. Things were moving fast, but out of all the uncertainties in his life, Alex was the one thing that felt right.
“I know,” Alex replied, pulling himself out of bed. “What kind of things?” He was genuinely curious, still adjusting to the realities of Luca’s world.
Luca hesitated, gauging how much he should share. “Just a meeting. Some clients roughed up a couple of the girls last week. We’re going to... talk to them about it.”
Alex frowned. “Are the girls okay?” He’d encountered enough injured prostitutes in his line of work to know how dangerous things could get. The Moretti Girls were of a higher echelon and very well taken care of. They had health care and benefits. Alex didn’t remember how they did. Luca had told them that on paper they worked for some company Isabella ‘owned’.
“They’re fine, but the men won’t be.” Luca reassured him as he searched for a clean pair of underwear to put on after his shower.
Alex raised an eyebrow, amused. “Ooh, gonna pistol-whip them?” He bent down and grabbed Luca’s gun from where it had been carelessly tossed the night before, holding it up awkwardly by the trigger guard.
“Maybe don’t touch that,” Luca said, snatching it quickly and wiping it with his discarded underwear. “Don’t want your prints on it.”
“Would you prefer my prints on a different barrel?” Alex grinned as he gripped Luca’s ‘barrel’.
Luca chuckled, pulling him into a kiss. “Shower. Now.”
“Bossy,” Alex teased, but he followed Luca into the bathroom.
As they stepped under the warm spray, Alex turned on the water. “So... meeting your dad tonight,” he said, his voice tinged with nerves.
“He’ll love you,” Luca said firmly, running shampoo through Alex’s hair. “I do.”
Despite the reassurance, Luca’s stomach churned. Giovanni Moretti’s approval—or lack thereof—could determine everything. Luca couldn’t lose Alex. But he couldn’t turn his back on his family, either.
They finished their shower, got dressed, and headed out.
Luca should’ve seen it, noticed it. The car following him as he drove. The man taking photos of Alex and Luca as they left the apartment. He had been raised to be vigilant, to look for those things. But he was too enamored by Alex.
He didn’t see it. He didn’t see anything.
“So…” Luca sat across from Jefferson, a frequent client, with Adam by his side and Matteo on this other. “One of my girls came by a little rough last week.”
“What can I say, some of the guys like it rough.” Jefferson tried to laugh it off, Luca joined him with a dry laugh. Sarcasm thick in it.
“Well, my girls don’t mind it rough. But they do mind being bruised and having torn dresses. Dresses,” Luca took a sip of the whiskey and put it back down with a cold tap that echoed like a gunshot across the table and throughout the empty club. “might I add. I paid for and were quite expensive.” He stood up and walked around the table. Jefferson was nervous. He was trying to hide it, but he had a terrible poker face.
“I – I swear sir, I didn’t have anything to do with that.” He broke into a cold sweat as Luca sat on the edge of the table next to him. Luca looked down at him, his eyes saying he needed to hear more. “I – er – I just fucked the blonde. Paid her, and sent her on her way. That’s – I swear. I didn’t get too rough. That’s not my- not my style.” He stammered. Luca shifted.
“Josie. She’s a good one.” Luca pulled his phone out, pulled up an image from Orla, the woman who took care of the girls. “How’d this happen to her?” It was an image of her cheek, with a light bruise. Roughly the size of a hand. “And this?” Luca swiped to the next image of finger sized bruises on her upper arms, then to another with a long bruise against the back of her shoulders.
“I -” Jefferson opened his mouth as Luca backhanded him so hard he flew to the ground. He landed with a thud, chair clattering beside him. He scrambled back as Luca took a step forward. “Please Luca, I – Mr. Moretti! I didn’t do that. I swear.” Luca stepped between jeffersons legs and raised his foot right above the mans crotch and lightly brought it down. Slow and gentle, but with pressure to get his point across.
“Now Jefferson.” He said as the man winced in pain below him. “My father raised me to always treat a woman with respect. That’s why we take very good care of the women in our employ.” Luca swiped through more photos, showing Jefferson. “And these women don’t look like they were respected.”
“Luca – oh god, fuck that hurts! I – look – I swear I didn’t have anything to do with that. I did the one girl and went back to the hot tub. Made out with another but that’s it.” He pleaded, trying to get out from under Luca’s foot, but two bodyguards had stepped behind the man to prevent escape.
“Well, the girls are hurt and they’re scared. Gonna take weeks to heal. Weeks that they won’t be earning their very generous seventy-five percent.” Luca mused, checking his nails and knuckles, nonchalantly. “They won’t be able to pay their rent, or buy groceries. Pay their phone bills.” Luca lifted off of jeffersons crotch and pulled his gun, squatting down. “Does that sound fair?”
“No -no sir! It doesn’t” He scrambled. “I’ll- I’ll pay the girls each an extra grand for their services.” He offered.
“Just two? In this economy? That barely pays to replace Ellen’s heels that someone broke.” Luca looked at his gun, then turned his dark eyes back to Jefferson.
“Okay, you’re right. Five. Five grand each.” Luca gave him another look, he swallowed hard. “Ten. I mean. Ten sounds much better doesn’t it.” He smiled, praying that Luca would take the offer.
“And an additional ten, for me. For my troubles.” Luca smirked at him, standing up and holstering his gun. “Oh and ten for Ms. Orla. She’s just worried sick about the girls.” He chuckled, reaching his hand down to assist Jefferson up. He took it.
“That sounds more than fair Mr. Moretti.” Jefferson nodded quickly.
“It does.” Luca looked over his shoulder. “Adam anything to add?”
“Yeah, one of the girls said that one of Jeffersons associates used some racial slurs against her. The tall one with the fat gut.” Adam drank his drink. “With the bald spot and the nose hairs.”
“Oh?” Luca turned to Jefferson. “We’ll need that one’s name.”
“Of course sir.” Jefferson nodded, keeping his head down. He held his groin, massaging away the pain.
“Good, you’re good to go now.” Luca told him. “Oh, wait.” He reached out and grabbed his shirt, clenching it in fists. “If you ever,” He pulled Jefferson inches away from his face and spat with pure venom, “hit another one of my girls, or any girl, again. I will personally tie your cement shoes. Understood.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes.” Jefferson mumbled as Luca released him and pushed him away. He practically teleported he ran so fast out of the club.
“Good work.” Mateo nodded at Luca.
“Yes, good work indeed.” Giovanni said as he walked up to the table.
“Thanks.” He nodded. “Dad, when’d you get here?”
“Just as you were making it impossible for Jefferson to have children,” Giovanni said, a smirk playing at his lips as he snapped his fingers. One of his men moved immediately to pour him a drink.
“Guess I’ve been paying attention to your lessons,” Luca replied, forcing a small grin despite the tension tightening his jaw.
Giovanni chuckled, his deep voice carrying both approval and an edge of warning. “That you have, son. But I think we need to have a word.” He glanced at Matteo and Adam, his expression impassive but carrying an unspoken command.
Both men exchanged looks but knew better than to linger. “We’ll… go balance the books – or…something.” Matteo said, motioning for Adam to follow him out.
Giovanni waited until the table was empty and the men had all stepped away enough for privacy. He took his time, swirling the amber liquid in his glass, before finally turning to Luca.
“You handled Jefferson well. He’ll think twice before stepping out of line again.” Giovanni’s voice was calm, but his eyes carried the weight of experience—and expectation. “But that’s not why I’m here.”
Luca crossed his arms, leaning casually against the table, though his chest felt tight. “What’s on your mind?”
“Alex.” The single word dropped like a stone into a still pond, sending ripples of unease through Luca.
“Is there a problem?” Luca asked carefully, his tone guarded.
Giovanni took a long sip of his drink, studying Luca over the rim of his glass. “Not yet. But tonight is important. You’ve brought him into our world, Luca. Told him things he shouldn’t know. We don’t know him. We don’t know if we can trust him. You understand what that means?”
“I do,” Luca replied, meeting his father’s gaze without flinching.
“Good.” Giovanni set his glass down with a deliberate clink. “Because I need to know he’s strong enough for this life. And you need to be ready for the questions he’ll face tonight—questions from me, your mother, and eventually from the others.”
“What kind of questions?” Luca straightened, his protective instincts flaring.
Giovanni’s expression softened—just barely. “The kind that reveal if he can be trusted. If he has the spine to stand beside you when things get ugly—when shit hits the fan. You and I both know this life isn’t for the faint-hearted.”
“He’s stronger than you think,” Luca said firmly. He could feel it in Alex: strength, resilience, power.
“I hope you’re right.” Giovanni leaned closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. “But remember this, Luca: if he falters tonight, if he hesitates or shows weakness, it won’t just reflect on him. It’ll reflect on you. And that’s something I can’t allow—not even for my own son. It’ll be hard enough selling this to the family.”
“I know, Dad.” Luca swallowed the lump in his throat, the burn of whiskey doing little to ease it.
“Do you?” Giovanni’s eyebrows furrowed. “Let’s set aside the fact that you exposed the family to a relative stranger.”
Luca bit back his retort—that Alex wasn’t some random guy, that he’d only found out by accident after months of dating—and let his father continue.
“I’ve seen men swear loyalty to this family with every ounce of conviction in their bodies, only to crumble when the pressure hits. You think Alex is different? Well, he’d better be, because you don’t want to know what happens if he lets us down.”
“He won’t,” Luca said through clenched teeth, his jaw tight.
“I hope so.” Giovanni sighed, the weight of his words sinking into the silence. “I hope Alex is different. I truly do, because I can see how much you care for him.”
For a moment, the mafia boss faded, leaving only a father speaking to his son.
“Tonight isn’t just about trust, Luca. It’s about making sure Alex understands what being in your life means. If he doesn’t, he’s not just a risk—he’s a liability.”
“I know.” Luca’s voice was quieter now. “I’ll make sure he understands when I pick him up.”
“Good.” Giovanni finished his drink and stood. “By the way, your mother will be joining us.”
“What?” Luca shot up straighter. “I was nervous enough about him meeting you. He’s not—I’m not—ready for him to meet Mother.”
Giovanni’s smirk was almost amused. “Well, she insisted. Get him ready.” He walked over, bent down to kiss the top of Luca’s head, and added, “She’s making meatloaf, by the way.”
And then he was gone, leaving Luca sitting there, dumbfounded.
“So, what’s going on?” Adam asked, strolling over.
Luca stared off into the distance, expression blank. “My boyfriend is going to die tonight.”
Alex sat at the edge of the ambulance; his phone propped against his ear by his shoulder as he organized the shelf in front of him. It was near the end of his shift and the fire station buzzed around him.
“So, what are you gonna do? It’s the big night isn’t it.” Cody said over the phone. A teasing edge to his voice, but Alex could hear the concern under it. No one knew that he’d told Cody anything and he needed to keep it that way. Cody also didn’t need to know anything more than the surface level.
“Yeah.” Alex muttered, wiping down a pair of trauma shears. “Big night. Meeting my boyfriends dad. No pressure.” He sarcastically chuckled.
“Meeting your mob daddy’s, daddy.” Cody laughed. “You have to be shitting yourself right? Just a little?”
Alex let out a snort. “Oh you know, just your average dinner with potential cement shoes or dessert if I fuck up.”
“Jesus,” Cody groaned. “Normal gays just have to worry that the parents are religious bigots.”
“I’d prefer that.” Alex rolled his eyes, moving onto the next task.
“Why are you even going, why not just run away to the mountains of Appalachia and become a snake wrangler.” Cody offered.
“It’s not like I have a choice. I think they’d find me if ran.” Alex replied, running a hand through his hair. How far does their power extend? Alex wondered to himself. “I love Luca and I want to be with him – whatever that means now. I have to show his father I’m…I don’t know…worthy of knowing the ‘family secret’? Trustworthy?”
“Man, this is so not normal.” Cody quipped, but his tone was soft. “You’ve got nothing to prove to anyone but Luca. Screw the old man and the rest of the mafia peanut gallery.”
Alex shook his head, a small smile tugged at his lips despite his nerves. “It’s not that simple.” He huffed, plopping down and leaning against the rig. “Luca isn’t just some guy who has a complicated family – he’s in this world. If his father thinks I can’t deal, it’s not just on me, it’s on him too.”
“Do you think you can?” Cody asked him and Alex thought for a moment. He’d asked himself this question a hundred times over the last week. His answer was always the same.
“If it means I get to be with Luca? Then yes. I can.” He assured Cody as much as himself.
Cody sighed. “You know most guys would run screaming into the desert. But here you are, ready to go toe-to-toe with the mafia boss over spaghetti.”
“Yeah well,” Alex exhaled, standing up and straightening his clothes. “I’m not most guys, and I don’t think we’re having spaghetti.” Cody laughed.
“Just…” Cody stopped laughing. “be careful okay? And skip any jokes about swimming with fishes.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Alex chuckled; it sounded lighter this time. Jane called from across the bay signaling the end of their shift. Alex slung his bag over his shoulder. “Gotta go, love you.”
“Love you too.”
“Wish me luck.”
“Luck?” Cody scoffed. “You need a miracle bitch. Call me after” He chuckled as he hung up.
“Will do.” Alex laughed walking to the office to clock out.
“Plans tonight with your boo?” Jane asked as they clocked out together.
“Just dinner,” Alex lied. No point dragging her into this. “What about you and Eddie?”
“He’s taking me out for a surprise date.” Her grin widened. “Things getting pretty serious between you and Moretti?” They walked into the parking lot together, reaching her car first.
“Yeah. He’s got a drawer in my dresser.” He told her, squinting with a grin on his lips.
“Damn, that is serious.” She chuckled. “Well,” Jane opened her door. “I gotta get home to my man. Get all dressed up and pretty for him.”
“Have fun tonight Jane.” Alex wished her luck as she closed the door and drove away. She waved goodbye as Alex walked to the end of the parking lot to wait for Luca. He’d be there any minute. He stood on the sidewalk watching people walk by: a couple hand in hand. A woman walking her dog. It was a slow day. A Monday, no one wanted to be out and about.
Then a black van roared into the parking lot, tires screeching as it stopped in front of him and the doors flew open.
“Grab him!” A deep voice barked as two men jumped out and one of them kicked Alex in the knee.
“Ah!” He screamed before the other put a bag over his head and put a hand over his mouth. Pulling him into the van.
“Alex!” He heard a familiar voice yell as a gunshot rang out. It was Luca. He’d pulled up right behind the van.
“Luca!” Alex tried to scream through the hand over his mouth. But the kidnapper shoved the bag into his mouth to gag him as he heard another gunshot, right over his ears, fire off. Several of them.
“Alex!” Luca screamed again. Alex couldn’t see but he heard a few more shots fire off before the doors slammed and the van lunged forward. He heard more muffled screams from his boyfriend.
“Let me go!” Alex tried to get up and kick. His legs going in wild directions, arms flailing as arms grabbed him from behind.
“Shut the fuck up.” One of them growled, the cold hard butt of a gun striking his head. Pain exploded across Alex’s skull. His vision blacked. “We will shoot you, shut the fuck up.” The voice repeated, hitting him again. Alex fell to the ground and went limp. He felt someone tying his ankles and wrists as he faded out of consciousness.
Luca stood in his office in a fury. He’d thrown things, broken the windows in his office. He had come in, turned on the lights and closed the club for the night. His hands gripped the edge of his desk now, knuckles white, the veins in his neck bulging. Adam and his crew stood in silence in front of him. Tense, uncertain. Luca was beyond listening to calm advice now.
He finally spoke again, his voice a dangerous, low, growl. The kind that sent a chill through anyone in earshot.
“Find. Him.” His gaze was sharp and unyielding. His words hung fiery in the air, like a furnace, scorching everything in their path.
Adam flinched at the words, avoiding his intense gaze. “Luca, we’re trying -”
“I said,” Luca slammed his fist on the table, knuckle splitting from the impact. The sound cracked the air like thunder. “find him. I didn’t say try.” He hissed. “You don’t try, Adam, you do.” He walked around the desk and stood in front of Adam. His voice cracked with desperation; anger drowned it out. “They took him.” His breath shuddered as he fought to keep control. “They took him Adam.” He clasped the back of his old friends neck, pulling their heads together.
“I know boss…” Adam nodded. “And we’re gonna find him. I promise.”
“Dig up every fucking lead.” Luca hissed, releasing Adam with a shove that sent him stumbling back a step or two. “I want every scout, every rat, every fucking person we’ve got at our disposal looking for him. Find him Adam. Find him now.” Luca dropped his voice low again, the calm of his fury was mortifying. “You understand?”
Adam hesitated; his expression just as frustrated as Luca’s. “I do boss. I’ll make the calls. We’ll find him.”
Luca’s phone rang, it was his father. “I want names and a location by the time I’m done with this call or I’ll make sure none of you ever walk again.” He pointed to the men in the office. “Go! Find him!” He barked, answering the phone. “I’ll burn this fucking city to the ground before I lose him.” Adam nodded and followed the men out to begin the search.
Luca’s fists curled again as he walked back to the desk, kicking it as he sat. “What!” He growled into the phone.
“I just heard what happened. I sent out -”
“I’m handling it!” Luca roared, cutting his father off. The words tore from him like a primal scream. He’d never speak to his father this way under normal circumstances, but the rage was suffocating him. The pressure inside him screaming for release.
“Don’t take that tone with me, young man,” Giovanni’s voice remained steady, calm, but with an edge of warning.
Luca’s voice cracked, strained with emotion. “They fucking took Alex, Dad!” The words broke something inside him, and for a moment, all the control he’d held onto seemed to slip through his fingers. His chest tightened, and tears stung at his eyes. He blinked them back furiously, but the grief was there, raw and relentless.
“And we’ll find him,” Giovanni said, his voice unwavering. “But you need to calm down. You won’t be any good to him if you’re not thinking straight.”
Luca’s breath came in shallow gasps. The tension in his chest eased a fraction, but it did little to quell the storm inside him. “I feel—” His voice faltered, then broke completely. “I feel like it’s my fault. I fucking failed him. I promised him I’d keep him safe... and they fucking got him.” His hands shook as he gripped the phone, his heart racing. “What if they—”
“We’ll find him before they do that,” Giovanni interrupted, his voice firm and resolute, refusing to let his son spiral. “We’re going to get him back, son. I promise you.”
