by Anne Marck
I laugh again, humorlessly. “And you want me to put myself in danger with a pimp to protect a prostitute?” I stare at him, measuring his fury at what I’m about to say. “Uh, no … The problem is the other girl, isn’t it? The one you’re hiding. Tell me, Dom, what does this make us? Brothers who hide troubled girls from their executioners?”
I watch Dominic grow in his chair. Shit. I think I’m about to break the calm of a man who is known for his tranquility but who can also turn into his worst nightmare.
When he narrows his eyes, I know what’s coming.
“What have you done with the chance you got, Damien?” My brother takes us back to our past with the most perfect false passivity. “Fucking, work, and spending money on your luxuries; that’s it. Are you proud of that?” He raises his chin, pointing at my sturdy chair. “And you do absolutely nothing for others.”
Dammit, you can never win with Dominic; it’s always been like this. He can break you with that damn look of disgust alone.
I breathe out with force. “Okay, I give in. But if you want me to feel guilty about taking advantage of life, you’re wasting your time. I work hard here.” I shift my eyes to the view outside, avoiding looking at him. If I want to stay strong in this game, I have to take the guy exactly where I need to.
Clearing my throat, I dig my way in. “About the prostitute—”
“Jasmine. That’s her name. Stop talking about her like she’s trash,” he interrupts me, his gray eyes throwing a clear warning. “I won’t say it again.”
I swallow hard. Being reprimanded by my big brother isn’t my idea of a good day.
“Okay, about Jasmine.” I emphasize her name. “I can keep her for a while, but … everything comes at a price.”
Dominic looks at me with suspicion then says, “No, you won’t do that.”
Yes, brother, I will.
“Come back to work here; take over dealing with the board, and this girl will have the best time she’s ever dreamed of in my house. The prost—Jasmine,” I correct in time, “will be treated like a queen.”
“You’re going to bribe me, Damien …? Really?”
I see discontent in every line of his face.
I shrug. This is my only chance. “Take it or leave it, Dom.” I lean over and get in his face, laying the trap. “I’m tired, brother. Chris is, too. We need you,” I beg.
I see the indecision in his eyes. If Dominic has something big, it’s his fucking heart. It has always been like that.
I need him to accept because, fuck, we really need him.
Seconds of silence. Then I know I just won the battle.
“On my terms, Damien. If I come back here, it will be on my terms,” he declares. “There will be a low-cost construction sector. I want to decide on clean projects and not kissing stupid fucking asses for money. I’m not going to dinners, parties, or goddamn fucking events for money.”
Well, not everything turns out as we wish.
“Deal.”
This was even easier than I expected. To bring Dominic back, I even thought of faking a stroke. Don’t think I wouldn’t. Desperate situations require extreme measures.
Luna
I hear the key in the lock and start to breathe easier. Dominic is back.
I know he’s mad at me, but I also know that if there’s anyone who can help us in this situation, it’s him. However, I felt his fear behind his strong façade.
I think I went too far by hitting Dirty, but there was no other option. How else would I have prevented him from hurting Jasmine? With a polite request? “Young man, would you be so kind as to stop beating Jasmine?” No way. I did what needed to be done.
As soon as the door opens, I realize Dominic isn’t alone. Next to him is a handsome, tanned man with bright blue eyes and a perfectly trimmed beard around a defined jaw, styled to make him attractive. He’s wearing a suit with a good cut and impeccably polished shoes. Both are tall, lean, and sculpted under their clothes—beautiful in opposite ways. Dominic looks more natural, slightly carefree in appearance, with jeans and a basic T-shirt that clings to his body. The other looks like a model of expensive suits.
I don’t like the severe way the man’s eyes wander over my body then Jasmine’s, stopping on her longer. I may be mistaken, but when he looks at her more closely, the arrogance in his face is briefly replaced by interest, though disdainful.
“Luna, Jasmine,” Dominic breaks the silence. “This is my brother, Damien.”
All this time at Dominic’s house, and he never said anything about his family. Plus, I didn’t want to ask questions and invade his privacy even more.
I look again at this Damien. He’s very handsome, but there are few similarities between them.
Dominic notices me looking at his brother and gives me an expression as if to say, Do you like what you see?
Jealous? No, I’m probably wrong. Dominic wouldn’t be jealous because of me.
Damien gives me a nod without much consideration then brings his attention back to Jasmine.
“This is the brat?” He gives her an arrogant half-smile.
I watch Jasmine’s stance change completely. The sweet girl with soft eyes grows in size. Her face closes, and she crosses her arms defensively, staring at Damien venomously.
“That’s none of your business,” is the sharp answer that follows.
Damien takes a step closer to her. “Well, if you’re going to stay in my house, then yes, it’s my business.” He looks provocatively at Jasmine’s curvy body.
I stare at them until understanding dawns.
“What?” Jasmine and I say in unison.
Dominic finally decides to intervene. “Let’s all sit down.” He points at the couch.
I’m the first to obey, having already spent my share of patience. Then Jasmine sits next to me, and Damien and Dominic pull up chairs in front of us.
Dominic sighs. “Jasmine, I went back to your neighborhood and was told that Dirty is already looking for you. And we both know what he’s going to do if he finds you, right?” he says patiently.
Jasmine bites her lip, nodding slightly, looking only at Dominic.
“I went to my brother to ask him to keep you safe at his house for—”
“No. I’m sorry, Dominic—I know you’re trying to help—but I won’t stay with him.” Jasmine rejects the idea, not taking a single glance at Damien, who watches her with rapt attention.
Dominic smooths a hand down his beard. “At least for a few days, that’s all,” he says firmly. “You step foot anywhere in that neighborhood, Dirty will find you. Damien lives in the eastern part of town; no one will ever imagine you’re there.”
She cringes, but then she raises her face and stares at Dominic bravely. “Thank you very much for your concern, but I think I should handle it myself. I-I shouldn’t have even … I mean, I just came here … b-because …” She sighs heavily. “It doesn’t matter. I just don’t want to be around someone so … snobby.” She points her chin at Damien.
“How do you know what I’m like? You don’t even know me,” Damien retorts, clearly offended. “Besides, princess, as far as I know, your options are quite limited: stay here and be killed by your pimp or come to my comfortable apartment at no cost.”
When he says, “your pimp,” I watch as Jasmine’s cheeks bloom red.
“Damien,” Dominic reprimands.
Damien recoils, losing his provocative smile, and turns back to Jasmine. “Okay, I’m sorry. That was rude of me,” he mutters, sounding sincere.
Jasmine doesn’t seem to care for the apology.
I look at Dominic, whose eyes look tired.
I feel like the situation is more difficult than it seemed. However, if Dominic wants Jasmine to stay with Damien, then it’s because he trusts his brother and knows what he’s doing.
I need to help with this, since I’m the cause of this whole mess.
“Jasmine, I think it’s a good idea,” I tell her, holding her hands.
�
��Lu …” She looks at me in a silent plea for help.
She doesn’t want to go with Damien; it’s that simple.
“If you’ll excuse us,” I say to the men. “Jasmine and I are going to have a little chat in the bedroom.” I stand up and bring her with me.
She doesn’t question me, relieved to leave the room.
I meet Dominic’s eyes with a discreet thank you before we enter the hallway.
In the bedroom, I lean against the door then sit on the bed beside her. “Jas … Can I call you that?” I ask gently and get an approving smile. “I’d like to tell you something about myself. My name is Luna, as you heard Dominic say. Recently, I lost my mother in an accident, and now I’m running away from my stepfather who wants me dead.”
Her mouth drops open in surprise.
“It’s true. Dominic knows this and has kept me hidden here,” I say without fear. “My point is, if he trusts Damien to take care of you, I trust him, too. And I think you can, too.”
She purses her lips in a beautiful pout. “Did you see the angry way he looks at me? He despises me. Your pimp. Did you hear the way he said that? How can I go to his house?”
It wasn’t contempt I saw in the man. To me, Damien apparently feels some kind of pleasure in provoking her. But not disdain, as Jasmine thinks.
“Honestly, Jas, I think you should try, at least for now, and see how the whole thing works. Maybe it won’t be so bad to stay in a snob’s apartment for a few days …” I wink, teasing her. “Besides, this Dirty is after us …”
Seeing that she won’t change her mind, I suddenly think of something that will. It makes me feel like a bad person.
“Okay, if you want to go back … I’ll go with you.” Yes, emotional blackmail. I don’t like it, but it has to be done.
She promptly shakes her hand then sighs when she sees I’m serious.
“If I go with him, what about you?” she asks worriedly.
I look at the floor, unhappy with what I’m about to tell her. “I won’t be here much longer, Jas. I need to settle my life, so … I’m going back home.”
Now it’s her who takes my hand. “You can trust me for whatever you need, Lu. I-I’m—” She turns me to face her. “No one has ever done anything to help me. I will never forget.”
I feel truth and purity in her statement. Despite her strong appearance, Jasmine has sad eyes and locks herself in her own shell to protect herself from the world.
I don’t hold back when I hug her, letting tears invade my eyes. I’ve never had a friend. My above average height, excessive freckles, and my mother’s overprotectiveness made me an easy target for the popular girls. And nobody wants to be friends with someone who suffers from bullying.
“I feel the same about you, Jas. We’re friends, and when this is all over, we’ll resume our lessons,” I tell her tearfully.
We return to the living room after a quick stop in the bathroom to wipe our tears. The men are waiting for us.
“What’s it going to be, then?” Damien asks anxiously.
We all look at Jasmine, who lifts her chin as she stares at him.
“My pimp wants me dead, right? So, it’s either death or go to your house. I just hope I’m not making the wrong choice.” Her disgusted grunt is heard by everyone.
I watch the scene closely, waiting for the next move. Dominic twists his lips to the side, avoiding a laugh, and Damien chokes on his spit.
Jasmine is a smart girl. That man doesn’t even know what’s about to hit him. The question is: how will the arrangement work?
“Where are your things?” he asks, adopting the arrogant persona again.
She turns to face him with a mixture of defense and offense. “Well, I didn’t exactly have time to pack …”
Damien’s gaze wanders unkindly over her body. “If the rest of your clothes look like what you’re wearing, it’s a good thing you didn’t have time to grab them.”
I notice Jasmine use all her mental strength not to retort. Her fists are clenched, and her breathing is deep, controlled.
“I have some money. It should be enough to buy new clothes, if you can stop somewhere on the way,” she says calmly, ignoring the insult.
Clever girl.
After saying goodbye to Jasmine with another hug, I watch Damien and Dominic exchange a bro-hug, some kind of silent conversation passing through their eyes that I can’t decipher. Then Damien leaves, and Dominic closes the door behind him.
He keeps his back to me for some time before he turns the lock then slowly turns around. The way his muscles shake and veins bulge makes me shiver. However, his expression remains incomprehensible, except for those gray eyes that darken with some kind of fury.
“Now we’re going to solve the other problem.” His voice is dark, intimidating. “Tell me, Luna, what am I supposed to do with you?”
A new kind of alarm flashes in my brain, a certainty that the conversation won’t be positive.
He cuts the distance between us, determination on his face. God, what did I do?
I intuitively step back, and when he smiles coldly, I’m not ashamed at the thought that comes to my mind: sprint to the bedroom as if your life depends on it.
I do just that and am about to close the door, my heart and lungs wanting to flee my body, when steady hands reach out to me …
Oh crap.
In the blink of an eye, I am slammed against the wall and in his firm grasp.
“You won’t escape punishment, baby. Not today.” The cold words match the savagery in his eyes, making me afraid of Dominic for the first time.
Dominic
Her deep blue eyes are in a frenzy—frightened yet glaring, challenging me.
How does she make me feel helpless, all self-control vanishing through my fingers? How has everything turned into a mess? Why do I desperately want to keep her in a vault, protected from the world and from myself?
“Why, Luna?” I let the stifling fury get the better of me.
She gasps, trapped against the wall, not answering.
“Do you have any idea what you’ve gotten yourself into?” I snap so close to that attentive face fixed on me that I can feel the heat of her breaths.
An angel. A fucking rebellious, irresponsible angel. All the signs were right there the first time I saw her. I should have foreseen that she would crush the world I’ve built.
“Dominic …”
“I asked you not to go back there, Luna, didn’t I?”
“You asked … but …” She drops her gaze, guilty.
“And you not only went back, but you attacked Dirty. Did you ever stop to think about what would have happened if he had caught you?”
She has the decency to shake her head.
“Your body would now be in pieces, scattered throughout the city.” I don’t soften the truth. It’s about time she confronts the reality of her thoughtless actions. Luna has done many things that have put her life at risk.
With a sharp breath and an expanding chest, her stubborn side comes out. “That would be a good thing, wouldn’t it?” She gives me an ironic, lifeless smile.
It’s not a good idea to look at her lips when I barely have control over myself.
I arch an eyebrow, not believing her words. “Why’s that?”
She narrows her eyes. “Dirty would solve everyone’s problems. Vincent wouldn’t have to hunt me down, and I wouldn’t be a burden to you anymore.”
Oh, fucking hell! She doesn’t understand that this isn’t the time to throw more of her shit at me.
Luna
I know I just pushed the wrong button. The sound of his teeth clenching is a clear sign. Then his gray eyes give way to black.
“Answer honestly, Luna: have I ever given you the impression that you’re a burden?”
I swallow hard, having to close my eyes to escape the accusation in his eyes. “No, Dominic. You’ve never made me think that, but it’s how I feel.” I look back at him, not letting my pride go. “And if you want to
know the truth, I don’t regret doing what I did. Jasmine needed me. Would you have acted differently?”
I see his slight hesitation before he says, “You should have called me.”
“Maybe I should have,” I admit. “But you can’t always save me …” I take a deep breath, trying to get the courage to tell him that I’m leaving tomorrow. “I have my own battles, Dominic, and it’s time to start fighting them.”
He inches his chest away from mine, as if our touch burns. “What are you talking about?” With attentive eyes, he seems to assess every inch of my face.
Come on, Luna. Tell him. Tell him you’re leaving tomorrow.
I take another deep breath. “I need to get my life back.” I feel a piece of me disintegrate at saying that. “You helped me when I needed you the most, Dominic, and even if I live a thousand years, I will never be able to thank you enough.” My throat starts to hurt. “But I have to go …” I feel my lips splitting with dryness and lick them instinctively. “Tomorrow,” I whisper without breaking our connection.
That cold smile touches his lips again, sending a tremor through my body. “And you would have told me when? Or did you intend to do the usual and just run away?”
I shake my head in denial, though I can’t deny that wasn’t a possibility. “I’m already recovered, thanks to you. The plan has always been this, remember? We agreed that I’d leave as soon as I was well.”
He folds his arms across his chest. I don’t recognize the expression on his face, and I don’t like the posture.
I try to take a step back, finding the wall behind me.
“Answer me, Luna: how will this work?” The mockery is hardly masked. “Do you think you can deal with Vincent Wine alone? What will you do? Surely you already have a plan, right?”
A slap across the face would hurt less than seeing Dominic’s rage and ridicule aimed at me.
“I have something that will put him in prison.” I raise my chin, feeling my pride make an appearance.
His smile dies. “I’m not going to let you do anything stupid. You’re being unreasonable.”
