Page 69 of Lucian

“Because of this.” Gio held up a note for Lucian to see. Even from his spot, he could read the threatening words and he heard them loud and clear. “Also, Jordyn was the one to find it first. So there’s that to think about on your end, too.”

Oh, dolce Christo. Lucian’s throat was so tight with his fury he could barely speak. “Yeah.”

“You know …” Gio trailed off, clearing his throat and looking uncomfortable. “You can’t really be angry with her for this.”

“I’m aware.”

“Good. I’m just saying is all, because on the drive back here, she kept saying how she didn’t know. She didn’t understand. I couldn’t figure out why you wouldn’t have explained how serious this was and what you were trying to do for her.”

Lucian shrugged, focusing on the wall behind his brother’s head. “I did, in bits and pieces. I was keeping her safe and she knew that. I thought if I just kept her hid long enough, he’d either give up or mess up.”

“But did you do it the right way?” Gio asked.

“Probably not,” Lucian admitted. “For me, sure. For her? That’s a different situation.”

“You’re really on with this girl, huh? I mean, where does she go when we get here? Straight to your bed. Who did she ask for when she seen me? You. They beat her apart and you held her together. Some might call that a hero.”

A deep laugh rumbled from Lucian. “Kind of. Odd, isn’t it?”

“She’s so head over heels for you and she doesn’t even know it, yet.”

“Jordyn knows it. I know it. Fight like we’re in love. We fuck like it, too. You’d have to be stupid not to realize it.”

“Thanks for that,” Gio muttered lowly, rubbing at his eyes.

“It’s just easier not to label it all right now. With the situation we’re in, things like that only make it all the more complicated. Normal things don’t happen this fast. I wanted to give her a chance to be with me outside of all of this nonsense and then see how it worked from there.”

“How is this normal?” his brother asked. “The way you and Jordyn ended up wasn’t normal. Nothing about this is, Lucian. Why do you expect falling love with her to be normal, too?”

“What do you even know about that word?”

“I know I cried all the way to the vet with Cain choking to death on my lap this morning. Wondered what was going to keep me coming home every night if he wasn’t there wanting his food and a walk. Maybe it’s not the same kind of adoration, but I love that dog. I just do. I did from the moment I found him in that shop. He was mine, you know? He knows it, too.”

“Did you just compare Jordyn to a dog?”

Gio’s brow furrowed. “Seriously?”

“No,” Lucian said, laughing. “Get the hell out, and thank you for picking her up.”

Standing, Gio tossed the note Lucian wanted to burn to the couch. “Sure you don’t want me to stay for a bit? She was kind of hysterical for a while when we first got here.”

“No, uh … I think I have some apologizing to do.”

And really, Lucian’s hands were itching to touch Jordyn just to know she was okay. All the anger he thought he felt for her earlier had disappeared in his worry.

Chances were, his brother did not want to hear what came after that.

As Gio walked past Lucian, he bumped his older brother’s shoulder playfully. “So, can we go all out with her now?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean,” Gio said, smirking. “Mom wanted to take her out Marcello-style, but Dad said we had to wait for your okay on it.”

“Really?”

“Jesus, I thought your okay was when you brought her to church and then dinner. Clearly I missed something here.”

No, Gio hadn’t. Lucian was just being a total idiot.