Chapter 7

Kay noticed Luca was acting strange, almost jumpy like, which was unusual for a man of Luca’s temperament.

“Luca what is the matter with you?”

“Kay come here. Please sit.”

Kay was a little worried by the sound of his voice.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I need to talk to you.”

“Okay.” She swallowed hard. She went and sat on the couch. He sat next to her. He picked up her hands and held them in his.

“Now.” He started.

“Are you leaving?”

“No, I’m not leaving.” He smiled.

“Are you having problems from your injuries?”

“No.”

“Are you sick?”

“Kay please.”

“Sorry, I just worry.”

“Don’t worry. What I want to say will maybe help you understand a few things about me.”

“Okay.” She had no idea where this was going.

“Now, I want you to listen to everything I have to say. Before you answer me, if you need time to think. I understand.”

“Answer for what?”

“Please just listen.” He cleared his throat. His mind was racing. His heart was pounding. ‘The truth will set you free.’ Swam through his mind.

“Kay, I want you marry me?” He quickly held up his hand when she gasped. “We have our faults and our differences. But I deeply love you. And I know somewhere in your heart you still love me. I want to share my past with you. The part you say I hide from you. Both Sal and Peter lived next to me, but my parents treated them as they were my brothers. A year later was when we met Moe and Paulie. They themselves were strangers. Paulie was being bullied, Moe stepped forward to help. They were facing at least ten kids. But they stood their ground. We watched, and then decided to help. When we walked up, the other kids took off. They thought it was them until they turned and saw us. They thought we were after them, but we weren’t. That’s the day we all became friends. Our friendships became unbreakable as the years passed.”

She looked at Luca. She now understood the bond between the men. She smiled at him. He continued.

“When my mother got sick in the early 1940’s, my father dropped everything to care for her. Our family owned a share of a downtown Hotel. My mother was the hostess of the restaurant. Sal, Peter and I worked in the kitchen as teenagers. We never worried about money. But dad sold the family share to take care of my mother.” He paused as if to remember.

“What was the hotel?” She asked.

“It really doesn’t matter.”

“Why don’t you want to say?”

Luca put his hand on the back of his neck. He scrunched up his face. “Roosevelt Hotel.”

Kay gasped. She knew he was rich. “Luca, I, I...”

He held up his hand again. “Please Kay.”

She nodded.

“When my mother died my father wasn’t the same. He died a couple months after.” Luca felt Kay’s hand on his. “He always told me when you find the right woman you will know. Don’t fight it. Embrace it. Your love can be taken away so fast.” He looked up at Kay she had tears in her eyes. “But my father had so much heartache and pain over my mother’s death. I told myself I never wanted that to happen to me. I didn’t want my heart to be torn apart like that. I watched him suffer through the last few months of his life. It was unbearable. When he passed, I spiraled into a deep depression and Sal, Moe, Peter and Paulie were there. They were there with me through everything.”

“I am so sorry.” She grabbed his hands and held them.

“After that I went into the army joining the rangers. The others followed me. In late 1940’s we formed a special operation group. In other words, we did the dirty jobs that nobody else could or would do. I had to do things I am not proud of. But they were necessary. We left the army in 1949.”

“I knew it.” She said.

“We got extensive training. It became an art form for me. I was a weapons expert. My expertise were knives and long-range rifle.” He stopped and stared at her. He wanted to see her reactions.

“About Sonny, I sort of lost my cool when I knew that he was the one to fire the shot.”

She stared into his eyes. She cleared her throat. “I understand Luca.”

He let out a little breath of relief. “I now go to tournaments. Right now, I’m the best there is and have been for the past few years. I am proud of that!” She nodded her head.

She understood what he was talking about.

“After I got out of the army, I was attacked by a couple of foreign agents. It was either be killed or kill. I was charged with murder. That’s when I meet Tom. He fought against some powerful people for me. We won the case and my name was cleared. I told him if there was anything I could do just ask. A while later he contacted me. His daughter was being threatened.”