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Luca ignores my comment, removing the items from his pockets and placing them tidily onto the dresser. “Do I need to remind you what I’ll do to every single thing and person you love if you ever think of crossing me, Meraki? That shit you got today, with Lana, that was on you.” When he turns, it’s slow. So slow I don’t realize I’m holding my breath until I need to exhale. “Those are my children that the Anchorites carry, and I can do with them as I please.”
“No, Luca,” I whisper, standing to my height. “You don’t need to remind me that you will strip away my dance academy and hurt innocent kids who have done nothing to you.”
When my hand is resting on the door handle, he brings his to my chin and forces me to face him. My gut churns and my legs quiver with the urge to run. “Good girl, baby. I’ll see you later. Hey—”
I bring my eyes back up to his.
“You think you can dig around to see what is happening with Niko?”
I scoff, careful to retract my face from his grip in a way that doesn’t disturb him. “He despises me, Luca, so I’m going to say no. I didn’t even see him when I dropped Lana there, I sent her with Ma.”
I make my way out of our apartment and onto the main street. It’s winter right now, so that means big, fluffy jackets and kick-ass boots that have one too many buckles. I pass shop after shop until I’m a block away from the restaurant where Mira wants to meet. The local club is just ahead, with dirty music filtering down the placid street, and I turn to look through the doors, seeing Lila and her friends briefly laugh innocently as they run through the club. What kind of woman would I be if I gave up on the kids? That’s the only thing that keeps me tied to Luca, and he knows it. Lila, Tristen, Hayden, Jayal, all of the kids who first started with me would be heartbroken if I let Luca close it down, and on top of that, I know Luca. Ruining my business wouldn’t be enough for him. He’d need to hurt me deeper than that, and I know he would go to Lila first. He would hurt her. Her name always comes up between us, and when it does, it leaves a cold chill down my spine. He has threatened sending her to the same Island he receives the Anchorites from and sells the babies to.
I sigh, carrying on my walk down to the restaurant, lost in my thoughts about my current situation, the life that my best friends know nothing about. The life that Niko has a big misconception about. Instead of asking me if I knew what goes on at the Cathedral, he assumed I was part of it. He painted the worst picture he could have about me without any context.
I shake the thoughts away, because the more I think about it, the angrier I get.
Stupid fucker.
“Hey!” I unbutton my jacket as I make my way into the quiet restaurant.
It’s a little classier than the usual. Light bulbs drape from the ceiling to offer a faint ambience of light, and candles are bolted to the walls. The tables are made from some type of wood, with jade marble swirled in the center. They’re my favorite part of this place—well, that and the cocktails.
“Ah, Meraki!” Mira jumps up from her chair and throws her arms around my body, squeezing me closer. “I miss you!” She sighs, pulling me back and gesturing to the chair beside hers. “Cece is running late, as usual.”
“I would be surprised if she wasn’t.” I cross my leg and call the waiter, ordering a porn star martini to start.
Mira looks between the waiter and me. “Oh, I thought it was a red wine night?”
I take a swig of the water, laughing into my glass. “Red wine needs a warm-up.” I place my glass on the table, running my fingers through my hair to push it away from my face. “What’s happening? Are you okay?”
I continue to listen to Mira’s rant about Dave and how useless of a male he is. I can’t help zoning out at the repetitive arguments that she complains about, but I make sure to throw in an “ahhhh…” and an “ummmm.” I feel like a shitty friend, but right now my thoughts are still at the Cathedral and the rest of the Anchorites and how I’m going to get them out. Every time I went to the back, it would sit with me for days after I’d leave, but this time was different. This time I know I have to do something, and I need to do it fast. None of the girls are currently pregnant, so that puts them at risk of being capped. Fuck.
