The Mafia King's Temptation (Dante and Lucia) novel Chapter 55

Chapter 55 – Perfect Performance

Lucia

Performance had always been part of our world.

Every gesture calculated, every word measured, every emotion carefully controlled to achieve maximum effect. We learned young how in wear masks, how to present exactly what others needed to see while keeping trash buried beneath layers of careful pretense

But this performance would either save us all or destroy everything.

My hands didn’t shake as 1 held the gun on Dante’s heart. They never shook–Papa had made sure of that, hours of training until weapon handling felt as natural as breathing. The weight of the pistol felt familiar in my grip as I let gemine pain color my voice, turning real hurt into tactical advantage

Though I must congratulate you on a masterful performance these past months. I kept my tone sharp enough to draw blood whúc my mind calculated angles and positions. Vincent’s satisfaction was making him careless, each barb I threw at Dante making him lower his guard fractionally “You really had me convinced I might be more than another contract.”

Dante stood with that lethal grace that still made my pulse race, even now. His hands raised in exaggerated peace as his eyes met mine across the elegant study. Those dark eyes that I’d once thought held her when they looked at me now gave away nothing exactly as we’d planned.

“You’re upset,” he said smoothly, every word chosen to feed Vincent’s careful manipulations. “Understandable, given the circumstances” A laugh escaped me, bitter and broken in ways that weren’t entirely pretense. Because some of this pain was real – the contracts, the careful arrangements, the way he reduced passion to business terms. That him provided the perfect fuel for this performance

“Upset?” I let my voice crack slightly, watching Vincent’s smile widen at what he thought was emotional weakness. “No, upiri was finding those contracts. This, this is something else entirely”

Vincent shifted closer, anticipation poorly masked as concern. His weapon her way empty – Dante’s men had seen to that – bin he still carried himself with that false authority that had always graved against iny nerves.

“The lady seems rather displeased with your business arrangements, nephew His your dripped false sympathy while his eyes gleamed with satisfaction Everything proceeding according to his careful script

Just not the script he thought we were playing

“The Indy,” I said coldly, letting ice enat each word, “is done being a convenient political asser

Dante’s expression remained perfectly neutral as he assessed me like I was just another business proposition. The perfect Romana heir, always calculating angles and advantages.

“Pat the gun down, Lucia. His command carried that edge that had once made heat pool in my belly. Now it just made my finger tighten Inserionally on the trigger. “This is beneath you.”

“Beneath me?” Perfect incredulity colored my tone as Vincent inched closer, dram in by what he thought was a lover’s quarrel spiraling toward violence. Like being another name in your ledger of careful arrangements Another pretty society princess playing her pan

Fachs word felt like swallowing glass, but I maintained the performance. Let them think grief made me reckless. Let them believe pain made me stupid.

“You’re being dramatic.” Dante’s voice held careful boredom, feeding Vincent’s satisfaction with each dismissive word. Though I suppose that’s to be expected, given your current emotional state,

“Emotional” I spat the word like poison, watching Vincent guard drop further as he reveled in his nephew’s apparent downfall. “Because God forbid anyone feel something real in your carefully controlled world.”

My hands remained steady as I tracked both men’s positions, noting how Vincent had shifted to flank me while focusing on Donte’s calculated cruelty, Amateur. Even now, he underestimated me–saw only the society princess, the political wife, the woman supposedly broken by discovering

her husband’s true nature.

He’d never see it coming.

“Come now,” Dante’s smile showed too many teeth as he played his part perfecily. You knew what this was from the beginning. A mutual beneficial arrangement. Nothing more.”

The words sliced deep despite knowing they were necessary. Because somewhere beneath the performance, truth lingered–those contracts, those careful arrangements, the way he’d reduced every relationship to business terms. That pain made my reaction genuine as I let my voice shake slightly.

“A business arrangement, Like all your other contracts. All your other carefully chosen companions.”

Vincent’s satisfaction grew with each exchange, his stance relaxing as he watched his manipulations bear fruit. Perfect, Just a little closer… “Precisely.” Dante’s agreement cut like a blade. “Though I must say, this display of dramatics is rather disappointing. I expected better business sense

• from a Valentini.”

“Better business sense.

ss sense.” My laugh held something dangerous now, something that made both men tense slightly. “Like analyzing retur.on investment? Calculating profit margins on managet Planning for favorable terms in case of death?”

Vincent shifted again, moving to flank me more fully as Dante maintained his position by the window. The study’s elegant furnishings created

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Chapter 55 – Perfect Performance

natural

I paths of movement, guiding everyone exactly where I needed them

“Put the gun down,” Dante said again, that command that once sent shivers down my spine now just another carefully chosen tool. “Before you do something you’ll regret

“Regret!” I let my voice crack perfectly, selling the hisson of a woman pushed beyond reason by betrayal. “Like believing could be more than another contract! Like thinking those touches meant something beyond political conversence?“

Vincent’s smile widened as he watched his nephew’s carefully constructed world apparently crumble. His guard dropped completely, satisfaction making him forget years of tactical training as he positioned himself perfectly in my sights.

“You’re upset,” Dante started, but I cut him off with another sharp laugh

“No,” I said sofily, dangerously. “Im done bring a useful asset in your perfectly controlled life.”

My finger tightened on the trigger as Vincent’s expression showed pure triumph. Everything proceeding exactly according to plan.

Just not his plan,

The movement was too fast for conscious thought – pure muscle memory from years of training as i pivoted slurply, weapon tracking to my true target. Vincent’s eyes widened a fraction of a second before the shot rang out, the sound echoing off elegant wallpaper as he crumpled:

“Amateur.” I said softly, watching red bloom across his expensive shirt.” “Thinking grief would make me stupid.“

Shouts erupted from the hallway as Dante’s men breached the villa’s defenses right on schedule. The carefully

perfectly – just not in the way Vincent had anticiponed.