Son of the Devil

Chapter Forty-Four: Loyalty

"We've got a problem," as much as Gio hated being the bearer of bad news, it was his duty to inform his brother of any rotten apples. The last thing that Lucio wanted was for Enzo to misunderstand their intentions. They were well aware that Enzo still had his guard up around the family. Except for Nonna whom he adored; Enzo scrutinized everyone else closely.

Lucio took a deep breath. "No shit," he replied caustically. "I told you to handle the situation in Sicily, not bring it here."

"What am I supposed to do, huh?" Giovanni retorted. "She's the one managing the operation here in France. Now I'm stuck fixing it. Besides, you brought Enzo here to introduce him to his inheritance."

"Enzo refused," when Gio opened his mouth to inquire, Lucio cut him off, "He thinks it wasn't a good idea."

Giovanni glanced at his brother wearily. "Why don't you just tell Enzo the truth? You're the one giving it to him."

"Why do you think we're here? I was planning to...you know..."

It took a minute before Gio could realize what his brother was trying to convey and he burst out laughing when he had finally understood. "This is your idea of being romantic? Man, you need Jesus."

Lucio glared at his brother so intensely he almost burned a hole through his skull. "Where is she?"

"At one of our car dealerships downtown," Gio explained. "You need to explain the new hierarchy to her, Lucio. She's under the impression that she still controls half of the operation here."

"I can't tonight," Lucio shook his head. "I promised Enzo dinner..."

"That's why I brought his friends. As long as he's with them, he won't mind you missing for a bit." Gio watched his brother contemplate the options presented in front of him and couldn't help sighing, "Just an hour, Lucio. You need to handle this before she does something we'll all regret."

♡.﹀﹀﹀﹀.♡

When Lucio returned to the penthouse suite where he was staying with Enzo, he found the young man sitting on the couch with a box of photos on the coffee table. He knitted his brows and realized that Enzo was organizing them into a photo album.

"I didn't know you had that kind of hobby," Lucio happened to comment, sitting beside him, curious about the activity.

Enzo flashed him the sweetest smile. Though Lucio's face remained stoic, his heart did a somersault, surprising himself. "I just started," Enzo declared. "If we're going to travel together from now on, I'll take pictures of all the breathtaking sites we visit. I mean, it's not every day we can drop by and see these places. What do you think?"

Lucio met his eyes. "I don't like keeping memories."

"Even with me?"

Lucio looked away. "You're learning a little too much about me."

"And that bothers you, doesn't it?" Enzo lifted his brows. "You've never tried sharing a part of yourself with someone else, have you?"

"I shared some with you," Lucio smiled. "And yes, I don't keep postcards unless there's a hidden message to it. It's easier to navigate things in my world if I don't associate memories with every place I visit."

Enzo nodded. "I don't think I can ever fully learn to trust you."

That stung, but it was expected. "I understand," said Lucio. "I think it's better that way."

Enzo held his gaze and searched his eyes. "But...I love you. So, I wanted to open my heart to you. I want to understand your world and why you are so fucking complicated."