Page 16 of Lucky
“The cousins,” Marco tells me, somewhat reluctantly. “They apparently decided it was a good idea to pick a fight at Ignite.”
My face darkens. “That insult is as good as a declaration of war. The Gattis will only forgive so much.”
“This is no longer a negotiation anymore, Jacklyn.”
My heart races as my throat tightens. War. The one thing I have fought so hard to avoid. The bloodshed. The chaos. But thebetrayal by my own men is tipping the scales. No one will ever allow me to forget that I couldn’t control my own family.
Sergio, to his credit, keeps his voice steady as he tells me we need to prepare for a bloody war. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that the Gatti family doesn’t take any prisoners. Once they get through our walls, it’s all or nothing.
I feel my resolve hardening; I’m equal measures angry and defiant. I’m murderous because I’ve been thrust into a battle I can’t win, and there’s only so many of my own men I can kill before I end up with no-one to defend my crumbling empire. And I’m angrier still that someone – anyone – thinks they can come in and take what my family has worked so hard for as their spoils of war.
“Everyone out,” I rasp, my eyes lowered. I hear the shuffle of feet as the crowd disperses, before I turn to meet Marco’s hard gaze.
He’s leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. His expression is unreadable, but I can feel the weight of his gaze on me. He’s always been the one to see through my defenses, and right now, he’s probably the only one who knows exactly what’s on my mind.
“Let’s talk,” Marco says, his tone low, but the unspoken command is clear. He has always been the steady one between us, the one who had a way of seeing the bigger picture even when it feels like everything is falling apart. The only problem with his big picture is that it’s ultimately what he wants, but not what I need.
Without waiting for my response, he turns and walks down the hall toward the inner office, his footsteps measured, confident. I hesitate for a moment, my mind still trying to catch up with everything that’s happening, but eventually I follow him.
The office is dimly lit, the only source of light coming from the half-open blinds and the muted glow of a desk lamp. Theweight of our silence is suffocating, as if the world outside is holding its breath.
Marco sits down behind the desk, his posture relaxed, but his eyes never leave me. I can’t quite shake the feeling that he is studying me, trying to gauge my next move, possibly talk me out of doing something foolish.
Like calling Luciano Gatti. Begging him to rethink his stance. Maybe grovel at his feet for mercy. Perhaps fuck him again.
But I’m not one to back down from a fight. Never have been. This may be one of the most chaotic moments of my life, but I would roll with the punches just like any good leader would.
“What do you need me to do, Jacklyn?” Marco asks, his voice quiet but insistent.
I sink into the chair across from him, rubbing my forehead. I can be as nervous as I want in front of him – it’s nothing he hasn’t seen before; Marco can read me like a book and is probably already a step ahead of me and knows exactly what I’m thinking. There’s not much that can get past him.
“I need you to organise transport for Jack out of the country,” I tell him.
Marco leans forward, his hands clasped in front of him. “I know you’re struggling. But you can’t let your emotions cloud your judgment.”
“No emotions,” I tell him. “If there were emotions involved, I’d keep him near me.”
“You’re doing this to protect him,” he reminds me. “That’s an emotional move.”
“What would you have me do, Marco? Hmmm? I can’t protect him if I’m dead!”
The silence between us saps all the air from the room as we stare each other down.
“I don’t want a war,” I tell him, my voice breaking. “I don’t want to lose everything. But if I do, I want to ensure that Jack is looked after.”
“You won’t lose anything with me beside you, Jackie,” Marco reassures me, his eyes softening. “Not if you stay focused. We’ve been through worse; don’t let fear take hold of you now.”
I look at him, my chest tightening. “But what if I fail?”
Marco’s gaze darkens, and there is a heaviness in his voice when he speaks again. “You’re not alone in this, Jacklyn. You never were. I’ve always been here. And I always will be.”
Marco has always been stalwart in his protection of my family. But when it comes to me, he’s maybe a little too invested in outcomes. And if we want to be honest about emotions, I think he’s more inclined to let his emotions get in the way than I am.
I look at him—the man who has stood by me through every storm—the man who brought me back from the brink after what happened to my brother. He’s really the only one left who I can trust. The path ahead is unclear, but one thing is certain. The choices I make now will define not just my future, but the future of everything we have built.
And for the first time in a long while, I understand that the price of power—of loyalty—is something I have to be willing to pay, no matter the cost.
The weight of our conversation hangs heavy in the air as I step out of the office, my mind spinning with the gravity of Marco’s words. I feel torn, more than ever. The war isn’t just between the families—it is within me.