Chapter 12

CHAPTERTWELVE

LUCA DIDN’T KNOW how long he stayed up in his room, but it was long enough that morning light had turned into bright midday sun, and now was fading, embers of pink and orange touching the edge of the sky.

His stomach was growling, and he’d debated for a while now whether to go downstairs to fend for himself. He’d tried the doorknob earlier out of curiosity, and it wasn’t locked. Dom had just wanted him out of the way, and Luca was more than happy to oblige. Dom’s crew made Luca’s skin crawl, so it didn’t bother him not to be around them. Even Dom, with the way his mood could turn on a dime, wasn’t company Luca wanted to keep—even if he was undeniably hot half-naked.

Which Luca hadn’t been thinking about at all. Really.

When his stomach growled again, Luca sighed and pushed up off the bed. If he was quiet and stayed out of the way, they wouldn’t even notice he was there, and it was with that thought that Luca headed quietly into the hall and down the stairs.

It was so silent that he wondered if anyone was even there. Some background noise from a TV would’ve done wonders to make the place feel more alive, but of course he hadn’t seen any of those around either.

He turned the corner into the living room, and the sight of Dom standing at the window made him stop. Dom didn’t seem to know Luca was there as he stared out at the city, lifting a glass of amber liquid to his lips. He’d changed clothes since the last time Luca saw him, and even he had to admit Dom made a striking figure in head-to-toe black. The perfectly tailored collared shirt and slacks molded to his fit body in a way that exuded power and confidence.

Dom lowered the glass, tapping the rim with the gold ring on his right hand, and then he turned around.

Sweet mother of holy hell, the fierce intensity in those dark-as-night eyes rolled across the room in waves as Luca remained paralyzed in place. It was like he was having some out-of-body experience where his brain was saying, Turn around and run, but his body had other ideas.

There was no denying it: Dom was as terrifying as he was enigmatic, and had this been any other situation—such as one where he didn’t want Luca dead—Luca would be trying to get closer to the man. As it was, the stairs back up to his current prison cell were looking really good. If only he could remember how to move.

Just as he was about to speak, a locking mechanism sounded behind Luca, making him whirl around to face the main doors. They flew open with a force that made Luca jump back as a man dressed in an impeccable suit marched in as though he owned the place. He didn’t bother with a glance in Luca’s direction as he strode across the living room to Dom.

Luca had pretty much figured that Dom was the boss of everybody and everything when it came to who entered this place, but when the man stopped toe to toe with Dom, Luca’s eyes almost fell out of his head.

“You disobeyed a direct order,” the newcomer barked, and when Luca expected Dom to tell the man to back the fuck off, he merely stood silent, a twitch in his jaw the only visible response to this dressing-down. “I told you to lie low, and what did you do? Go out and get yourself shot.”

“I—” Dom started, but the man snapped his fingers and Dom’s teeth clicked shut.

“You what? You thought I was making a suggestion when I told you not to go anywhere? You thought you knew better than me?”

“No, sir.”

“Then what the hell do you think you were doing out there?” The man let out a sigh, shaking his head. “Figlio mio, what are you trying to do? Put me in an early grave?”

Luca sensed a form of affection between them as the initial outrage passed.

“I’d never want that,” Dom finally said. “I just wanted to get some of my belongings before I was otherwise…sequestered.”

“And what was so important you would put your life at risk, huh?” The man ran a hand through his thick, gunmetal-colored hair. “I’m not keeping you here to punish you, Dom. I’m keeping you here to make sure you’re safe, and you can’t even bother to call me and let me know you got shot?”

“I knew it would upset you, and there was no need. I’m fine.”

“Where were you shot? Did you call Doc?”

“There was no need.” Dom’s eyes shifted to Luca. “It was just a graze on my arm, and it turned out we had a budding young doctor right here under our roof.”

Oh God, please don’t bring me into this. But it was too late; the man turned to pin Luca with inquisitive eyes. They widened slightly. “Dio Mio.”

Then he walked toward Luca, who could do nothing but stand there as this man, whoever he was, stopped in front of him and grabbed his chin. He turned Luca’s head from side to side, and Luca felt like he was being inspected for an auction.

The man dropped his hand and stepped back, giving Luca a long once-over.

He smiled.

Smiled?

“Luca, is it?”

How does he know that?

There was a pleasant enough look on the man’s face, but Dom answered to him, which meant he wasn’t someone to mess with, and Luca had a hard time finding his tongue.

Finally, he managed, “Yes, Luca. Luca Davis.”

The man smiled wider. “Davis.” He looked over his shoulder at Dom, who arched a brow and lifted his glass to his lips. “Well, Luca, it seems like you’re a good man to have around in a bind.”

No mention of the fact that Luca was being forced to be around. Obviously the man knew that. Hell, he was probably the one in charge of orchestrating it.

Maybe it was the fact he didn’t know who the guy was or that he hadn’t seen him blow up the way the others had, but something made Luca straighten his spine and say, “I’d like to go home.”

The man’s brows shot up, and he rubbed his jaw. “I’m sure you would like that, Luca, just as I’m sure Dom would as well. Unfortunately, current circumstances make it impossible for the two of you to go anywhere right now.”

“Why?” Luca blurted out, and from the look on Dom’s face, he guessed people didn’t usually question this man. But God, he needed answers, something, anything. Already he’d learned this wasn’t Dom’s home at all. And for some reason, now both of them were stuck here, not just Luca.

The man stared at him, and just when Luca wondered if he’d say anything at all, he clasped his hands behind his back and began to move. As he walked the length of the room, he said, “Have you ever had to fight for something you wanted? Something you believed should be yours?”

The first thought that popped into Luca’s mind was the way he’d worked so hard for a spot at Yale, and then to be the top of his class. It hadn’t been easy, but he sacrificed to make it happen.

He wasn’t about to tell the two men in the room that, though. Whatever it was this man wanted, their circumstances were not the same.

Luca stayed stubbornly quiet, grinding his molars together.

“I understand if you’re upset,” the man said, turning back to face Luca. “That you feel you don’t belong here. But trust me when I say this is the safest place for you right now.”

Trust him? Trust any of them? Without explanation or answers, just blind trust? Was he insane?

As if reading his mind, the man shrugged, not looking sorry at all, before turning back to Dom. “And you. You don’t leave the casino.” Dom opened his mouth as if to protest. “The families are feuding. You understand that, right? You’re a target. So you lie low and let the rest of us handle this.”

Feuding families? Casino? What the hell is going on here?But before Luca could make any kind of sense of it, the main doors opened again and two hulking men in suits stepped inside. He noted a gun in one of the men’s hands.

“Boss? We need to get going soon. You’ve been here too long as is.”

The man’s lips tightened but then he nodded. “I need another minute up here, then I’ll be out.”

His muscleman gave a clipped nod, then backed out of the space, closing the door behind him. Then the older man turned to Dom.

“A word before I go.” He walked off toward the adjoining room. Dom followed him without question, and Luca couldn’t help but wonder who the hell this guy that everyone—including Dom—obeyed without question was. And why did everyone call him “boss”?