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“Go upstairs to the bedroom and wait there for me. Don’t do anything else. Don’t fucking touch anything else. Go straight to the bedroom and wait on the bed. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I blurt out, nodding my head furiously.
I don’t bother picking up my clothes, and I don’t dare to look back at Lucca. I’m too afraid that Markus will change his mind. I simply untangle myself from him and run up the stairs like I’m being chased by a swarm of bees.
When I reach the bedroom, I climb onto the bed and sit in the center. Drawing my legs to my chest, I wrap my arms around my knees and wait for Markus. I don’t know if Lucca is going to leave now, or what Markus will do to me next.
All I know is that I am grateful he stopped whatever he had planned downstairs.22MarkusI can taste her fear. It coats the air, leaving a sweet tang against my tongue. The way she rushed into my arms like I was her saving grace and not her damnation.
It made my chest swell. Fuck, her pleading, tears filling her eyes. Fuck it all to hell. I was sure I could do it. Sure, I could fucking push through her pleads, but somehow, she crawled under my skin. Weaseled her way in there slowly.
I felt like punching myself in the face right now.
“I knew you wouldn’t go through with it.” Lucca grins in front of me. I try not to look down at the floor where all of Fallon’s clothes lay discarded. Thank fuck, Lucca didn’t see anything but her ass.
“Shut up and get out of here.” I point him to the door.
“Do you want me to do it? While you’re gone, I mean.” Lucca barely gets the words out before I’m pouncing on him. My hands wrap around his throat, and I growl into his face like a feral animal.
“Don’t even fucking think about touching her again. This was a one-time thing.”
Lucca laughs and shoves me away. “You told me to, stupid.”
“I know!” I roar.
Fuck, I know. Just like I know he’s only trying to be a good friend. Offering me help. “How would you feel about me offering to take care of Claire?”
Lucca’s complete body stiffens, and every trace of a smile is wiped from his face. Not so fucking smug now, are you? “Don’t even talk like that. It’s completely different, and you fucking know it.”
“Sure, it is.” I withhold an eye roll. “Now get out. I have things to take care of.” I open the front door, ready to shove him out on his ass, when he stops right in the doorway.
“Whoa, I didn’t drive out here just to help you.” A cocky grin lights up his face.
“I remember. I was hoping you would forget to bring up whatever it was you wanted to talk about.”
“You’re an asshole.” He shakes his head.
“What do you need to tell me or better yet ask me?” I grip onto the wooden door tighter.
Lucca’s face becomes serious in an instant. It’s scary how quickly he can switch gears. It’s also scary how infatuated he is with this Claire girl.
“Your brother, Felix. Are you still in contact with him?”
“Yes,” I reply as if I’m annoyed, which I kinda am.
“Could you give me his number? I need help with something, and your brother is the man for hacking and tracking down people.”
“First, he’s not cheap. Two, if Julian finds out you’re working with him—”
Lucca interrupts. “He won’t. This is none of Julian’s business, and it doesn’t affect the family in any way. This is for me and me alone.”
Regardless of my brother being my blood relative when he and Julian fell out, I choose to stay loyal to Julian. It caused discord between my brother and me I’m not sure will ever be resolved.
“I don’t want to be dragged into this mess, so keep my name out of it. I’ll text you his number, and only because I feel bad for you.”
“You won’t be. Thanks, fucker, if you need anything, let me know.”
“We’re not friends,” I growl.
Lucca snickers. “Sure, we aren’t, asshole.”
As soon as he is gone, I make my way up the stairs. As a warning, I stomp my feet with each step.
I’m nowhere close to knowing the fucking truth, but I couldn’t go further, not with her clinging onto me like I’m her lifeline, begging me not to do it. Fuck, I’ve gone soft. Julian would be disappointed in me, the other men would call me a pussy. I know Fallon is a weakness I can’t afford, but she’s also a drug I can’t kick.
When I enter the bedroom, I find Fallon sitting in the center of the mattress, looking small and fragile. Her eyes are wide and wary. She’s apprehensive about what’s going to happen next, and rightfully so. I don’t even know what the fuck I’m going to do. I should throw her back in the cell with the light off this time, but I can’t bring myself to do that either.
