CHAPTER 61: DIVIDED HEART

Luciano was neck deep in his screen, when he heard a knock on the door.

He didn’t look away from the computer screen, knowing that whoever it was would come in, if they were important enough to bypass security.

True to his assumptions, the door opened and a refreshed Salvatore walked in.

"Morning carpo!" He saluted like a soldier, holding the gesture in wait for Luciano’s acknowledgement.

A few seconds passed with utmost silence from Luciano as he concentrated on the documents on the screen.

But suddenly, he felt something that made him pause and lift his head.

"Really? You’re still in that position?" He shook his head on seeing Salvatore still doing the salutation gesture.

"Waiting for you to release me, carpo."

He rolled his eyes hard. "Come over, Salva."

"Sìcarpo," he grinned as he walked over to the chair, and sat down. "What are you up to? You missed training," he asked casually.

"It’s one of my banks. There are figures that need to be sorted," he explained as he returned his gaze back to the screen.

"You know I’m not a number’s guy. Except we’re counting bodies. Or money. Or—"

"I get it Salva," Luciano chuckled.

For a second there, Salvatore saw the boss he knew and loved like a true friend.

"The boys are wondering if you’re mad at them."

"Now why would they think that?"

"First Friday of a new month? You always show up. Vitto told them you are though. You needed to see how motivated they were to participate so as to appease you," he laughed.

"Using my name to lie? A smart man."

"Leave it to Vitto to tell you it’s a white lie and technically, white lies are not lies."

Both men laughed, sharing in the knowledge of their inside jokes.

Their laughter had begun to cease when someone knocked.

"Why does everyone want to see me today?" Luciano groaned.

"You are LuceNera. Of course everyone wants to see you. Should I invite them in?"

"Do whatever you please, Salva," he said in an exhausted voice.

"Come in!" Salvatore’s voice rang high.

The door swiftly opened, and a guard escorted Sonia into the room.

Luciano looked up briefly to see who it was with a plan to return his attention back to his work immediately.

He paused when he saw Sonia.

"Good morning carpo." She quickly bowed.

"Good morning, Sonia. Why are you here?"

"She wanted to see you, Carpo. I told her you were busy but she insisted," the guard said.

"Then it must be important. Leave us." He dismissed the guard with a wave of his hand.

He bowed, and quickly walked out of the room.

"What is the problem, Sonia?" Luciano asked her with concern in his face.

Sonia slowly looked up, as she played with her fingers nervously.

"Speak cara. What is it? Carpo wants to hear from you," Salvatore encouraged her.

"Carpo, I know you angry," she began with a trembling voice.

"No Sonia. I’m not angry. Say what you have to say."

"Is about V-Val," she stuttered.

His heart slammed against his ribcage, as he reclined into his seat.

Salvatore lowered his head, exiting from whatever conversation was to follow.

That name was a touchy subject at the moment, and the reaction from Luciano was a perfect example why it was bold yet crazy to mention her name.

"What about her?" He asked in a less than pleased voice.

"I bring prisoner food."

"What’s today?"

"Friday," she replied, her heart racing uncontrollably.

"Okay, go on."

"I bring her food too. She no eat. She no eat two days now. Val weak," she described as vividly as she could, to paint a picture of just how dire the situation was.

Anger surged inside of Luciano. Unrighteous, and a tad bit hypocritical. Because as much as he didn’t care, he also wanted to march to the cell and force her to eat.

"If she doesn’t want to eat, then that’s her business," he said.

The hypocrisy sprung forth in all its glory.

Although there were two responses in his head, he chose the most extreme one.

"But Luce, she–"

"You can lead a horse to a river, but you can’t force it to drink from the river, Sonia. If she doesn’t want to eat, then she can starve to death for all I care."

Salvatore whistled internally. It was almost unbelievable that Luciano was saying those words.

The fight left Sonia as she sighed. At the end of the day, she was just a maid, and had no right to argue with the boss’s words.

"Sìcarpo." She bowed, and then turned towards the door.

Luciano’s mouth slid open to call her back. But something held back his tongue.

It was his pride.

There was a battle taking place deep inside of him.

A battle between the morality compass he carried with him when it came to women, and his anger at the heritage of this particular woman.

In that battle, his pride won.

The sound of the door shutting, completely closed the opportunity to reverse his earlier stance.

"Can I say something, carpo?" Salvatore lifted his head.

"If you’re going to overstep boundaries like Vitto, don’t bother. I’m not going to listen to anyone when it comes to the girl."

"Fair enough," he replied, swallowing the rest of his words.

Luciano returned his gaze to the screen, but he couldn’t concentrate.

All his thoughts were suddenly consumed by Valentina and how she must be faring in a place as miserable as lanotte.

"Why do you even care, Luciano?" He screamed at himself internally.

That did nothing to stop his conscience from twisting painfully, to the point of almost knocking the breath out of him.

He was about to make a spontaneous decision, when the telephone rang.

Luciano breathed out, thanking whoever it was in charge of fate for the day, for making the phone ring.

Swiftly, he answered the call.

"It’s a must then?" He asked after the voice at the other end of the line was done speaking.

Seconds passed before he replied again.

"Alright. I’ll be there as soon as I can."

He ended the call, and began gathering the physical copies of the files he was working on.

"Are you stepping out, carpo?"

"Yes Salva. Apparently, I have a meeting with the ambassador of France in about thirty minutes."

He wheezed. "And you’re just knowing?"

"Now you see why I preferred when Eva was secretary over Paula?" He rose to his feet.

"Yeah Eva should have stayed. I mean the breasts alone are—"

"Salva!"

"I’m leaving!" He jumped to his feet quickly. "Break a leg carpo!" He said behind his shoulders as he hurried out of the room.

Luciano looked at the door on his exit, and then chuckled as he shook his head.

After gathering all of the important files needed, he proceeded to the door.

He walked out but abruptly came to a halt after shutting the door behind him.

"Carpo." The guard at the door bowed.

"Manuel?"

"Sìcarpo?"

"Go to lanotte with some chocolate bars."

"Where do I find–"

"Buy some," he gritted.

"Sìcarpo!" Manuel nodded.

"Give them to the prisoner."

"Signor Tyler?"

"Manuel?!" Luciano called in a chastising tone.

"Signora Valentina?"

"Her. Give it to her. Tell her someone is celebrating something in Neravalle hence the chocolates. Or come up with some convincing story. Don’t mention my name–" he paused and thought for a second. "I guess you have to give some to Tyler too," he concluded.

Manuel tucked in the knowing smile that threatened to spill out. "I’ll do that immediately." He turned around, ready to start working on the orders.

"And Manuel?"

Luciano’s voice stopped him.

"Sìcarpo?"

"If any word of this gets out—" he allowed him to use his imagination to complete the threat, filling up the silence with his footsteps instead as he walked away.