Undressed By The Mafia God-Chapter 171: I Think You Broke Him

"I think you broke him," Vee said.

Luca’s lips curved slowly into a crooked smirk. "It is what I do."

The smugness in his tone was completely unapologetic.

Veronica narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh, don’t look so smug about that."

Luca’s smirk deepened, the mischievous glint in his eyes returning. "Why not?" he said, one brow lifting with theatrical pride. "I broke your ex boyfriend? Tell me what other achievement beats that."

Veronica burst out laughing.

"God, I missed that," Luca exhaled heavily.

His teasing expression softened as he looked at her like she was the most extraordinary thing in the world.

And to him... she was.

"You have no idea what you do to me, Bambola," he said quietly. "You make me feel like I am carrying my heart in my hands."

Veronica’s laughter faded slowly.

He looked dangerously sincere like she truly held some invisible power over him.

"Okay," she said after a moment, lifting a hand slightly in surrender. "I’m not breaking up with you anymore. You can stop."

Luca’s mouth curved into a slow smile. "Never."

"Come here," Vee said quietly.

Luca moved closer and leaned over her, bracing one hand beside her shoulder.

Up close, she could see the tiredness around his eyes.

The faint shadow of stubble along his jaw.

"Kiss me," she instructed.

Luca’s gaze flickered between her eyes and her lips. "Bambola," he murmured softly, "it’s never enough."

"Just kiss me."

He leaned down slowly, careful not to jostle her, and their lips met.

The kiss deepened quickly as their mouths moved together. His hand slid gently into her hair.

When they finally pulled apart, the distance between their lips barely an inch, Luca lingered there like leaving her was physically difficult.

Veronica could see the way his breathing had slowed.

The way his eyes stayed locked on her.

"It’s never enough," he whispered again.

*****

Cassidy stepped inside the bar. He had been expecting the message.

The place was quiet enough that he could hear the low murmur of conversations in the private booths. He moved through the bar slowly.

He spotted Bianca immediately.

She sat alone in a shadowed booth, one long leg crossed over the other, her fingers loosely holding a glass of whiskey. Her makeup was flawless. Her dress elegant.

But her posture gave her away.

There was tension in the way her shoulders held themselves too straight.

Frustration in the slow way she sipped her drink.

Cassidy stopped beside the booth.

Then he slid into the seat beside her.

"Rough night?" he asked.

Bianca let out a soft breath through her nose, lifting the glass of whiskey to her lips before taking a slow sip. The alcohol burned pleasantly down her throat. "You could say so."

"What’s going on?" he asked.

Bianca stared at the liquid in her glass as if it might answer for her. "Apparently nothing," she said flatly. "Nothing is going on in my life."

Cassidy gave a small amused huff. "That’s kind of a depressing start."

Bianca chuckled quietly. "Yeah," she admitted. "I just called because I needed to talk to someone who isn’t familia."

Cassidy raised a brow slowly.

"I mean Genovese familia or Vitale familia," she corrected quickly.

"Come on," Cassidy said, leaning forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table. "Hit me."

Bianca looked up at him then. "My husband hates me."

"Is that all?"

Bianca’s brows pulled together slightly. "Isn’t that enough?" she asked, lifting a brow.

Cassidy shrugged casually. "Honestly, no. I don’t see any reason why you should be bothered."

Bianca stared at him like he had just insulted her intelligence.

Instead of elaborating, Cassidy pulled his phone from his pocket.

He unlocked it casually, lifted it up, and before she could react—

Click.

The camera captured her face.

Cassidy lowered the phone and turned the screen toward her. "There," he said.

On the screen was Bianca exactly as she sat now.

Elegant. Striking.

"Have you seen this woman lately?" he asked.

Bianca rolled her eyes immediately. "Oh stop it!"

"I’m serious." He tapped the screen lightly. "Why would a woman as gorgeous as this be having guy problems?"

He locked his phone and tossed it casually onto the table. "You know what to do to make yourself happy," he continued calmly. "you just don’t want to do it."

"My brother in law is in love with me," she said suddenly.

"Okay," he said after a moment. "I will not advise going after your brother in law."

The corner of Bianca’s mouth twitched.

Then she laughed.

"No, no of course not," she said, waving a dismissive hand through the air. "I love my husband."

Cassidy nodded once. "I know."

"Have you ever been in love, Cassidy?"

"Yes, actually."

The answer came easily.

The best way to keep track of lies was to tell the truth.

Not all of it.

Just enough.

"What happened?" Bianca asked, tilting her head with curiosity.

Cassidy leaned back into the leather booth, letting one arm rest casually along the backrest. His fingers tapped lightly against the leather. "I let her go," he said simply. "She was interested in someone else."

"Well that’s easy for you to do," she said. "Maybe you never truly loved her."

"Maybe you are right," he said slowly. "Maybe I would have done things differently if she loved me even half as much as I did her."

"I leave tomorrow."

Cassidy’s eyes snapped back to her. "Oh?"

One brow lifted in mild surprise.

"You don’t live in New York?"

Bianca shook her head lightly. "Oh no... I and my father in law came in together from Vienna."

Cassidy filed the information away instantly. "Why are you leaving so soon?" he asked.

"I told you," Bianca said quietly, "my husband hates me."

"Well," he said, spreading his hands a little in resignation, "I guess this is it then, Mrs. Genovese. It’s been quite nice to make your acquaintance. So you are leaving with your father in law?"

Bianca shook her head slowly. "No. He will be here for a bit."