by Zavi James
“You didn’t tell me you hired someone new,” Amber said, looking at Lucas.
“I… she’s not working here,” he said, still looking at me.
“Oh? But then why is she here?”
“It’s business,” he snapped, finally looking at her. “Amber, go get dressed.”
She pouted as she drained the mug before leaving the three of us alone.
I wasn’t sure why but the coldness and finality in Lucas’s tone when he said I was business hurt. What we'd been on the edge of last night hadn’t felt like business, but that was my own fault for letting my guard down. I knew what he was capable of and I almost had sex with him. And if I had done that with him thinking I’m nothing more than a business arrangement, would I have been prostituting myself? I wasn’t stupid enough to think it would be anything more than a night but the lack of respect when he had demanded it for himself...
“Get ready to leave,” he told Dante before leaving the room.
“Have I missed something?” Dante asked, looking down at me. I wished he wasn’t as observant as he was.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about?”
Dante narrowed his eyes and hugged me to his side. The musky scent of his cologne was a comfort. I was grateful to have his support right now because the combination of anger and hurt made me light headed.
“Mia,” Dante said. “You look like you just got sucker punched.”
“I’m just trying to figure out how this place runs,” I explained. “Who’s who? You know.”
He gave me an unconvinced look.
“I’m going to be late for my run with Dom,” I told him, no longer wanting to have this conversation. Shrugging his arm from around me, I left the kitchen and walked down the hall, trying to regulate my breathing.
“Mia,” Dante followed after me, his footsteps on the hardwood flooring echoed in the space. “Amber is…”
I stopped in the entrance hall and turned to face him. “More Luc’s type?” I asked, remembering what Dante had said when he’d first seen me sitting in the kitchen. I was not Lucas’s usual type. His type, apparently, was tall and blonde and looked like she had stepped out of a glossy magazine spread, even first thing in the morning. “Dante, honestly it’s none of my business. I’m here until Dad finishes paying back his debt. What Lucas does in his personal life; I couldn’t care less.”
He looked at me and shook his head with a sigh. “Luc isn’t a bad guy.”
I had no idea why he would lead with that. I was sick of people defending him and trying to make out that Lucas was a decent human being. Lucas was a law unto himself. He did as he pleased without a care about others and I had almost stupidly become a casualty of his reckless behavior. I counted my blessings that last night stopped when it had. “I really need to get going, Dante.”
“Give me some love before you leave.” He held out his arms and I sighed before stepping up and hugging him. Wrapping his arms around me, he lifted me off the ground, making me laugh.
“Alright, alright, put me down!” I told him. My feet touched the ground again as he obliged.
“Better get going then, sweetheart. Sounds like you’re already running late.”
As I turned to leave, I felt the sting of a slap and the crack echoed in the hall as Dante’s palm landed flat against my ass. I whirled back around to see him laughing, holding his hands up in defense.
“Sorry! I couldn’t help myself.”
I prodded my finger into his chest. This man was a pain in the neck, but I couldn’t help but like him. His attitude was infectious, and I was already in a better mood compared to when I had walked into the kitchen. “Keep your hands to yourself, Atwood. See you later, D.”
With my warning delivered, regardless of how effective it might have been, I finally left the house.
Chapter Nine
Lucas
I watched them from the top of the stairs. Mia’s laughter was what alerted me to something happening. There’s nothing dainty about Mia’s laugh. It was in complete contrast to how she looked, instead wild and loud. I had told Dante not to touch her. I told him I didn’t want to repeat myself. Why did people struggle to follow simple instructions?
As the front door closed, I moved down the stairs with purpose to find Dante standing there grinning to himself like the idiot he was.
“What are you so happy about?” I asked him. I could feel the slight throb of a vein at my temple.
“Nothing, boss,” he said, turning to face me and schooling his features.
I was about to lose my shit. I didn’t deal well with lies. I expected honesty from the people I surrounded myself with. For the second time in three weeks, Dante’s actions drove me to pin his arm behind his back and this time he was up against the front door.
“I just saw you with her,” I said through clenched teeth. This imbecile was meant to be my best friend and someone I regarded as family. “I’m meant to trust you, but you can’t seem to follow orders. I told you she’s mine.”
“I wasn’t sure that still stood with Amber being here,” Dante hissed through the pain. “Mia looked blindsided when she walked in and saw her this morning.”
Mia’s face, when I walked back in this morning, had hit me hard. She’d barely been able to keep eye contact with me and suddenly I was struck with the urge to explain my way out of the hole I had dug myself. She was not a woman who jumped into bed with a man, that much was evident. For all of the respect I had stipulated from her, I had embarrassed her in return. I could fix it if I could speak to her alone, but the morning had spiralled, and now continued the downward trajectory.
“So, you thought you’d help her out again?”
“You’re trying to have your cake and eat it, Luc,” Dante told me. At times, he knew me too well. “She doesn’t seem like a girl who’s going to be up for that.”
“And you could do better?” I snapped. “You’re no different to me, Dante or have you forgotten that we grew up together?”
“I’d wager that she trusts me more than you at this point.”
That was the final straw. I had brought Mia here and the thought that she favored someone over myself did not sit well with me. It awoke a jealousy that I didn’t realize I possessed. Without a second thought, I twisted and placed pressure against Dante’s arm and there was a sickening crack before he screamed and cursed at the top of his lungs.
“I told you I didn’t expect to repeat myself,” I told him coldly, no remorse or sympathy for what I had inflicted on him. I let go of his arm and it dropped limply to his side as he continued the stream of expletives.
In the din, I hadn’t heard Amber until she appeared at my elbow and said, “What the hell is going on? Are you boys playing nice?”
“Looks like I have to cancel lunch,” I told her, fixing the sleeves on my shirt. “I need to take Dante up to the hospital.”
“Luc,” Amber whined, and it grated on me, doing nothing for my already dismal mood.
“I mean it, Amber.”
I had a distinct change of plans after this morning's events. Putting things right with Mia and proving Dante wrong in his smug assumption, would require me keeping some distance from Amber. Something I was more than capable of doing.
I marched Dante through the door and towards the car while Amber stormed off to her own, unhappy with being blown off. Dante looked pale as I helped him into the car. The adrenaline had worn off and the pain was setting in. Jumping into the driver’s side, I set off for the hospital.
“Why don’t you just listen?” I asked him now the initial anger had passed.
“I did, Luc,” he replied. “But something’s going on and Mia didn’t seem happy about it. Wasn’t like you were going to give her an explanation.” He spoke through gritted teeth before heaving from the pain.
“Don’t you dare,” I warned him, dreading the thought of Dante’s vomit across the leather interior of my pride and joy.
“You shouldn’t have broken my fuckin
g arm,” he shot back.
I kept my eyes on the road and put my foot down.
“I’m not interested in her, Luc,” he told me.
“Are you sure about that?” I could see him nodding from the corner of my eye.
“She’s a stunner but that’s a woman who’s going to want more than to keep your bed warm and a wad of cash. She’s not Amber.”
There was a silence that stretches between us as I contemplated his words. It wasn’t just me who had noticed Mia’s mood this morning and drew conclusions. “I know.”
We reached the hospital and I helped him out of the car and into the building before alerting the staff to my clumsy friend who fell down the stairs.
“You need to figure out where your head is, boss,” Dante said to me. “It doesn’t seem like she’s strictly business to you.”
A nurse came through to escort Dante to X-ray.
“Do you need me here?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Go see your Mom. I’ll join you when they’ve fixed this mess.”
∞∞∞
“I really think we should get home now, boss,” Dante said as I swayed into someone at the bar.
We’d left the residential home hours ago. Dante’s arm was fixed into position in a cast, no surgery required, and I’d spent my day talking to caregivers and Stefan. Amber had continuously called me, and I didn’t think I could face Mia without making the entire situation worse than it already was.
As the night wore on, I was vaguely aware of just how good it felt to have my fist connect with someone’s jaw, but what felt better was to have one come back at me. The adrenaline and the pain distracted me from all the bad news that had been delivered earlier.
“Luc! Stop!” Dante pulled me away from the guy with his good arm, and the alcohol in my system meant resistance was futile. “This isn’t the way to deal with it.”
He pushed me out into the night before hailing a cab.
“What about my car?” I slurred as he forced me into the back seat. I remembered driving to the residential home. I remembered driving to the bar. I made an attempt to get out of the other side of the cab, but Dante grabbed my arm and gave the driver my address.
“You can pick it up tomorrow,” he told me and leaned back against the leather seat. “Fuck’s sake, Luc. You need to sort yourself out. At this rate, I’m looking forward to Stefan getting back into town.”
“Just like everyone else then,” I spat out at the mention of my baby brother. “Can’t wait for Saint Stefan to make an appearance.”
Dante didn’t say another word.
The cab pulled up outside the house and I stumbled out and up to the door while Dante paid the driver and joined me. He took the keys from my hand and pushed the door open, guiding me into the house.
“I need a drink,” I announced and started towards the kitchen, but Dante pulled me back.
“That’s the last thing you need.”
That’s when I saw her, standing at the other end of the hallway, looking horrified as she watched the two of us in a weird wrestling match.
“Mia!” I called out to her.
She was already in her pajamas, an old t-shirt and some shorts, and in the dim light I could see her eyes wide and doe-like. I had the unmistakable urge to go to her and comfort her. What was it about this girl that made me unable to get her out of my head? Mia was meant to be a quick fuck in order to get it out of my system, but somewhere inside I knew it wouldn’t be that simple. She intrigued me as much as she aggravated me. Mia was a puzzle that I wanted to unravel in every way possible.
“What’s the matter, darling?” I asked, tripping over my words.
“What the hell happened to both of you?” Mia asked, directing the question to Dante.
I gave her a confused look and she gestured to Dante’s arm and my face. Pressing my hand to my face, I felt the sting and saw blood on my palm. “Fuck.”
“It’s been a long day,” Dante said. “Is anyone around?”
“It’s just me,” she told him.
“Mia, please help me sort him out. I wouldn’t ask but I have one arm.”
"Yeah, of course."
Chapter Ten
Mia
I had never seen Lucas out of control before. He was a man who seemed to have a tight rein over every aspect of his life. Not now. There was blood drying on his face and the whites of his eyes were bloodshot. I did my best to help Dante guide him up the stairs and steer him towards his bedroom. He fought us every step of the way until we finally pushed him inside.
“Is there a first aid kit around?” I asked.
“Check his bathroom,” Dante told me, and I walked in to look.
“Where’s she going?” Lucas’s voice boomed and he made a move to follow me, but Dante stopped him.
“To try and help you. Now sit down and shut up.” Dante sounded completely exhausted.
I rummaged around the bathroom, surprised at just how ordered it was. The first aid kit was located under the sink, and I grabbed it before joining the boys back in the bedroom where Luc had started to strip down to his boxers. I flushed red and Dante looked exasperated at his friend and his behavior.
“What happened, D?” I asked, avoiding looking at Luc in his semi-naked state.
“It’s not really my place,” he said to me quietly. “He’s just dealing with a lot at the moment, but he never usually gets this bad.”
I know Dante wouldn’t divulge any more information no matter how hard I pried. This pair was as thick as thieves. No one else came to the house and made themselves at home the way that Dante did. Although, I guess Amber could be added to that list now.
“D, why don’t you rest up here,” I suggested to him. “I’m sure Lucas won’t mind. I can clean him up and if I need anything, I’ll give you a shout.”
He looked grateful as he said, “Are you sure?”
“Honestly. I’m not sure how much help you would be with one arm anyway.”
“Thanks, Mia.”
Dante took a few steps away from me as I moved to hug him. Behind me, I could feel the warmth of Lucas’s body behind mine. An imposing figure that made me feel smaller than I was.
“I don’t fancy him breaking my other arm,” Dante told me, gaze sliding over to Lucas. He shot me a half-smile before he left the room.
A large part of me wanted to continue being angry at him for humiliating me this morning. I had planned to keep as much distance between us as possible, but he obviously needed help and I couldn’t call Lydia now. Turning around, I was faced with a wall of muscular, tattooed chest. The anger was a ball that knotted in my stomach.
“Lucas…”
“Why don’t you call me Luc?” he asked me.
“Sorry?” I was taken aback by his question and how earnestly he’d asked it.
“Why don’t you call me Luc?” he repeated. He sat down on the edge of the bed, his bloodshot eyes focusing on me as he continued to slur. “You call him D. You have Dom and Lyds but you call me Lucas.”
I hadn’t realized that I’d never shortened his name. Things between us were in an odd limbo, unlike with everyone else, where I felt I’d found my feet. I knew where I stood with them, but the lines remained blurred and unclear where Lucas was concerned. There were moments like the flowers, the kiss, and last night where I wondered about the Lucas behind all the temper and business. And then there were times, like when he implemented his rules and stalked through the house in such a bad mood that even the staff steered clear of him, that I felt sorry for the woman that would chain herself to him until death did they part.
“Call me Luc,” he insisted, looking up at me.
“Okay, Luc,” I said, the name sounded foreign in my mouth. “I need to clean you up. It’s going to sting.
He swayed slightly as he sat there, but, thankfully, he didn't resist. I opened the rubbing alcohol and dropped some onto a cotton pad before sitting on my knees in front of him. His eyes followed every one of my moves in a w
olfish manner.
“Let me see,” I said. Gently, I took his face in one hand and wiped the cut on his lip. Luc hissed and pulled back. “Luc, I need to clean them.”
Hesitantly, he moved back towards me. I cupped one side of his face with my hand and he covered it with his own, dwarfing it, warm and rough against my skin. I reached out tentatively and started cleaning the cuts on his lip, cheek and eyebrow while he hissed and groaned in pain but didn’t move again.
Luc’s body was one that called for attention, taut muscles and hard lines that would please anyone who laid eyes on it. I tried my best to not get distracted, but the colors and shapes of his tattoos kept drawing my eye, and I despised myself for craving feeling him against me again.
“There,” I said, leaning back to assess my handiwork. “It’s the best I can do for now. I’ll take a better look at the damage tomorrow.”
I went to move my hand away from his face, but Luc kept hold of it.
“Don’t go,” he said to me.
I froze and looked at the floor. Drunk Luc was a lot more vulnerable than his sober counterpart. “Luc.”
“Please.”
Lucas Foster had rarely said a word of please or thanks since I’d been in this house. I looked up at him and felt my heart wrench at the sadness etched across his face. Beneath the big, bad man I wondered what kept him up at night. What had happened in his life to pull that much despair to the surface? The knot of anger I held had started to unfurl.
“Please don’t leave me, Mia,” he whispered, and it broke my resolve.
“You need to sleep this off,” I told him gently.
“I will if you stay.” Even drunk, Luc was trying to barter his way into getting what he wanted. Was there ever a time that he didn’t think of getting the upper hand in a deal?
“Okay, but you need to let me get up.”
Letting go of my hand, I got up to my feet, and I placed everything on his nightstand.