16. Luca

CHAPTER 16

LUCA

LATER THE SAME DAY - MAKING NEW ALLIES

A s we stepped into the cell, Sean claimed the lower bunk like he owned it, while Finley leaned against the wall by the door, his arms crossed, casual but watchful. They both looked relaxed, but I wasn’t about to let my guard down. I’d seen plenty of men smile right before they stabbed you in the back. I stayed by the door, feet planted, my hands loose at my sides, ready for anything. Sean’s easy smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. I could respect that; life was dangerous in our world, and trust took time to build. He’d be measuring me up just as much as I was him.

“Here’s the deal. We came from Northern Ireland a few months back, my dad’s looking to carve out some territory in London now that there’s a bit of an opening, if you know what I mean,” he grinned.

“Our mutual friend Jim MacArthur clued him up on things and told him you’d been remanded and would need some help in here. We’re both on remand ourselves for a bit of a scuffle, but this isn’t our first time in the nick. So, Jim asked us to keep an eye on you.”

Nodding slowly, I crossed my arms, my gaze sharp. “Uh huh, and what’s in it for you, exactly? Not that I don’t appreciate it of course.”

Sean didn’t even hesitate. “Simple. My dad wants an introduction to your pakhan. Make the intro, and we’ve got your back.”

My gaze shifted between the two of them. An introduction to Miki? That could be arranged easily enough. As for the ‘opening’ Sean had hinted at, he wasn’t wrong. We still needed someone to take over the remnants of the drug trade we’d inherited after we took down the Malia Boys and Broxys. And if Jim vouched for them? Maybe the O’Briens were exactly what we needed.

“Jim planned on doing the honours, but when he heard of your predicament, he thought us having your back might be a good way for us to prove our worth, so to speak. Get us an intro, put in a good word, and your ass is safe while you are in here. Otherwise…” Finn’s smirk widened, but the edge in his voice was clear.

The way he let that sentence hang in the air? It wasn’t just a joke; it was a test. My fists clenched, ready for whatever came next. I wasn’t some scared newbie they could intimidate. If they wanted to play games, I’d be more than happy to show them just how dangerous I could be.

Sean let out a sharp laugh, breaking the tension. “Finn, stop messing with him!”

Finn’s face split into a cheeky grin, and he winked.

“We do want that intro, but don’t worry. Your ass is safe, mate. Just… maybe don’t drop the soap in the shower. You’re a pretty boy, Finn here might take a liking to it,” Sean said grinning, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Feck off!” Finn snorted, before good naturedly punching Sean in the arm.

Their back-and-forth eased the tension, and I couldn’t help but chuckle under my breath. They had the look of trouble, sure, but my gut told me there was something genuine beneath all the bravado. Maybe I wasn’t as alone in here as I’d thought. With these two watching my back, I might just get through this.

“Done!” I said, sticking my hand out.

“So, Finn and me, like to do a bit of bare knuckle boxing. You got any good Russian fighters on your team? We should set up a match,” Sean said.

“One or two. I’m sure Vlad would be up for a round with one of you. Pretty sure he’d wipe the floor with you in seconds too,” I teased, though I wasn’t sure I was wrong. Vlad was one hell of a fighter.

“Sounds like a challenge to me, Sean,” Finn said.

“Hell, yeah, when we get out of here, let’s get it set up,” Sean replied.

“I’ll see what I can do,” I told them, finally relaxing in their presence.

Within minutes, we were talking about everything but prison and the weight on my shoulders lightened just a bit.

About an hour later, I was called out to see my lawyer.

Since I knew Bradley was still recovering from his heart op, I was hoping it was Claire, and my heart skipped a beat as I saw her sitting there waiting for me.

“What the hell happened? Are you okay? Who did this?” Her voice cracked as she scanned my bruised face.

“I’m okay, Claire,” I said pleased to see how my appearance affected her. Seeing her worry over me, her guard down for once, made every bruise worth it.

“Did you file a report? Did you tell them who did it?” she cried again.

“Yeah, I reported it to get my stitches. But I didn’t grass on the bastards. I’m no snitch, Claire.”

“Besides, it’s just a few bruises. Nothing to worry about, babe,” I kept my voice steady, trying to ease the worry in her eyes.

She sighed heavily and chewed at her lip. “And the person behind the attacks, was that who I suspect?”

I nodded. There was no point denying it.

“What if it happens again? What if you’re not so lucky next time?” she asked, looking distraught.

“I’ve got backup now, Claire. You don’t need to worry about that,” I said softly, locking eyes with her.

Seeing her concern brought an unexpected warmth to my chest, and the fact that she didn’t flinch when I called her babe gave me a sense of satisfaction I hadn’t anticipated. But beneath that satisfaction lay an unsettling awareness of how misplaced my emotions felt in such a dire situation.

Was it really right to feel this way, to welcome the chance to be near her because of this crisis? I loathed the circumstances—nobody deserved to meet such a tragic end as Julie had. But as I sat there, I couldn’t help but feel a thrill at the knowledge that Claire was here with me. She was navigating the depths of one of the darkest times in my life, offering her support and care, and I found myself savouring every fleeting second of her presence.

Whether or not it was morally right, I was going to use this time to continue my pursuit of my Little Miss Sexy Ass, and maybe at the end of all of this, she’d decide that I was not just worth defending, but worth loving. Surely, something good had to come out of this terrible nightmare?

Over the next hour, we talked through the details of my case. Between the holes in the prosecution’s case and the assault to add weight to things, Claire sounded confident she’d get me out at the pre-trial next week.

Regardless, I sensed she was holding back. Something was bothering her.

“What’s wrong, Claire? What’s got you so worried?”

She looked at me. “Nothing. It’s fine,” she said too quickly.

I leaned back, crossing my arms, eyes locked on her. I wasn’t buying a word of it. Others might not see through her stern countenance, but I could, and I knew my Little Miss Sexy Ass was not being truthful with me.

She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. My gut twisted. Something was wrong—very wrong.

“Claire, tell me,” I demanded, my voice low and firm as I looked her in the eye.

“Damn it, Luca. You always see through me.”

Claire started pacing, and all I wanted was to pull her close. But I couldn’t—not with the cameras and prison officers watching every move.

“If I tell you, promise me you won’t panic,” she said. Of course, her saying that made me want to panic, but I did my best to hide it.

“Just tell me, Claire,” I said.

Sighing heavily, she sat back down and told me about her conversation with Elizabeth Traynor.

“The more I go over it in my head, the more awful it seems. I’m not sure what she meant by expecting it to go her way, though I assume she expects me not to fight for your release. Do you think the MP has got to her, and she’s scared? Or is she corrupt?” she asked, a slight quiver in her voice betraying her upset at the idea.

“Either sounds possible, babe. But my money is on the latter. Has she ever given you reason to doubt her before?”

“No, never.” Her eyes filled with unshed tears as the truth sunk deep.

“She was a close friend of my mum’s; I’ve known her all my life,” she said. Then her face took on a look of horror.

“Do you think that means my mum could have been corrupt too?” she asked, her voice thick with anxiety. I recalled the stories Claire had shared about her mother, a dedicated officer with the London Metropolitan Police Force, whose life had ended abruptly when her car skidded off the road during a storm last January. I could see the shadows of doubt creeping into Claire’s eyes, a fear that threatened to unravel the memories she held dear.

“No, babe. I’m certain she wasn’t. This woman may be corrupt, or she could have been coerced; we really don’t know all the details yet. But your mum’s integrity isn’t in question here.”

She nodded, but her lips trembled and she quickly swiped at a single tear.

God, I wanted to hug her. I fisted my hands, furious at this Traynor woman and how with a few short words she’d rocked the very foundations of Claire’s belief in her whole world.

Claire bit her lip as I continued. “Your mum brought you up to fully believe in the justice system and those who enforce it. I doubt she would have instilled such a strong belief in you if she hadn’t believed that herself. Don’t let any of this tarnish your mum’s memory.”

My words seemed to calm her, and she smiled in relief.

However, I wasn’t calm. I maintained the outward appearance of it, but inside, my guts were twisting. I needed to make sure my Little Miss Sexy Ass was protected. Claire could be in real danger. So could Bradley and his family. Who knew what the MP had planned? I needed to make sure they all remained safe.

“Claire, your safety is the most important thing. Bradley’s too. I want out of here, but not at the expense of any of you getting hurt. Call Miki and tell him what happened, and do whatever he says for you to stay safe,” I told her firmly.

“I can’t do my job properly if I’m being followed about all the time,” she said angrily.

The cute frown and pursed lips made me long to kiss her. God, how I ached to kiss her. As soon as I got out of there, that was one of the first things I vowed I would do. I shook my head and forced my thoughts back to her safety.

“Miki will ensure your security is discreet, but I won’t budge on this, Claire. You need to be protected. I won’t risk anything happening to you. I couldn’t live with that,” I told her truthfully.

She gulped and looked me in the eye before quickly dropping hers.

“These people are dangerous, Claire. Promise me you’ll be careful. Let Miki handle your security. Do what he says—no arguments.”

“Okay,” she said softly, with a weary slump of her shoulders.

“Time’s up,” the prison officer said, and Claire reluctantly packed her notebook away. She turned to me, her eyes shimmering with worry. “Be careful, Luca. I couldn’t bear for anything to happen to you either.”

“I will, babe. Don’t worry about me. Just make sure you do what I said. Talk to Miki and follow his instructions, and I’ll see you soon.”

As she left the room, my heart raced with a mixture of hope and dread. Claire was everything I never knew I needed, and the thought of losing her sent a shiver down my spine. I wouldn’t let that happen—whatever it took, I’d protect her.