AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The weight of the whiskey suddenly feels too heavy in my fingers. Luca isn’t the type of man I envision to handle emotions well.
“It’s just been a day.”
He steps closer and grasps my elbow. “Did someone say something to you?”
“No. It was just a lot harder getting my phone back than I realized it would be,” I finally admit, hoping not to draw this conversation out. “I don’t think I said anything, but my mother died the week before I went to that auction.”
Just as I assume, Luca isn’t quick to console me. He releases my arm and pours his own drink before speaking again. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you,” I reply, then clink my glass to his. “To overcoming all the shitty things.”
He doesn’t smile or even agree with my statement, but he at least drinks with me. While he does so silently, I make a God-awful noise, gagging but not giving up.
The smoky tinge to the liquid feels almost…aggressive. There’s a hint of vanilla in there somewhere, but that does nothing to quell the burning that moves swiftly through my mouth and down my throat.
My eyes squeeze closed as I swallow the remainder of the shot. Once I’m certain I won’t throw everything back up, I reach for a bottle of water and quickly chug half of the contents.
“I take it you’re not a connoisseur of alcohol,” Luca says, a hint of amusement playing at his lips.
“I’d say not.” The back of my hand wipes over my lips. “I’ll stick to my fruity drinks from now on.”
“Probably safest,” he says with a slight hum.
He takes his suitcoat and heads to the bedroom. I follow like the lost little puppy I currently feel like.
“Do you know if Justine and Jaxon are still on their date?” I ask him as I lean against the bed and he goes to his closet.
“I gave him the night off,” Luca answers. “They probably won’t surface until morning.”
Lucky her, I think.
“Why?” he asks when he gets done putting his clothes away.
I shrug, not wanting to get her in trouble for paying my bills with the mafia’s money. “I just need to ask her about some things she was supposed to do on my behalf while I couldn’t.”
Luca steps closer, invading my personal space instead of returning to the living room as I anticipated. “What things?”
I swallow hard, meeting his intense gaze. “Paying some bills for me with my own money. I spoke to my friend Tori, and there seems to have been some confusion. I just want to sort it out.”
He takes a step back, face devoid of emotion. “Was having all of your debts wiped clean not enough for you?”
My eyes bulge. Shit. He knows.
“That’s not what I meant,” I stammer. “It’s too much. I can’t pay her back for all of that. I just need to know how to make things right.” Or preferably to reverse them.
“It’s not her you need to pay back,” he says, sending a chill down my spine.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I paid your bills, Raven.” He stands there unmoving while I’m doing everything I can not to have a panic attack. “Don’t look so frightened by that. Your cooperation will be payment enough.”
My cooperation? As if I haven’t been a model kidnappee since being here. Well, mostly.
“Why?” is all I can think to ask as the situation sinks in.
“Because it’s in my best interest to keep you from trying to escape and handle these things yourself,” he says, as if that makes everything understandable.
“But why?” I press further. “You could have killed me and then still continued with your plans to kill Titan. Why did you keep me alive outside of thinking you could use me to keep him in check?”
