Luca Vitiello

From Cora's Pinterest Board

Aria: *Then so be it. I'll go where you go no matter how dark the path.*

**Luca Vitiello** (born January 7, 1991) is a main character in the Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles. He is the eldest of two sons born to Salvatore Vitiello, former head of the New York Cosa Nostra, and his wife Agnesia and has a younger brother Matteo Vitiello. He is also the husband of Aria Scuderi and is the father to Marcella, Amo and Valerio. He is currently the Capo of the New York Famiglia.

## Personality

Luca is infamously a brutal and hardened man who enjoys killing. Raised in the mafia and taught to be cruel by his abusive father, Luca is a man of few morals, but the morals he holds onto are strong. Though his father taught him by example that wives are to be beaten, he's disgusted at the idea of hurting Aria even before he comes to love her and generally spares women as he considers killing an innocent woman (as they are not made men they are innocent) wrong. The only exceptions being when they anger him with something despicable (like giving the okay for Cressida to suffer and be killed because she hurt Greta) or it's in defense of himself or someone he cares for, as seen when he impulsively kills two women who tried to kill him and Matteo and feels no remorse. He is also adamant that no one touches children and is disgusted upon learning that his uncle raped Kiara when she was a child. He also despises rape and sexual assault and said in the narration it's one of the few despicable crimes he's not guilty of.

Though he truly is strong, brutal, and even sadistic at times, Luca is deeply traumatized by his past. He was scared he'd be a horrible husband or father, terrified he'd pollute them with his darkness and when Aria gave him a look as if he were his father, it haunted him for days. These feelings go away with later books. As a man with power, he does not react well to people telling him what to do or not treating him with the utmost respect.

Luca is incredibly possessive of Aria and his children, as well as fiercely overprotective. Though he claims he can't love or care in the beginning he showed great care for Aria and genuinely was affectionate with her and enjoyed her company as they fell in love. One of Luca's biggest flaws is that he forces himself into denial (or at least he did, he stopped after the events of Bound by Love). When angered by Aria's actions of going to Chicago, Luca returns to his old beliefs that love is a weakness. Ultimately his true love for Aria overwins this and he apologizes.

While Luca is certainly a prideful man who bows to no one, he is notably less prideful than other men in the series like Dante or Remo. He apologized quickly to Aria after cheating and promised to do better, a far cry from Dante who let his pregnant wife suffer for months and barely ever apologizes, or Remo who's never seen apologizing in the series.

As a father, he is doting and affectionate. While he does not play favorites, he is harsher on his sons due to the world they must grow up in, but still loves them, generally puts their happiness first, and would do anything for their safety.

One of Luca's redeemable traits is his willingness to put his life on the line for those he cares about. While often serious, in a relaxed setting with those he cares for Luca can display a dry wit.

As a husband, Luca is considerate and affectionate and often compliments Aria and is loving. Though he is not a kind man and has no desire to be, one reason he loves Aria is because of her kind nature as it is the light to his darkness.

Luca also tends to avoid conflict. When Aria asks him questions he doesn't want to answer he'll often respond evasively like saying "it will never come to that" or "it doesn't matter because it won't happen."

As an older brother to Matteo, he is protective, protecting Matteo during their childhood as much as he could, and hating Gianna for her treatment of him after their marriage. He also expresses a rare vulnerable side to his brother early on in Luca Vitiello, such as asking Matteo if he's gone soft and expressing he still hears his mother in his nightmares. After waking up to a bruised Aria at the end of the book Luca contemplates calling his brother but shame stops him as he knows Matteo also hates domestic abuse and doesn't want Matteo to think of him the way they feel about his father. During Luca's brief POV during By Fate I Conquer, he describes the idea of a wedge coming between him and his younger brother as hurting like a knife to the heart.

Though he only has personal feelings towards those closest to him, he cares for and respects his soldiers (the honorable ones, not cowards or ones who abuse their wives and children) and personally visits their families following their deaths.

Luca is fairly hot-headed, but able to control his anger much better than Remo. After falling in love with Aria and becoming an extended family with Romero's and Matteo's family, he becomes generally happier as a person.

Nevertheless, he is still not one to make an enemy with. He has little to no hesitation to kill or torture if he wants to, and shows no mercy towards those who have betrayed him or angered him. He has never wanted to escape the mafia and live a normal life, he knows he is a mostly immoral man but is fine with it so long as he never hurts those who don't deserve it (in his eyes).

## Biography

He got his nickname ‘the Vice’ for crushing a man’s throat with his bare hands.

Luca might be one of the most sought after men in New York thanks to his good looks, wealth and predator-like charisma that radiates power, but the society girls throwing themselves at him don’t know that the bad boy aura isn’t just a game; blood and death lurk beneath Luca’s striking gray eyes and arrogant smile. A handsome exterior often hides the monster within; a monster who can just as easily kill as kiss you.

He is very loyal to the Famiglia, telling Aria he would never want a normal life compared to this.

## Early Life (1991 to 2011)

Not much is revealed about Luca as a child. When he was nine his mother had killed herself to get away from his abusive father. Luca was the one to find her, he ran out crying. His father found him and slapped him, telling him to never cry again because it is a sign of weakness. He became a *Made Men* at the age of 11 after killing his first man but saving his brother Matteo's life, getting himself shot in the process.

Luca became a made man at age 11 after armed men broke into his family's house, and he killed two men in both self defense and to save his father. They used these deaths to initiate him into the Famiglia early. When Aria was talking to Umberto about these events, she called him a monster, but Umberto said that is what he needs to be, that ruling over New York, you cannot be a pussy. Umberto told Aria that Luca is a good catch, "He'll be the most powerful man on the east coast soon enough. He'll protect you." She in turn asked, "And who will protect me from him?" She knew that the truth was nobody could, not after the wedding. Women in her world belonged to their husbands; she would be Luca's property to deal with however he pleased.

## Born in Blood

### Bound by Honor

At age 20 he became betrothed to Aria Scuderi, as a sign of peace between the Famiglia and the Outfit. He meets Aria for the first time at their engagement when she is only 15. As promised by her family, they will not marry until she is of age.

The next time they meet is Three years later, only a few days before their wedding. Now Aria is 18, and it is very clear to Luca she has grown into an attractive woman. While meeting her at her hotel he ask to speak to her privately where he gives her birth control for her to start taking. It is found out in his POV, his intention was to kiss her, so she would not have her first kiss in front of a group of people, but he does not get a chance to.

Luca and Aria get married at the Vitiello's house in the Hampton's. On the night of their wedding when the marriage is suppose to be consummated, Aria is starting to panic, instead of taking her as most men in the mafia does, he cuts his arm and drips his blood on the sheets so that the next morning at the presentation of the *bloody sheets*, it will seem that their marriage was consummated.

Later they return back to New York, as he continues his duty and job Aria is left at home. As their marriage progresses they become closer and get to know each other more, Luca makes clear of his intentions of wanting to sleep with her but Aria is still reluctant, meanwhile, Luca goes to visit Grace Parker, a woman he used to sleep with (not girlfriend) at night to fulfill his sexual need. One night Aria finds them together and takes off. He finds out from Grace that she was the one that anonymously led Aria to them, he goes after her but ends up not being able to find her. In the meantime Aria returns to the apartment.

With time their marriage becomes consummated and Luca's feelings for Aria grow. He tells her he loves her.

> "Maybe love is a risk, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take and, as you said, it’s not a choice. I never thought I would, never thought I could love someone like that, but I fell in love with you. I fought it. It’s the first battle I didn’t mind losing." -Luca to Aria
>
>

He has one daughter and two sons. And is grandfather to his daughter’s son and son’s twins.

## Appearances

* *Bound by Honor* (protagonist)
* *Luca Vitiello* (protagonist)
* *Bound by Duty*
* *Bound by Hatred*
* *Bound by Temptation*
* *Bound by Vengeance*
* *Bound by Love* (protagonist)
* *Bound by the Past*
* *Bound by Blood*
* *The Dirty Bargain* (mentioned only)
* *Sweet Temptation*
* *Twisted Loyalties*
* *Twisted Emotions*
* *Twisted Pride* (mentioned only)
* *Twisted Bonds*
* *Twisted Hearts*
* *Twisted Cravings* (mentioned only)
* *By Sin I Rise: Part One*
* *By Sin I Rise: Part Two*
* *By Fate I Conquer*

## Trivia

* His blood type is O-positive.
* The model for Luca in the cover of *Luca Vitiello* is Kamil Niziński.
* For Valentine's day 2023 Luca gave Aria diamond necklace and dinner at the Korean restaurant where they had their first dinner.

## References

1. ↑ *Luca Vitiello*
2. ↑ Cora Reilly's 02/14/2023 Newsletter