Ruined in Vows (Marchetti Family #3)

23. Luca

Chapter 23

Luca

A fter hearing my wife’s one-sided phone call with Benito, I wanted to shout and scream at her to tell me the truth. Realizing that it would do me no good to call her out on her shit, I acted completely normal. I locked myself in my office, searching the internet for anything that might link me to my past.

A couple pictures of Nico, Allegra, and their parents existed. But it was like I never existed. I was a ghost. It would make sense on both accounts, considering how during my research, I found out how notoriously private both the Conti’s and Marchettis were.

When Caterina called me for dinner, I was a ball of frustration, anger and suspicion.

When I sat down to eat, the tension and atmosphere in the room was so thick, it was stifling. Just as I predicted, she quizzed me once again on the doctor I had seen and why I hadn’t answered her phone calls. I reeled off my answers on autopilot, not wanting to cause suspicion. And when she touched me, which was every fucking five minutes, it took every bit of self-control not to push her hand away and sneer in disdain. Having had enough of the interrogation, the touching, I finished my dinner and headed to the private gym in the basement. It was confirmed the Conti siblings were liars, and frankly I was over the bullshit. But instead of alerting them to the fact I was aware, I had to play it cool. I had to let them believe I was still oblivious to their lies.

Pulling up outside the Diamond Luxe hotel the next day, I park at the Valet and hop out of my car. A guy in his early twenties jogs over to me whistling. “Nice car, man.”

Grunting, I chuck him the keys. “You scratch it, you pay for it.”

He laughs only for it to trail off, when he sees that I am being deadly serious. “I-it’s safe with me,” he stutters, handing me a ticket.

Moving around him, I make my way into the lobby where I know I will be greeted by Nico’s guards. Despite them expecting me at some point today, I am under no illusion that I could get anywhere near Allegra or her family without being checked for weapons first. Which means that no matter what time I showed up, the security team would have been ready for me. My assumptions are proven correct, when I spot the private elevator banks, being guarded like they are the fucking president.

“Afternoon, gentleman. Is this really necessary?” My voice is filled with sarcasm.

“You know the drill, Dante,” the one that seems to be in charge drawls, ignoring my attitude. Narrowing my eyes at him, I spread my legs and hold my arms up high. He shakes his head, amusement dancing in his eyes.

“You don’t remember me, but once upon a time we were good friends,” he drawls.

“Yeah? Then why are you treating me like an enemy?” I shoot back.

He sighs. “It’s protocol. Deep down you know this, Dante. And if you eventually remember who you are, you will be thanking me for keeping them safe. Especially your woman.”

I pause at his statement. My woman. He can only be talking about Allegra, and it sounds good, right. She feels like mine even though I don’t recall her – or us.

“She has been waiting for you for hours,” he says, patting my jacket pockets down. And I don’t need to ask him to explain who the she is that he is talking about. Since the moment I left her yesterday, I have been waiting for our next meeting and story time. It’s all I have thought about in the last twenty-four hours. It wasn’t easy getting away from Vincenzo, but I explained I would be seeing my doctor again. He looked at me with suspicion, asking why I would need to see him again so soon and pressing for the doctor’s details. Ignoring his interrogation, I didn’t give him any answers, and just left.

That doesn’t mean I wasn’t careful on my drive over here. I chose to take the long route, just in case he decided to have me followed. I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, but you can never be too careful. Because the truth is, if Vincenzo and Caterina are willing to go to these lengths to make me believe I am her husband, then what else are they capable of?

Strong hands bring me out of my thoughts, reminding me that I am still being felt up. “What is your name?”

“Alessio,” he grunts, without looking at me.

Nodding, I sneer, “Well, Alessio, nice to meet you. I don’t have anything on me so stop the pretense and take me to her already.”

He takes a step back, his glower locked on me even when he barks his orders out to other guards. “Asshole is clean. Let's go.”

“What about the signal blocker to stop me being tracked?” I mock.

Alessio throws me a smirk over his shoulder as he flashes a card at the panel on the private elevator. “Stuck on the breast pocket of your jacket.”

Glancing down, I search the pocket, my brow arching when I find the small chip attached to me. Alessio is thorough, I will give him that.

The doors to the elevator open, but instead of all of the guards joining us, it’s only me and Alessio that step inside. I briefly wonder why that could be, but Alessio answers my unspoken question before I can voice it.

“Precaution. In case the Conti’s are having you followed, and they decide to show up.”

“I was careful,” I mutter.

“That may be. But there is more going on here than any of us are aware of right now and until we find out what that is, we will ensure extra measures are in place,” Alessio retorts.

Glancing over at him, I search his face. The pride and awe in his eyes tell me everything. He loves the Marchetti family as if they are his own. And maybe they are, I don’t know, but something tells me that isn’t the case. Whatever it is, he isn’t afraid to show his emotions toward them. Which is more than I can say about my apparent family. Because there is certainly no love or anything else I feel for them. And I am pretty sure there never has been.

And that should tell me all I need to know.

Because from the moment I woke up, I have never felt a connection to them no matter what they told me. But, truthfully, had I never met Allegra, I would have probably never questioned it.

Which means they would have won whatever game they are playing.

I can only thank God that I went with my instincts and stalked my angel that night.

Otherwise, I would have spent my life living a lie, not knowing who I am or that Allegra even existed.

The thought alone makes me nauseous, and I quickly shake that alternate reality away.

I can’t think like that.

One way or another, I know deep down, I would have found my angel.

Whether it was in this life or the next.

Because this connection I have with Allegra, despite having been trying to ignore what is right in front of me, is more. I don’t remember, but the way my soul lights up whenever it is in her vicinity clearly does.

And maybe, just maybe, the calming of my heart whenever I’m around her, is the only answer I need.