Mafia love

“How’ve you been?” he asked.

“Not that great. Can I talk to you?” I sat on the window ledge in my bedroom and gazed outside looking at Dante and Gio, who were walking around on the front lawn. More guys were called in on the premises after Victor had been sighted.

“We’re talking, aren’t we?” Again, he sounded so distant and cold. It was understandable.

“Sinclaire, a lot has happened over the last few weeks. More than that.”

“Tell me about it. It’s been awhile since Roose approved vacation leave for three members of our team to be away at once.”

God, that’s what he thought.

“Yes, it must be hectic.” I didn’t know what the hell to say next.

“It’s pretty quiet with Jefferson and Holloway gone.”

Gone.

They were dead. Both of them, and I didn’t know how I was supposed to tell him that, and shit, anyone could have been tapping into this line right now and listening in. I could put him in danger by saying too much.

I never thought this through. I released a slow thoughtful breath and ran a hand through my hair.

“Sinclaire, please take care of yourself.” That was the best that I could say.

“What? You called me to tell me to take care of myself? That’s rich. Are you shacked up with the mobster?” His voice boomed across the line harsh and raw.

“Please, take care of yourself, and if you don’t mind, could you check in on Gigi?”

“Amelia…” That was strange, him calling me that too. He never did.

“You sound weak… What’s going on?” He knew something was wrong.

He knew me well enough to know when things weren’t okay. It was nice to know that even when he was mad as hell with me and probably wanted nothing to do with me he still cared.

I paused for a moment to contemplate what I could say to him. “I never told you this. But I think you’re the only person I ever truly trusted wholeheartedly. I never told you much, but I didn’t need to. I don’t even think that I trusted Max or Gigi the way I trusted you.”

“What’s going on? Has he done something to you?” Worry was heavy in his tone.

“No, he would never. I just need you to promise me you’ll take care of yourself.” I thought of something. We had a code from when we were in trouble but dealing with the situation. “Be like a golden eagle riding on a horse.”

He went quiet knowing instantly what I meant.

“Amelia.”

“Goodbye, Brad.” That was his name.

I hung up before he could respond and turned to put my phone back in my bag.

I froze, though, when I saw Luc standing in the doorway. Hurt washed over his face. Hurt and something else I couldn’t describe.

I didn’t need to be told that the hurt on his face had to be down to him catching what I’d said to Sinclaire. I didn’t know how long he’d been standing there, but I knew he must have heard that last part.

He must have heard me, must have heard every word I’d said to Sinclaire.

I knew the part that would have gotten him the most. It was when I’d said I trusted Sinclaire wholeheartedly.

My conversation wasn’t long, but it was enough.

Luc walked up to me. The phone started ringing in my hands. Sinclaire was trying to call back. I placed the phone on the bed, and we both watched it ring out.

Luc reached out and cupped my face. Looking deep into my eyes, he looked like he was searching for something. Then he dropped his hands to his sides.

“Pack a small bag.” He breathed ragged.

“What? What happened?” Something had happened. “Did you find something? Victor was here.”

“I know, goddess. Please, just pack a bag.”

“Where are we going?”

“I need normal. I need normal for a few hours. I need that with you. I can’t… Please, just pack a bag.”

What happened to him?

He looked me over, and his bottom lip trembled.

“My dad. I need to see if he’s okay.” I pointed to the door.

“He’ll be fine. Someone will stay here and watch the place.”

“You said we should stay here, you said that—”

“Fuck!!! Fuck, Amelia, please,” he cried. “Just pack a fucking bag and come with me.”

If I was worried before, I was scared now. Luc had never spoken to me like that before, and he’d never looked like this either. What came next shocked me even more.

A tear ran down his cheek, and he quickly wiped it away.

“What’s going on in here?” Claudius asked from the door.

He looked in at us, gun at the ready.

“We’re leaving for the day,” Luc told him. He turned to face Claudius with a sneer on his face.

“Leaving to go where, Lucian?”

“Home. It’s where I’d have my girl with me if this shit weren’t happening. We wouldn’t be cooped up in here in Raphael’s house. Fucking Raphael. Fuck him. Fuck him, Claudius. Son of a bitch, fucking son of a bitch always thinks he knows what he’s doing, but he’s wrong. This time, he messed with the wrong people, and we have to suffer.”

“What happened?” Claudius asked in a controlled, even tone. I was surprised at the way he was able to keep his cool because clearly, Luc had cracked.

Whatever these guys had done had cracked him and made him lose it.

Luc opened his mouth to answer and closed it again. He started again and sighed. He then walked over to Claudius and stopped to rest his hands on the door frame.

Claudius placed his hands on Luc’s shoulders and stared him straight in the eyes.

“What happened, brother? You tell me.”

“Lydia, Henry’s wife. A goon sent a message from Victor to me, letting me know Victor raped her first and made Henry watch. He made him watch that happen to her. Then he cut off her foot and ate it.”

I had to press my lips together to hold in the shock that coursed through me.

Luc had told me what happened to Henry and his family. It was awful, and it made me feel sick, but this …

Claudius looked thrown too, but he released Luc, and understanding washed over his face.

“I can’t let that happen to my girl. It won’t. He would have to kill me first. Cut my head off, and even then, I would come back to protect her.”

More tears ran down Luc’s cheek, and his words gripped me.

He was right in what he’d said earlier. They all were. This was above me, and it started with Dad.

It was above all of us because I didn’t think anyone here was used to dealing with a psychotic madman who had the power to mess with a guy

like Luc, and from the expression on Claudius’ face, I could tell Victor had reached him too.

“Claudius, you’re a better man than me, but I can’t be helpless, not like this. I can’t let someone I love die. You know what I mean. You’d do the same if it were her, if you could bring her back.”

When Claudius nodded with understanding, I realized there was something they were talking about that I wasn’t privy to.

“One night. Then you come back here.” Claudius held up a finger.

“Claudius—”

“One night, and you come back here with your plan of what you want to do.”

Luc sighed, looked back to me and reached out his hand. “Doll.”

I picked up my purse thinking it was best to take it.

I moved to him, took his hand and looked at Claudius as Luc took me away.

He gave me a curt nod of reassurance that I held on to.

It was one that told me I needed to up my game too and be strong.