Unlucky in Love
Page 17
“You little idiot,” Benny said affectionately, grabbing David behind his neck. “You can’t ever lose family. Family is…” He cast around and came up empty. “Family is family. We’re always there for each other. You can’t take that away as long as we’re alive. You can only add to it, huh?” He gave David a slight shake, but Luke figured he had to be working on a major headache by now. Good.
“You.” Benny let go of David and walked over to Luke. From behind Benny’s back, David’s face took on a pallor of fear and his eyes widened till there was little else left of the man. Apparently this particular improv game was one he and Dani had played a lot, that much was obvious. The question remained: what would Luke say? He’d been beaten pretty good at David’s orders and, frankly, it would be beyond satisfying to rat the little shit out. Only, it would land Luke in the harbor with a brand-new pair of cement sneakers.
The question was, would David be thinking that far ahead? Or was he thinking about Uncle Benny and saving his own skin?
“You love her, yes?” Benny asked him, a corner of his mouth lifting in anticipation of the reply.
“I do.” Luke stated it as naturally as if it were true. Problem was, he’d spent the past few hours realizing it was true. He did love her. Life was better with her than without her. He’d accepted that his job had torn them apart, and wanted to talk to her, to explain, but… well, once again the job had gotten in the way.
And suddenly he wasn’t so sure that their relationship stood much of a chance either. She was still picking her family over him, looking for ways to bail out her brother with little to no regard for Luke’s own skin. Either she wasn’t thinking that far ahead, or he’d gotten her just that mad that morning.
Looking at her face, he had absolutely no idea which it was. His eyes narrowed as he regarded her, suddenly wary. Did she hate him enough to see him killed?
“You know,” Benny said, turning to address everyone after a pause so long David had been slinking for the door. “I believe you. No one who didn’t love this little girl would let himself get the shit kicked out of him by her little baby brother’s… uh… friends.” He shook his finger at David. “I’m so disappointed in you. You act like an animal.”
“Uncle Benny,” Dani said, reaching out to grab Luke’s hand, gripping him hard enough to where she almost crushed his fingers. “We should go. We have a flight to…”
“No,” Benny said flatly, and crossed to the sideboard to pour himself a drink.
“No?” Luke asked. Oddly, in this moment of confusion, he found himself on the same side with Dani and David. The three of them looked at each other, trying to figure out if someone caught something the other missed.
“We’re family,” Benny insisted, raising his glass as if in a toast. “Your father would never forgive me if I let you run off to a justice of the peace or some…” He laughed. “Or some Elvis impersonator in Vegas. NO!” He slammed the glass down on the table. “No, the wedding will be here! In this house!” He waved his arms as if calling a runner out at third base. “David,” he said, wagging his finger at Luke, “is going to be your best man! And you!” He turned to Dani like a shark sensing fresh blood. “You’ll wear a big beautiful dress, and you’ll walk down a very, very long aisle. And your father will walk you down to give you away.”
“But…” David’s eyes had taken on a somewhat wild look. “But…”
Dani jumped in quickly. “Uncle Benny, Dad’s gone.”
“For this—” Benny lifted a finger, pointing to the ceiling. David looked up. “For this, he’ll come home, I promise. To walk his little girl down the aisle, that will drive him back.” Benny put down the glass and added as quiet afterthought, “and then, I’ve got him.” He turned and surveyed them all. “Now, David, you apologize to your new brother. Now!”
David jumped and turned to Luke. “I’m… I’m sorry.” He gave a half-panicked look back at Benny, looking for approval, Luke realized. At Benny’s nod, he bolted for the door.
Benny sighed and followed him with a shake of the head. “Johnny!” he called out. Another man, in a better-quality suit, answered. This guy looked like he knew how to fight. It was an interesting change from David’s men. He eyed Luke and they sized each other up, each cataloging the other. “I think we need to let these two love birds alone, Johnny. Why don’t you have someone watch the door for them… Not too close, now.” Benny looked from one to the other, on his face an absolutely beautiful look of benevolence and cunning. “We’ll be right outside.”
Luke looked at Dani. The love of his life, the perfect woman. Who’d just made a fucking spectacular show of picking her brother over him.
Dani looked at Luke. Distrust written all over her face.
Married. They were going to have to get freakin’ married.
The door clicked shut, leaving them alone.
It sounded as loud as a shotgun.
THE END
You can’t always see all angles. Sometimes you lose the play. But that’s okay. Winning the game is what matters.
Luke’s in way over his head. His job, his FBI career, his own life, mean nothing if Dani gets hurt. The woman can be the most pig-headed, stubborn person he’d ever met. And now he must marry her—to save her, and his own a$$.
Held against their will, Luke and Dani are being used as bait to bring Dani’s father out of hiding, but not by the police. Mafia front man and Dani’s uncle, Benny, is willing to do whatever it takes to get his money.
Suddenly the game of love has turned serious.
Can the two of them get out this alive? Will they kill each other in the process?
Love can make you do crazy things.
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