by Mia Dymond
“Not necessarily,” she pointed out.
“She’s already been charged.” He placed the needle against the vein in her arm. “And now her alibi is gone.”
Allison bit her bottom lip to keep from screaming bloody murder. The cold metal of the needle against her heated skin burnt the reality of what was about to happen into her brain. Somehow, prison didn’t sound like a bad option after all. Except now, she had no choice. No doubt Lucy had already pushed speed dial and help was on the way, but the odds of saving her were slim to none. The adrenaline in her body would push the drug through her veins in record time and she’d be dead in a heartbeat. Or two.
Desperate to delay her death, she managed to roll her arm to the side and out of Dr. Winslow’s grasp. A wicked grin creased his lips and he repositioned her arm. “Be a good girl now, Allison, and accept your punishment.”
Her heart hammered against the laces of her corset and her eyes narrowed at his cocky remark. Be a good girl? A good girl would not be decked out in leather, stretched out like a virgin sacrifice, and handcuffed to this ridiculous chair. No, a good girl she was not. And to prove her point, she lifted one leg and swung it over the side of the chair to pierce him in the back of the knee with one sharp stiletto.
He yelped and the death cocktail fell to the floor just as the closet door flew open and smacked the wall. Lucy rushed out and shoved the camera in his face.
“Not so fast, Romeo.”
Within seconds of Lucy’s interruption, Luke flew through the air and knocked Dr. Winslow to the floor. The tangle of bodies rolled over and over until Allison finally heard a sickening crack and Dr. Winslow lay motionless.
Luke rolled off of Dr. Winslow and onto his back. Lucy shoved the camera at Ben and unlocked Allison’s handcuffs.
Luke groaned and grabbed his head. “Why are there strobe lights in here?”
Lucy raised her head. “Uh-oh.”
Allison squatted next to Luke.
“You look so great,” he murmured.
“Where’s the syringe?” She ignored his appreciation and swallowed her panic.
He rolled to one side and exposed the needle stuck in the back of his arm.
“Call 911!” she told Detective Ramsey.
“Loo-shy,” Luke slurred, “the pink elephants are coming for me! Don’t let them take me away.”
The detective frowned as he dialed. “What’s in that stuff?”
Allison grabbed the vial and grinned. “Relax, Luke, you’re just booked for a long nap.”
Lucy’s eyes widened. “It’s not Botox?”
Allison chuckled and bent to pluck the syringe from Luke’s arm. “No, Diprivan. Just an anesthetic. He’ll sleep it off.” She stood and tossed a mischievous smile at Detective Ramsey. “Is the camera still recording?”
He lifted the camera and aimed at Luke. “Yeah. I’m sure Owens will want to see this.”
Luke moaned as he rolled back and forth on the floor.
“What is he doing?” Detective Ramsey continued to capture the action on tape.
Allison giggled. “Dodging elephants.”
Sirens echoed in the distance and Lucy tugged on Allison’s arm. “C’mon, Allison, the cavalry is here.”
Allison glanced at the doorway as a familiar man in black, accompanied by Scar, stepped into the room and gestured to her and Lucy. Thank God for family. She gave Luke’s forehead one last caress before she stood to follow Lucy.
“Be sure to keep the camera on him,” Allison tossed back over her shoulder. “You’ve got four more hours of memory.”
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
Luke counted steps from his truck to the front door of Allison’s house, prepared to break in if necessary. One way or another, she’d listen to what he had to say and forgive him. His plan wasn’t exactly well-thought, but he didn’t have time or patience for all that. He wanted her and if it took bodily harm, then so be it. Luckily, he healed fast.
Just as he inhaled a deep breath of crisp cold air and raised his fist to pound, the door swung open and Allison stood glaring at him with one hand on her hip.
“Why are you here?”
“I came to explain.”
“No need. My uncle explained everything.”
“Then I came to claim you.”
“Claim me? I’m not real estate, Luke.”
He glanced over his shoulder at the sound of a running engine and saw a long black Lincoln creep down the street. He sighed and ran a hand across his aching brow. Enough.
“Inside.” He pushed her into the house and closed the door.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing?”
“Taking what’s mine,” he said honestly.
“You believe I’d take you back after you violated my trust?”
“What was I supposed to do, Allison? Your uncles are pretty convincing.”
“My uncles are harmless old men.”
“What would you have done differently?” he whispered.
He watched the fire leave her eyes.
“Nothing.”
“Hell,” he mumbled as he pulled her against him. “Screw the mob.”
“Mob? What are you talking about?”
“You’re Scarletti’s niece. I’ve looked over my shoulder since I met you.” He paused for her to correct him, desperate for her to reassure him he overreacted.
She took a step back and crossed her arms. “Honor and loyalty are part of the code.”
He released a frustrated breath. “I deserved that.”
“Yeah, you did.”
He prepared himself to be pierced by her several thousand poison arrows. Instead, she stepped back into his embrace and lifted one eyebrow. “I think you have something else to say to me.”
Taking advantage of her invitation, he pulled her flush against his chest and smoothed a hand down her hair. “I love you.”
He felt the soft edges of her lips tickle the corners of his biceps. “I was thinking more along the lines of I’m sorry, Allison, or I owe you big time, Allison.”
He chuckled at her stall tactic. “Say it, Allison.”
He waited patiently as seconds ticked in the momentary silence. Finally, he felt her body soften against his. “I love you too, Luke.”
He rested his chin on the top of her head, closed his eyes, and sighed. “Do I have to pass some sort of initiation?”
Her warm breath against his neck teased his libido as she answered. “No.”
His body cursed the separation when she stepped from the circle of his arms and gave him a sexy smile. “Relax. I’m not as untouchable as you think. My uncle has been gone a long time.”
His lips trembled with the need to tell her how ridiculous that sounded. What about the other hundred or so uncles? “You have a huge family.”
She shrugged and her eyes twinkled. “All of who insist they keep me out of trouble.”
He scrubbed his hand across his jaw, not quite comforted by her revelation. She stayed in trouble. In fact, he had finally met his match in pushing the envelope. She refused to follow anybody’s code, including her family’s, even if she sacrificed herself in the process. Life with her would be an adventure. One lifelong, roller-coaster-ride-until-you-throw-up adventure. Yet, he didn’t care. He loved her. And even the mob couldn’t change that.
She placed a soft kiss against his lips and squeezed his shoulder. “You’re thinking way too hard, Owens.”
“Should we tell them?”
She smiled and grabbed her purse and keys. “They already know. Who do you think orchestrated this whole thing?”
Although her confession didn’t surprise him, his pulse jumped at the reality. “They didn’t just pick me out of the phone book?”
She rolled her eyes at his sarcasm. “Change your mind?”
“Absolutely not.” He managed a casual smile. “What now?”
“Ever been to a sit down?”
“Uh, no.”
“Well, lucky for you, I have. Don’t w
orry, it will only hurt for a minute.”
His stomach flip-flopped as he helped her into her coat. “Now?”
“Of course.” She pulled him out the door. “Why wait?”
Billions of questions attacked Luke’s brain as Allison steered out of the city. Would he have to pass a test of loyalty? Would they assign someone to watch him? He wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans. He was acting ridiculous. Paranoid. He had absolutely no proof that Allison’s uncles were mobsters. Wealthy and powerful, yes. Calculated and crafty, maybe. But they obviously loved her enough to tolerate her acts of independence. And so did he.
Scenes from The Godfather flashed through his brain when she approached an iron gate, lowered her window half an inch, and wiggled three fingers at the armed guard. With a nod, he motioned to a paved driveway lined with outdoor lights that had just begun to flicker. She raised the window, drove up the drive and stopped in front of a sprawling stone mansion.
Luke breathed a little heavier when she stopped the car and killed the engine. Glancing into the evening twilight, he noticed the lone house sat on several acres of hilly grassland decorated with massive spruce and maple trees.
“Who lives here?”
“My family,” she answered evasively.
His eyes sought hers across the car and he fought the urge to kiss information from her. He released a deep breath. Okay, kiss her anyway. No way in hell would she give him information she didn’t want him to have.
He tried again. “Did you grow up here?”
She nodded. “Lucy and I had a great time here. The lawn is perfect for hide-and-seek.”
Hide-and-seek. Damn. He reached for the door handle and opened his door. “Sit.”
With something close to fear pushing him, he rounded the car, opened her door, and extended a hand.
She gave him a confident smile and tucked her hand into his as she stepped from the car. “Such a gentleman.”
He folded her next to him as they walked to the front door. His heart pounded double time when he saw a familiar figure braced in the doorway. He looked just as dark and mysterious as he did the last time they’d met.
“Good evening, quello maligno, he waits for you,” their host said as he motioned them inside.
Luke leaned to whisper in her ear as he followed behind her. “What did he just call you?”
“Mischievous,” she said as the door closed behind them. She gave the man a wry smile. “Thank you, Uncle Carmine. I’d introduce you, but apparently, you’ve met.”
Carmine appeared unaffected by her jab and nodded. “Si´, we have met. It is nice to see you again, Mr. Owens. You are to be commended on a job well done.”
Luke shifted uneasily. No way would he travel that road again. “Actually, sir, Allison deserves the credit.”
Luke thought he saw Carmine’s chest swell beneath his suit jacket as he placed a hand on her shoulder. “We are very proud of her.”
A dull, throbbing ache attacked Luke’s shoulder blades as Allison led him through the ornately furnished entryway. He glanced at the walls, which seemed to close in on him with each footstep. He didn’t know much about art, but the paintings on the wall were not paint-by-number.
She finally led him into a dimly-lit parlor, where an aging man built of muscle sat folded into an easy chair, flexing his knuckles while he puffed on a cigar. And to top it all off, the gargantuan Rottweiler sat beside the chair with his top lip curled. Luke wasn’t sure which one intimidated him more.
“Allison, mia bella!”
Allison bent to place a kiss on each of the old man’s cheeks, then straightened and turned to Luke. “He called me beautiful,” she explained.
Allison shoved him toward Carlos, snapping his fear-induced stupor. “Uncle Carlos, I’ve brought someone to meet you. Luke, this is my uncle, Don Carlos Scarletti.”
Don Carlos offered a hand. “The adventurous young investigator who cleared your name. We meet at last. Please, sit.”
Luke swallowed nervously as he returned the Don’s handshake and took the offered seat.
Don Carlos parked his cigar into the nearest ashtray and folded his hands. “So, you mean to marry my Allison, yes?”
Allison patted her uncle’s hands. “Now, Uncle Carlos, we haven’t discussed marriage.”
“Yes,” Luke answered without hesitation.
She spun her head to look at Luke in shock and the Don released a deep chuckle. “Congratulations, you have rendered her speechless. It does not happen often.”
She drew a sharp breath. Obviously, she had underestimated Luke’s technique. She waited for his explanation. Instead, he shrugged.
Desperate to regain control, she looked Luke square in the eyes. “I am not speechless, Uncle, just humored. The man who deceived me now thinks I will marry him.”
Luke lifted her hand, kissed each knuckle and winked at her amused uncle. “She will.”
“You will allow me to walk you down the aisle, won’t you?”
Allison attempted to remain composed and glanced back at her uncle. “We’ll see, Uncle Carlos.”
With one last amused smile, the Don reached for his cigar and took one last draw before he snuffed it out. “I must leave you now. I have tickets to the opera this evening.”
Allison stood and grasped his shoulder to help him from his chair. “Carmen?”
He nodded and kissed her cheek. “You know an old man well.”
“Enjoy your evening, Uncle.”
The Don gave Luke one last nod before he ambled out of the parlor, the dog trailing behind.
Allison stepped to the window and watched Uncle Carlos and Scar exit the house and get into a waiting limousine. She felt a slight breeze move her hair as Luke stepped behind her and placed both his hands on her shoulders.
“By the way, you never explained your uncles’ mob connection.”
“I didn’t?” She kept her gaze focused out the window.
She heard him snicker under his breath. “No.”
She turned to face him, squinted narrowly and folded her arms under her breasts. Wouldn’t you like to know? “You can be quite persistent when you want to be.”
Obviously unmoved by her attempt to change the subject, he curled his upper lip. “Are they?”
“Are they what?”
“A mob family?”
“That’s a closely guarded family secret.”
“I’m almost family.”
“About that. I don’t recall you ever asking me to marry you.”
“Marry me.”
“Asking.”
“Will you marry me, Allison?”
She unfolded her arms and placed a hand over his heart, amazed by his tenderness. With a pulse-pounding certainty she knew he was hers. All hers.
‘Til death or her uncles did them part.
“What’s in it for me?”
She watched in smug delight as he backed her away from the window and tilted her chin with the tip of his finger. “You won’t make this easy, will you?”
Her body began a familiar hum as he lowered his head.
“You realize the house has surveillance cameras don’t you?” she challenged.
“I don’t care,” he murmured against her lips. “Answer the question.”
“Yes.”
EPILOGUE
Scar stood patiently beside Don Carlos as the old man tapped his snakeskin loafer in time to the music and they watched the two lovebirds float across the dance floor. His heart warmed at the expression in her eyes as her new husband held her in his arms, gently, like fine china, and cradled her closely as if to block out any disruption. Her look of utter contentment almost made him tolerate wearing the ridiculous bowtie in place of his studded collar. Don Carlos tugged on the leash as they circled the dance floor, greeting guests as they passed. He waited until they were alone at their table to speak.
“A little champagne would be nice, Carlos,” he growled.
“Patience.”
The Don placed a co
ffee cup from the table onto the floor and then poured a generous amount of the bubbly liquid into it. “Enjoy, my friend. We’ve worked hard for this moment.”
Scar lapped at the bubbly beverage, pausing a moment to see his brother, Carmine, approach and sit next to Don Carlos. “Allison appears most content, Don.”
A broad smile separated Carlos’ lips. “She is most docile for the moment.”
“Do you suppose he is man enough to tame her?”
The Don banged his cane against the floor. “Ay! No, Carmine. That is an impossible task. However, we are fortunate in that he is man enough to allow her to believe she has the upper hand.”
“You are assured he will seek our assistance if necessary?”
“Si´. His love for her is strong and enduring. He has proven he will risk her wrath to protect her.”
“So our work is done.”
Don Carlos released a hearty laugh. “Surely you do not believe that. No, brother, there will be daughters to come. Our work will never be done.”Scar swallowed the last of the tangy liquid then dragged his tongue across his lips while his brothers plotted their next intervention. A wave of sadness crossed his heart as the lowered voices spoke hushed Italian words. He would not be a part of their next objective. It could not be. He had chosen the path that led him to death and now it was up to them.
He lifted his snout to sniff the air around the two men seated at the table. The sweet smell of cherry vanilla cigar smoke and power. Unyielding, absolute strength and respect. His family was in good hands.
A light breeze lifted the hair on the back of his neck and he turned to look over his shoulder. A celestial glow beckoned. Scar took one last long look at his brothers and gave a low, deep growl. A heartfelt goodbye the only way he knew. Don Carlos laid a weathered hand on his head then returned to the conversation.
Arrivederci, my brothers.
With the grace of a prowling tiger, Scar eased himself away from the table, seeking guidance from the golden light.
Lealta´ oltre la morte. Loyalty beyond death.
***
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