AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Don’t you have people to do that stuff for you?”
It was one question too many. When will I learn? “Not since a bunch of my father’s people were murdered a year ago. I haven’t found anybody I trust yet besides Jock.” His jaw tightens in time with the narrowing of his eyes. “And now, it’s time to leave.”
“I’m sorry,” I murmur, getting off the sofa and making a beeline for the door. “Uh, have a good night?”
“You, too.” Before I’m in the hall, he adds, “Do us both a favor and leave Vincent alone. If he comes to your room, you don’t have to open the door. You’re here for me. Not for him.”
I don’t even know how to take that. I only nod, then breathe a sigh of relief once I’m in the hall. If either of the guards standing at the other end know what just happened in the study, it’s impossible to read it on their stony faces. I keep my eyes lowered as I hurry past. It’s like a walk of shame, only indoors.
The whole way up the stairs, all I see in front of me is Luca’s face. His sad eyes. His own brother got the rest of their family killed—Vincent seems like a good time, but I can imagine him flying off the handle and making a huge mistake, too. Luca is more disciplined than his younger brother. In a way, it reminds me of my relationship with Deanna.
Deanna. The thought of her hits me after I’ve reached the bedroom and started getting undressed. Here I am, having surprisingly hot sex with Luca Bruno, while she’s probably worried half to death. I need to find a way to reach her.
And I need to get myself together. That realization hits me as my dress hits the floor once I’ve unzipped it. This thing with Luca can only go in one direction. I need him to care about me. I need him to see me as a human being. To relate to me, to empathize with me.
I do not need to do those things toward him. That would be the same as suicide.
No matter how incredible it felt when he was inside me.
Chapter Fifteen - Luca
“Now, onto the not-so-great news.”
I blow out a sigh. The news Jock’s already shared wasn’t exactly great to begin with. Our distributors in South America aren’t keen to get mixed up in a war and would rather our enemies not blow up their ships next. I can handle that, though. “Do I need a drink for this?” I ask, eyeing the bottles on the other side of the study.
“It isn’t even lunch yet,” he reminds me. “I’ve gotten nowhere with the attacker. Nobody seems to know where this asshole is. From what I’ve heard so far, he’s laying low. Nobody’s heard from him.” Jock mutters more profanity under his breath. “I can’t even get a name. He’s used a half-dozen aliases all over the city. Exactly the opposite of what I expected.”
I’m disappointed, but not surprised. “You can’t get it right all the time.”
He shoots me a puzzled look. “What happened to you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Here I was, considering wearing body armor before coming in here to give you the latest intel, and you’re as relaxed as if you just came back from a massage with a happy ending. Why’s that?”
“I’m finally learning to manage my temper.” When that doesn’t convince him, I roll my eyes. “Maybe I’m saving my anger for other people under this roof. I can only maintain my outrage for so long before I give myself a stroke.”
He snickers. “I wondered how long it would be before you lost your shit on him.”
“I wouldn’t say exactly I lost my shit.”
“Come on. I was in the kitchen, and even I overheard it. You weren’t exactly trying to be quiet.”
I don’t like how small it makes me feel, remembering what I said. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
“I disagree.”
“Excuse me while I lift my jaw off the desk.”
He shrugs blithely. “You know there’s never been much love lost between us. We couldn’t be less alike. But this isn’t about that. He needs to hear what he did.”
“I’m sure not a day has gone by that he hasn’t—”
“I don’t want to hear about that,” he snaps. It’s rare for him to cut me off, even rarer for him to show anger. There were times my mother teased him about how quiet he was. Like a tea kettle, she used to say. Eventually, the steam needs to vent. “He deserves to hear it. I don’t care what he says to himself.”
“Where is this coming from? Like you said, there’s no love lost, but I’ve never heard you talk about him like that.”
“He’s been away so long. I never had a reason to until now.” He clears his throat, staring down at his shoes for a moment. “I should keep my opinions to myself.”
