"But you didn't invest the money in the shop," Luca said calmly. "Of course you didn't. Well, like I said, get out of town. Tonight."
"Luca…" Vito stepped forward again, palms raised, fingers shaking now, the plea written all over his hunched frame. "Please. I made mistakes, yes, but—"
"I am not arguing this with you." Luca rose to his feet, pain flaring briefly through his side, his jaw tightening as he mastered it. "Veronica belongs to me now. Valentina deserves a better life than being on the run from your stupidity and your debts."
"I will send you the funds you will need. Enough to disappear. Enough to start over somewhere far away from here. But hear me clearly, Vito." He stepped closer. "You will disappear. You will not look back. You will not sniff around their lives. You will not get curious. You will get the fuck out."
