“Come with me, Amelia,” he added.
“I can’t just leave. What about Gigi and work?”
“Okay, I get not wanting to leave Gigi, but work… there’s someone there working with them, and I can’t figure out who it is.”
“Roose, maybe it’s him.” He’d always hated me.
“No.” There was a tentative expression on his face.
“Are you sure it’s not him?”
“I’m not a hundred percent certain, but it doesn’t add up for it to be him. Plus, he’s one of us.”
I frowned and sucked in a sharp breath. “What? What do you mean?”
“Amelia, I can’t get into that now. But he’s one reason you stayed safe and under the radar for so long.”
I wanted to get angry but found I couldn’t. Under the radar was exactly where I’d wanted to be.
“Does he know who I am?”
“No. No one does except the rat. Work, as far as things go, things should be closed. Demarco’s death worked to our favor. So, you can leave work out of the equation. Unless… there’s something else at work keeping you there.”
He held my gaze. If he’d been watching me all the time, he would have known about last night. He would have known that I kissed Sinclaire.
He should still hear it from me.
I released his shirt and stood, walking over to the window. He walked up to me and leaned against the frame.
“I kissed Sinclaire last night,” I confessed, hardly able to look at him.
“I know, but I heard it was more like he kissed you. Was that wrong?”
“I kissed him back.” I wasn’t about to excuse my guilt or make it seem like I’d received an unwanted kiss.
“Sinclaire’s the guy you want because he hits all the marks. Cop, so good guy. Not a criminal like me. Not afraid to do the right thing by the books. But I do what I have to, whether it’s right or wrong. He’d do anything for you because he’s in love with you.”
His eyes turned a darker shade of blue. It was similar to when he was turned on but different. This was harsher because of the darkness that lurked in his features.
I’d seen this look only a few times before. It was when we’d first found out I was being followed and whoever followed me broke into the house and took my hairbrush and lipstick. Items that proved who I was even though I’d had my name legally changed.
Those people found out and killed Cole to make an example out of him, leaving his body as a present for me.
Luc had the same look now as he did then.
“You think he’s in love with me?”
He tilted his head to the side. “I know he’s in love with you.”
“Which is better, being with someone who’s in love with me, or being with someone who wants to be with me, so he can inherit my father’s fortune?”
I hadn’t forgotten that.
He chuckled. “That’s for you to decide, except that I’m not with you so I can inherit your father’s fortune. I told you I don’t want it. So, I’m the guy who’ll do what I have to, to be with you.”
Nothing was better than that.
“Really?” No one had ever spoken such words to me.
“Yes.” His stare intensified. “What do you feel for him?”
“I love him as a friend.” That was the truth.
“But you can say you love him.”
“He’s a friend, and that’s it. I don’t feel anything else for him. I can’t.”
He reached out and planted his arm above me, then roughly pulled me toward him. “You need to tell him that. Don’t make me have to because it won’t be good. I may not kill senselessly, but I’m a very jealous man. I don’t share things that are mine. Okay?”
Our gazes tangled, and I saw the seriousness that lurked in his eyes. His possessiveness over me was something that should be infuriating, but it wasn’t.
I liked that he thought of me as his.
“Okay,” I decided to reply.
A sexy half-smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. I liked that too.
“Come with me.” His voice was an urgent whisper, showing more of his desperate need for me to be with him.
“Could I… have a few days to wrap everything up?” Gigi was the first person on my mind. I had to talk to her. Seriously talk as in maybe, probably tell her a little more than she knew about me. At the very least I had to let her know that my real name wasn’t Amelia Taylor.
Luc looked hesitant. “Friday. We leave Friday.”
That gave me two days to work with and say my goodbyes. I might even see Sinclaire too. I had to talk to him to smooth over what happened last night.
He’d probably still be pissed at me, but it didn’t matter. I’d see him and talk.
I didn’t want to be negative, but this could go all wrong.
I might not make it back.
“Friday.” I nodded. “This Victor…” I stopped and narrowed my gaze. I hadn’t asked much about him because I was afraid to hear the full rundown. When we found Cole, he wasn’t just dead. His eyes were gouged out, and his lips were sown together. Then the note on his body had been stuck there with a piece of tape. The note which I still had said, To Amelia R. Only a true psychopath could have done something like that.
“What can I expect from him?” I asked. “What more? I want to know what I’m up against.”
“He’s very unpredictable, and he’s insane. You saw what he did to Cole.” He pressed his lips together. “That was nothing. I’ve seen him do a lot worse. No matter what happens, I have to stop him. Him alive isn’t safe for anyone. Going to Chicago puts things back on our turf and protects people here. The longer you stay, the more risk we put everyone in. Demarco said Victor spent the last month analyzing and studying. That means he’s been looking into your weaknesses and everything about you. Anything he can use against you.”
“Why would he do that? Not that I’m not grateful to be alive, but I thought I would have been killed or something already.”
“Whoever hired him wants you unharmed, but that could mean anything to Victor.”
I squinted and brought my hand up to my temple. “They want me unharmed?”
“Yes. Which can only mean one thing.”
“They want to use me as leverage. My father has something they want, or they want him to pay a ransom for me.”
“It could be any of those things. Whoever hired these guys issued out a million in payment. Victor’s taking the lead from what I saw. Demarco set up the distraction for the sudden influx of drugs on the street to flush you out, so they could figure out who you are. I’m leaning towards the idea that there’s something your father has that they want, over money. They’ve gone through a lot of trouble so far, doll.”
I shook my head. “Who is it, Luc? Who do you think this person is?”
“Only your father can tell us that.”
I released a slow breath, not liking that answer.
All roads, all thoughts, everything led back to Chicago.
Chapter 6
Luc
I didn’t want to leave her, but it was best that I did.
If I had my way, we would have been on the first flight to Chicago. To me, waiting until Friday was too long, but I understood that Amelia wanted to wrap things up properly here.
I guess I could use the two days to do some further searches for Victor and see what else I could get sorted out here.
I already knew that the chances of finding him were slim. Didn’t stop me from trying though.
I just wished I could shake that bad feeling I had that things were about to move along in a way I didn’t want.
It was the quiet before the storm, where the atmosphere was tense and heavy. Pregnant with possibility.
I didn’t like it.
At least I had my goddess one more time before I left and had to pull myself away from her.
That pissed me off, but as I went downstairs to leave, I saw something –or rather someone – who would bri
ghten my day a fuck of lot more.
It was nearly seven, and Sinclaire was here with his presumptuous self, ready to sniff like the fucking dog he was. I’d passed by the sitting room on my way out when my eye caught him through the long glass window. Him strutting up the path, looking smug, like he was coming to see his girl.
Asshole. He had some nerve.
I heard Amelia had practically fled from him. I didn’t believe in pursuing women who I knew would never return the same feelings for me.
Amelia was the only woman I’d ever had to work hard to get, and I still didn’t really have her.
Sinclaire, on the other hand, could see outright that she wasn’t interested in him, yet he kept forcing the issue, spoiling whatever friendship they might have.
A friendship I didn’t care for.
I couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when I opened the door.
There he was. I swung the door open before his hand could reach the bell, and the look on his face was classic.
I didn’t need to gloat or make myself look like the bigger man for anything. I knew I was. This little prick, however, brought out this side of me that I couldn’t control.
It was fine while he was laid up in hospital trying to recover from his gunshot wound, but out and about, nah. And not when I realized the extent of his feelings for my girl.
“What are you doing here?” He had the audacity to ask.
“Really? You want me to answer that?” I widened my eyes and loomed over him.
We were both over six feet tall and made of muscle. But I had at least three inches on him. I knew if it came to it, he could give me a good fight, but he wouldn’t win. Not only had this fool managed to piss me off, but I was jealous of his relationship with Amelia.
She’d said she loved him like a friend.
Love.
I hadn’t really focused on the like a friend part of that answer.
He scowled at me. “You are scum. If you had any decency, you’d leave her alone.”
I stepped right into his personal space, and he tried to stand his ground. “Watch what you say, Brad Sinclaire. You don’t know who you’re talking to and who you’re dealing with.”
“You threatening me?” he balked, and God, he was stupid enough to touch me.
It had to be a cop thing. Cops thought they owned the law because they had the authority to arrest.
Sinclaire shoved me. He was actually stupid enough to do it. Surprise filled his face when I didn’t move. I guessed that move of his was supposed to put me on the floor.
In one swift action, I had him against the wall, the flat of my arm pressing into him, cutting his air off. I could have gone for his chest because I knew he was still wounded, but I didn’t.
“You scum. The next time you think to put the moves on my girl, I’ll cut your dick off.” Like a worm, he squirmed against me trying to escape.
“Luc!” Amelia wailed, running down the stairs.
Fury made me growl because I wanted to do more to this fucker than just pushing him up against the wall.
“Let him go, Luc.” She rushed up to us and tugged on my arm.
I released him, and he doubled over in fits of coughs.
I looked at her, but she was shaking her head at me. “I told you. I’m a jealous man.”
She rolled her eyes at me, then looked to Sinclaire, who was beginning to adjust himself, then back to me, but I was already going through the door.
Jealous, fury at the situation, the need for her to be mine. That was me.
Through all of that, I didn’t know her true feelings for me.
Amelia
Jesus. I thought Luc was going to kill Sinclaire.
I’d just dragged on my dressing gown when I looked out the window and saw Sinclaire coming up the garden path.
My brain had done a quick calculation of what would happen next.
When I heard the loud bang against the door, I knew, I knew that it was Luc who had Sinclaire in some sort of lock and not the other way around.
Here I was, staring after Luc as he walked down the path. The dressing gown was all I had on. If the morning breeze blew too much, the flimsy gown would lift about my thighs, and there would be nothing left to the imagination.
Also, anyone who looked at me could tell that I’d just had wild sex.
And if they couldn’t guess that, they’d see my puckered nipples poking through the soft satin of the fabric.
I looked back to Sinclaire, who was already glaring at me.
He closed the door, robbing me of seeing the last traces of Luc’s descent.
With his eyes blazing, jaw tight, skin red, so red it made his blond hair look stark, he frowned and hissed at me. That was the best way I could describe the sound that came out of his mouth.
“What are you doing?” he growled.
“What do you mean?” I shot back. It was a stupid throwback because I knew full well what he meant.
“Amelia, internal affairs have been looking for Luc for weeks, and here you are, shacked up with him. Have you known where he was all this time? You… allowed him to escape, didn’t you?” His eyes grew to saucers.
“I did not.” My fists balled at my side. “Last night was the first time I’ve seen him since that day.”
“Last night.” His mouth spread into a thin line, and he frowned with fury. Expression hard, a mask of stone. “I came to apologize for last night. I came to apologize for kissing you, but I see that you just left me to hop in bed with Luc.”
Heat flushed my cheeks, and my heart and stomach clenched at the same time. I didn’t need this shit right now. In fact, I didn’t need it, full stop. Not now or ever.
“You know what?” I folded my arms under my breasts. “You need to back off and leave me alone. I can’t stand this anymore, you constantly trying to get with me when you know how I feel.”
He narrowed his gaze now. I’d been harsh with him, but not like that. I’d never voiced the way I felt like that.
“You know what?” he borrowed my own words. “You’ve never been quite direct in telling me how you felt, and kissing me doesn’t exactly help. It never says back off.”
I wanted to defend myself, but words escaped me. What could I say to that? Last night wasn’t the first kiss. It was the second. It was the one I’d stopped because of Luc.
That first kiss, which happened last year, was what had given him hope. I was drunk, but it didn’t excuse my behavior. I’d full-on made out with him, and there was nothing left to question about my actions.
Why did I do that?
I’d gotten drunk off my face because I didn’t want to feel the loss I still felt for my mother. It had been the anniversary of her death. Somehow, this year felt unbearable.
It was a Saturday. Max had a barbeque at his house and somehow, I ended up sucking face with Sinclaire because I probably wanted to feel something other than that soul-sucking loss.
“I’m sorry if I’ve given you the wrong idea. I just want us to be friends. That’s all. I don’t want to hurt you. You deserve someone who can be more than what I am, and who can feel more for you than what I have felt.”
“Because you’d rather be with a criminal than with me?” He nodded.
“It’s not like that.”
“What is it like? Luc’s a criminal, and you barely know him. We just know that he’s been using dead people’s details for God knows how long. It’s enough, but he could be capable of anything else. Plus, he was clearly the rat in our group. In my eyes he was working with Montgomery.”
I groaned inwardly. Of course, it would seem that way. Roose probably allowed everyone to think that. I hadn’t mentioned Luc since he left, and the guys knew not to talk about him with me. They knew I’d been dating him. They knew he’d left and the reasons for that.
End of story.
Although I was certain Sinclaire had a thing or two to say in my absence.
“I’m not going to talk about that with you. It’s not
true. He isn’t working with Montgomery.”
“Did he tell you that?”
“Sinclaire, let’s just drop this. I’m done here.”
He nodded again. This time with more purpose. “Yeah, I’m done too. I’m done.”
That final remark told me that he was done with me. Not just the conversation.
“I’ll do you a favor and not call this in. I won’t say that I saw Luc here with you, reason being that I think you’re deluded. And, clearly, you have issues you need to work out. But that’s it, Taylor. I’m done with you. I hope you know what you’re doing. The worst kind of cop is a dirty one. I can’t be friends with you knowing what you’re doing is wrong. So, good luck.”
That wasn’t the way I’d imagined saying goodbye to him.
I guessed, though, that with all that had happened between us, there wasn’t any other way that this could go.
He turned, opened the door, and left slamming it shut.
My shoulders slumped. I pulled in a deep breath that did nothing for me, and I wanted nothing more than to crawl under a rock or get sucked into a black hole.
This was all messed up.
I turned to go back upstairs but noticed Gigi sitting at the top of the stairs.
Her face broke into a warm, open, friendly smile.
I needed friendly now. I needed my best friend.
A tear ran down my cheek when I saw her.
“Need to talk?” she asked.
I tried to smile but failed. “Yes.”
Talking was just the beginning of what I needed.
I looked at my best friend. A woman I’d known for so long and hoped with all my heart she wouldn’t shun me when I told her the truth.
I hoped that she would still be my friend. Gigi was the only normal I had in my life. Even with her crazy witch stuff. She was my normal and the only person who had been able to take me as I am.
Even though she never really knew my past.
Chapter 7
Amelia
Gigi stretched her arms out on the table.
She gazed down at the swirl of patterns that formed in the deep oak. She stared for what seemed to me like eons, then she looked back at me.
Mafia Scars (The Accidental Mafia Queen Book 2) Page 6
