Luca

*Joseph*

Henry made sure that Sandra had food for when she woke back up, I sat with her while she drifted back to sleep. I've found that giving her ecstasy worked as well as a sedative. We left one of our guards by her door. I am quite certain that Jay threatened to rip him in half if anything happened to her. Miss J was happy to check in on her as well. Im not sure how long this meeting with Luca will last, and I wasn't taking any chances. We also left Ryan in chains in one of Ark's holding cells. I didn't need him kicking in screaming in the trunk at a family-oriented restaurant. He will also be guarded. While in the car we talked over how much to tell Luca. Zeus wants to tell him the whole story, while Henry wasn't sure if that was a good idea. "You know the stuff he messes with he doesn't care about one woman." His argument was valid. Luca ran sex rings and BDSM dungeons. It's rumored that the girls he has chained in there aren't always willing. It sickens me. They promise these girls a life of luxury and then sell them to the highest bidder. I would hate to know where they end up. We pulled up to the restaurant. I looked around realizing it hadn't changed much . Still a tan building with red Italian writing on the front. We got out and walked towards the door. Two men that looked like they had walked out of a bodybuilding competition stood in the front asking if we had weapons. We told them we didn't. "This is not my first rodeo chief." He didn't respond and started to pat us down. I looked back at Jay, "They must hire guards from the same place as me." he shook his head yes. Noted. While I waited by the door I heard Henry smart off to one of them. "You want me to bend over for you Daddy?" I shook my head at him sternly and he shrugged as he walked towards me. I grabbed his arm before we walked towards the table I could see Luca sitting at. "We will be respectful of Luca and his men unless given a reason not to be." He nodded at me realizing I was serious.

"Sit down Smoke, It's been a long time." Luca greeted me as if we were old friends. I leaned over to shake his hand noticing the men around him tense and step forward. "Luca have you not taught your Italian stallions that a handshake is a show of being a gentleman." He chuckled at me telling his men to relax. Reminding them that the restaurant is not a battleground. The others and I took a seat and a waitress brought us each a whine glass, asking if we preferred red or white. After our wine selection was out of the way I looked back at Jay asking if he would sit with us. I had been thinking about bringing him into the inner circle as more than a guard but hadn't had a chance to have that conversation with the others. He shook his head no and told me he would feel better standing. Maybe he wouldn't be interested in holding a position in the empire, but he had earned it. I smiled and nodded. "Luca, how had business been for you?" He looked up at me and smiled, "Fantastico, my man, How about you?" I nodded in agreement. "Well Smoke I hate to ruin the conversation so early, but I am on a bit of a time limit. I need to know why my men saw the King of the Brotherhood in my territory?" I relaxed and took another drink of wine. "A cop, that was chasing me, took someone very close to the brotherhood and ran to the peak to hide her. He was hurting her, and I knew it. I didn't have time for a sit-down Luca, but I meant no disrespect." He looked at me confused. They knew I had plenty of beautiful women in my bed, but caring wasn't part of the deal. "Smoke, have you found yourself a lady?" This was a dangerous question with an opponent of any kind. They could use that person to get to you. "A friend really, but you know how I feel about women being abused." He tried not to react to that little cut, but I caught it. I am very observant. "I can excuse this one time, we don't need war, neither of us." I nodded at him and thanked him. The waitress brought us all some Risotto and he took a bite. "Not the same as when my mother made it when I was younger, but pretty damn close." He smiled at her.

After we ate and continued to talk about smaller topics. After we ate I got up, I was ready to go. The waitress brought me a to-go container filled with Risotto as well. "For your friend to help her heal." Luca looked up and smiled at me. I thanked him. "Can I speak with you alone for a minute?" I looked at my men and told them they could go stand by the door. When Luca saw them walking away he sent his away as well. "Smoke, your man in the north territory is getting into some things I know you don't deal in. He has reached out to me on a few occasions and I haven't responded. Out of respect for you, I am coming to you before I respond. I was going to ask for a meeting next week before it got rushed when my men freaked out seeing you." I could feel my blood heating up. I thanked Luca for telling me and apologized for freaking out his men. Deep down I was glad they felt fear seeing me, it comes in handy in the world we live in. Fear. I asked Luca to keep stalling with Ark, and he agreed. "No offense but I don't want to be in business with the brotherhood, we do fine on our own." I nodded at him and we said goodbye, this time it was him reaching for a handshake. When we got back to the SUV I told the men about what I had learned. They were livid, ready to lynch him when we got back. I told them, no, we would handle it in time, and I would have to catch him. I didn't want my men to think I would turn on them because of rumors. They understood my position which means we will need to have a plan. I felt a vibration in my pocket. I instantly got a feeling of bliss when I saw the name.

From: Sunshine

Hope your meeting isn't dreadful. Woke up to my love Miss J :) I miss you, boss.
p.s. Yes, I ate and took my pills.
-S

I smiled and Henry asked me how Sandra is feeling. I looked up at him asking how he knew it was her.
"Bro, I have never seen you smile like that, not before Sunshine." He was right.